It is a misconception that Ravana was a model devotee of Shiva. The nature of Shiva as a God is that asuras and rakshasas pray to him for powers. And his nature is Shiva confers boons instantly in a somewhat innocent way. Then Vishnu has to come and control the damage.The famous story of Bhasmasura is that - Shiva allowed him to burn everything down and then Bhasmasura went after Shiva himself! So Vishnu came as Mohini and lulled the asura into burning himself!
Ravana went to Kailasa to take away Atmalinga from Kailasa to Lanka (which city he had usurped from Kubera). But when he went there he found Shiva meditating so not responsive. He thought he will lift Kailasa and take it away. He got stuck under it when Shiva simply pressed his left big toe down. Then Ravana saw Parvathi and was so besotted he wanted her to be his wife. Shiva agreed and sent her with him! When they halted at Vindhya parvatha, Parvathi rested and Ravana went for a walk. Then he saw Mandodari and went after her and forgot all about Parvathi who smiled and duly returned to Kailasa.
If Ravana was a devotee of Shiva, he would have asked Shiva for guidance before the war, before abducting Sita, after the death of his favourite son Indrajit. Shiva is known to be a devotee of Rama and he would never have liked anyone saying Ravana was his model devotee.
The various stories of Ravana being a great devotee are spread by "scholars" who want a North - South divide. Ravana was a great scholar, an invincible demon whom only Rama could kill. No one else INCLUDING Shiva. But let us not attribute positive qualities to his devotion. Shiva is a symbol of sacrifice and austerity. No woman-abducting brother-killing and stealer of his own brother Kubera's city kingdom (conferred on Kubera by Brahma because of his trustworthiness as the treaturer of the world) can be called a devotee.
You think Sita would not have softened to a Shiva devotee? Or Hanuman? They had only contempt for Ravana.
To put it simply: Shiva represents the Universe or God responding to human effort and knowledge - power and ambition driven. Vishnu is the balancing act of the Universe who defeats evil-minded power. It's a bit like the Universe has a plan even against man who has conquered atomic energy which has the power to destroy the world.
That's is why you have Chernobyl and Fukushima.
Now Corona virus, which is God's way to tell us that making bio-weapons is a zero-sum game.
For those interested in more information on the true narratives about Ravana, I have scanned from the Puranic Encyclopedia and posted the article on Ravana here:
