Ravananugraha (God Shiva blessing the demon king Ravana)

The appeal for mercy led to the birth of Shiva Tandava Stotram! Ravananugraha is a depiction of Shiva granting his blessing to Ravana. But how did he get this blessing? The mighty Ravana, blinded by his unchecked arrogance, was trying to cross Mount Kailash with his Pushpak Viman. However, he failed to cross it. Upon questioning, Nandi informed him that no one can cross the abode of Shiva and Parvati. The answer made him agitated, and he tried to uplift Mount Kailash, disturbing the deities. To stop Ravana, Shiva pressed down his toe on Kailash, crushing the arms of Ravana and pinning him in one position. The action of Shiva didn’t only crush his arms but also his ego. It made him realize the power of the Almighty. Thus, he did rigorous penance and sang the Shiva Tandava Stotram in praise of Shiva for years. Touched by his devotion and dedication, Shiva granted him the blessing. There are several ancient sources that narrate this story. It is well documented in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. In the Tamil literature work, Tevaram, it is mentioned that Ravana cut off one of his heads to make a veena to sing the Shiva Tandava Stotram. The depiction of this popular narrative is well etched on the walls of the Elephanta and Ellora Caves. This Ravananugraha sculpture, dating back to the 11th century, is from Hinglajgarh Fort.