Ravan vs Vishnu.

Intro - i am using both puran's and ramayan in this post to come to conclusions, i dont like purans or believe they have any authenticity but i use them because i want to show the negative things purans will state about the fan favorite warrior's/fighters (vishnu, hanutati, parshurama etc).

Proof that Ravan actually won this time.

Quote;

Indra was conquered by means of his Aiśvarya (power and prosperity). So also Viṣṇu, the omnipresent one. By worshipping and propitiating the Liṅga, all the three worlds were controlled by him. At that time, all the groups of Suras, with Brahmā and Viṣṇu as their leaders, gathered together on the top of Mem and began their deliberation and discussion:

"We have been tormented by Rāvaṇa through his penance, very difficult to be performed (by others)."

{End}

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc365955.html

[Full quote]

He was made the great king and ruler of Trikūṭa by Maheśa. He occupied the greatest and most excellent position (seat) among Rākṣasas. It was for testing (the enduring capacity of) the sages that he harassed them. Violence towards the sages was indulged in, O Brāhmaṇas, by Rāvaṇa who was himself an ascetic, only because he wanted to test them. Rāvaṇa who made the whole world cry and scream, became great and invincible. Thanks to the grace and favour of Śaṅkara, another creation was evolved by him.

The guardians of the worlds were conquered by that ascetic by means of his valour. Brahmā too was subdued by him only through great penance. By becoming the nectar-rayed one, he conquered the Moon, O Brāhmaṇas. Through the power of burning, the Fire-god was conquered and Īśa (himself) was conquered by lifting up Kailāsa (mountain). Indra was conquered by means of his Aiśvarya (power and prosperity). So also Viṣṇu, the omnipresent one. By worshipping and propitiating the Liṅga, all the three worlds were controlled by him.

At that time, all the groups of Suras, with Brahmā and Viṣṇu as their leaders, gathered together on the top of Mem and began their deliberation and discussion: "We have been tormented by Rāvaṇa through his penance, very difficult to be performed (by others)."

[End]

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc365955.html

Logical explanation - vishnu went with all his comrades (including Brahma, Indra and other Sur's) to a region, they all exclaimed and let out their frustration's, one of their complaints was that they were tormented by Ravan. Before Vishnu claimed he was tormented a line was in the text that he was conquered by Ravana like Indradev too.

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Pashupata of Ravan vs Vishnu.

Vishnu's weakness toward it;

{quote}

"In the universe there is no being including even Brahma and Vishnu and the deities, that are incapable of being slain by that weapon."

{end}

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13a014.htm

Ravan owns Pasupat Astra;

[Quote]

"Ravana took up the Celestial and dreadful Pashupata weapon, the increaser of fear in the Three Worlds, obtained from Rudra, by virtue of his rigid penances. Beholding this, all moveable and immoveable beings were stricken with terror and the Three Worlds, including all that was animate and inanimate, Gods and Serpents, together took refuge in their abodes under the earth."

[End]

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-ramayana-of-valmiki/d/doc424787.html

Had every divya astra known till that time period.

[quote]

"He who is a marksman of every divine missile, and an ever interdictor of Vedic-rituals."

[eNd]

http://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/aranya/sarga32/aranya_32_frame.htm

==-----==

Ravan & the Sudarshan Chakra.

[quote 1]

"His body bears hundreds of welts caused when assaulted with Vishnu-disc for hundreds of times in wars with gods, and when assaulted for hundreds of times with the other assaults-missiles in other gruesome wars as well."

[end]

http://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/aranya/sarga32/aranya_32_frame.htm

[Quote 2]

"Those arms had wounds made by stabbing from the pointed edges of tusks of Iraavata and fleshy shoulders smeared with diamond and hit by Vishnu chakra."

[End 2]

http://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/sundara/sarga10/sundara_10_frame.htm

=---=

Detail's of the 2 mountain's Ravan lifted (third is Kailash but i exclude it).

Meru

[Quote]

"Thou art Meru amongst mountains, thou art the Moon among all luminaries of the firmament, thou art Vasishtha amongst Rishis, thou art Surya among the planets."

[End]

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13a014.htm

Logic - here it's mentioned that Shiva is like Meru among every mountain. It was chosen above Kailash, Mandara etc.

[Quote]

"Behold that excellent and bright summit of the Meru, where sits the great sire with the celestials happy in self-knowledge. And next to the abode of Brahma is visible the region of him who is said to be the really primal Cause or the origin of all creatures, even that prime lord, god Narayana, having neither beginning nor end."

"And the region of the high-souled Vishnu, by its native splendour, exceeding in effulgence the sun or fire, cannot be beheld by the gods, or the Danavas. And the region of Narayana lies resplendent to the east of the Meru, where, O child, that lord of all creatures, the self-create primal Cause of the universe, having manifested all beings, looks splendid of his excellent grace. O child, not to speak of the Maharshi even Brahmarshis have no access to that place."

[End]

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-mahabharata-mohan/d/doc7441.html

Meru's importance.

[quote]

"Between these two is a globular mountain called Meru made of gold."

[end]

"There, on that mountain, O king, the celestials, the Gandharvas, the Asuras, and the Rakshasas, accompanied by the tribes of Apsaras, always sport. There Brahman, and Rudra, and also Sakra the chief of the celestials, assembled together, performed diverse kinds of sacrifices with plentiful gifts."

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m06/m06006.htm

Sukracharya was yet another individual living on top of Meru;

[quote]

"Upon the summit of that mountain, Usanas, otherwise called the Poet, sporteth with the Daityas. The jewels and gems (that we see) and all the mountains abounding in precious stones are of Meru."

[end]

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m06/m06006.htm

Identity of location;

[quote]

"The sun, always circumambulates Meru, as also the moon with (his) attendant constellation, and the Wind-god too. The mountain, O king, is endued with celestial fruits and flowers, and it is covered all over with mansions made of furnished gold."

[end]

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m06/m06006.htm

The width of meru parvat.

[Quote]

"there is that monarch of mountains the golden Meru extending over a space of thirty-three thousand Yojanas. And there, O Mudgala, are the sacred gardens of the celestials, with Nandana at their head, where sport"

[End]

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03259.htm

Another description;

[quote]

"There is a unique and kingly mountain in the midst of that range of golden mountains, which is called Mt. Meru, or Saavrni Meru."

[end]

https://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/kish/sarga42/kishkindha_42_frame.htm

Height of Meru:

[quote]

"Is a globular mountain called Meru made of gold. Effulgent as the morning sun, it is like fire without smoke. It is eighty-four thousand Yojanas high, and, O king, its depth also is eighty-four Yojanas. It standeth bearing the worlds above, below and transversely. Besides Meru are situated."

[end]

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m06/m06006.htm

Logic - did namard's like parshuram, karna, bhishma, sahastrarjun, balrama etc ever do anything similarly impressive?

=====

Mandara:

[Quote]

"Pārvatī stayed behind in Mandara mountain awaiting for the return of the lord."

(End)

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226186.html

Logical result; he should be able to lift vishnu's entire kingdom up then, his kingdom is the abode/city of vaikuntha.

[Quote]

"Abandoning the Vaiṣṇava shrines hereof on the earth, Lord Viṣṇu too went to Mandara where the Lord of the Devas, the consort of Umā, resided."

[End]

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc423781.html

[quote]

"And you have to search on the peak of mount Mandara, where some extensive and unsightly beings are harboured, and at places where some other beings live with odd physical features. Some of them have no ears, while some have their lips as their ears. Some are with grisly faces like iron-faced-beings while some beings, although they are single-footed, yet they are very rapid."

"While some tribals are unkillable and mighty man-eaters, some other have golden complexion, and they will be pleasant in their appearance with towering wisps. Some other tribals who live on islands budging underwater as they are raw fish eaters and they are observed upon as horrific man-tigers. Half-man and half-tiger, like mermaids."

[end]

https://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/kish/sarga40/kishkindha_5F40_frame.htm

Proving that he lifted it.

[Quote]

"Though he was able to lift up Himavat, Mandara and Meru mountains as also the Three Worlds with the Gods."

[End]

http://valmikiramayan.net/utf8/yuddha/sarga59/yuddha_59_frame.htm

Logic - Meru is where brahma resided with Narayan as well.

He lifted a 4th mountain because Himavat & Kailash are two different ones. So total is four, Ravana lifted that many mountain's.

But at the end of the day Ravan literally lifted Vishnu, Brahma etc.

Vishnu never lifted a single mountain, and even if he did their is no record of any mountain exceeding the weight and size of Meru, Mandara etc.

Ultimate CONCLUSION;

When u consider the fact ravan didnt use a weapon but tanked over a hundred sudarshan chakras on his body, he was a wielder of pasupat astra & he lifted vishnu's abode up once, also lifted other mountain's, i dont think their is any problem in saying Ravan WAS EQUAL TO OR A BETTER WARRIOR THAN Vishnu himself.

Another possiblity - maybe vishnu's power is dependent on the number of bhakt's and devotees he had. If he has a million worshipers than his power is high but if someone takes away the lives of these devotees then the power of vishnu would also decrease.

Nonetheless this would be ravan's biggest accomplishment, defeating Vishnu himself.

I am not a fan of ravan so i dont want to be called a ravan tard or fanboy etc. I simply judge people unbiasedly based entirely on their skills as warrior's and fighters.