Encyclopedia for Epics of Ancient India

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Kumbhakarna

Read about Kumbhakarna at Wikipedia or at the Urday website.

KUMBHAKARNA. [Source: Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology] Son of Visravas by his Rakshasa wife Kesini, and full brother of Ravana.

A monster who, under the curse of Brahma (or, as otherwise represented, as a boon), slept for six months at a time and remained awake for only a single day.

When Ravana was hard pressed by Rama he sent to arouse Kumbhakarna. This was affected with great difficulty. After drinking 2000 jars of liquor he went to consult with his brother, and then took the field against the monkey army. He beat down Sugriva, the monkey chief, with a large stone, and carried him a prisoner into the city of Lanka.

When he returned to the battle he encountered Rama, and after a stout fight he was defeated, and Rama cut off his head.


Modern Languages MLLL-4993. Indian Epics. Laura Gibbs, Ph.D. The textual material made available at this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. You must give the original author credit. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one. No claims are made regarding the status of images used at this website; if you own the copyright privileges to any of these images and believe your copyright privileges have been violated, please contact the webmaster. Page last updated: October 16, 2007 12:22 PM