Vishwashrava had two wives - Varavarnini and Kaikasi. Kuber, the god of wealth was born to the first wife, and Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Shurpanakha and Vibhishana were born to Kaikasi.
It was Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarana, who performed penance, got miraculous powers from Lord Brahma and drove out Kuber to occupy the golden kingdom of Lanka.
Ravana had also tried to kill the monkey king Bali, who was performing prayer to the Sun God at a seashore.
Bali was so powerful, that he carried Ravana with his arms and took him back to Kishkindhya, where he asked Ravana what he wanted.
Ravana offered friendship and the two became friends. It was Bali, who while fighting with Sugriva, was slayed by Lord Rama.
It was Ravana, a Brahmin, who performed the rites of a purohit, when Lord Rama constructed the Rama Sethu to lead his monkey brigade to attack Lanka.
Ravana was not only a stupendous fighter, but also an expert of the Vedas and an expert in astrology.
It is said that when his son Meghanada was to be born from his wife Mandodari's womb, Ravana "instructed" all the planets and the Sun to be in their proper position for the auspicious "lagna" so that his son would become immortal.
But Saturn suddenly changed its position. Noticing this, a furious Ravana attacked Saturn with his mace and broke off one of its legs, maiming him for life.
Ravana was a great practitioner of statecraft. When Lord Rama killed Ravana, who was on his last breath, Rama instructed his brother Lakshmana to go to Ravana and learn the art of statecraft and diplomacy from the dying demon king.
Ravana's empire spread over Balidweepa (today's Bali), Malayadweep (Malaysia), Angadweepa, Varahdweepa, Shankhadweepa, Yavadweepa, Andhralaya and Kushadweepa. All are islands.
Ravana not only usurped Kubera's kingdom of Lanka, but also his golden Pushpaka Vimana. It is said the vimana (aircraft) could take different shapes and could travel at the speed of mind.
Ravana is perfect Brahmin whodid poojas regularly(Particularly playing veena and doing Sandhya vandanam). He was a great Scholar in Ayurvedic medicine. He was the person who invented “Arka Shastra”. The book “Arka Prakshaya” reveals this truth to the present world. As his willing to research in Ayurvedic medicine he wrote several books revealing the cures for many diseases. In one book he wrote “Eating beef cause to infect ninety eight new diseases to human beings”. The book “Kumara Tantraya” which reveals the treatments for infant diseases was written by him accepting the request of his pregnant queen Mandodari.
Even in Kampan's version of Ramayana, he was praised for his talent, the knowledge, the strength. In the words of Kampan,
Ravana had been an invincible hero in many a battle.Yet his body had no wound inflicted by the enemy. The only wound on his body was on his chestinflicted by Airavatham, Indra's elephant. Kampan mentions this to show what a mighty warrior he had been. Kampan also mentions the strength of his shoulders that could lift Siva's Mt. Kailas,
Sage Narada losing to Ravana in a Music contest, Ravana deserving to get a sword from Lord Siva. But of-course all this greatness had been negated by Rama by defeating Ravana completely. There is sympathy and sorrow for Ravana in Kampan's poem - not ridicule or contempt.
He even knew that Ram was Narayana (Lord Vishnu) himself, who had come in human form.However, since there was no other way for him to reach to Narayana, he had to cultivate wanton wickedness, violence and hatred, and invite Ram to kill him. Of course, this might be called a type of devotion that is stupid and infamous. But his inner aim was to cross the ocean of birth and death, through that act of self-abnegation and surrender to Narayana.
There is another tale with Rama wanting to please the Gods with a Yagna before going to battle with Ravana. As an elder was needed to bless the proceedings, he asked one of the Vanaras to request Ravana himself. Ravana agreed and, ironically, blessed the offerings of his enemy—this was his magnanimous nature.(already mentioned by someone).
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