The Six Brothers of Ravana: Who Were They in the Ramayana

99Pandit Ji

Last Updated:October 28, 2025

Ravana Brothers: Ravana is remembered as a mighty king, a great pandit, and above all else, as the chief rival of Lord Ram.

However, what is not well-known is that Ravana did not fight with Ram alone. Ravana had brothers. Each brother had a different role, strength, and personality.

The Ravana Brothers were Warriors, Kings & Strategists who created Lanka’s destiny and sided with Ravana in his war with Ram.

Kumbhakaran & Vibhishan are the famous Ravana Brothers. Today, we will discuss the other four, too. Each of them had a unique identity/character.

Gaining insight into them provides insight into Ravana’s narrative and the broader themes of loyalty, duty, and destiny.

In this article, you will learn about the six brothers of Ravana, their names, attributes, and contributions to the Great Epitome Ramayana.

The Family Lineage of Ravana in Ramayana

The story of the Ravana Brothers starts with their family, which ultimately helped to define who they are.

The Brothers Ravana were born to Scholar Vishrava and the Queen Kaikasi. Scholar Vishrava was a highly learned and wise man.

He was known for his knowledge of the Scriptures, Mantras, and Vedic Traditions. Queen Kaikasi came from the Powerful Clan, a family known for courage, strength, and loyalty.

This mix of wisdom from Vishrava & power from Kaikasi gave the Ravana Brothers both Intelligence and extraordinary strength.

The family environment influenced each brother differently. Some, like Vibhishana, were more oriented towards truth.

He followed wise counsel and always stayed on the Dharma Path. Other brothers like Kumbhakaran and Khara were brave and loyal to Ravana.

They were trained to fight in battles, lead armies, and protect Lanka. The guidance of their parents helped the Ravana Brothers develop strong minds, disciplined bodies & strong thinking.

Being part of such a unique family made the Ravana Brothers powerful and capable leaders.

Their lineage similarly suggested obligations to their kingdom, family, and people. Even during wartime, their family values guided their bravery and actions.

By looking into the Ravana Brothers’ family background, we have seen how they were perceived as powerful, talented, and indispensable partners in the Ramayana.

Their family ties crafted their abilities and decisions, which ultimately affected the path of battles against Lanka and the story of Lord Rama.

Kumbhakaran: The Mighty Giant Brother in Ramayana

Kumbhakaran was one of the strongest and most famous of the Ravana Brothers in Ramayana. He was the younger brother of Ravana.

Kumbhakaran was a vast and powerful man. He had learned the Art of War, warfare strategy, and martial weaponry as a youth.

Kumbhakaran’s physical presence on the battlefield was threatening. Ravana himself felt nervous hiding his older brother.

Despite the massive physical strength and cultural power of Kumbhakaran, he possessed a proclivity to fall asleep for incredible amounts of time.

He would sleep for 6 months at a time and awaken unless there was a specific purpose for him to be called.

When his 6 months were filled with sleep, the time it took to wake was even more enjoyable than sleep.

For Kumbhakarana, getting up from sleep was scary. Sleep itself wasn’t scary, but watching him wake up was frightening.

Whether he had slept for 3 hours or 6 months, Kumbhakarana was awfully funnily surprised, and a transiently scary warrior. With sharp reflexes and gigantic size, he was an unbelievably mighty warrior.

Kumbhakarana’s size was considerable in unimaginable proportions, and he could use severe weapons extremely well. He had the most beautiful, deep voice and a large body frame, yet was relaxed.

At the same time, he gave an appearance of angry firmness; these were characteristics established in Kumbhakarana states, the three most formidable of the Ravana Brothers.

Vibhishana: The Kind-Hearted Brother of Ravana in Ramayana

Vibhishana was universally seen as one of the most respected and honorable of Ravana’s Brothers in the Ramayana.

He was younger than Ravana, but he was equally esteemed for his sound reasoning and uprightness. All of the Ravana Brothers had their qualities.

Still, Vibhishana was different from his brothers; he had consistency of thought and honesty in his reasoning process, which often led him to choose the pathways of faith and honest nobility.

Vibhishana had a far-reaching mind and incredible wisdom, as he was learned in sacred texts, mantras, and schemes.

He regularly advised Ravana against what he perceived to be mistakes and warned him against the behavioral consequences of problems created by ego and anger.

Many people in the world of Lanka view Vibhishana as legitimate, wise, and possessing good judgment.

Even after an incredibly bad action by others against him or his family, Vibhishana would often remain level-headed and wise, and this situation illustrated his sheer will and character value against the other Ravana Brothers.

While he loved and protected the family, he always chose correct behavior. He was consistently a rational thinker and a just human being. This was his character’s uniqueness.

His character’s uniqueness was proven through the Ravana Brothers’ characteristics and through Vibhishana’s clear qualities and mind in every situation.

Finally, people remember Vibhishana as the wisdom and truth of the Sworn brother, and the balance of mind and heart is vital and needed in any Ramayana episode.

Kuber: The Stepbrother & God of Wealth in Ramayana

Kuber (Vaishravana) was Ravana’s stepbrother and one of the Ravana brothers in Ramayana. He was the god of wealth and ruler of the treasures of the world.

Kuber was known for his riches, power, and wisdom. To be known as Ravana’s brother, Kuber separated himself by living in his own kingdom, and Kuber managed his wealth legendarily.

Kuber was full of Prosperity and Order. He controlled the treasures of gold, gems, and valuable resources.

People and gods respected him for his fairness and ability to manage health. Among the Brothers, Kuber was unique because he focused on wealth, order, and responsibility instead of fighting or wars.

Though Kuber was powerful, he never misused his strength. He maintained discipline in his kingdom and helped others whenever needed.

Kuber’s wisdom, wealth, and fairness made him an important member of the Ravana Brothers.

His presence shows the diversity of talents among the Ravana Family and highlights that not all brothers were warriors – some were wise and powerful in other ways.

Khara: The Aggressive & Cruel Brother in Ramayana

Khara (Son of Kaikasi’s sister) was one of the most powerful and most feared of the Ravana Brothers in the Ramayana.

He was a mighty warrior who was trained in fighting and tactics from a very young age. Khara always stood ready to defend Lanka and helped his elder brother, Ravana.

Khara was one of the fiercest and most fearless of the Ravana Brothers. He was a power player and warrior trained in fighting and tactics.

He was constantly standing ready to defend Lanka and support his elder brother. Khara made great attacks and led many battles against Lord Rama and his army.

Khara would always strike hard and fight to defend his honour and show that he was not afraid.

He stood and defended amongst the other Ravana Brothers and was recognised for being a bold warrior, even against his fiercest enemies.

Khara was fierce in battle but loyal to family. In battle, he completely followed Ravana’s orders and every task he was given to defend the Kingdom.

Khara was a critical warrior among the Ravana Brothers through his fighting skills, bravery, and loyalty.

Dushana: The Demon Brother in Ramayana

Dushana was one of the brave Ravana Brothers in the Ramayana. He was Ravana’s most dependable chief and always took the front line in the war.

His bravery gave him the uncompromising quality that contributed to his being a great warrior in the Lankan army. Dushana was known for his warfare and strategy.

He exhibited his strength in front of Lord Rama and his allies multiple times. He had a reputation amongst his enemies as a dreadful and brave warrior.

Unlike all the Ravana Brothers, Dushana was fast, and he fought people recklessly and angrily. He was quite a fierce warrior and hardly benevolent, but he showed astonishing loyalty to Ravana.

He followed all of Ravana’s commands and used all of his might to protect the city of Lanka.

Dushana’s bravery and war skills gave him a strong position amongst the Ravana Brothers and a name in the story of Ramayana.

Ahiravan: The Mysterious Ravana Brother from Patala in Ramayana

Ahiravana was a mysterious brother of Ravana, and in that sense, he was the most different of the Ravana Brothers.

He was the king of the Patal Lok, using his expertise in Tantra Mantra and illusory/misleading powers.

Ahiravana is crafty and secretive in temperament; thus, he is referred to as the mysterious brother.

In the Ramayana story, Ahiravana was once evil enough to capture Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana.

He was going to bring them to Patal Lok with his illusion and then kill them to get more powers. He was a dangerous enemy due to his cleverness and magical power.

Ahiravana was the most different of the Ravana Brothers, as his power relied on magic and Tantra rather than war.

In the end, Hanuman obstructs his trick and defeats him; however, Ahiravana’s name remains mysterious and powerful in the Ramayana.

Ahiravana’s illusory power, the ruler of Patal Lok, made a unique space in the Ravana Brothers list.

The Role of Ravana’s Brothers in the Story of Ramayana

Kumbhakarna — Kumbhakarna was Ravana’s most powerful brother. His role in Ramayana was that of a brave warrior who fought bravely against Rama and the monkey army in the Lanka war.

He knew that Ravana’s work was wrong, yet his loyalty towards his brother made him stand in the war.

Vibhishana — Vibhishana’s role in the Ramayana was that of the most pious and right-guiding brother. He advised Ravana to return Sita Mata, but Ravana did not listen to him.

Then Vibhishana supported Rama and protected Dharma. His role shows the importance of truth and religion.

Kuber — Kuber was Ravana’s half-brother and the god of wealth. In the Ramayana, his role was not that of a warrior but that of the god of prosperity and opulence.

He was the lord of gold, gems, and treasures, and had a different identity among the Ravana Brothers.

Khara — Khara’s role in the Ramayana was that of a ruthless and fearless warrior. He was known for his bravery and tough nature on the battlefield. He fought against Rama and showed his strength.

Dushana — Dushana was a general and warrior. He followed Ravana’s orders and fought against Rama’s army with complete devotion. His role shows loyalty and war skills.

Ahiravan — Ahiravan’s role differed from that of the rest of the brothers. He was the ruler of Patala Lok and an expert in illusory powers.

In the Ramayana, he once captured Rama and Lakshmana but was finally defeated by Lord Hanuman. His role shows magic, Tantra, and cunningness.

What We Learn from Ravana’s Brothers in Ramayana

Kumbhakarna – This brother teaches us the lessons of loyalty and courage. He supported his brother Ravana, but his life teaches us that unquestioningly supporting wrong deeds leads to destruction.

Vibhishan – Vibhishan teaches the most significant lesson in the Ravana Brothers. He shows the importance of Dharma, truth, and wisdom. His life inspires us to choose the right path (Dharma) even if it goes against the family.

Kubera – Kubera teaches us the importance of wealth, responsibility, and justice. He reminds us that real power lies not only in winning the war but also in prosperity and leadership.

Khara – Khara’s life warns us. His ruthlessness and anger teach us that cruelty and violence only bring destruction. He teaches us that power should be used in the right direction.

Dushana – teaches us the lessons of loyalty and discipline, but his story also teaches us that a battle fought for the wrong purposes ultimately leads to defeat. His life teaches us the importance of balancing courage and prudence.

Ahiravana – Ahiravana teaches cunning, deception, and misuse of non-lasting powers. His defeat shows that deceit and magic have no value in front of truth and devotion.

All the stories of the Ravana Brothers teach us the importance of loyalty, courage, Dharma, and prudence, and warn that arrogance, cruelty, and misuse of power ultimately lead to destruction.

Conclusion

The contribution of the Ravana Brothers in the Ramayana is seen in different forms. Some showed strength and courage, some chose the path of Dharma and justice, while some adopted cruelty and deceit.

Kumbhakarna, Vibhishan, Kuber, Khara, Dushana, and Ahiravan – all these roles help us understand different aspects of life.

The stories of these Ravana Brothers teach us that loyalty, courage, and family support are important, but more important than that is to differentiate between right and wrong.

Choosing the path of Dharma, like Vibhishan, gives us true success, while adopting violence and cruelty like Khara and Dushana ensures destruction.

Ultimately, the life of Ravana Brothers gives us the message that power should be used in the right direction.

Only the one who walks on the path of Dharma, justice, and truth becomes immortal, while the one who is unjust and adopts cruelty remains only a warning in history.

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