YUDDHA KANDAM

The Yuddha Kandam describes the battle in Lanka between the monkey and the demon armies of Rama and Ravana, respectively in which Ravana is defeated. It is also known as the book of War or the Lanka Kandam.

Akampana was raining arrows on the monkeys and killing them wholesale. This monstrous act of him infuriated Hanuman. He uprooted a huge tree and banged it on the head of Akampana with such a force that his head was jammed out of recgonition. Seeing the fate of the commander- in -chief the surviving army ran in panic into Lanka. Ordered by Ravana another commander Prahastha by name went to the battle field with a huge detachment heavily armed. The beating of the kettle drum and the blowing of the trumpet deafened the monkey forces. It was expected that by this strategy the monkeys would be all scared away and the two deserted brothers would be taken captives. Whereas the counter tumult made by the monkeys were equally piercing into the ears. A deadly fight ensued. Casualty on either side was incalculable. Prahastha the rakshasa general fell in with Neela the Vanara general. The combat was ferocious.Prahastha succumbed to the deadly rock that Neela valiantly flung on him.

The ogre force retreated and reported to Ravana the shameful end of his field marshal. Ravana became infuriated hearing of the death of his commander -in -chief at the hands of the enemy. He said, "The vanquisher of Prahstha cannot be an enemy mean prowess. So I shall myself encounter and exterminate him and his forces." Imposing and fear invoking was Ravana's entry into the battle field. His magnificent chariot drawn by four spirited steeds pierced through the vanara sena even as a whale would plough through the small fry in the sea. Sugreeva gave him battle. In the terrible duel the monkey king suffered reverse. Hanuman who assailed him next could not do anything tangible. Neela also did not prove himself up to the mark. Though Lakshmana fought valiantly he was temporarily put down by Ravana. Surveying the sorry situation, Rama came forward to give the villain a taste of his arrows. Hanuman who had by now had completely recovered from fatigue offered to carry Rama on his shoulders for fighting facilities.


This simple contrivance made Rama on a par with the well- equipped king of Lanka to carry on the warfare. The battle between the arch enemies was terrible to behold. Every shaft shot out by the one was counteracted by the other. Ravana transgressed the war decorum by hurting Hanuman, the vehicle. Rama in retaliation dispatched darts that destroyed the chariot into pieces and killed the horses and the charioteer. An arrow aimed on the broad chest of Ravana made him stagger and let fall the bow. Yet another arrow tore away the diadem from the head of the tottering king. Now in clear and grave accent Rama stated, "You fought very well today. My eminent warriors are defeated by you. You seem tired. So I shall not dispatch you now. Go back to Lanka and take rest. Afterwards, refreshed and mounted on another chariot you shall some and behold my power." Humbled, crest fallen and ashamed the lord of Lanka trekked back into the palace. This was the first time he met with a reverse in life. So he became reflective. The thought of his wicked deeds pricked his conscience. Still he wanted to make one desperate struggle to vanquish the monkey forces marshaled by man, both being insignificant creatures in his view. The mettle of which Ravana was made was too thick to be agitated long over a trifling reverse in life. He was himself again. He summoned a few of the stewards and ordered, "Go just now to Kumbhakarna and wake him up from his wonted sleep for several months at a stretch. Adopt any method you find effective, rouse him up, feed him well and bring him here. He is the proper giant to exterminate the impudent invaders."

A curse was spelt by Brahma the creator God on Kumbhakarana that he was to have sound sleep for five months and wakefulness for one month. This was after the way of the North Pole and the South Pole having sunshine just for two months a year. Waking up from sleep he used to feel rapacious hunger and thirst. An enormous quantity of food and drink were therefore got ready for him. Then came the task of waking him up. The air current created by his breathing was as forceful that those who stood nearby could not maintain balance. A battalion started shouting and yelling into the ears of the sleeping Kumbhakarna, but to no effect. Conches and trumpets were then blown in vain. Strong demons started stroking his body, striking it next and beating it. Still there was no hope of waking him up. Finally they employed elephants to rock and roll him. The awakened rakshasa demanded refreshments and they were supplied in heaps and barrels. Sleep, hunger and thirst over, Kumbhakarna demanded the cause for disturbing his sleep. The formidable invasion of Lanka by Rama and Sugreeva, the belligerent state in which the country was placed, the losses of lives and property incurred so far, the narrow escape of Ravana from death - all these reverse were recounted to him in detail. Because of this emergency Ravana had asked for the intrusion into the blissfull and protracted slumber of his brother. Shall I go and slain Rama before seeing Ravan?" was the reponse made by the veteran votary of sleep. The ministers pleaded with Kumbhakarna to see the king first and then to take action based on war counsel. Kumbhakarna met his brother at the council chamber and upbraided him for his rash action actuated by lust.

Ravana got angry; but he controlled himself. He said, "Now Lanka is in danger. I am in need of your prowess, not your preaching. A true friend and kinsman gives help at the time of danger. Brother, if you have love for me, please come for my rescue." Kumbhakarna was moved by this appeal. "I am your's brother and your enemy is my enemy. Shed all fear. Treat Rama and Lakshmana as slaughtered by me. I shall wipe out the monkey forces." Thus did he pledge himself to action. Now Ravana picked up courage. He was proud of his brother who chose to sack the enemy forces, single-handed. He, however, equipped him with an enormous army and made him sally on the enemy. Seeing this gigantic figure charging against them the monkeys ran pell mell on all directions. Angada the unassailable however rallied his confused forces. They took positions and jointly attacked Kumbhakarna on all sides. But they were all repulsed by the giant enemy. Angada again gathered them using forcible words and friendly reproaches. Anjenaya now attacked Kumbhakarna hurling a huge crack and hurting him severly. The enemy however retaliated and hit Hanuman on his mighty chest that made him stagger and stay behind for a while. Angada then assailed the enemy who in return made the assailant fall faint on the ground. Sugreeva next attacked him but with no effect. The enemy's counter attack with an arrow was dangerous. But Hanuman caught that arrow half way and snapped it on his thigh. Kumbhakarna next struck Sugreeva senseless with a boulder and carried him away hoping to put an end to the war that way.

The monkey forces became depressed because of the capture of their king. But Maruthi infused spirit into them saying that Sugreeva would somehow escape. Lanka became jubilant over its hero carrying away its enemy king captive. In the streets of Lanka Sugreeva regained consciousness and clawed off the captor Kumbhakarna's nose and ears. The demon threw the biting monkey intending to trample him to death. But Sugreeva sprang away to his camp. Furiously Kumbahkarna came again to the battle field. But he was then no more Kumbhakarna which meant the "pot-eared". The noseless and the earless bleeding face were funny to look at. He started consuming monkeys on large scale. But Lakshmana put an end to that greedy act by showering shafts on him. While appreaciating the superb warfare of his younger brother Kumbhakarna chose Rama as the target and directed his deadly weapons against him. With a sharp weapon Rama cut off one arm of Kumbhakarna. The arm and the mace in it went whirling in the air and fell on the ground crushing several monkeys to death. Another arrow removed the other arm. Two sharp crescent disks cut and carried away the colossal legs. The maimed giant still continued to do havoc. Rama's arrow cut the head from the trunk and threw it into the sea. Half of the trunk fell into the sea and the other half into Lanka damaging its walls. That was how Rama did away with Kumbhakarna the staunch supporter of the sovereign of Lanka. Ravana was shocked and almost swooned getting the sad and disgraceful news that Kumbhakarna was cut to pieces by sharp shafts discharged from the bow of Rama. He felt life was meaningless to him after losing his brother. The rakshasa element in him became patient through this tragedy.