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| Kumbhakarna | |
|---|---|
 Kumbhakarna with his weapons | |
| Affiliation | Rakshasa |
| Texts | Ramayana and its versions |
| Personal information | |
| Parents | Vishrava (father) Kaikashi (mother) |
| Siblings | Ravana, Vibhishana (brothers) Shurpanakha (sister) |
| Consort |
|
| Children | Kumbha and Nikumbha (from Vajrajvala) Bhimasura (from Karkati) |
Kumbhakarna (Sanskrit: कुम्भकर्ण, lit. pot-eared) is a powerful rakshasa and younger brother of Ravana from the Hindu epic Ramayana.[1] Despite his gigantic size and appetite, he is described as a virtuous character and a great warrior in Hindu texts. He is said to have slaughtered 8,000 vanaras over the course of Rama's mission to rescue Sita.[2]
Vibhishana narrated that Kumbhakarna had been born with immense strength, having subdued both Indra and Yama, striking the former in the chest with the broken tusk of Airavata. At the bequest of Indra, Brahma cursed the rakshasa to "sleep like he is dead". On Ravana's request, he commuted the curse to have the rakshasa sleep for six months at a time, and wake up for other six months to wreak havoc and devour to his heart's content.[3]
In a popular retelling of this tale, Kumbhakarna, accompanied by his brothers Ravana and Vibhishana, performed a major yajna to please Brahma. Indra was worried and jealous of his strength so he went to Brahma before Kumbhakarna's boon could come to fruition.
When Kumbhakarna asked for his boon, his tongue was tied by the goddess Saraswati, who acted on Indra's request. Instead of asking for Indrāsana (the throne of Indra), he asked for Nidrāsana (a bed for sleeping).[4] It is also said that he intended to ask for Nirdevatvam (annihilation of the devas) and instead asked for Nidravatvam (sleep). His request was instantly granted. However, his brother Ravana requested Brahma to undo this curse as a boon and Brahma reduced it to sleeping for six months, after which he would sleep again as soon as his appetite was satisfied.[5]
- ^ Valmiki; Vyasa (19 May 2018). Delphi Collected Sanskrit Epics (Illustrated). Delphi Classics. ISBN 978-1-78656-128-2.
- ^ Valmiki; Venkatesananda, Swami (1 January 1988). The Concise Ramayana of Valmiki. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-88706-862-1.
- ^ Parameswaran, Mangalam R. (19 April 2013). The Ramayana of Valmiki (A condensed version of Valmiki's epic): , published by Manipal Universal Press. Manipal Universal Press. ISBN 978-93-82460-08-4.
- ^ Murty, Sudha (25 September 2018). The Upside-Down King: Unusual Tales about Rama and Krishna. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-81-8475-417-9.
- ^ Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature. Robarts - University of Toronto. Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass. p. 439. ISBN 978-0-8426-0822-0.