Dashagriva heard what Kumbhakarna had to say. He knit his eyebrows in rage and spoke these words. ‘Do you take yourself to be my senior preceptor that you are instructing me in this way? Why are you exhausting yourself through words? This is the time for appropriate action. What is the point of repeating now what has already been done because of confusion, delusion, strength, energy or prosperity? This is the time to think about what is appropriate now. Use your valour to dispel my present misery. If you indeed feel any affection for me because I am your brother, if your heart feels it should be done and if your intelligence also agrees on the act, this is what you should do. If a person helps someone who faces a hardship and removes that distress, he is a true well-wisher. If he helps when the need arises, he is a true relative.’ Though spoken patiently, these were extremely terrible words.
Kumbhakarna noticed that his brother’s senses were excessively agitated. He also realized that he was angry. Therefore, softly and gently, he uttered these kind words of assurance. ‘O king! O destroyer of enemies! Listen to my words. O Indra among rakshasas! Enough of this torment. Abandon this rage. You should return to your normal state. O king! As long as I am alive, you should not think about such things. I will destroy the person because of whose deeds you are being tormented. Whatever be your state, I must speak beneficial words to you. O king! I spoke those words as a relative and because of brotherly affection. This is the time for a relative to act gently. Behold. Therefore, in the battle, I will create carnage amidst the enemy. O mighty-armed one! Behold me today in the field of battle. Rama and his brother will be slain and the army of the apes will be driven away. In the battle today, you will see me bring back Rama’s head. O mighty-armed one! Be happy. May Sita be miserable. Behold the extremely desired objective today, of Rama being killed. He is the one who killed all the relatives of the rakshasas in Lanka. They are overcome by sorrow because they are grieving over their relatives having been killed. Today, after the enemy is destroyed in the battle, I will wipe away their tears. Sugriva, the lord of the apes, is like a mountain. Behold. In the battle today, I will disperse him, like the sun scatters away a cloud. O one whose valour in battle is unmatched! You do not have to look for anyone else to send. I will uproot your extremely strong enemies. I will even fight against Shakra, Yama, the wind god, Kubera and Varuna. My body is as large as a mountain. When I roar with my pointed teeth and wield a sharp spear, even Purandara is terrified. Otherwise, the enemy can quickly turn mild and throw the weapons away. As long as someone faces me, he is incapable of remaining alive. I do not need a spear, a club, a sword or sharp arrows. If I am angry, with my bare hands, I can slay the wielder of the vajra. Today, if Raghava can withstand the force of my fists, I will bring him down with my torrents of arrows and drink Raghava’s blood. O king! Why are you tormented by thoughts? I am standing in front of you. I am here to destroy your enemies. I am ready to leave. Give up this fear of Rama. O king! I will kill him in the battle and also Raghava Lakshmana and the immensely strong Sugriva. I wish to give you great and extraordinary fame. I will bring you happiness by slaying Dasharatha’s son. I am leaving, so that I can bring you something pleasant. After killing Rama and Lakshmana, I will eat all the chief leaders among the apes. O king! Sport as you will and drink the best of varuni. Cast away your fever and do all that you must. Today, after I have sent Rama to Yama’s abode, Sita will come under your subjugation, for a long period of time.’
Chapter 6(52)
Kumbhakarna, the powerful one with strong arms, spoke in this way. Hearing his words, Mahodara said, ‘O Kumbhakarna! Though you have been born in a noble lineage, you are audacious and your perspective is ordinary.195 Because you are insolent, you are incapable of knowing what should be done at all times. O Kumbhakarna! It is not that the king cannot differentiate between good policy and bad policy. Because of childish folly and audacity, you only desire to speak. The bull among rakshasas does know about enhancing and diminishing,196 he knows how the apportionment of time and place needs to be done and he can distinguish between those on one’s own side and the enemy’s. A strong person who is ordinary in intelligence and does not respect his seniors is capable of undertaking acts. Why should a learned person act in that way? You have spoken as if dharma, artha and kama are separate objectives. Their nature is such that there are no signs to distinguish between them. Whatever be the consequences, action must always be undertaken. It is better to undertake even wicked deeds. Those also have consequences. It is not necessary that the fruits of dharma and artha are superior. Adharma and anartha197 can also give rise to unintended consequences. Even if a man indulges in acts of kama, in this world and in the next, he obtains the fruits of those deeds. The king set his heart on this act198 and our views coincided with his. If one displays bravery against an enemy, what is there to condemn in that? Because of your ordinary nature, you have cited reasons for advancing alone. I will tell you why that is inappropriate and not virtuous policy. Earlier, in Janasthana, Raghava killed many extremely strong rakshasas. How will you defeat him alone? Look at all the immensely energetic rakshasas in the city. They are terrified because they have been vanquished earlier. Rama, Dasharatha’s son, is like an enraged lion. He is like a snake that is asleep. Ignorantly, you wish to wake him up. He always blazes in his energy and anger and is impossible to assail. He is as intolerable as Death. Who wants to approach him? When one faces an enemy, the outcome is always in doubt. The idea of your advancing alone does not appeal to me. Whether one is superior or inferior and even if the enemy is ordinary, who wishes to take a chance that the life may be given up and one may come under subjugation? O supreme among rakshasas! There is no man who is his equal. He is like Indra and the sun god. How can you speak of fighting against him?’
Having thus angrily spoken to Kumbhakarna, in the midst of the rakshasas, Mahodara spoke to Ravana, the one who made the worlds scream. ‘After having already obtained Vaidehi, why are you conversing? If you so desire, Sita will come under your subjugation. O lord of the rakshasas! I have thought of a means whereby Sita might be persuaded. If it appeals to your intelligence, listen to this. Announce that five of us—I, Dvijihva, Samhradi, Kumbhakarna and Vitardana—are setting out to kill Rama. Having gone, we will make efforts and fight against him. If we defeat the enemy, you need not think of any other devices. However, even after we have fought, if the enemy survives, let us implement the strategy that has come to my mind. We will return from the battle with blood all over and our bodies pierced by sharp arrows that have Rama’s name inscribed on them. We will fall at your feet and say, “Raghava and Lakshmana have been devoured by us. Fulfil our wishes.” O king! Astride elephants, get it proclaimed everywhere in the city that Rama, his brother and his soldiers have been killed. O destroyer of enemies! Being pleased, bestow on your servants objects of pleasure, servants, objects of desire and riches. Give many warriors garlands, garments and unguents meant for heroes. Rejoicing, you yourself indulge in drinking. This rumour will spread thick and fast and reach everywhere. Then go to Sita alone and comfort her. Tempt her with riches, grain, objects of desire and jewels. O king! Using this means, generate fear and grief. Even if she does not desire it, with her protector destroyed, Sita will come under your subjugation. She will believe that her beloved husband has been killed. Because of her hopelessness and the fickleness of feminine nature, she will come under your subjugation. Earlier, she has been reared in happiness. She deserves happiness, but is afflicted by misery. Knowing that she will obtain happiness with you, she will go to you in every possible way. This is the good policy I have thought of. If you see Rama, a calamity may befall you.199 Remain here and do not suffer from anxiety. You will obtain great gains without taking part in a fight. O lord of the earth! If a king defeats the enemy without fighting, without the soldiers being destroyed and without facing any uncertainty, he obtains great fame, merits, prosperity and deeds for a long period of time.’
Chapter 6(53)
Thus addressed, Kumbhakarna reb
uked Mahodara. He spoke to his brother, Ravana, best among rakshasas. ‘I will slay the evil-souled one who has caused you this terrible fear. Today, I will wipe Rama away. Without any enemies, you will be happy. Like clouds without water, brave ones do not unnecessarily roar. Behold. As I obtain my objective, my deeds in the battle will roar. Brave ones demonstrate by performing extremely difficult deeds. They do not praise themselves, nor do they think highly of themselves. O Mahodara! When they hear words spoken by the likes of you, only kings who pride themselves on their learning, but are actually feeble in intelligence, find them to be appealing. Those who are cowards in a battle are always pleasant in speech. They always seek to follow the king and thereby, ensure destruction. Possessing access to the king, well-wishers behave like enemies. The treasury is exhausted, the soldiers have been killed. The king is the only one left in Lanka. I am leaving. I am ready for battle, to defeat the enemy. In the great battle today, I will rectify your bad policy.’
When the intelligent Kumbhakarna spoke these words, the lord of the rakshasas laughed and replied in these words. ‘There is no doubt that Mahodara is terrified of Rama. O son!200 O one who is accomplished in fighting! The idea of fighting does not appeal to him. As a well-wisher and in strength, there is no one who is equal to you. O Kumbhakarna! For the sake of slaying the enemy and for victory, depart.’
The destroyer of enemies201 quickly picked up a sharp spear. It was made entirely out of iron. It blazed and was embellished with molten gold. It was as terrible as Indra’s vajra. It was as heavy as the vajra and could devastate gods, danavas, gandharvas, yakshas and kinnaras. It was bound with giant ropes and adorned with red garlands. It naturally emitted sparks of flame and was coloured with the blood of enemies. Having seized this sharp spear, the immensely energetic Kumbhakarna addressed Ravana in these words. ‘I am going alone. Let this large army remain here. I am hungry and angry now. I will devour the apes.’ Hearing Kumbhakarna’s words, Ravana addressed him in these words. ‘Depart, but surround yourself with soldiers with spears and clubs in their hands. The great-souled apes are swift in their conduct. They are crazy and will destroy anyone who is alone, distracted or inattentive. Therefore, go, but surround yourself with an extremely invincible army. Destroy the party of the enemy, which has caused injury to us rakshasas.’ The immensely energetic Ravana arose from his seat. He slung a necklace studded with gems at the ends around Kumbhakarna’s neck. The great-souled one also fixed armlets, rings, other excellent ornaments and a chain that resembled the moon. Ravana also arranged that his body would be smeared with divine perfumes and garlands, with beautiful earrings on his ears. The large-eared Kumbhakarna was adorned with golden armlets, braclets and breastplates. He was like a fire that had been fed with excellent oblations. A large and black thread adorned his loins. He looked like Mandara at the time when amrita was obtained, coiled around by the serpent.202 Capable of bearing a great burden, he bore the burden of the golden armour. He resembled the brilliant lightning, radiant in its own illuminations. After fixing the armour, he was resplendent. He looked like a king of mountains, enveloped by clouds in the evening. The rakshasa had ornaments on all his limbs and a spear in his hand. He was as resplendent as Narayana, exerting himself while taking his three strides.203
He embraced his brother and circumambulated him. Bowing his head down before him, the immensely strong one departed. To the sound of praises and benedictions, Ravana sent him off. Conch shells and drums were sounded. There were soldiers with excellent weapons. The sound of elephants, horses and chariots was like the thunder of clouds. The great-souled one, supreme among charioteers, was followed by charioteers. The immensely strong Kumbhakarna was followed by terrible ones who were mounted on snakes, camels, donkeys, horses, lions, wolves, other animals and birds. He held a sharp spear in his hand and flowers were showered down. An umbrella was held above his head. He was intoxicated by his pride and maddened by the smell of blood. The enemy of the danavas and the gods departed. There were many immensely strong foot soldiers and they roared loudly. These terrible rakshasas followed him. Their eyes were horrible and they held weapons in their hands. Their eyes were red and their forms were extremely gigantic. They were like masses of dark collyrium. They held aloft spears, swords and sharp battleaxes. There were many clubs, maces and bludgeons. They bore extremely invincible and large palm trees on their shoulders. These were meant to be hurled. Thus, the immensely energetic and immensely strong Kumbhakarna descended. He emerged from the city in this terrible form and it made the body hair stand up. His breadth was that of one hundred bows and his height was that of six hundred bows. He was fierce. His eyes were like the wheels of a cart. He resembled a large mountain. Resembling a giant mountain that has been burnt, he approached the rakshasas. Kumbhakarna, with the gigantic mouth, laughed and spoke these words. ‘Today, I will angrily burn down the foremost apes and their different herds, like insects before a fire. Those apes reside in the forest as they will and have not committed a crime. For those like us, that species is like an ornament in the city’s groves. Raghava, together with Lakshmana, are the foundation for this siege of the city. When he is killed, all of them will be killed. I will slay him in the battle.’ When Kumbhakarna spoke in this way, the rakshasas emitted an extremely terrible roar and this seemed to make the ocean tremble.
As the intelligent Kumbhakarna swiftly descended, in every direction, many terrible portents manifested themselves. Clouds, filled with meteors and lightning, thundered in extremely terrible tones. The earth, with its oceans and forests, trembled. With blazing pieces of flesh in their mouths, hideous jackals howled. Birds flew around in an anticlockwise direction.204 As he205 proceeded along the road, a vulture descended on the top of his spear. His left eye twitched and his left arm throbbed. A blazing meteor fell down with a terrible sound. The sun lost its lustre. The pleasant breeze stopped to blow. These great omens made the body hair stand up. However, Kumbhakarna was urged by the strength of Death. He did not think about these and departed.
Resembling a mountain, he used his feet to scale over the rampart. He saw the extraordinary army of the apes, resembling a mass of clouds. The apes saw the best among the rakshasas, who was like a mountain. Like clouds dispelled by the wind, they fled in all the directions. Like a net of clouds that has been dispersed, that extremely fierce army of the apes fled in all directions. On seeing this, Kumbhakarna was delighted. He roared like the thunder of the clouds in the sky. On hearing his terrible roar, like sala trees severed at the roots, many apes fell down on the ground. For the sake of slaying the enemy, the great-souled Kumbhakarna emerged with his large club. The large number of apes were filled with a great dread, as if the lord206 had arrived with the staff of chastisement at the end of a yuga.
Chapter 6(54)
He roared loudly and it resounded in the ocean. He seemed to generate a storm and seemed to shatter the mountains. The apes saw the one with the terrible eyes advance. Maghavan, Yama and Varuna were incapable of killing him. On seeing him, they fled in different directions. On seeing that they were fleeing, Vali’s son, Angada, spoke to Nala, Nila, Gavaksha and the immensely strong Kumuda. ‘Terrified because of your fear, where are you running away, behaving like ordinary apes? You have forgotten yourselves, your valour and the nobility of your births. O amiable ones! It is best to return. Why are you protecting your lives? This rakshasa is a great terror, but he cannot fight.207 This great terror has arisen and has been fashioned by the rakshasas. O apes! Return and we will destroy him with our valour.’
The Valmiki Ramayana Page 104