One of the greatest truths of life is that everything happens for a reason. Destiny plays a big role in connecting all points of life and defining its course in each and everybody’s life. Even the Almighty and his devotees are not exempt from the course of destiny and Ramayan proves the same, where Ravan as a demon and Bhagwan Vishnu as Shri Ram is a connection which is in fact shows the pure bond of a true devotee and the Almighty.
In reality, Ravan was Jay, one of the guards of Vaikunth. Along with his twin brother, Vijay guarded the doors of Bhagwan Vishnu. Once, the four Rishis Sanak, Sanand, Sanathkumar and Sanathsujath who were born as Brahma’s sons came to Vaikunth Dhaam seeking the darshan of the compassionate one. But, Jay and Vijay stop them at the door and do not allow them inside. This upsets the rishis and they curse the gate keepers that they lose their right to stay in Vaikunth as they had no right to stop the devotees from visiting Bhagwan Vishnu. Realising that his gate keepers were cursed, Bhagwan Vishnu comes to the aid and asks the rishis to forgive the arrogance of Jay and Vijay. The rishis praising Bhagwan Vishnu’s humility leave it to him to pardon them or punish them.
Bhagwan Vishnu agrees that they should be punished as arrogance is not a good virtue. But he gives them two choices, either to be born seven times as humans and devotees of Vishnu, or three times as demons with power, but as enemies of Vishnu , however being liberated by him. Unable to bear the separation from Bhagwan Vishnu for seven births, Jay and Vijay chose to be born as the enemies of Vishnu so that they would return to Vaikunth Dhaam as early as possible,
To fulfil their destiny, Jay and Vijay take birth as the sons of Rishi Vishrava and Mata Kaikesi as Ravan and Kumbhakarn. Ravan was highly intellectual and well versed in all the Sastras and Vedas. Ravan decides to conquer the whole worlds and be invincible. He does severe penance along with his brothers and appeases Bramha Ji. When Bramha Ji asks him for a boon, he says that to make him invincible from the Devas, Nagas, Garud, Yaksh, Gandharv and all other celestial beings. As he never regarded humans powerful, he did not seek protection from them.
The role of destiny in Ravan not choosing protection from humans was because Bhagwan Vishnu had to keep his promise of liberating Ravan from the curse, and hence be born as Shri Ram. As Bhagwan Vishnu had promised his gate keepers that although born as enemies, they would be liberated from the curse by him, he takes the incarnation of Shri Ram to release them form the curse. Destiny makes Ravan famous for his ego and arrogance, but in deeper sense to be liberated from his master in reality. It’s because of Ravan that Bhagwan Vishnu incarnates as Shri Ram who not only liberates Ravan from the curse, but also sets an example of having greatest virtues, qualities and compassion and gave mankind the true meaning of being born as a human.