Hi!!! I read this story in an Amar Chitra Katha once, when I was a small child, and have absolutely loved it!! When I was small, sleep was the one thing I hated. Now I understand the importance of sleep, and why you shouldn't let your mind become like Kumbhakarna: A lazy, sluggish fellow.
During the lockdown, I have been trying out new things that I have never done before. Sometimes, I don't like it. Which is okay; Even you guys have a certain liking towards something, right? But, even if you don't like it, at least it stimulates your mind and doesn't make it a lazy goof.
Let's get on with the story, then…
According to the holy scriptures, Kumbhakarna was the brother of Ravana, the Brahmasura. He was also the half-brother of Kubera, the God of Wealth. Their father, Vishrava, was the son of Rishi Pulastya, who was one of the saptarishi. This earned their family a great reputation. Ravana was head-strong because of that. Even Kubera, who had sooooo much money, wasn't as arrogant and stubborn as Ravana. This change in character, from a learned Brahmin to a power-seeking destroyer, upset Vishrava.
One day, Ravana, along with Kumbhakarna and Vibhisana, had gone to see their father. He wasn't feeling well. Ravana and his brothers reached their father's house in time to see him. His strength was deteriorating. As they sat next to his bed, Vishrava said, "You three are my favourite. You must become like your other brother, Kubera. Look how he is prospering!! He is living a life of luxury. I want you to do the same, too. Do tapas to Lord Brahma, your great grandfather and you shall reach the same status of Kubera's," the three brothers whispered to themselves. Suddenly, the trio kissed their father goodbye. Ravana proclaimed, "We shall do as Father wishes!! We shall undertake the task of tapas and ask ourselves boons," Kumbhakarna and Vibhisana cheered. They set off for the Gokarna Hills to meditate.
The trio sat on the top of the highest peak of the Gokarna Hills and meditated. They meditated for sooooo long!!! even in rain, hail or thunder and lightning. They weren't perturbed by anything. They fasted for days, week, months!!! A thousand years passed!!!! Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Vibhisana continued their meditation without any disruption. They had HUGE beards, which would stretch from their ears, to the base of the mountain!!!!! Their hair grew like the early caveman's!!! There was so much, that you could make a billion paintbrushes!!! Meanwhile, the Gods of Vaikunta, the Devas, were running around in a tizzy!! The king himself was frightened. His name was Indra. He was crying. Vaikunta started to shake with the running of the gods. All of them went to hide in terror.
Narada, who had come back from a pilgrimage on Earth, asked Indra, "Narayana!! Narayana!! What is happening, O Devendra?! Why is everyone running from Vaikunta?" Indra was too scared to tell Narada, so he just stared at him and ran away. Narada was confused. He had no clue what was going on. Just then, Rishi Bhrigu, one of the saptarishis, came to him. "O Maharishi!! How are you, guru?!" asked a calm and casual Narada. Bhrigu replied, "Namaskara Narada! What brings you back to Vaikunta?!" Narada just shrugged his shoulders. "Maharishi! What has happened to these gods? Have they gone bonkers?" Bhrigu laughed. "HoHo!! Narada, you are too good. HaHa!! These gods have received intel that Ravana, Vibhisana and Kumbhakarna are doing penance for Brahma. Well, they believe that not Ravana nor Vibhisana will go for the throne of Indra, Indrasana. But everyone is frightened, because Kumbhakarna might ask for the throne. He, after all, holds a grudge against us. They don't want to fight. All of them, including Indra, are cowards." Narada chuckled. Bhrigu continued, " If only there was a way to stop Kumbhakarna from saying the words, or to alter what he says," Narada asked Bhrigu, "Gurugale, why don't we go see Sarswati. She is the Goddess of Speech, after all."
So, the Devas went to see Saraswati in Brahmaloka. As they reached, they saw that Brahma was nowhere to be seen. Running rapidly, the Devas got to Saraswati's mount, a snow-white swan. Saraswati was on top of it, looking down at Bhoodevi, Mother Earth. "Beautiful, isn't it? Children frolicking, men working, wives cooking aromatic food. This is why I love the Earth. What would you like, O Devas?" claimed Saraswati. Then, Narada stepped forward and narrated the whole story to Saraswati. Then she realised that she needed to stop Kumbhakarna. "I shall sit on his tongue in the form of a fly and tie it, making him say a different word." The Devas were overjoyed!! They partied like Gods - figuratively and literally- in Vaikunta. They were assured that Kumbhakarna couldn't ask for the throne.
Still at the Gokarna hills, Kumbhakarna and his brothers continued meditating. Five thousand years had passed!!!! They continued to do tapas. Then another five thousand years past!!!!!!! Ravana, anxious in wait, lost his temper. He stood up with his eyes closed and shouted to the skies, "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME???!!!! We have done penance for 11,000 years!!!! You still elude us, Brahma!!!! Can't you come and help your great-grandsons?!" Ravana sat down, cursing to the skies. Suddenly, a flash of light blinded Ravana. He shut his eyes and covered them with his arm. Still, the light shone through him. Vibhisana and Kumbhakarna also stood up and squinted. From the light, a man approached. He had a thin beard and was sitting on a blossomed lotus. His four hands held a kamandalu, a sacred thread, a lotus and a piece of sandalwood, respectively. Finally, he had four heads, each looking to one direction. It was Brahma. He blessed each of them. "Namaskara, guru!!! Thank you for answering our prayers," said the three brothers. They bowed down to Brahma. Brahma closed his eyes and chanted some mantras. "Om blah blah blah… Om blah blah blah… Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi!!"
He raised one of his hands and kept it on Vibhisana's head. "YOU HAVE PLEASED ME!! WHAT BOON WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?! ANYTHING YOU WANT, YOU MAY ASK ME!!!" Vibhisana was astounded! He prayed to Brahma and stated, "I pray to you, O Brahma! I ask for only one thing. I want my mind to be fixed at the feet of Lord Vishnu and I pray that I shall get the strength to be at the feet of the Lord forever." Brahma took his hand off Vibhisana's head and blessed him, "Thatha Asthu!!!"
Finally, the turn of Kumbhakarna came. Brahma closed his eyes and chanted some mantras. "Om blah blah blah… Om blah blah blah… Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi!!" He raised one of his hands and kept it on Kumbhakarna's head. "YOU HAVE PLEASED ME!! WHAT BOON WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?! ANYTHING YOU WANT, YOU MAY ASK ME!!!" Kumbhakarna was happy - in an evil way. He smiled a wicked smile. While that smile lasted, Saraswati in the form of a small fly, zipped into Kumbhakarna's mouth and ripped a piece of skin from the bottom of Kumbhakarna's tongue. He only felt a slight sting under his skin, but he didn't care. He started to ask for his boon, "I shall ask for NIDRASANA!!!!!! Huh!!! What is thifff??! I'm not agle to sbeak!!" Ravana and Vibhisana started laughing. Then, Brahma stated, "Thatha Asthu!!!!" Immediately, Kumbhakarna fell fast asleep and fell on the floor. Ravana and Vibhsana instantly went to help their brother. They pleaded Brahma to take back the curse-like boon, but Brahma could do nothing!!! The only change that he could do, was to make him sleep for half a year and be awake for the next. Ravana and Vibhisana contemplated on this. Finally, they came to the agreement of letting him sleep for half a year, then letting him stay awake for the next half.
Thus, Kumbhakarna got the boon/curse that made him sleep for half of the year.
Moral: Don't be overambitious. Limit your goals to your abilities.
Thanks for reading my take on why Kumbhakarna slept so long!!!! Please follow with your email and click the blue button to receive news about my posts!!!! Happy Reading!!!!!
During the lockdown, I have been trying out new things that I have never done before. Sometimes, I don't like it. Which is okay; Even you guys have a certain liking towards something, right? But, even if you don't like it, at least it stimulates your mind and doesn't make it a lazy goof.
Let's get on with the story, then…
According to the holy scriptures, Kumbhakarna was the brother of Ravana, the Brahmasura. He was also the half-brother of Kubera, the God of Wealth. Their father, Vishrava, was the son of Rishi Pulastya, who was one of the saptarishi. This earned their family a great reputation. Ravana was head-strong because of that. Even Kubera, who had sooooo much money, wasn't as arrogant and stubborn as Ravana. This change in character, from a learned Brahmin to a power-seeking destroyer, upset Vishrava.
One day, Ravana, along with Kumbhakarna and Vibhisana, had gone to see their father. He wasn't feeling well. Ravana and his brothers reached their father's house in time to see him. His strength was deteriorating. As they sat next to his bed, Vishrava said, "You three are my favourite. You must become like your other brother, Kubera. Look how he is prospering!! He is living a life of luxury. I want you to do the same, too. Do tapas to Lord Brahma, your great grandfather and you shall reach the same status of Kubera's," the three brothers whispered to themselves. Suddenly, the trio kissed their father goodbye. Ravana proclaimed, "We shall do as Father wishes!! We shall undertake the task of tapas and ask ourselves boons," Kumbhakarna and Vibhisana cheered. They set off for the Gokarna Hills to meditate.
The trio sat on the top of the highest peak of the Gokarna Hills and meditated. They meditated for sooooo long!!! even in rain, hail or thunder and lightning. They weren't perturbed by anything. They fasted for days, week, months!!! A thousand years passed!!!! Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Vibhisana continued their meditation without any disruption. They had HUGE beards, which would stretch from their ears, to the base of the mountain!!!!! Their hair grew like the early caveman's!!! There was so much, that you could make a billion paintbrushes!!! Meanwhile, the Gods of Vaikunta, the Devas, were running around in a tizzy!! The king himself was frightened. His name was Indra. He was crying. Vaikunta started to shake with the running of the gods. All of them went to hide in terror.
Narada, who had come back from a pilgrimage on Earth, asked Indra, "Narayana!! Narayana!! What is happening, O Devendra?! Why is everyone running from Vaikunta?" Indra was too scared to tell Narada, so he just stared at him and ran away. Narada was confused. He had no clue what was going on. Just then, Rishi Bhrigu, one of the saptarishis, came to him. "O Maharishi!! How are you, guru?!" asked a calm and casual Narada. Bhrigu replied, "Namaskara Narada! What brings you back to Vaikunta?!" Narada just shrugged his shoulders. "Maharishi! What has happened to these gods? Have they gone bonkers?" Bhrigu laughed. "HoHo!! Narada, you are too good. HaHa!! These gods have received intel that Ravana, Vibhisana and Kumbhakarna are doing penance for Brahma. Well, they believe that not Ravana nor Vibhisana will go for the throne of Indra, Indrasana. But everyone is frightened, because Kumbhakarna might ask for the throne. He, after all, holds a grudge against us. They don't want to fight. All of them, including Indra, are cowards." Narada chuckled. Bhrigu continued, " If only there was a way to stop Kumbhakarna from saying the words, or to alter what he says," Narada asked Bhrigu, "Gurugale, why don't we go see Sarswati. She is the Goddess of Speech, after all."
So, the Devas went to see Saraswati in Brahmaloka. As they reached, they saw that Brahma was nowhere to be seen. Running rapidly, the Devas got to Saraswati's mount, a snow-white swan. Saraswati was on top of it, looking down at Bhoodevi, Mother Earth. "Beautiful, isn't it? Children frolicking, men working, wives cooking aromatic food. This is why I love the Earth. What would you like, O Devas?" claimed Saraswati. Then, Narada stepped forward and narrated the whole story to Saraswati. Then she realised that she needed to stop Kumbhakarna. "I shall sit on his tongue in the form of a fly and tie it, making him say a different word." The Devas were overjoyed!! They partied like Gods - figuratively and literally- in Vaikunta. They were assured that Kumbhakarna couldn't ask for the throne.
Still at the Gokarna hills, Kumbhakarna and his brothers continued meditating. Five thousand years had passed!!!! They continued to do tapas. Then another five thousand years past!!!!!!! Ravana, anxious in wait, lost his temper. He stood up with his eyes closed and shouted to the skies, "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME???!!!! We have done penance for 11,000 years!!!! You still elude us, Brahma!!!! Can't you come and help your great-grandsons?!" Ravana sat down, cursing to the skies. Suddenly, a flash of light blinded Ravana. He shut his eyes and covered them with his arm. Still, the light shone through him. Vibhisana and Kumbhakarna also stood up and squinted. From the light, a man approached. He had a thin beard and was sitting on a blossomed lotus. His four hands held a kamandalu, a sacred thread, a lotus and a piece of sandalwood, respectively. Finally, he had four heads, each looking to one direction. It was Brahma. He blessed each of them. "Namaskara, guru!!! Thank you for answering our prayers," said the three brothers. They bowed down to Brahma. Brahma closed his eyes and chanted some mantras. "Om blah blah blah… Om blah blah blah… Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi!!"
He raised one of his hands and kept it on Vibhisana's head. "YOU HAVE PLEASED ME!! WHAT BOON WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?! ANYTHING YOU WANT, YOU MAY ASK ME!!!" Vibhisana was astounded! He prayed to Brahma and stated, "I pray to you, O Brahma! I ask for only one thing. I want my mind to be fixed at the feet of Lord Vishnu and I pray that I shall get the strength to be at the feet of the Lord forever." Brahma took his hand off Vibhisana's head and blessed him, "Thatha Asthu!!!"
Next was Ravana. Brahma closed his eyes and chanted some mantras. "Om blah blah blah… Om blah blah blah… Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi!!" He raised one of his hands and kept it on Ravana's head. "YOU HAVE PLEASED ME!! WHAT BOON WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?! ANYTHING YOU WANT, YOU MAY ASK ME!!!" Ravana was elated. His wish was finally to come true. "O great-grandfather, I pray to you. I ask to be invincible to all of your creations!! I shall allow humans an exception. I also wish for the power to shapeshift!!" Brahma took his hand off Ravana's head and blessed him, "Thatha Asthu!!!"
Finally, the turn of Kumbhakarna came. Brahma closed his eyes and chanted some mantras. "Om blah blah blah… Om blah blah blah… Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi!!" He raised one of his hands and kept it on Kumbhakarna's head. "YOU HAVE PLEASED ME!! WHAT BOON WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?! ANYTHING YOU WANT, YOU MAY ASK ME!!!" Kumbhakarna was happy - in an evil way. He smiled a wicked smile. While that smile lasted, Saraswati in the form of a small fly, zipped into Kumbhakarna's mouth and ripped a piece of skin from the bottom of Kumbhakarna's tongue. He only felt a slight sting under his skin, but he didn't care. He started to ask for his boon, "I shall ask for NIDRASANA!!!!!! Huh!!! What is thifff??! I'm not agle to sbeak!!" Ravana and Vibhisana started laughing. Then, Brahma stated, "Thatha Asthu!!!!" Immediately, Kumbhakarna fell fast asleep and fell on the floor. Ravana and Vibhsana instantly went to help their brother. They pleaded Brahma to take back the curse-like boon, but Brahma could do nothing!!! The only change that he could do, was to make him sleep for half a year and be awake for the next. Ravana and Vibhisana contemplated on this. Finally, they came to the agreement of letting him sleep for half a year, then letting him stay awake for the next half.
Thus, Kumbhakarna got the boon/curse that made him sleep for half of the year.
Moral: Don't be overambitious. Limit your goals to your abilities.
Thanks for reading my take on why Kumbhakarna slept so long!!!! Please follow with your email and click the blue button to receive news about my posts!!!! Happy Reading!!!!!
Nice narration Pradyun :)
ReplyDeleteThank You!!!!!
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