Mahiravana

Mahiravana is a demon king figure associated with Hindu mythology and the Ramayana tradition. In various regional tellings, he is described as the ruler of Patala, the underworld, and as an adversary encountered by Rama and Lakshmana. He is not a character in the core Valmiki Ramayana, but appears in later retellings and folk versions of the epic, where his role reflects the broader demonology of the Ramayana cycle. In some narratives he is depicted as an ally or associate of Ravana, though these connections vary by text.

In the legends where Mahiravana appears, he often confronts Rama and Lakshmana after they enter his realm or are lured there by his plots. The conflict centers on efforts to kill the brothers, sometimes through a night-based ritual or through sums of demons and illusions that guard the underworld. The episodes are typically resolved with Rama and Lakshmana escaping harm, aided by divine intervention or by Hanuman, who penetrates Patala and defeats Mahiravana or disrupts his ritual.

Cultural reception and variations: The Mahiravana episode illustrates the flexibility of Ramayana storytelling across regions. It appears in several medieval or regional Ramayana texts and is sometimes staged in dramatic performances such as Ramlila and other local renditions. The specifics of his nature and fate differ between traditions, reflecting divergent theological and literary aims rather than a single canonical account.