And then the exceedingly energetic Rama possessed of prowess, taking his
bow, saw Kumbhakarna, having a huge body and decked with a diadem. And
seeing that foremost of Rakshasas looking like a mountain; filling all
the heavens as formerly Narayana had done; resembling clouds charged
with rain; and adorned with golden _angadas_,--the mighty army of
monkeys began to run away at the top of its speed. Seeing the army
scamper and the Rakshasa swelling, Rama struck with surprise, said unto
Bibhishana,--"Who is that tawney-eyed one, decked with a diadem, and
looking like a hill? And in Lanka the hero appeareth like a mass of
clouds embosoming lightning. And alone he seemeth like an ensign of the
Earth; and seeing him the monkeys dart away hither and thither. Tell me
who he is,--whether a Raksha or an Asura. The like of him mine eyes had
never before lighted on". Accosted by the king's son--Rama of untiring
deeds--the exceedingly wise Bibhishana said unto Kakutstha,--"By whom in
battle Vivascwata's offspring[197] and Vasava himself had been
vanquished, this is he--the wondrous powerful Kumbhakarna--son unto
Vicravan. No Rakshasa is there that equalleth this one in size. O
Raghava, this one in battle hath brought down Danavas and Yakshas and
Serpents[198] and flesh-feeders and Gandharvas and Vidyadharas and
Pannagas[199] by thousands. The immortals themselves thinking the
dart-handed and fierce-eyed Kumbhakarna possessed of great strength, as
the Destroyer himself,--were overwhelmed with stupor and were foiled in
their exertions to slay him. The exceedingly powerful Kumbhakarna is
mighty by nature: the strength of other redoubtable Rakshasas is owing
to boons obtained by them. As soon as this high-souled one was born and
was a babe, he began to devour up countless creatures by the thousand.
And on these having been devoured, creatures, afflicted with affright
consequent on those having been eaten up, sought the shelter of Sakra
and told him what had happened. And thereat the great Indra, waxing
wroth, smote Kumbhakarna with the whetted levin. And hit at with Sakra's
thunderbolt, that high-souled (hero) shook, and in wrath set up roars.
And hearing the roars of the Rakshasa--Kumbhakarna--as he kept crying,
creatures, seized with fear, were greatly agitated. And thereat, enraged
with the great Indra, the mighty Kumbhakarna plucking a tusk of
Airavata, hurled it at Vasava's chest. And with blood overflowing his
person, Vasava looked as if aflame. And thereat, all of a sudden the
gods and the Brahmarshis and the Danavas were dispirited. And then they
informed the lord of creatures touching the ravages of Kumbhakarna, and
informed the gods about Kumbhakarna's devouring up creatures, destroying
asylums and outraging others' wives. "If this one devour creatures
constantly, in a short space the world would be empty of any". Hearing
Vasava's speech, the Great-father of all called up[200] the Rakshasas
and saw Kumbhakarna (before him). And seeing Kumbhakarna, Prajapati[201]
was seized with exceeding great fear. And then, pacifying Kumbhakarna,
the Self-sprung addressed him, saying,--"Forsooth for compassing the
destruction of creatures, hast thou been begot by Paulasta.[202]
Therefore from this day forth, thou shalt lie down as one dead".
Stricken with the curse of Brahma, Kumbhakarna fell down before the
Lord. Then, extremely agitated, Ravana said,--"Thou hewest down a golden
tree when about to bear fruit. O lord of creatures, thou ought not to
curse thus thine own grandson. Thy words will never go for naught; sleep
he will, without doubt. But do thou appoint a time for his sleeping and
one for his awaking". Hearing Ravana's speech, the Self-sprung
said,--"Having slept for six months, he shall wake for one day. And for
a single day, that hero, coming under the influence of hunger, shall
range the earth, opening his mouth wide open, and devouring people like
a fire that hath spread far and wide. And now king Ravana struck with
terror at thy prowess, encompassed with peril, hath waked up
Kumbhakarna. And that hero possessed of dreadful prowess, wrought up
with high wrath, sallying forth from his camp, rusheth about, eating up
monkeys. And soon as the monkeys see Kumbhakarna, they fly away. And How
can they resist in battle the enraged Kumbhakarna? Do thou tell the
monkeys this is an uplifted engine. Thus assured, the monkeys shall take
heart". Hearing Bibhishana's words informed with reason and tending to
the good (of the monkeys), Raghava then addressed general Nila;
saying,--"Let you, monkeys, equipped with weapons and holding hill-tops
in your hands,--and furnished with mountain-summits and trees and rocks,
stay, occupying the highways and the bridges". Thus instructed by
Raghava, that powerful monkey, Nila--general of the forces--accordingly
issued his orders to the monkey-hosts. And then Givaksha and Sarabha and
Hanuman and Angada, themselves endowed with the splendour of
mountain-summits, taking up mountain-tops, drew towards the gateway. And
hearing Rama's words,[203] the heroic monkeys inspired with intrepidity,
fiercely fell on the foe with trees. And then that dreadful army of
monkeys, upraising crags and holding trees in their hands, appeared like
mighty masses of scowling clouds bordering a mountain.[204]
[197] Yama--son of Vivacwata or the Sun.
[198] _Bhujangah_:--semi-divine serpents.
[199] Semi-divine serpents.
[200] _By reciting a certain scriptural formula_.
[201] _Lit._--lord of creatures.
[202] Vicrava.
[203] Namely, "that is an uplifted engine".
[204] This is apt, seeing that Lanka was situated on a hill.--T.