Analysis of Ravana's defeat by other warriors in a war except Lord Rama?

Ravana was a very powerful warrior who had defeated the Devas headed by Devraj Indra. He had caused terror in the three worlds due to his strength and his evil policies. Yet he had suffered defeats on few occasions .

His first defeat came at the hands of Kartaviraya Arjuna. Kartaviraya Arjuna managed to defeat Ravana and imprison him. Later Kartaviraya Arjuna released Ravana at the request of his grandfather Maharishi Pulastya. ‘When the advisers withdrew and Prahasta was brought down, Ravana quickly attacked Arjuna, supreme among kings. There was an extremely terrible battle between the king with one thousand arms and the rakshasa with twenty arms. It made the body hair stand up. They were like two agitated oceans, two mountains that began to move at the foundations, two suns that were full of energy and two fires that consumed everything. They were like two powerful elephants, like two bulls filled with desire. They roared like clouds and were as strong as lions. The rakshasa and Arjuna were as angry as Rudra and Death. They severely struck each other with their clubs. The man and the rakshasa tolerated those terrible blows of the clubs, just as mountains withstand the blow of the vajra. Echoes result when there is thunder. Like that, the sound of the clubs descending were heard in all the directions. When Arjuna’s club descended on his chest, the sky was filled with a golden tinge, as if through a flash of lightning. In a similar way, Ravana repeatedly brought down the radiant club on Arjuna’s chest, like a meteor descending on a large mountain. Arjuna did not suffer. Nor did the lord of large numbers of rakshasas. The encounter between them was between two equals, like that between Bali and Indra in earlier times. They were like two bulls fighting with their horns, or like two elephants fighting with their tusks. The man and the best among rakshasas struck each other. In the great duel, Arjuna wrathfully used all his strength and brought the club down between Ravana’s breasts. However, he possessed an armour because of the boon. But the club descended on Ravana’s chest and weakened him. It was shattered into two pieces and fell down on the ground, where the soldiers were. The club released by Arjuna struck Ravana. He was benumbed and roared, withdrawing only the distance of one bow length. Arjuna saw that Dashagriva was suffering. He violently seized him, the way Garuda seizes a serpent. Dashanana was forcibly seized in those one thousand arms. The powerful king bound him down, like Narayana did to Bali. On seeing that Dashagriva had thus been captured, the siddhas, charanas and gods uttered words of praise and showered down flowers on Arjuna’s head. It was like a tiger seizing a deer, or a lion seizing an elephant. The king of the Haihayas repeatedly roared in delight, like a cloud. Source : Baroda CE Valmiki Ramayana ch 7(32) translated by Bibek Debroy Several Puranas also mention Ravana’s defeat at the hands of Kartaviraya Arjuna. Srimad Bhagwatam mentions Kartaviraya Arjuna defeating and capturing Ravana. Shri-Shuka replied, ‘The bull among kshatriyas, Arjuna 1243 was the lord of the Haihayas. He followed the rituals and worshipped Datta, 1244 a portion of the illustrious one. He thus obtained one thousand arms and was invincible in the midst of the enemy. His senses and power could not be restrained and he possessed prosperity, energy, valour, fame and strength. He obtained the powers and qualities of a lord of yoga, such as anima and the others. Without any restrictions, he roamed around the world, like the wind. Intoxicated with arrogance, he was once sporting in the waters of the Reva, 1245 surrounded by jewels among women. Radiant with a vaijayanti garland, 1246 he obstructed the waters of the river with his arms. The waters of the river started to flow in the opposite direction and flooded Dashanana’s 1247 own camp. Proud of his own valour, he could not tolerate the other’s prowess. When he caused him offence in the presence of the women, he 1248 playfully seized him and imprisoned him in Mahishmati, 1249 thereafter releasing him like a monkey. Source : Srimad Bhagwatam ch 9(15) translated by Bibek Debroy. Even Vishnu Purana mentions the defeat of Ravana at the hands of Sahasrabahu Arjuna. In his reign nothing was lost or injured; and so he governed the whole earth with undiminished health, prosperity, power, and might, for eighty five thousand years. Whilst sporting in the waters of the Narmadá, and elevated with wine, Rávańa came on his tour of triumph to the city Máhishmatí, and there he who boasted of overthrowing the gods, the Daityas, the Gandharbas and their king, was taken prisoner by Kárttavírya, and confined like a tame beast in a corner of his capital 10 Source : Vishnu Puran Book IV ch XI. Harivamsa Purana which is an appendix to Mahabharta also mention Ravana’s defeat at the hands of Kartaviraya Arjuna. While he sported and bathed in the water of the river Narmadā engarlanded with her foam she used to approach him in fear with her thousand waves (28). When he used to agitate the mighty deep with his thousand arms the great Asuras, living in the nether region, became inert and silent (29). As the mount Mandāra, when thrown off by the gods and demons, (agitated) the ocean of milk so did the king Arjuna, the son of Kritavirya, crush down the waves of the ocean, shake the fish and other huge acquatic animals, whirl the foam with air and create whirlpools of water. Awakened by the motion of the mount Mandāra, terrified by the production of ambrosia and troubled all on a sudden, the huge Uragas became motionless and humble at the sight of that terrible man. They trembled before him like plantain leaves shaken by the evening breeze (30–33). Having vanquished, with his might, the haughty king of Lanka, Rāvana with his army and made him senseless with five arrows he bound him with his bow-string, brought him to the city of Mahishmati and kept him in chains there (34). Source : Harivamsa Purana ch XXXIII Hence Ravana was defeated by Kartaviraya Arjuna. Kartaviraya Arjuna was a devotee of Bhagwan Dattatreya and had earnt many powerful boons and weapons from him. Hence he was capable enough of defeating Ravana. Second defeat of Ravana came at the hands of Vali. He had bound Ravana in his armpits and had travelled four oceans bearing the weight of Ravana. Physically Vali was stronger than Ravana , but had the battle been with weapons than Ravana would have defeated Vali easily. The lord of the rakshasas desired to seize the ape, but was captured by him instead. Grasping him close to his side, the ape powerfully leapt up into the sky. He struck and pierced him repeatedly with his nails. Vali seized Ravana, like the wind seizing a cloud. The advisers of the rakshasa saw that Dashanana was being abducted. Desiring to free him, they roared in terrible voices and rushed behind them. They followed Vali, who was radiant in the middle of the sky. It was as if clouds in the sky were following the one with the rays.629 Those excellent rakshasas tried to reach Vali. However, because of the force of his arms and his thighs, they were exhausted and fell down. Vali’s trail was impossible to follow, even if Indras among mountains had attempted it. The Indra among apes was extremely swift and followed a path that even the birds couldn’t follow. He progressively reached all the oceans and performed the sandhya rites there. Travelling through the sky, the ape was worshipped by all the creatures who roamed around in the sky. With Ravana, Vali went to the western ocean. The ape performed the sandhya worship there, bathed and chanted. Bearing Ravana, he then went to the northern ocean. He performed the sandhya worship in the northern ocean. Bearing Dashanana, Vali then went to the eastern ocean, the great store of waters. Vasava’s son, the lord of the apes, performed the sandhya worship there. Seizing Ravana, he then returned towards Kishkindha. The ape had performed the sandhya rites in the four oceans. Exhausted at having had to bear Ravana, he descended in a grove in Kishkindha. The supreme ape freed Ravana from his flank and laughing at Ravana, asked him, “Where have you come from?” Ravana had been filled with great amazement. He was tired and his eyes rolled around. Source : Baroda CE Valmiki Ramayana ch 7(34) translated by Bibek Debroy Ravana was defeated by Vali as he was physically stronger than Ravana. But Ravana could have defeated him if he had used his weapons. As per Uttar Kanda, Ravana had failed to defeat Devraj Indra and Yama, but this doesn’t look true as the other kandas of Ramayana mention Ravana defeating Indra and Yama. Yuddha Kanda mentions Ravana defeating both Indra and Yama. "Ravana, decked with a diadem, who has brought Indra the Lord of celestials and Vaivasvata the Lord of Death low, is shining like the sun. His countenance is graced by ear-rings. His formidable stature equals the Vindhya the Lord of Mountains." Source : Valmiki Ramayana Yuddha Kanda Sarga 59 The demons of Ravana’s army had mentioned Ravana winning a great victory over Yama. Oh, king! After entering a great ocean in the shape of Yama's realm, with a huge alligator in the form of death's rod of punishment, adorned with silk-cotton trees (bristling with thorns to be used a weapons), turbulent with a huge wave in the shape of noose of Kala (Time Spirit), with serpents in the form of Yama's servants and difficult to be conquered on account of mighty Jvara (Spirit presiding over fevers), and churning the sea in the form of Yama's forces, a great victory was obtained and death warded off by you. All the people there were delighted to see your good battle." Source : Valmiki Ramayana Yuddha Kanda Sarga 7 Mandodari after Ravana’s death had told that Indra had failed to even stand against Ravana in a battle. She had also mentioned that Indra had failed in conquering Ravana "It is heard that Ravana who was mighty, endowed with strength and who was causing people to cry, was not conquered by the chiefs like Indra and others." "O the great armed, the brother of Kubera! Even Indra the destroyer of strongholds, indeed dares not to stand before you, when you were enraged." "O the mighty lord! Otherwise, you might have been overpowered by Indra the lord of celestials. But for Indra, where is the capacity even to behold you in battle? Source : Valmiki Ramayana Yuddha Kanda Sarga 111 Hence as per other Kandas of Valmiki Ramayana, Ravana was not defeated by Devraj Indra and Dharmaraja(Yama). Third defeat of Ravana had come against Hanuman ji. Hanuman ji had knocked Ravana out with a blow of his fist. Thereupon, the enraged Hanuma the son of the Wind-God, rushed towards Ravana and struck angrily on his chest with his fist, resembling a thunder-bolt. By that blow of the fist, Ravana the Lord of Demons reeled and fell on his knees to the ground. A lot of blood oozed out from his face, eyes, and ears. Reeled and motionless, he became and sat in the middle of the chariot. Seeing Ravana despite his redoubtable strength swooned on the battle-field, sages and monkeys began to shout in triumph as did also celestials and the demons (invisibly present on the scene). Source : Valmiki Ramayana Yuddha Kanda Sarga 59 Apart from this Ravana had also failed to protect Lanka when Hanuman ji had burnt it. Having seen the fearful and the terrible act in Lanka done by Hanuma, like Devendra the powerful King of celestials, Ravana with his face descended a little with shame, spoke to the demons as follows: "By him, who was only a monkey, the irresistible City of Lanka was entered into and was over-powered. Seetha the daughter of Janaka was also discovered by him. The thousand-pillared building used as a sanctuary was assaulted by Hanuma. Our most excellent demons were killed. The entire City of Lanka was made turbid. Source : Valmiki Ramayana Yuddha Kanda Sarga 6 Sugriva had exhasuted Ravana in a physical fight and had abandoned him when Ravana tried using illusions. This battle does show Sugriva’s physical superiority over Ravana but I am not sure, if we should take this as a defeat. I leave it on the readers. The two warriors, Sugreeva and Ravana, who were skilled in wrestling, excuted innumerable and myraid evolutions, taking up diverse postures, moving in a curved line like an ox's urine, coming and going, stepping side ways, having a retrograde motion to avoid blows, turning about abandoning the attack, dashing towards each other, leaping, standing firm and erect, retreated, turned sideways, rushed in a bent posture, ran lifting their foot to kick the opponent and by letting go or stealing away. Meanwhile, Ravana decided to common using his magic power. Knowing it, Sugreeva flew into the sky triumphantly shaking off all fatigue, while Ravana, baffled by Sugreeva stood confounded there alone. Thus, the Lord of the monkeys, acquiring fame as a warrior, reducing Ravana to exhaustion, ascended into the infinite sky and the offspring of the Sun then went to the side of Rama, who as in the middle of the mokye-troops. Source : Valmiki Ramayana Yuddha Kanda Sarga 40 But again in a battle with weapons Ravana defeated Surgriva. The enraged Ravana, taking that arrow with the speed of a thunder bolt of Indra the Lord of celestials and possessing the brilliance of a fire, hurled it to kill Sugreeva. That arrow released by Ravana's arm reached Sugreeva, having a bodily splendour equal to that of Indra's thunder bolt, and pierced his body in its flight as formerly Guha's spear when he discharged it at the Krauncha Mountain. Wounded by that arrow, which bereft him of consciousness, that warrior fell moaning to the earth. Beholding him falling on the ground, deprived of his senses in the battle-field, the demons raised a shout of triumph. Source : Valmiki Ramayana Yuddha Kanda Sarga 59 Bhagwan Sri Ram had defeated Ravana thrice before killing him. So apart from Bhagwan Sri Ram, Ravana was defeated by Kartaviraya Arjuna, Vali, Sugriva and Hanuman ji. Out of the above only Kartaviraya Arjuna and Hanuman ji could defeat Ravana even if he used weapons and fought with full strength.