Vibhishana previous birth

Vibhishana had a sattvic (pure) mind and a sattvic heart. From his early childhood, he spent all his time meditating on the name of the Lord. Eventually, Brahma appeared and offered him any boon he wanted. Vibhishana, said that the only thing he wanted was to have his mind fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord. He prayed that he should be given the strength by which he would always be at the feet of the Lord, and that he would receive the darshan (holy sight) of Lord Vishnu. This prayer was fulfilled, and he was able to give up all his wealth and family, and join Rama, who was god incarnate.

Vibhishana was the youngest son of Sage Vishrava, who was the son of Sage Pulatsya, one of the Heavenly Guardians. He (Vibhishana) was the younger brother of the Lord of Lanka, Ravana and King of Sleep, Kumbakarna. Even though he was born in the demon race, he was alert and pious and considered himself a Brahmin, since his father was intuitively such.

Due to Vibhishana's differences with Ravana and because he was against the act of kidnapping Sita, Ravana exiled him from Lanka. His mother, Kaikesi, advised him to go and serve Shri Rama, who was at that time assembling an army to conquer Ravana and to recover Sita. Lord Rama accepted Vibhishana's service and anointed him the Lord of Lanka after Ravana's death.

In the Lanka War, Vibhishana's knowledge about the secrets of Lanka proved invaluable to Shri Rama. Vibhishana freely divulged many secrets that became key to the success of Rama's attack, including revealing the secret path to the temple of Mata Nikumbala, the family deity of the Pulatsya Clan. Because of this, however, Vibhishana is also known as a traitor.

Symbolically, Vibhishana represents devotion to Shri Rama, and as a demon devotee, he shows that the Lord does not distinguish between his followers based on birth or circumstances in life. The same aught can be read in the story of Prahlada and Narasimha.

When Vibhishana attained the position of the King of Lanka, he turned his subjects from the path of evil to the path of good and Dharma (righteousness). His wife, Queen Sarma also aided him in this effort.

When Shri Rama was about to leave Ayodhya at the end of his reign, Lord Rama in his original form of Shri Vishnu ordered Vibhishana to stay on earth and serve the people and guide them to the path of truth and Dharma. Hence, Vibhishana is considered one of the seven immortals, or Chiranjeevins. Lord Vishnu also ordered Vibhishana to pray the family deity of Rama's natal Sun Dynasty, Lord Ranganatha

[edit] In popular culture

The Hindi saying "Ghar ka bhedi Lanka dhae" means 'The one who knows your secret can do harm, just as Vibhishana's revealing of secrets resulted in the destruction of Lanka."

Originally posted by: rupalip

Heres that story

In Tulsidas' Ramayana there is the following account of Ravana's birth. Once, there was a king called Pratapabhanu who had a minister, Dharmaruchi, and a brother, Arimardan. With their help he conquered many neighbouring kingdoms and ruled the country wisely and well. His subjects were very happy.
One day, when he went on a hunt to the forest, he saw a bear. He tried to shoot it with his arrow, but it escaped. He chased it deep into the forest but could not find it. He returned homewards but lost his way. As he wandered about tired and thirsty, he saw a hermitage.
One of the kings who had been defeated by Pratapabhanu had taken refuge there, and was living there disguised as an ascetic. He recognised the king and decided to take revenge on him. He told the king that he was immortal and that he would make the king also immortal. But this could be done only if the king propitiated the brahmins.

He advised Pratapabhanu to invite all the brahmins for a feast and said that he would cook their meal. But he took care to see that the meal was mixed with the flesh of a brahmin. Just as the brahmins were about to eat, a voice from the heavens warned the brahmins not to eat as the food was mixed with the flesh of a brahmin.

Enraged, the brahmins cursed Pratapabhanu that he and his family would be born as demons and would be destroyed. Another voice was again heard saying that the king was innocent. But it was too late and the curse took effect. Meanwhile, the defeated king, who was the cook, disappeared and informed all the kings who had been defeated by Pratapabhanu of the curse of the brahmins. They all gathered together and defeated Pratapabhanu and his family.
In view of the curse, Pratapabhanu was born as Ravana and his brother Arimardan as Kumbhakarna and Pratapabhanu's relatives and followers were born as demons. Dharmaruchi who used to advise Pratapabhanu to follow the path of dharma, was born as Ravana's brother, Vibhishana.

Originally posted by: rupalip

Heres that story

In Tulsidas' Ramayana there is the following account of Ravana's birth. Once, there was a king called Pratapabhanu who had a minister, Dharmaruchi, and a brother, Arimardan. With their help he conquered many neighbouring kingdoms and ruled the country wisely and well. His subjects were very happy.
One day, when he went on a hunt to the forest, he saw a bear. He tried to shoot it with his arrow, but it escaped. He chased it deep into the forest but could not find it. He returned homewards but lost his way. As he wandered about tired and thirsty, he saw a hermitage.
One of the kings who had been defeated by Pratapabhanu had taken refuge there, and was living there disguised as an ascetic. He recognised the king and decided to take revenge on him. He told the king that he was immortal and that he would make the king also immortal. But this could be done only if the king propitiated the brahmins.

He advised Pratapabhanu to invite all the brahmins for a feast and said that he would cook their meal. But he took care to see that the meal was mixed with the flesh of a brahmin. Just as the brahmins were about to eat, a voice from the heavens warned the brahmins not to eat as the food was mixed with the flesh of a brahmin.

Enraged, the brahmins cursed Pratapabhanu that he and his family would be born as demons and would be destroyed. Another voice was again heard saying that the king was innocent. But it was too late and the curse took effect. Meanwhile, the defeated king, who was the cook, disappeared and informed all the kings who had been defeated by Pratapabhanu of the curse of the brahmins. They all gathered together and defeated Pratapabhanu and his family.
In view of the curse, Pratapabhanu was born as Ravana and his brother Arimardan as Kumbhakarna and Pratapabhanu's relatives and followers were born as demons. Dharmaruchi who used to advise Pratapabhanu to follow the path of dharma, was born as Ravana's brother, Vibhishana.

Originally posted by: rups.12bloom

ibhishana (Sanskrit: ??????, vibhisha?a, also known as Bibhishan) is a character in the epic Ramayana. He was the younger brother of the demon Ravana. Though a half-demon himself, Vibhishana was of a noble character and advised Ravana, who kidnapped and abducted Sita, to return her to her husband Rama orderly. When his brother did not listen to his advice, Vibhishana joined Rama's army. Later, when Rama defeated Ravana, Rama crowned Vibhishana as the king of Lanka.

Vibhishana had a sattvic (pure) mind and a sattvic heart. From his early childhood, he spent all his time meditating on the name of the Lord. Eventually, Brahma appeared and offered him any boon he wanted. Vibhishana, said that the only thing he wanted was to have his mind fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord. He prayed that he should be given the strength by which he would always be at the feet of the Lord, and that he would receive the darshan (holy sight) of Lord Vishnu. This prayer was fulfilled, and he was able to give up all his wealth and family, and join Rama, who was god incarnate.

Vibhishana was the youngest son of Sage Vishrava, who was the son of Sage Pulatsya, one of the Heavenly Guardians. He (Vibhishana) was the younger brother of the Lord of Lanka, Ravana and King of Sleep, Kumbakarna. Even though he was born in the demon race, he was alert and pious and considered himself a Brahmin, since his father was intuitively such.

Due to Vibhishana's differences with Ravana and because he was against the act of kidnapping Sita, Ravana exiled him from Lanka. His mother, Kaikesi, advised him to go and serve Shri Rama, who was at that time assembling an army to conquer Ravana and to recover Sita. Lord Rama accepted Vibhishana's service and anointed him the Lord of Lanka after Ravana's death.

In the Lanka War, Vibhishana's knowledge about the secrets of Lanka proved invaluable to Shri Rama. Vibhishana freely divulged many secrets that became key to the success of Rama's attack, including revealing the secret path to the temple of Mata Nikumbala, the family deity of the Pulatsya Clan. Because of this, however, Vibhishana is also known as a traitor.

Symbolically, Vibhishana represents devotion to Shri Rama, and as a demon devotee, he shows that the Lord does not distinguish between his followers based on birth or circumstances in life. The same aught can be read in the story of Prahlada and Narasimha.

When Vibhishana attained the position of the King of Lanka, he turned his subjects from the path of evil to the path of good and Dharma (righteousness). His wife, Queen Sarma also aided him in this effort.

When Shri Rama was about to leave Ayodhya at the end of his reign, Lord Rama in his original form of Shri Vishnu ordered Vibhishana to stay on earth and serve the people and guide them to the path of truth and Dharma. Hence, Vibhishana is considered one of the seven immortals, or Chiranjeevins. Lord Vishnu also ordered Vibhishana to pray the family deity of Rama's natal Sun Dynasty, Lord Ranganatha

[edit] In popular culture

The Hindi saying "Ghar ka bhedi Lanka dhae" means 'The one who knows your secret can do harm, just as Vibhishana's revealing of secrets resulted in the destruction of Lanka."