Rāvaṇa as a Poet: Divine Dynamism and Devotion in a Hymn of Penitence

Abstract

While Rāvaṇa’s enduring legacy spans the religious, political, and intellectual histories of South Asia, it is in the realm of literature that his presence especially remains dynamic, inspiring a vast and heterogeneous corpus across both classical and vernacular traditions. His sole extant poetic composition, the Śivatāṇḍavastotra (ŚTS), widely venerated as a devotional hymn to Lord Śiva, stands as a singular testament to his poetic genius and continues to resonate beyond the confines of sectarian Śaiva devotion. This study reconsiders Rāvaṇa’s literary agency by undertaking a close textual analysis of the ŚTS, presenting a concise scholarly translation of its most widely circulated version alongside a review of variant stanzas drawn from several previously unpublished manuscripts. Through a reception-theoretical lens, this paper briefly explores the hymn’s transmission history and interpretive flexibility, revealing the ŚTS as a site of devotional intensity, aesthetic sophistication, and layered meaning. Ultimately, the research affirms Rāvaṇa’s stature as a cultural and literary figure whose poetic expression continues to provoke scholarly interest and devotional engagement across linguistic, historical, and spiritual contexts.