Tag Archives: Kumbhkarna

The Ramayana (Rama, Ravana and Kumbhkarna) story in pictures – Yuddha Kand (6)

Posted on by
Reply

Yuddha Kand and Kumbhkarna – Part 6

In this article, exploits of mighty demon Kumbhkarna , brother of Ravana are detailed. Although opposed the Ravana’s action of abduction of Sita, chose to side by his brother and died the death of a warrior.

Ravana is desparate after loss of so many great warriors

After the death of his great commander Prahasta, Ravana himself appears on the battle-front for an encounter, along with Indrajit, Atikaya, Mahodara, Pishacha, Trishiras, Kumbha, Nimkumbha and Narantaka the foremost of demons. After a tough fight with Sugriva, Lakshmana, Hanuma and Nila, Ravana encounters Rama in battle, and Rama ensures with his arrows that Ravana suffers an ignominious defeat.Thus, defeated and spared by Rama, Ravana returns to lanka.

 Ravana invokes Kumbhkarna

After losing so many warriors and himself subdued by Rama, Ravana invokes his illustrious brother Kumbhkarna. Kumbhkarna, due to a boon from Brahma, was in great sleep and could only get up in next six months. Ravana orders the demons to wake him up. The slumbering Kumbhkarna is roused by the demons under orders of their king. Kumbhkarna , giant in form, sets out on the high way to see Ravana and the monkeys get alarmed to see the giant demon.

Kumbhakarna in Ramayana

 

Rama inquires about Kumbhkarna

Seeing Kumbhkarna, Rama consulted Vibheeshana about him. His body was huge and his was a terrifying sight. Vibheeshana said that how he performed great penance for obtaining boon and due to slip of tongue, was in sleep for about six months and then wakes up.  Since Ravana has made Kumbhkarna to come out of his sleep, this must be an important moment of this war.

KumbhKarna

Ravana asks Kumbhkarna to kill enemies

Kumbhkarna comes to meet Ravana and sees his worried brother sitting in a flying chariot, called Pushpaka. Kumbhkarna asks Ravana about the work expected of him. Ravana replies that Rama has come with troops of monkeys including Sugriva, after crossing the ocean by a bridge, to wage a battle. Ravana requests Kumbhkarna to use his prowess and kill all the adversaries in battle.

 Rama’s army fights Kumbhkarna

Egged by Angada, monkeys start to fight with this mighty demon called Kumbhkarna. Dvivida fights with mountains and Hanumana injures him with another mountain peak. Kumbhkarna responds by hitting him with spikes. Thousands of monkeys climb his body and and fights him with their  nails, fists, teeth and arms.

Kumbhakarna - The Ramayana

Kumbhakarna – The Ramayana

Kumbhkarna fights back, Angada becomes unconscious

In response, Kumbhkarna destroys all those monkeys with his spike. When Angada, the leader of the monkeys, attacks Kumbhkarna , the latter strikes Angada violently and Angada falls unconscious.

Battle with Sugriva

After this, Kumbhkarna fights with Sugriva. Sugriva strikes Kumbhkarna with a mountain, but the mountain breaks into pieces. When Kumbhkarna throws his spike towards Sugriva in retaliation, Hanuma stops it on the way and breaks it off. Then, Kumbhakarna hurls a mountian-crust on Sugriva to make him unconscious and takes him away on his shoulders to Lanka. When Sugriva regains consciousness, he tears off the ears and nose of Kumbhakarna with his sharp nails and teeth. In reaction, Kumbhakarna thren Sugriva down and tried to crush him. Then Sugreeva bounces into the air and gets re united with Rama.

 

Kumbhkarna’s final battle with Laxmana  and Rama

Now, Laxmana starts to attack Kumbhkarna . He appreciates the bravery of Laxmana and proceeded towards Rama to fight with him. Rama fires some arrows with ‘Roundra’ spell towards the demon. Those arrows disappear into his chest and make him weapon-less. Kumbhakarna then hurls a mountain-peak towards Rama , but it was split up into pieces by the arrows released by Rama.

Laxmana advises monkeys and all of them climb straight upon Kumbhkarna’s body. But he manages to shake them off with violence. Then, Rama employs a great missile and chops off one arm of Kumbhakarna. Then Kumbhkarna with an uprooted tree in his arm, comes furiously towards Rama. Rama, with the help of an arrow, chops off the second arm of this mighty demon and then cuts off the feet with his arrows and finally slashes off his head.

 

Rama kills Kumbhkarna

 

This is how, the great brother of Ravana died while fighting for his brother.

Stories of Boon in Indian mythology

Posted on by
3

 Stories of Boons from Indian Mythology

In Indian mythology, especially in times of Mahabharat and The Ramayana, we find many interesting stories related to boons. These boons were awarded by gods and sages to their devotees.  The devotees  performed penance so that they can be granted boons. Following are the narratives of some of the famous boons.

 The boon (or curse) of Ashwaththama

 It is believed that Ashwaththama had a boon from his father Drona, that he would not die. Another account say that he was cursed by Shri Krishna to live in seclusion till the end of Kalyuga. This is because he targeted Parikshit in an attempt to render the Pandavas heirless.

Ashwaththama firing the dreaded weapon

In Mahabharat war, Ashwaththama using the powerful weeapon – Brahmashira

The boon of Bhishma

Bhishma had a similar boon to choose his own death. His father Shantanu bestowed this boon to him after he declared that he will never marry, so that Satyavati’s sons can become the ruler of the kingdom. Before that, he also forgone the throne, which was rightfully his.

Bhishma_pratigya_nishaadraaj_mahabharat-indian-mythology

Bhishma taking oath for being unmarried – Bhishma Pratigya

The boon (or curse) of Kumbhakarna

 Kumbhakarna pleased Brahma and intended to ask the throne of Indra as a boon. But Indra asked Saraswati to help him. So instead of asking “Indraasana” (seat of Indra), he asked for “Nidraasana” (bed for sleeping). It is also said he intended to ask for Nirdevatvam (annihilation of the Devas), and instead asked for Nidravatvam (sleep). His request was granted. But his brother Ravana asked Brahma to undo this boon as it was in reality a curse. So Kumbhakarna slept, and was awake for six months, when he ate everything in the vicinity, including humans.

Boon of fragrance to Satyavati by Parashar

Satyavati, the mother of author of Mahabharat, Ved Vyasa smelled like a fish. Sage Parashar saw her once and got smitten by her beauty and proposed her. Satyavati put forth couple of conditions, one of them was that she should get rid of the smell from her body. Parashar told her that this would be fulfilled and instead of the smell, a fragrance will emanate from her body which can be sensed miles away.

Vyasa boon to Gandhari for hundred sons.
Ved vyasa has told Gandhari that she would be a mother of hundred sons. These sons were born from a lump of mass which gandhari gave birth to after pregnancy of two years. Ved Vyasa cut them into pieces and put them into jars. With time they came out as sons of gandhari thus making his boon true.

gandhari-mahabharat-indian-mythology

Gandhari mourning the death of her son – Mahabharat

The boon of Vali
Vali was famous for the boon from lord Shiva, according to which anyone who came before him lost half his strength to Vali, thereby making Vali invulnerable to any enemy. Once Ravana called Vali for a fight when Vali was doing his regular Sandhyavandanam. He took Ravana in his tail and took him around all the world. He was killed by Rama, when Sugriva was fighting with him.

vali-sugriva-rama-the-ramayana-indian-mythology

Battle between Vali and Sugriva – Rama about to kill Vali

The boon of Jayadratha

Jayadratha had been enslaved by the Pandavas as a punishment for trying to kidnap Draupadi. Enraged, Jayadratha had performed penances to please Lord Shiva who granted him the boon that he would be able to overpower all the Pandavas except Arjuna on one day in battle. Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuha and the Pandavas tried to follow him but Jayadratha single handedly held them all back and Abhimanyu, unaided, was killed in the Chakravyuha.

The boon of Bhasmasur

Bhasmasur obtained a boon from Lord Shiva that anything will turn into ashes, if he put his hand. He tried to test his boon on Lord Shiva only. Lord Vishnu came to his rescue and saved Lord Shiva from Bhasmasur.

Link to Recommended Reading