What Ravan Told Laxman: Lessons from the Last Conversation

The final meeting between Ravan and Laxman on the battlefield is one of those moments that makes you stop and think, whether you know the full story or not. Here, the so-called villain of the story, lying on the edge of life, shares some life lessons with his enemy’s brother. Was it humility, a little bit of regret, or just honesty when there’s nothing left to lose?

Key Takeaways

• Wisdom can come from anyone—even an enemy.
• Ego always brings people down, regardless of the reason.
• Friendship and enmity both shape who we are.
• Aim to be useful, not just important.
• The real battle is inside us.

Ravan and Laxman: The Final Dialogue

So, Laxman, brother of Ram, stands before Ravan as he’s breathing his last. He doesn’t look for advice from his own camp. Instead, Ram sends him to Ravan—his enemy—for guidance. Laxman politely asks, "What should I learn?" In this old tradition, even those seen as villains are respected for their knowledge.

Ravan, in his typical grand style, doesn't miss a beat. He gives Laxman a set of hard truths, starting with the dangers of ego. Whether ego comes from beauty, strength, money, or power, it’s a sure-fire way to mess things up, according to Ravan.

There’s this classic line Ravan says about ego from knowledge versus ego from other things. He basically says, “If you’re proud because you know a lot, nobody can help you. I made that mistake.”

Ravan then draws an interesting line between ‘being well-educated’ and ‘being wise’. Here’s how he breaks it down:

He really wants Laxman to remember: knowledge should humble you, not puff you up.

Friends, Foes, and What That Says About Us

There’s a whole chunk where Ravan talks about how people judge you not just by your friends, but even more by your enemies. He has this almost cheeky moment, pointing out that a good enemy makes you stronger.

He tells Laxman:

1. You can be friends with almost anyone you like.
2. But if you ever choose an enemy, pick someone better than you. (Life’s weird that way.)
3. Greatness comes from who stands against you as much as who stands with you.

It sounds odd, but he sums it up: Your enemy is the one who wakes up your sleeping energy and pushes you to be more than you thought you could be. Sometimes, it’s your enemies that force you to break out of your own limits. “Thank your enemy,” he says, “don’t just hate them.”

Being Useful Vs. Being Important

Ravan slips in this idea that being useful beats being famous. Lots of folks want to be known, but Ravan says, “If you’re useful, people will remember you as long as it matters.”

He even goes off on devotion, saying there are two ways to worship: one out of desire (wanting things) and the other out of feeling (pure devotion). When you worship because you love, you get what the divine likes—not just what you want for yourself.

Where’s Ravan’s Temple?

Funny thing is, there aren’t too many Ravan temples in India. And that gets everybody thinking: is Ravan only on the outside? Or is he actually a part of us all? The real Ravan’s temple might be hidden somewhere inside—like that part of us always questioning, always pushing back.

The Battle Within

Near the end, there’s talk about how in earlier times, good and evil lived in different worlds. Now, both fight inside the same heart. That’s probably true for most of us: we wrestle with both Ravan and Ram inside.

It’s easy to call someone else the villain. But if you really catch yourself slipping into pride, or making excuses, or being stubborn just for the sake of it, you’re seeing a bit of Ravan in yourself.

Quick Table: Ravan’s Lessons to Laxman

So next time you hear about Ravan and Laxman meeting on the battlefield, think about those lessons. Maybe they're simple. Maybe a bit uncomfortable. But they come from someone who learned the hard way—and admitted it as his last act.