Hanuman

by Vanamali

  The eagle said, “I am Garuda, the son of Vinata, and I am the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. I am your constant companion and will always be hovering about you even though you are not aware of it. These snakes were converted into arrows by the magic mantras of Indrajit. I am the only one who could have saved you from this noose of snakes. I am their ancient enemy and that is why they vanished as soon as they saw me. Fear not, O Rama! You and your brother are destined to destroy your enemies and have a glorious future. Your strength lies in your adherence to dharma, and you will be victorious even though your enemies are treacherous. Now please give me leave to go. Whenever you need me, just think of me and I’ll be there.”

  The monkeys chattered and shouted with delight when they saw this miraculous recovery. They thrashed their tails and thumped their kettledrums, beat their clay tom-toms and whooped with joy. Ravana heard these sounds and was quite puzzled. “How can they be so joyous when Rama lies dead?” he thought. He ordered his spies to go and find out the truth and was amazed when they returned with the news of the miraculous escape of the two brothers.

  Ravana now ordered one of his best generals called Dhumraksha, the fiery-eyed one, to take a huge contingent and destroy the opposing army. He had the voice of a braying donkey and was mounted on a wonderful chariot driven by donkeys with harnesses of gold and heads resembling those of a wolf and a lion. He sallied forth through the western gate, which was being guarded by Hanuman, accompanied by a host of rakshasas armed to the teeth and all wearing coats of mail. The monkeys were itching for a good fight and charged at the army as soon as it appeared through the gate. Dhumraksha, who was in the forefront, dispersed the monkeys in all directions with a shower of arrows. Infuriated at this, Hanuman took up a huge rock and flung it at Dhumraksha’s chariot. He leaped out of the chariot in the nick of time and the chariot and the donkeys were smashed by the rock. Hanuman now started hurling trees and rocks at the rakshasas and then charged at their leader. Dhumraksha took up his huge mace studded with sharp spikes and hit Hanuman on the head with it. Hanuman brushed off the blow and retaliated by hurling a huge broken pillar at his opponent. This was the end of the rakshasa. He fell senseless to the ground and the others ran back to report the matter to Ravana.

  Ravana now sent his next champion, Vajradanta, or the one with teeth like diamonds. His diamondlike fangs were long and sharp and hung over his lower lips. He was accompanied by a number of soldiers on elephants, horses, donkeys, and camels. He was decked in lovely armlets and a diadem and had a coat of mail. His forces now came out of the southern gate, which was being guarded by Prince Angada, who immediately came forward to battle with the demon. There followed a terrific fight between the monkeys and Vajradanta’s army. He sent a thousand arrows at the prince who retaliated by hurling a tree at his opponent. He then charged forward and shattered Vajradanta’s chariot and forced him to jump out and face him on an equal footing. The demon held a huge shield and sword, while Angada had only a tree. They wheeled round each other, waiting for an opportunity to close in. When the ogre collapsed, Angada jumped and grabbed his fallen sword and lopped off his huge head. The panic-stricken army now ran back to their fortress and reported the whole matter to Ravana.

  The next general to be sent by Ravana was Akampana. Mounting his huge golden chariot decked with jewels, he sallied forth accompanied by a huge army of soldiers. He caused great carnage to the monkey host until at last all the great leaders ran off in terror. Seeing this, Hanuman entered the fray. The monkeys were gladdened when they saw his mighty form and untroubled demeanor, and all of them rallied back around him. Akampana greeted him with a volley of arrows. Unperturbed by this, Hanuman tore up a huge crag and hurled it at the rakshasa who split it into smithereens with his arrows. This enraged Hanuman, who tore up a huge tree and rushed at Akampana, who kept raining arrows at him. Undeterred by this, Hanuman brought the tree down with all force on Akampana’s head and killed him instantly. The rest of the rakshasa army were in total disarray. With loosened hair and shrieking with fear at seeing the gigantic figure of Hanuman, they took to their heels in panic while the gleeful monkeys chased them with sticks and stones.

  Ravana was slowly beginning to realize that he was not facing an ordinary foe. One by one all his great generals seemed to be dying. Now he called his commander-in-chief, who had advised him to wage war against Rama, and told him that he was depending on him to defeat the foes. He set out, with a thunderous roll of kettledrums and a blast from scores of trumpets, in his enormous chariot decked with jewels and accompanied by thousands of soldiers all armed to the teeth. They rushed at the monkeys and fought with swords, javelins, double-edged swords, pikes, arrows, mallets, maces, iron bars, spears, axes, and bows and arrows while the poor monkeys defended themselves with only trees and rocks.

  They were met by Nila, the commander-in-chief of Sugriva’s army. The two commanders met in a grim combat. Nila met the volley of arrows with closed eyes. He then grabbed a huge tree and shattered the demon’s bow and chariot with it. The demon jumped down with his mallet and rushed at Nila and gave him a mighty blow on his head. Even though he was bleeding badly, Nila took a huge rock and hurled it at his head, which broke into pieces. The army was sadly demoralized at the death of their commander-in-chief and fled to Lanka.

  Ravana decided that he would have to enter the battlefield himself. His wife Mandodari approached him and begged him to reconsider his decision and to make peace with Rama. Ravana was outraged at this suggestion.

  “Ravana has never bowed his head before anyone and will not do so now. But have no fear, O Mandodari! By this evening I will have killed the Kosala brothers and avenged the death of my commanders.”

  Ravana sallied forth accompanied by a huge army of invincible warriors, all of whom looked like huge mountains. Seeing the approach of this army, Rama asked Vibhishana to point out the leaders to him. Vibhishana pointed out the various commanders to him and said, “There comes Ravana, king of the night rangers in the chariot with the white umbrella! He is accompanied by ghosts and ghouls with hideous forms, having rolling eyes and heads of tigers, camels, elephants, and horses. He is decked with a diadem and his ears have huge swinging earrings. He is the one who humbled the pride of Indra himself.”

  Rama gazed at him for a long moment and said, “Indeed he is a glorious figure. Such radiance! Like the sun at noon! He seems to be endowed with all the qualities of a great hero. Yet I cannot help but pity him, for he is coming closer to his death!”

  Ravana was discharging his deadly arrows at the monkeys who charged at him.

  Seeing this, Sugriva could not help himself. He tore a rock and sent it hurtling at Ravana who saw it coming and splintered it with his arrows. He then hurled his javelin at Sugriva, who fell to the ground. Seeing this, the monkeys fled toward Rama, who picked up his bow and decided to face Ravana himself. Lakshmana stopped him and begged him to allow him to go. Rama agreed, for he felt the time had not yet come for him to come into close combat with Ravana.

  In the meantime, Hanuman rushed at Ravana’s chariot and said, “You have been granted many boons but none that will protect you from monkeys. Now allow my right hand to teach you a well-deserved lesson.”

  Ravana replied, “Strike once and earn everlasting fame for having hit the great Ravana and after that, I will destroy you.”

  Hanuman raised his fist and smote him on the chest. Ravana reeled under the blow and retaliated with a similar punch on Hanuman’s chest.

  Ravana said, “Well done, O monkey! You are an adversary worthy of my praise.”

  Hanuman retorted, “Woe to my valor, since you are still alive. Why don’t you strike again? And then I will send you to the abode of Yama!”

  His eyes inflamed with anger, Ravana brought his right fist down with all his might on Hanuman’s chest. Seeing Hanuman reeling under the blow, the rakshasa king did not wait to see more and drove his horses forward to confront Nila, the commander in chief of Rama’s army. He discharged scores of
arrows at him. Nila was the son of Agni, the god of fire. With great agility he reduced his size and leaped to the top of Ravana’s chariot and then to the top of his crown, and then kept hopping from place to place so that Ravana’s arrows could never pierce him. Rama and Lakshmana were astonished to see the antics of this monkey. At last Ravana invoked the fire missile and flung it at Nila, who fell to the ground. But since he was the son of the fire god, the missile could not kill him. Ravana thought him to be dead and turned toward Lakshmana. There ensued a formidable battle between the two. At last Ravana hurled a javelin at him, strengthened with a powerful mantra. It pierced Lakshmana’s chest and made him swoon.

  Filled with rage, Hanuman darted at Ravana and gave him a mighty blow on his chest with his fist, which made him fall to the floor of his chariot and lose consciousness. Hanuman immediately lifted up Lakshmana and brought him to Rama. Very soon, both Lakshmana and Ravana recovered from their swoon. Rama decided to face Ravana himself, and Hanuman begged him to sit on his shoulders like Vishnu sitting on Garuda.

  Thus seated on the huge monkey, Rama charged at Ravana and said, “You shall not escape me wherever you may go and hide.”

  Ravana retaliated with a shower of gold-tipped arrows that covered Hanuman as well as Rama. The latter was furious at seeing Hanuman in this state and let fly a most potent arrow at Ravana’s chest that made him reel so that his bow fell from his nerveless grasp. With another arrow, Rama tore off Ravana’s crown and made him fall from his chariot. Seeing him dazed and without any weapons, Rama took pity on him and told him to go back to Lanka and return in another chariot when he was a bit refreshed.

  Ravana returned to Lanka with his pride crushed, his bow broken in two, his horses and charioteer killed, his crown shattered, and his body pierced all over with Rama’s deadly arrows.

  You alone can contain your glory,

  The three worlds tremble at your roar.

  SRI HANUMAN CHALISA BY TULSIDAS

  Aum Sri Hanumathe Namaha!

  Aum Daityakulanthakaaya Namaha!

  21

  Daityakulantaka

  The Fall of Kumbhakarna

  Shirasi praharad virasthada, vayusutho bali,

  Nadenakampalyachaiva rakshasaan sa mahakapi.

  The valiant and mighty son of the wind god then dealt a blow on his [the asura’s] head,

  And made the ogres tremble with his roar.

  VALMIKI RAMAYANA,

  YUDDHA KANDA (BOOK OF BATTLE)

  Ravana was completely demoralized by the scene he had just gone through. Far from appreciating Rama’s generosity in letting him go, he was filled with humiliation and thoughts of revenge. He sat and brooded on his golden throne and recalled all those painful incidents in his life when he had insulted so many people and had been cursed by them. He remembered Brahma’s warning to beware of humans for he had not asked for immunity from them! He also remembered the curse of Punchikasthala and Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva, and many others. His ministers crowded around him to find out his commands. At last he roused himself from these mournful thoughts and told them that the only way open to them was to rouse his brother Kumbhakarna from his sleep. He had been summoned to the council nine days ago and had gone back to sleep.

  The rakshasas were terrified of calling Kumbhakarna before the stipulated time. However, the king’s orders had to be obeyed. As they neared Kumbhakarna’s subterranean abode they were blown back by the breath coming out of his nostrils! His mouth was like a yawning cave and his snores shook the rafters and made them rattle. His breath reeked of alcohol and blood for he had drunk and eaten his fill nine days ago before falling into a deep stupor. The rakshasas who went to wake him carried wagonloads of buffalo and boar meat and buckets of blood and marrow and barrels of strong wine. They plastered his uncouth body with sandal paste and perfume and garlands. They made thunderous noises calculated to waken the dead, while others blew loudly on conches, bugles and trumpets. Some used sticks and rods to prod him awake but he slept on, blissfully unaware of the tortures being done to his body! Then they fell to biting his ears and tearing his hair and jumping up and down on his stomach. At last the monster showed some signs of animation and gave a great yawn. Those who had been pulling his beard fell into his cavernous mouth and had to be fished out before he closed it. Furious at having been interrupted in his slumber of only nine days, he gave a mighty shout that made all of them flee in terror before he caught and started eating them. However, when he saw the mountains of food heaped before him, he was a bit appeased and started greedily chomping his way through it. The rakshasas slowly crept back and informed him that his brother wanted him urgently. Having licked the pots and eaten the buffaloes that drew the carts containing the food, Kumbhakarna proceeded to dress himself with great care before going to the council hall to meet the king. The earth shuddered with every step he took. His gargantuan body occupied the whole width of the street.

  Ravana was delighted to see him and informed him of the critical events that had taken place in Lanka while he was in the throes of blissful slumber. Kumbhakarna laughed heartily at Ravana’s description of the vanara army and said, “My dear brother, I warned you of the consequences of your infatuation for that woman just ten days ago in the council hall, but you would not listen to me. The king who follows the rules of dharma and listens to the words of the wise will reap the rewards of his good deeds, but the one who discards these words and acts according to his own perverted understanding will have to bear the consequences of his actions. Both Vibhishana and I advised you once, but you would not listen. It is still not too late. Try to avert this crazy war and make friends with Rama. I hear that you have already lost your best generals and have been publicly humiliated. Will you not stop until your head is cut off from its shoulders?”

  Ravana’s lips quivered with rage and his eyes became like hot coals shooting sparks of fire. He shouted at Kumbhakarna, “An elder brother should be honored like a father. How dare you try to advise me? What has happened has happened. I am not prepared to go back on anything I have done. If you have ever held me in esteem or love, then tell me what to do now. Try to correct the results of my past indiscretions instead of harping on them!”

  Kumbhakarna realized that his words were like a red rag to a bull, so he pacified him with sweet words.

  “Don’t worry, brother. I will pulverize the whole lot of them just by walking in their midst. I will make mincemeat of those puny princes. Just let me get my hands on them. I will tear them apart with my bare hands. I need no weapons. Cast off your worries and go into your harem and make merry with your wives. Once Rama is dead, Sita will be yours.”

  Ravana was delighted to hear this and placed many precious necklaces round his monstrous neck and sent him off with his blessings.

  That night Rama could see the shadow of Kumbhakarna, dark and menacing, striding behind the walls like walking death. Kumbhakarna’s eyes were like cartwheels and his teeth like elephant tusks. He donned his bronze armor and golden helmet. His belt was as large as the chain on the drawbridge. He came to battle after having quaffed two thousand barrels of wine and a few thousand barrels of hot buffalo blood to give him strength. He entered the battlefield with great enthusiasm, flourishing his iron spear, which was spitting flames from its tip. In front of him walked the person carrying his black banner with the wheel of death on it. He was followed by a mob of excited, shouting rakshasas, brandishing tridents, javelins, and clubs. He looked like a colossal black thundercloud as he stepped over the walls instead of coming through the gate, and the monkeys fled in terror.

  Seeing him coming, Rama questioned Vibhishana, “Who is this colossus who is now approaching us?”

  Vibhishana replied, “He is the son of sage Vishravas and the younger brother of Ravana. His appetite is so enormous that even while he was still an infant, he was in the habit of devouring thousands of creatures of all types for his breakfast and an equal amount for lunch and dinner with a few snacks thrown in at odd times. At
last, all the creatures of the world appealed to Brahma. The grandsire [Brahma] cursed him that he would sleep for the rest of his life. Ravana intervened for the sake of his brother, and Brahma modified his curse and said that he would sleep for six months at a time and then wake up for a day, so that his insatiable appetite could be appeased, and then go back to sleep for another six months! Had he not been cursed in this fashion he would have eaten up all the life on this earth a long time ago. He can easily make one mouthful of our entire army!”