Ravana, the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana, is often depicted with ten heads. According to a story from the Ramayana, Ravana performed a severe penance (or tapasya) to Lord Shiva, lasting several years. During his penance, Ravana chopped off his head 10 times as a sacrifice to appease him. Each time he sliced his head off a new head arose, thus enabling him to continue his penance. At last, Lord Shiva, pleased with his austerity, appeared after his tenth decapitation and offered him a boon. Ravana asked for immortality, which Shiva denied, but gave him the celestial nectar of immortality, which we kept under his navel. This is the story behind Ravana having ten heads.

The ten heads of Ravana are not seen as just physical heads but symbolic as well. They are thought to represent the six Shastras and four Vedas, making him a scholar of Ayurveda and political science. This makes him very intelligent and knowledgeable. However, despite his intelligence, he could not overcome his ego, which eventually led to his downfall. Thus, Ravana's ten heads also symbolize his knowledge and intelligence, but they also stand for the various facets of his ego. His ego and desire led him to kidnap Sita, which resulted in a war leading to his death.