Amish Tripathi - Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta

Raavan Enemy of Aryavarta

Amish is a 1974-born, IIM (Kolkata)-educated, boring banker turned happy author. The success of his debut book, The Immortals of Meluha (Book 1 of the Shiva Trilogy), encouraged him to give up a fourteen-year-old career in financial services to focus on writing. He is passionate about history, mythology and philosophy, finding beauty and meaning in all world religions. Amishs books have sold more than 5 million copies and have been translated into over 19

languages.

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Other Titles by Amish

SHIVA TRILOGY

The fastest-selling book series in the history of Indian publishingThe Immortals of Meluha (Book 1 of the Trilogy) The Secret of the Nagas (Book 2 of the Trilogy) The Oath of the Vayuputras (Book 3 of the Trilogy) RAM CHANDRA SERIES

The second fastest-selling book series in the history of Indian publishingRam Scion of Ikshvaku (Book 1 of the Series) Sita Warrior of Mithila (Book 2 of the Series) NON-FICTION

Immortal India: Young Country, Timeless Civilisation

{Amishs} writing introduces the youth to ancient value systems while pricking and satisfying their curiosity

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

(Spiritual Leader & Founder of the Art of Living Foundation)

I wish many more would be inspired by Amish Tripathi

Amitabh Bachchan

(Actor & Living Legend)

Amish is Indias first literary popstar.

Shekhar Kapur

(Award-Winning Film Director)

Amish has a fine eye for detail and a compelling narrative style.

Dr. Shashi Tharoor

(Member of Parliament & Author)

{Amish is} one of the most original thinkers of his generation.

Arnab Goswami

(Senior Journalist & MD, Republic TV)

{Amish is} a deeply thoughtful mind with an unusual, original, and fascinating view of the past.

Shekhar Gupta

(Senior Journalist & Columnist)

To understand the New India, you need to read Amish.

Swapan Dasgupta

(Member of Parliament & Senior Journalist)

One of Indias best storytellers.

Vir Sanghvi

(Senior Journalist & Columnist)

Through all of Amishs books flows a current of liberal progressive ideology: about gender, about caste, about discrimination of any kind He is the only Indian bestselling writer with true philosophical depth his books are all backed by tremendous research and deep thought.

Sandipan Deb

(Senior Journalist & Editorial Director, Swarajya )

Amishs influence goes beyond his books, his books go beyond literature, his literature is steeped in philosophy, which is anchored in bhakti, which powers his love for India.

Gautam Chikermane

(Senior Journalist & Author)

Amish is a literary phenomenon.

Anil Dharker

(Senior Journalist & Author)

First published by Westland Publications Private Limited in 2019

1st Floor, A Block, East Wing, Plot No. 40, SP Infocity, Dr MGR Salai, Perungudi, Kandanchavadi, Chennai 600096

Westland and the Westland logo are the trademarks of Westland Publications Private Limited, or its affiliates.

Copyright Amish Tripathi, 2019

Amish Tripathi asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

ISBN: 9789388754088

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organisations, places, events and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used fictitiously.

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Contents

Om Namah Shivya

The universe bows to Lord Shiva.

I bow to Lord Shiva.

To You,

I was drowning,

In Grief, in Anger, in Depression.

You have pulled me into the open air of Peace,

If only for a little while,

By merely listening to my words.

And it is not Mere Words when I say,

That you will always have my quiet gratitude,

You will always have my silent love.

When extraordinary good fortune of overwhelming Glory comes to a person,

Retreating misfortune increases the power of its Sorrows.

Kalhana, in Rajatarangini

Who among you wants to be great?

Who among you wants to lose all chance at happiness?

Is this Glory even worth it?

I am Raavan.

I want it all.

I want fame. I want power. I want wealth.

I want complete triumph.

Even if my Glory walks side by side with my Sorrow.

Akampana: A smuggler; one of Raavans closest aides Arishtanemi: Military chief of the Malayaputras; right-hand man of Vishwamitra

Ashwapati: King of the northwestern kingdom of Kekaya; father of Kaikeyi and a loyal ally of Dashrath

Bharat: Rams half-brother; son of Dashrath and Kaikeyi Dashrath: Chakravarti king of Kosala and emperor of the Sapt Sindhu; father of Ram, Bharat, Lakshman and Shatrughan

Hanuman: A Naga and a member of the Vayuputra tribe Indrajit: Son of Raavan and Mandodari

Janak: King of Mithila; father of Sita

Jatayu: A captain of the Malayaputra tribe; Naga friend of Sita and Ram Kaikesi: Rishi Vishravas first wife; mother of Raavan and Kumbhakarna Khara: A captain in the Lankan army; Samichis lover

Krakachabahu: The governor of Chilika Kubaer: The chief-trader of Lanka

Kumbhakarna: Raavans brother; also a Naga

Kushadhwaj: King of Sankashya; younger brother of Janak Lakshman: One of the twin sons of Dashrath; Rams half-brother Malayaputras: The tribe left behind by Lord Parshu Ram, the sixth Vishnu Mandodari: Wife of Raavan

Mara: An independent assassin for hire

Mareech: Kaikesis brother; Raavan and Kumbhakarnas uncle; one of Raavans closest aides

Nagas: Human beings born with deformities

Prithvi: A businessman in the village of Todee Raavan: Son of Rishi Vishrava; brother of Kumbhakarna; half-brother of Vibhishan and Shurpanakha

Ram: Son of Emperor Dashrath and his eldest wife Kaushalya; eldest of four brothers; later married to Sita

Samichi: Police and protocol chief of Mithila; Kharas lover Shatrughan: Twin brother of Lakshman; son of Dashrath and Sumitra; Rams half-brother

Shochikesh: The landlord of Todee village

Shurpanakha: Half-sister of Raavan

Sita: Daughter of King Janak and Queen Sunaina of Mithila; also the prime minister of Mithila; later married to Ram

Sukarman: A resident of Todee village; Shochikeshs son Vali: The king of Kishkindha

Vashishtha: Raj guru, the royal priest of Ayodhya; teacher of the four Ayodhya princes

Vayuputras: The tribe left behind by Lord Rudra, the previous Mahadev