Word

Kumbhakarna

Sanskrit

कुम्भकर्ण

IAST

kumbhakarṇa

In General

A fierce fighter and brother of Ravana. He was born to Sage Vaishrava in his wife Kaikasi (Uttara Ramayana). Another version is that his mother is Puspotkata. Agni Purana comments that Puspotkata and Kaikasi were one and the same.

Purana

Ravana and Kumbhakarna were originally the two Devas called Jaya and Vijaya. Visnu appointed them as gate keepers at Vaikuntha. Once they stopped sages like Sanaka and others at the gates, and the latter cursed Jaya and Vijaya into Raksasas. One of their birth was Ravana and Kumbhakarna respectively. Mahavisnu, during his incarnation as Sri Rama killed both Ravana and Kumbhakarna.

The reputation of Kubera kindled jealousy in Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana. They too performed penance in the forest on one foot for a thousand years. But, Brahma did not appear. They continued the penance without eating any food. Khara and Surpanakha stayed there serving their brothers. Even after the second thousand years Brahma did not appear. Then Ravana cut off his ten heads and made offerings of them to Brahma. Then Brahma appeared. Brahma restored his heads to Ravana and gave him many boom.

Kumbhakarna wanted the boon that he would not be killed by anybody but a man. The Devas shuddered at the gift to Ravana, and feared about the future in case Kumbhakarna too got such a boon. At their request Sarasvati danced on his tongue at the time of Kumbhakarna's request for a boon. Kumbhakarna wanted Nirdevatvam (Absence of all Devas) . But by a slip of the tongue (caused by Sarasvati) what he asked for was nidravatvam (sleep). Brahma granted him nidravatvam ; he said that Kumbhakarna would sleep for six months of the year continuously.

Kumbhakarna played a very important part in the Rama-Ravana war. Prominent warriors on the side of Rama, like Sugriva, his ministers and Laksmana fought with him. But, none of them could kill him. At last, Sri Rama's arrows killed him.

Kumbhakarna is not to be viewed merely and purely as an evil character. His advice to Ravana on various occasions shows noble traits of his character. When Sri Rama with his army of monkeys appeared on the other side of the ocean, Ravana held a conference of his brothers, ministers and others at which Kumbhakarna spoke as follows: "You abducted Sita without consulting us, and we would not therefore be responsible for the consequences of that action of yours. But, it is not proper that the younger brother should keep away when danger faces the elder one, and on that principle here I am ready to fight Rama." These weighty words of Kumbhakarna throw considerable light on the character of Kumbhakarna. (Valmlki Ramayana, Yuddhakanda, Chapter 12).