In this story inspired by the Ramayana, Ram strikes down Ravana and instructs Lakshman to seek knowledge from him, recognizing Ravana's education despite his flaws. However, Ravana initially ignores Lakshman, who complains about his pride. In a show of humility, Ram approaches Ravana, who then shares wisdom about the mind's tendency to seek what is harmful rather than beneficial. The tale can be interpreted in various ways: it can endorse Ravana's knowledge, highlight the dynamics of teacher-student relationships, or contrast the behaviors of divine figures and ordinary humans. It also suggests that acquiring wisdom is more challenging than attaining material wealth, emphasizing the importance of actively sharing knowledge. The narrative invites reflection on the complexities of character motivations and the nature of heroes in Hindu epics, where gods like Ram do not change, guiding humans toward understanding their own nature. Ultimately, the story illustrates the often unchanging nature of characters like Ravana and Lakshman, who fail to learn from their experiences.
A lesson from Ravana
by Devdutt Pattanaik 
in
English Mythological Stories
Description
It can also be read as a story that contrasts the behaviour of God (Ram) and a common man (Lakshman), or a story that tells us how Ravana is so arrogant that even while dying he demands respect before sharing his knowledge. It can show Ram is manipulative and wants to get hold of Ravana’s intellectual assets, besides his material assets, and does so using humility as a technique. Lastly, it is a reminder that getting knowledge is far more difficult than securing wealth. When we die, we leave behind our material assets but take our intellectual assets with us. We can leave behind Lakshmi passively, but not Saraswati.