December 31 - Shlokas 1-70 of Sarga 60 of Yuddha Kanda.
As if heralding a better year ahead for all of us in 2022, this sarga is very interesting, because Ravana sings a different tune here. He makes the rakshasas go and wake up Kumbhakarna, saying he badly needs his help.
Valmiki has packed three rasas in the shlokas I read today - Bhaya (Fear), Adbhuta (Astonishment) and Hasya (Humour). It provides relief from the incessant battle descriptions in recent sargas dominated by Vira rasa (bravery, valour).
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भग्नदर्पस्तदा राजा बभूव व्यथितेन्द्रियः - "King Ravana's ego had taken a battering, and he felt most tormented in body and mind."
Ravana is seated on his splendid golden throne so well described by Valiki on the occasion when Hanuman was brought into his assembly. He is surrounded by all his courtiers and ministers. But this is not the usual swashbuckling, radiant, and supremely confident king of rakshasas, but someone whose life has been contemptuously spared and who is thereby unimaginably insulted by the enemy.
Valmiki says Ravana looked like a tusker elephant who had been attacked by a lion king or a serpent attacked by Garuda.
ब्रह्मदण्डप्रतीकानां विद्युच्चलितवर्चसाम् ।
स्मरन्राघवबाणानां विव्यथे राक्षसेश्वरः ॥
"Recalling those deadly arrows of Sri Rama that seemed charged with lightning, which looked like Brahmadanda wielded at the dissolution of the world, the king of rakshasas was deeply distressed. "
Ravana spoke in his assembly. "Fie on all my bravery. I may be one who matches Indra in valour, but today I have been defeated and humiliated by a mere human!"
"I now recall with a shudder Lord Brahma's words, मानुषेभ्यो विजानीहि भयं त्वमिति तत्तथा "Know well, Ravana, that the great and certain danger to your life will come from a human.""
"Alas, I asked for boons that I should not be killed by devas, asuras and so on, but I omitted mentioning humans out of my pride!"
तमिमं मानुषं मन्ये रामं दशरथात्मजम् - "I now see that the danger to my life has come in the form of Rama, son of Dasharatha! I remember the warning I got long ago from an Ikshwaku king and ancestor of Rama, by the name of Anaranya, whom I overthrew, that I would be killed by his descendant. He said,
उत्पत्स्यति हि मद्वंशपुरुषो राक्षसाधम!
यस्त्वां सपुत्रं समात्यं सबलं साश्वसारतिं ।
निहनिष्यति सङ्ग्रामे त्वां कुलाधम दुर्मते ॥
"Oh vilest of rakshasas, you’re a blot on your lineage (Kashyapa-Pulastya-Kubera and so on)! Know that my descendant alone will kill you, along with your sons and ministers and all your horses and charioteers, in the future."
शप्तोऽहं वेदवत्या च यथा सा धर्षिता पुरा ।
नेऽयं सीता महाभागा जाता जनकनन्दिनी ॥
"I can also see the denouement of that curse of Vedavati which she pronounced before dying after I molested her! I now know that she alone has taken birth as the blessed Sita, daughter of the great king Janaka!"
'I also remember the curse of Devi Uma (Parvati). Nandishvara (Lord Shiva's attendant), Rambha and even Punjikasthala (apsara who bore Hanuman!) that I would die like this, on account of a woman. Indeed the words of great rishis never fail in their import!"
" Look, all of you, I am indeed afraid like never before. Please go and guard the city with its gates, moats and ramparts very vigilantly and fiercely. Also please go and wake up at once my brother Kumbakarna."
"My formidable military chief Prahasta has been killed. I have been defeated. Watch out! Guard Lanka well. And go wake up Kumbhakarna."
"This fool Kumbhakarna is always asleep by Brahma's curse. He sleeps for months on end! He went to sleep nine days ago after taking permission from me. I am sure that if he wakes up, he will make short work of Rama, Lakshmana, and the vanaras, and alleviate my anxiety."
Now Ravana has some choice words about Kumbhakarna.
कुम्भकर्णः सदा शेते मूढो ग्राम्यसुखे रतः
"Kumbhakarna is always asleep! Damn! He is uncouth, given to crude sense pleasures, and slothful always."
किं करिष्याम्यहं तेन शक्रतुल्यबलेन हि ।
ईदृशे व्यसने घोरे यो न साह्याय कल्पते ॥
"Of what use to me is Kumbhakarna with his valour equal to that of Indra, if he does not step up and help me in this moment of utter distress and military danger."
The rakshasas who had been listening to these strange words from Ravana were in utter disbelief and with sinking hearts stirred into action.
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The rakshasas took massive amounts freshly carved meat of choicest animals by cartloads, with brimming vessels of blood and other detestable foods that are so dear to rakshasas. They took the best of perfumes and garlands and gifts. Their mission to wake up Kumbhakarna was fraught with terrible danger, and they were literally waking up a sleeping, unpredictable, monstrous, giant.
Kumbhakarna slept in an unusually large cave which was well decorated. He resembled a huge mountain rock ( a bit like the Mysuru Chamundi Hill.)
Valmiki says Kumbhakarna's nostrils were deep and dangerous-looking. His huge mouth was open and looked like the netherworld. His body odour reeked of flesh and blood that was his regular diet.
Kumbhakarna wore a splendid crown. He had big armlets. He looked impressive.
The mountainous heaps of fresh meat did not make any impact. Valmiki says it was a mountain of a biryani with a wide variety of meats.
First the rakshasas took a mild approach. They started coyly anointing Kumbhakarna with sandal paste. They nearly stuffed his nostrils with the choicest of fragrant flower strings.They started chanting his praise sonorously very loud.
No effect.
They brought huge conches that resembled the moon and blew them very loudly. They all shouted in unison. No effect. Lots of drums and bugles that made a huge racket. No effect. But the birds in the sky scattered away in alarm.
They started piercing Kumbhakarna's body. The rakshasas started thumping Kumbhakarna's chest with pestles and maces. They even pounded him with rocks. No effect.
On the other hand, when any of the rakshasas accidentally came in the jetstream of Kumbhakarna's nostrils (imagine the rear of a running 787 engine), they were blown away.
Imagine a huge ring of rakshasas trying everything possible, making a deafening racket, all jumping around a snoring Kumbhakarna, who is not disturbed in the least.
The rakshasas now brought elephants and camels and horses and goaded them to climb all over Kumbhakarna. They used spiked poles and pierced him all over. No effect.
The entire Lanka was cursing the din raised. But it was all ineffectual.
The rakshasas fiercely pulled at his hair. Some even went and started chewing up Kumbhakarna's large ears. Some poured huge vesselfuls of water into his cavernous ears. Some started pounding Kumbhakarna with shataghnis.
No effect, until nearly a hundred elephants simultaneously stepped on Kumbhakarna.
So far, he had not stirred in his sleep, accursed as he was by Brahma. But now there was a slight response.
Kumbhakarna now sat up. He gave a frighteningly big yawn that suggested Vadavagni (a volcano eruption under the sea). His exhalation could blow away a big army. Valmiki says that Kumbhakarna awake was a most frightening sight.
Then he caught sight of all that food. He gobbled them up instantly. He drank huge amounts of blood followed by strong liquor in potfuls.
The rakshasas were dancing in glee to see their efforts bear fruit. They all now came and bowed low to Kumbhakarna.
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किमर्थमहमादृत्य भवद्भिः प्रतिबोधितः ।
कश्चित्सुकुशलं राज्ञो भयं वा नेह किञ्चन ॥
"For what reason did you all wake me up so urgently and deferentially? I hope all is well with our King and no fear has confronted us?"
'There must be some great danger presented from some quarter for all of you to wake me up so prematurely!? Don't worry, now leave it to me. I shall uproot the Mahendra mountain or destroy Indra or whoever if need be and put out any conflagration, however big. I know that someone as dangerous when upset as I am would not have been woken up without sufficient cause or provocation. So tell me everything, have no fear!"
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
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