In the last post, we had seen the three generals of the Rakshasa army getting slained by the mighty vanara chiefs. Each of those demon heads - Vajradamshtra, Akampana and Prahastha battled along with countless soldiers and each successively sent by Ravana after previous one is killed. We can see that the power of Rakshasas has been subdued and their heads has been defeated, killed by the vanara army. In a one-on-one battle Angada, Hanuman and Nila got the upper hand over their demon counterparts. After a war waged by deception and magic fell apart, it is vanaras who ruled over the demonic forces in a strong favourable environment and good omens to their cause. This is continuing from where it is left by Hanuman in his battle waged after discovering Sita in Sundara kanda. He killed several Rakshasa strongmen back then and the same was continued by other vanara leaders in this turn. After a clear domination by vanaras and suffering of the own forces who fled ashamed each single time, Ravana himself comes to the battle briefly before his sleeping brother Kumbhakarna was brought into the picture. This little progress in the protracted war can be seen in the following chapters. We are in the middle of the first half of the war, and it will be a while before the complete annihilation of Rakshasas along with Ravana take place.
In chapter 59, Feeling desperate at the death of Prahastha, Ravana himself appears on the battlefront for an encounter, along with Akampana, 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 sustaining an ignominious defeat at the latter's hands and escaping with his life, withdraws to Lanka.
“I must see this unbelievable war where the mighty are slain by the weak. I shall incinerate the Ikshvakus and their army." Surrounded by flesh-eating demons with mammoth bodies and blazing eyes, Ravana thundered out of the gates of Lanka.
As they came charging to Rama's enquiry Vibhishana replied, "He whose chariot bears the flag with the emblem of a lion is Indrajit. He is the son of Ravana and is blessed by the boons of Brahma. Athikaya is another of Ravana's sons. Among the stalwarts of the army are Mahodara, Pisacha, Rishabha, Trisira, Kumbha, Nikumbha and Niranthaka. There comes Ravana under the pristine white canopy, riding his magnificent chariot and blazing like the noon day sun."
Rama beheld his army and, in a voice, filled with great awe said, "It is unbelievable. He glows with such divine luster; the dazzle is hard to even behold. Neither the devas nor the danavas can match it. It is by the grace of God that this wretch to his destruction stands before me. In the war that began, Sugriva was the first to fall to Ravana's arrows, followed by Gaja, Gavaya, Gavaksha, Rishabha and others. Lakshmana decided to fight Ravana whom he thought was too insignificant for Rama to waste his time upon. Warning Lakshmana about Ravana of his incredible might and anger, which even the gods could not face, Rama let his brother go.
Walking onto the battlefield, Lakshmana and Hanuman saw Ravana's speeding arrows tormenting the hapless vanaras and Hanuman said to Ravana, "It is true that you have conquered the devas, danavas, yakshas and gandharvas. Your fear is now only from the vanaras and you shall now fall to the might of my right arm. It will separate your soul from your body, which has lived for many long years." The enraged rakshasa said, "Do what you want. Do it quickly without fear and earn the eternal fame that a monkey killed Ravana."
Then began the deadly combat between the titans and impressed with Hanuman's might Ravana said, "Though my enemy, I do admire your prowess." To this Hanuman retorted, "May it perish. Of what use is it if in spite of my powerful blows you still continue to live?" Finally, Hanuman hit by Ravana did lose consciousness for some time, but recovered to see Nila fall hurt, but still alive. Meanwhile Lakshmana went up to Ravana and said, "Fight me, your equal. Why waste your royal skills on humble vanaras." Proud and dauntless stood Lakshmana as Ravana raved, "Has fate to your destruction brought you to me?" In the ensuing clash, Lakshmana fell to Ravana's blows. Ravana fell to Hanuman's fury and watching blood streaming out of every pore of the rakshasa king, the devas, rishis and vanaras rejoiced. Hanuman picking up Lakshmana walked towards Rama offering to carry him while he fought Ravana, who was recovering. In that relentless fight, Rama disarmed the rakshasa, shot down his crown and looking at him who stood woebegone and bereft of horse, chariot and bow said, "You have fought well, killed many and are weary, so I shall spare you today. Go back to Lanka, rest, recover and come back with a chariot." With his arrogance gone and his pride hurt, Ravana walked away with wounded limbs and shattered crown.
In chapter 60, Ravana returns to Lanka and asks some demons to go to the abode of sleeping Kumbhakarna, to wake him up and request him to come to him. The slumbering Kumbhakarna is roused by the demons under orders of their king. Kumbhakarna, giant in form, sets out on the highway to see Ravana and the monkeys get alarmed to see the giant demon.
Ravana entered Lanka humbled and broken. Thoughts of Rama's dazzling arrows terrified him, and he lamented, "I, an equal of Indra, have been vanquished by a mere mortal. I now remember what Brahma had once said that to me fear would one day come in the form of a human. I also realize that I had sought and been granted immunity from all except human. In times past an Ikshvaku anaranya dying in my hands had sworn, 'rakshasa wretch, bane of your race, you will one day perish in the hands of him born of my race.' This son of Dasaratha is perhaps that great one and Vedavathi who had once cursed me, Sita. Wake up Kumbhakarna, ignoramus by the grace of god, he sleeps without worries and in peace. Bring him to me, the mightiest among the rakshasas, who will be a great asset in this war." The rakshasas who went to wake Kumbhakarna saw him prone on the golden floor of the great cave where he slept. Hairy, monstrous and fearful, he was impossible to awaken and impossible to withstand as his ferocious breathing kept sucking them in or blowing them out.
They tried to tickle his taste buds with mounds of meat and pots of wine; his senses with flowers, unguents and sandal; they shook him, beat him and goaded him with spears, maces and more. The boom of a thousand drums refused to even register. Terror struck birds from the skies fell and died, but Kumbhakarna continued to sleep. Finally, when a thousand elephants were made to trample over him, he came awake, like coming awake to the irritation of a bug crawling over him.
Yawning, ravenously hungry and eyes blazing like comets, he fell on the food before him. When satiated, his bleary-eyed gaze swept over the rakshasas asking them why they had taken the trouble of waking him up and if Ravana was well. "Tell me", he said "there must be something to fear. My brother would not have otherwise woken me.
Yupaksha, Ravana's minister said, "Not even from the devas have we ever had any fear, but now it has come in the form of a human, Rama. Mountainous bodies girdle Lanka and Rama blazes with anger at Sita's abduction. Lanka has been incinerated by a single monkey and Aksha is dead. Ravana too almost did but was spared by Rama."
Bathing, adorning and satiating himself with two thousand pots of wine, Kumbhakarna set out to see Ravana. Tipsy, swaggering and as radiant as Yama on doomsday, his feet pounded the earth, his radiance lit the royal path and his fearful form terrified the vanaras, who fled, fainted or ran for Rama's protection.
In chapter 61, Rama sees Kumbhakarna with a colossal body and enquires Vibhishana about a report of him. Then Vibhishana apprises Rama about Kumbhakarna and narrates his story of his getting curse from Brahma, imprecating him to sleep apparently. Vibhishana adds that on an appeal from Ravana, Brahma relaxed the curse saying that Kumbhakarna would keep sleeping for every six months and then waking up for a day in a year. Vibhishana informs Rama that Ravana got Kumbhakarna awakened and is sending now to the battle. Rama then orders Neela the commander-in-cheif to marshal his entire army of monkeys in their appropriate positions in Lanka. On hearing Rama's orders the army of monkeys start their fighting operation.
Rama saw Kumbhakarna, his massive body, dazzling crown and burnished gold earrings and asked Vibhishana, "Never have I seen a creature like him. He is like a colossal mass of clouds with the shimmer of lightening in them. Who is he? A rakshasa? An asura? Vibhishana said, "He is the son of Visravas. Kumbhakarna is his name. He has repeatedly vanquished the collective forces of even the devas and danavas. Mightiest among the rakshasas, his might is their boon and protection.
So strong was he and so intense his hunger that from the day he was born he kept devouring thousands of creatures at a time, and as he grew he went on to humiliate devas, destroy hermitages and abduct women. Quailing with terror, the world sought Indra's asylum. When his efforts to subdue Kumbhakarna failed, they all went to Brahma that soon the whole world would be devoid of all beings. Brahma too paled at the sight of Kumbhakarna but recovered to pronounce that the rakshasa from that day would fall asleep and forever sleeps like the dead. Ravana who was horrified questioned Brahma's decision, 'How can you do this to your own great-grandson? At least give him a time to sleep and a time to be awake. Brahma relented and said that Kumbhakarna would sleep for six months, come awake for a day, eat all that he wanted and fall asleep again for the next six months.' Now, woken by Ravana, Kumbhakarna comes to gobble the monkeys to appease his hunger. Perhaps their terror will lessen if they are made to believe that he is only a machine in motion.
In chapter 62, Kumbhakarna enters the abode of Ravana and sees his worried brother sitting in Pushpaka, a self-moving aerial car. Kumbhakarna asks Ravana about the nature of work to be done by him and whether he has to kill anyone. 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 Kumbhakarna to show his terrible prowess in killing all the adversaries in battle.
Kumbhakarna still struggling through the mists of his sleep reached the palace demanding the reason for his being woken up and Ravana said, "Lost in your sleep, you are not aware of the fear that Rama is causing me. He comes here bridging the sea and swearing to lay Lanka to ruin, while the vanaras infest every forest and grove. They are yet to lose even one battle with us. The mighty of Lanka are all dead. It is only the very old or the very young that still live, and it is you who has to kill the enemy and save Lanka."
In chapter 63, Kumbhakarna abuses Ravana for his utter disregard of the earlier advices given by his well-wishers like Vibhishana, due to his sheer arrogance and neglect of the scriptures which enumerate the king's duties. Ravana replies to Kumbhakarna that bygone is a bygone and asks him to proceed to the battle front. Then, Kumbhakarna reassures Ravana and promises him that all the adversaries would be destroyed by him in the ensuing battle.
Kumbhakarna laughing at Ravana said, "Ravana your disregard for the counsel of your well-wishers brings you this trouble. You never shrank from doing the forbidden and you stole Sita. Did you ever think even for a moment of the consequences of that act? It was a sin, and you are now its victim. Only he who consults his ministers and embarks on that which is not opposed to dharma succeeds.
Sastras dictate that all things pertaining to dharma should be attended to in the mornings, to matters of treasury at midday and to matters of the senses in the evening. But he who always revels in gratifying his senses is the basest.
Men who have no respect for dharma are like animals and can never give good advice. In this matter it is wise to do what our brother Vibhishana had suggested. The decision is yours." Blazing with anger Ravana roared, "Kumbhakarna, dare you, who are younger, preach to me like a guru. It is not the time to think of morals. It is the time for a show of strength. If you really wish my welfare, fight the outcome of my mistakes with your might. He who helps a friend in need alone is a friend."
Beholding Ravana's fury and bluster, Kumbhakarna gently said, "Calm down Ravana, so long as I am alive you need not sorrow. I shall kill him whom you fear. I am your brother. To give you good counsel is my duty and so I give it. Since you wish me to fight, I will. I shall bring you Rama's head and Sita will forever be yours. Rama, Lakshmana, Sugriva and Hanuman will die, and the fame of their destruction shall be yours. So, Ravana, be happy."
This concludes chapters 59, 60, 61, 62 and 63 of Yuddha Kanda where we had seen Ravana deciding to enter the battlefield and wage a battle by himself, gets defeated by the arrows of Rama; rakshasas awakening a giant form – Kumbhakarna; Vibhishana appraising Rama about the past of Kumbhakarna; Ravana converses with his giant brother and Kumbhakarna allays his fears and gives false assurance of his victory. This is the initial phase where Ravana enters the battle, faces everyone, and gets defeated by Rama who pardons him with life for this time. Ravana, after the defeat summons Kumbhakarna as a hope to keep his pride alive. The giant of a demon, Kumbhakarna is awakened by many and brought back to the forefront of happenings of the day. Kumbhakarna also assures Ravana that he would kill his every enemy and how he really fares in the battle after the huge puffery can be seen in subsequent chapters.
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