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In Hinduism, the concept of rebirths and curses hold a great significance. Ravana and Kumbhkaran have such interesting back stories. In the epic Ramayana, the king Ravana is shown to have a brother named Kumbhakarna. These two characters are portrayed to be the negative characters or evils of the story. However, an interesting point here is to note that in their actual form, these two were known to be the disciples of Lord Vishnu himself. Further, it is on these two demon kings who chose to fight against Lord Vishnu for three consecutive births on earth. This story is yet another interesting story of the Hindu mythology. Have a happy reading!
Chatursana
The story begins and has its set arranged in Heaven, where Lord Vishnu and the other deities lived. Further, this story dates back to the beginning of the process of creation. It was when Lord Brahma created the ‘Four Kumaras’ (Kumaras translating to sons) who were known to be the ‘Chatursana’. These four sons of Lord Brahma were born from his mind by just a desire (manas) of Lord Brahma and hence they are referred to as his Manasaputras (Translating to Manas meaning mind, putras meaning sons). Lord Brahma named his four sons as Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanat Kumara. Upon coming into their existence, these four sons were all reflections or embodiments of the purest and idealistic qualities. There existed no sign or mark of any negative qualities like pride (Ahankaar), anger (krodh), attachment (Moh), lust (Kaama), material desires (Lobh) and so on, that might leave people ignorant of the ultimate truth. The reason of the creation of these four sons is that they would eventually help lord Brahma in the process of creation and populating the universe with people of ideal qualities.
However, these Kumaras are said to have refused the orders of Lord Brahma, the creator, to procreate and instead they ultimately devoted themselves to God and Brahmacarya(celibacy). In order to attain their goal, the four Kumaras once requested their father, Lord Brahma, for the boon of remaining perpetually five years old. Lord Brahma then gave them the boon they desired for and due to the strength of their tapas (meditation), they forever looked like 5 years-old.
Chatursanas encounter Jaya-Vijaya
At the gates of Vaikuntha, Lord Vishnu’s abode, are the demigods Jaya-Vijaya as the Dwara Palakas (gate keepers) of Vaikuntha. Once, the four Kumaras visited Vaikuntha to attain his Darshan. However, as they reached the gates of Vaikuntha, Jaya and Vijaya stopped the four Kumaras at the gate, mistaking them to be children. They told the four Kumaras that lord Shri Vishnu was resting then and that they cannot see them at that point. However, upon hearing to this, the Sanat Kumaras replied that the Lord loves his devotees and that He is always available to for His devotees. They further add that the gate keepers are no one to stop them from visiting Vaikunth and seeing their dear Lord. But Jaya and Vijaya remained ignorant of the facts and the truth, they went on to argue with the Sanat Kumaras for a long period of time. Though Sanat Kumars are very pure and idealistic in nature; and have no trigunas (Sato, Rajo, Tamo) of Maya in them but by the plan of Lord Vishnu to teach His gate keepers a lesson, He circulated anger in the pure hearts of the Sanat Kumars. Due to this, the enraged Kumaras cursed both the Dwara Palas (gate keepers), Jaya and Vijaya. They were both cursed that they would have to give up their divinity and born as mortals on the Earth and live there.
When Jaya and Vijaya were cursed by the Sanat Kumaras at the gateway of Vaikuntha, Lord Shri Vishnu appeared before them. At the sight of Lord Vishnu, the gatekeepers requested him to lift the curse of the four Kumaras and that they regret their behaviour and ignorance. However, Lord Vishnu says that the curse given by the Kumaras cannot be reverted. It is said that he then gave Jaya and Vijaya two options:
• The first option: It is to take seven births on Earth as a devotee of Lord Vishnu himself.
• The second option: it is to take three births on the Earth as his enemy and stand against him.
He further adds that after serving either of these sentences, both Jaya and Vijaya can re-attain their stature at Vaikuntha and be with Him permanently as the gate keepers of Vaikuntha. Upon hearing about the two options, Jaya and Vijaya could not bear the thought of staying away from Lord Vishnu for seven complete lives, they together agree to the second option to become enemies of Lord Vishnu for three births on the Earth.
In brief,
The three births are as follows :
1. Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyakasha where the former one was killed by Lord Narasimha and the latter one was killed by Lord Varaha
2. Ravana and Kumbhakarna, where both were killed by Lord Ram
3. Shishupala and Dantavakra, where both were killed by Lord Krishna.
First Birth – Hiraneyaksha & Hiraneyakashyipu
In the first birth as enemy to Shri Vishnu, Jaya and Vijaya were born as Hiraneyaksha and Hiraneyakashyipu respectively, in the Satya Yuga, the first and ideal Yuga of the four Yugas. Hiranyaksha was an asura, the son of Diti and Rishi Kashyapa. He was killed by the Lord Vishnu after Hiranyaksha took the Earth to the bottom of what has been described as the “Universe of Ocean”. To mark an end to the acts of Hiranyaksha, Lord Vishnu assumed the Avatar of a boar – Varaha. In the form of Varaha avatar, Lord Vishnu dove into the ocean to lift the Earth, in the process slaying Hiranyaksha who was obstructing Him. It is believed that the battle between lord Vishnu as Varaha and Hiranyaksha, lasted for about one thousand years.
Hiranyaksha had an elder brother named Hiranyakashipu. He participated and undertook several penances which resulted in making him incredibly powerful and invincible and could not be defeated until several conditions were met. He made many attempts to kill his own son Prahlada, who was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Soon, Hiranyakashipu was killed by another incarnation of Lord Vishnu – a lion headed figure, Narasimha, who is said to have emerged in order to protect his devotee Prahlada.
Second Birth – Ravana & Kumbhakarna
Following the Satya Yuga, in the Treta yuga, Jaya and Vijaya were born as Ravana and Kumbhakarna respectively. The Treta Yuga also witness the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as the ideal man, Lord Rama. Of his other brothers, Lord Rama is said to have great affinity towards Lakshmana. Just like the duo of Lord Rama and Lakshmana, in Hinduism, the duo of Ravana and Kumbhakarna need no introduction. They are well-known figures who reflected evil nature, in terms of their nature. In the Hindu epic, Ramayana, Ravana is described as the demon king who abducted Mother Sita and kept her in hostage at his kingdom in Lanka, to make her his wife. Later in the story, Ravana and his entire army is shown to have died in the war against Lord Rama symbolically representing the victory of good over evil.
On the other hand, Kumbhakarna was also a Rakshasa (demon) and the younger brother of the evil legend Ravana, in the epic Ramayana. Kumbhakarna remains one of the most interesting characters in the Hindu epics. Even today, he is used as a reference to describe anyone who sleeps or eats too much. It is also believed that Kumbhakarna, despite his gigantic size was a good man whose heart was pure. It is well-known that he fought the war against Lord Rama only because of his older brother and his duties towards him. During the war between Lord Rama and King Ravana, Kumbhakarna was caught in a dilemma on what to do. On one hand, he did not want his brother or the members of his clan to lose against Lord Rama, and on the other hand he knew that fighting against lord Rama is an assured defeat and death spell for his entire family. Hence, he tried to advice and counsel his brother, Ravana, to not wage war against Lord Rama but in vain, since his brother was totally consumed by ego. He was hence left with no option but to take part in the war and fight for his brother, although he knew the outcome of the war.
Eventually, both the brothers – Ravana and Kumbhakarna, were killed by Lord Rama who was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and his brother Lakshmana. This war marked an end to the second birth of Jaya and Vijaya as enemies against their Lord.
Third Birth – Shishupala & Dantavakra
At the end of the Dwapara Yuga – Jaya and Vijaya were born their third birth as Shishupala and Dantavakra (an ally of Jarasandha, a friend of Shishupala and an enemy of Vasudeva Krishna). Dantavakra (reincarnation of Vijaya) was known to be the brother-in-law of Shishupala who was third incarnation of the demon, Jaya. Shishupala was the king of Chedi, the son of the king Damghosh by his wife Shrutshrava and the sister of Vasudeva, Lord krishna’s father. This hence resulted in Shisupala being the cousin of both Lord Krishna and Balarama. In this Yuya, Lord Vishnu’s avatar as Lord Krishna led to the killing of both Shisupala and Danthavarka. However, this cannot be considered to be the main objective of this Yuga’s avatar but it was to reduce the Bhoobhara (In Sanskrit, translating to the burden on earth). When Shusupala and Dantavakra fell down dead, the onlookers are sadi to have noticed a ball of light as a sign that reflected spiritual
and Lord Krishna appreared Himself along with Balarama and killed them. Therefore, two attendants of the Lord in Vaikuntha named Jaya and Vijaya became Hirakyakasipu and Hiranyakka in Satya-yuga, Ravana and Kumbhakarna in the Treta-yuga, and as Shishupala and Dantavakra at the end of Dvapara-yuga. Because of their fruitive acts, Jaya and Vijaya agreed to become the Lord’s enemies, and when killed in that mentality, they attained salvation in oneness.
