Rāmāyana | Yuddha Kaṇḍa | Chapter 61

61. Vibhīṣaṇa Tells About Kumbhakarṇa

[When Rāma asks about him, Vibhīṣaṇa tells that Kumbhakarṇa is his elder brother. Right from childhood due to his great hunger he used to eat large number of animals and men. Indra fought with him and was defeated. Then Brahma cursed him that he would forever sleep. When Rāvaṇa requested he modified the curse saying he would sleep for six months and then keep awake for a day. Rāma makes his monkey army ready to battle with him.]

Then the very lustrous Rāma who was a valorous one and took his bow and saw the huge bodied Kumbhakarṇa who was wearing a crown. 61.1

Seeing that Rākṣasa chief who was similar to a mountain, taking strides across like Lord Nārāyaṇa, Rāma became vigilant. 61.2

Again seeing him who was like appearing like water rich black cloud, wearing a golden bracelet on his arm the army of monkeys started running away. 61.3

Seeing the monkeys running away and Kumbhakarṇa progressively growing in size, with a great surprise Rāma asked Vibhīṣaṇa. 61.4

"A valorous Rākṣasa who is like a mountain wearing a crown with tawny coloured eyes and looking like a cloud is seen within Lanka. Who is he?" 61.5

'He is the only one with such a huge body and is looking like a comet. Seeing whom all monkeys are running here and there." 61.6

"I am able to see him with a huge size. Is he a Rākṣasa or asura and I have not seen such a being any time earlier." 61.7

Asked like this by the prince Rāma who never got tired of his actions, the very wise Vibhīṣaṇa told the son of Kākutstha clan like this. 61.8

"He is the very famous Kumbhakarṇa the son of Visravas who had defeated the God of death as well as Indra in a battle and there is no other Rākṣasa who has his size of the body." 61.9

"Oh Rāma, He had conquered thousands of devas, Rākṣasas, serpents, asuras, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas and Kinnaras in battle." 61.10

"The very strong Kumbhakarṇa has slanted eyes, armed with a spear and the devas were not able to kill him and thought that he was God of death personified." 61.11

"The very strong Kumbhakarṇa by his nature is energetic and mighty and unlike other Rākṣasas these are not attributable to boons." 61.12

"That great one as soon as he was born was affected by very great hunger and ate several thousands of living creatures." 61.13

"While he was eating these living beings, greatly scared others went to Indra and sought his refuge and also told him the reason." 61.14

"The Indra was greatly angry with him and struck him with his Vajra but the great soul Kumbhakarṇa struck by the weapon of Indra, became greatly agitated and roared loudly due to anger." 61.15

"Hearing further the great roar of the Rākṣasa Kumbhakarṇa, the people were frightened further." 61.16

"The very strong Kumbhakarṇa became very angry with Indra and pulled out the tusk of Airāvata and struck it on the chest of Indra. 61.17

"Due to the hit of Kumbhakarṇa, Indra was further enraged and Devas, Brahmin sages and Dānavas were further aggrieved and went to Lord Brahma." 61.18

"They informed him of the evil acts of Kumbhakarṇa and told him how he ate living creatures, how he punished the devas, how he destroyed hermitages and how he took away wives of others." 61.19- 61.20

They told him, "If he continues to eat all living creatures daily, in a time not far away the world would become empty." 61.21

After hearing the words of Indra, the grandfather of all the world called all Rākṣasas and Kumbhakarṇa was also among them." 61.22

Lord Brahma himself was frightened on seeing Kumbhakarṇa and for consoling others he cursed Kumbhakarṇa like this. 61.23

"It is definite that sage Pulastya created you for the sake of destruction of the world and from now onwards you would sleep looking like dead." 61.24

"Due to the effect of the curse of Brahma, he fell down in front of them and Rāvaṇa who was greatly agitated spoke as follows." 61.25

"Oh Lord Brahma, you are trying to cut a golden tree when it is about to bear fruits and it is not proper for you to curse your great grandson like this." 61.26

"There is no doubt that your words would not go in vain. Let him sleep but let there be some gap between his waking up and sleeping." 61.27

Hearing the words of Rāvaṇa, Lord Brahma told like this, "Let him sleep for six months and let him keep awake for one day." 61.28

"On a single day this valorous Rākṣasa, having starved for six months, he would wander all over the earth and eat the human race with his mouth wide open, like an augmented fire." 61.29

"That Rāvaṇa, who got in to sorrowful plight and is frightened by your might, has awakened Kumbhakarṇa." 61.30

"This greatly valorous Rākṣasa has started out of his home and that very angry one is running towards us devouring monkeys on his way." 61.31

"Even by just seeing him, the monkeys have run away and how can they try to stop him in this great battle." 61.32

"Let all monkeys be told that it is a machine which is coming forward and by knowing this they may become fearless." 61.33

Hearing the words of Vibhīṣaṇa with the good intention of monkeys to fight, Rāma told the following words to commander-in-chief Nila. 61.34

"O Nila the son of fire-god. Go, and arrange the entire army. So that they Occupy the door-ways, high-ways and bridges of Lanka, and stand ready for the battle." 61.35

"Please collect mountain tops, huge trees and stones and let the monkeys armed with these weapons be ready." 61.36

As instructed by Rāma, Nila the commander of the monkey army passed orders to the army of monkeys accordingly. 61.37

Then, Gavaksha, Sarabha, Hanuman and Angada looking like mountains, reached the gate, taking the mountain-tops. 61.38

Hearing the words of Rāma those fearless monkeys and took up huge trees and started tormenting those Rākṣasas. 61.39

That terrific army of monkeys, with uplifted rocks and trees in their hands, shined like a huge collection of gigantic clouds, hanging close to a mountain. 61.40

This is the end of Sixty First Sarga of Yuddha Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.