The kingdom of रावण .

Origin

It is believed that the present island of चेय्लोन् was the लङ्का of the पुराणस् , the city of रावण . This city of लङ्का was situated on the top of the mountain त्रिकूट . This त्रिकूट was a peak of महामेरु . Because of a fight between वासुकि and वायुभगवान् this peak broke away from महामेरु and fell into the ocean. (See Para 5 under Kubera)

History

विश्वकर्मा constructed a magnificent city on the top of the mountain त्रिकूट for the use of कुबेर . कुबेर lived there adored and worshipped by all. One day कुबेर travelled by air in an aeroplane of his. कैकसी , mother of रावण saw that and she became jealous. She called her son to her side and said that at any cost the city of लङ्का on the mount त्रिकूट should be captured and given to her. रावण along with his brothers went to the हिमालय and performed penance there and obtained several boons from शिव . Then रावण conducted a victory march as an arch-opponent of all living forces and drove away कुबेर from लङ्का and took possession of लङ्का as the place of his abode. He took along with him all the demons residing in पाताललोक .

The design of लङ्का

. विश्वकर्मा , the celebrated architect designed the beautiful लङ्का and the supreme building ability of मय brought into form the enchanting city. On the top of त्रिकूट was the all important नवरत्नशृङ्ग and on a spacious plateau on its top stood the majestic city of लङ्का . In the centre was the ten-storeyed palace of रावण and around it in eight different places stood the nine-storeyed buildings of the great ministers of रावण . The nine edifices were like the नवग्रहस् (nine planets) of लङ्का . Each of the nine edifices was built with one of the nine gems and the royal palace in the centre was built by using all the nine gems. Even the sun avoided passing over these buildings and changed his path either a bit to the north or to the south making what is known as the दक्षिणायन and उत्तरायण . (Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Kamba Rāmāyaṇa)

No sand in लङ्का

. The ancient belief is that there is no sand in लङ्का The fourth तरङ्ग of कथामुखलम्बक of कथासरित्सागर gives a story relating to the reason for this belief.

गरुड flew to देवलोक to bring अमृत (nectar) to redeem his mother from her servitude to his step-mother. On his way he took an elephant and tortoise from near the आश्रम of कश्यप for his food. He sat on a huge banyan tree to eat them. On the ground below the बालखिल्यस् were performing penance. The branch on which गरुड sat with his food sagged and before it broke गरुड took away the elephant and tortoise and deposited them on the mountain गन्धमादन near the ocean. The branch broke and fell into the ocean and the city of लङ्का was built on the branch and that was why the ancient people believed there was no sand in लङ्का .

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सहदेव sent घटोत्कच to collect tribute from the King of लङ्का for the राजसूययज्ञ of धर्मपुत्र . (Chapter 31, Dākṣiṇātyapāṭha) .

The people of लङ्का attended the राजसूययज्ञ of धर्मपुत्र and took charge of serving rice in the feast. [mh-3-53-23 ] Mahābhārata • Vana parva .

हनूमान् once burnt the city of लङ्का with a fire from his tail. (See under RĀMA) .

It was ब्रह्मा who gave लङ्का at first to कुबेर . [mh-3-274-16 ] Mahābhārata • Vana parva .

After the death of रावण , विभीषण was crowned the King of लङ्का [mh-3-291-5 ] Mahābhārata • Vana parva .