Week 4 Story: Kumbhakarna

*This story is now part of my Portfolio website as Story #1 (link)!*


Delicious deers. Mouthwatering monkeys. Scrumptious human beings. These are just some of the appetizing meals I dreamt about each and everyday. You see, a deep slumber of a curse has befallen me for my love for food. I used to terrorize the whole world from consuming humans to defeating the great and almighty Indra. Therefore, as punishment, Brahma put me to sleep for six months and can be awaken for one day only in which I devour the most amazing meal, which eventually puts me back to sleep.

One day, as I was dreaming about tasting a delicious meal once again, I begin to hear faint noises. I thought that that was just the sound of my own thoughts, but then I feel a woman's soft and gentle hands on my arm and awaken from my slumber.

I was annoyed that I had been awaken and I was about to yell and scream, but then I laid eyes on a long and large dining table filled with goodies that I could not resist. I stomped over to the table and began to fill my stomach with delicious swine, wine, and human beings.

As I was finishing up my meal I asked Ravana and the rest of the rakshasas, "Why have you awaken me from my deep slumber?"

Ravana replied to me, "The mighty Rama and his great monkey army have invaded our city and we need your might and strength to kill them."

I pouted for a while for this was the reason that my brother woke me up; however, I finally mounted my chariot and went forth to battle Rama and his army. As soon as I saw my brother's enemies, my eyes feasted on the appetizing monkeys that were trembling with fear at the sight of me. I was still quite hungry and the monkeys looked extremely yummy that I ate them by the handful, destroying Hanuman and Sugriva along the way.

It was I was enjoying my meal that I felt a sharp and piercing pain at the back of my neck. I turned around and I saw Rama shooting flaming arrows at my direction. The next thing I knew, before I could attack Rama, I witness my head detached from my body. I screamed from the piercing pain and stumbled to the ground. With my last breath and moment of consciousness, I witness Rama smiling from ear to ear at the sight of my death.

(409 Words)

Author's Note: I told this story from the perspective of Kumbhakarna but in the original story it is about how Ravana and the rakshasas were running out of ideas on how to defeat Rama and his army so they decided to wake up the great Kumbhakarna, the brother of Ravana. A curse had fallen upon Kumbhakarna as punishment for terrorizing the whole world. His punishment was that he slept for six months and only woke up for one day only. During that one day, he devours as much food as he can eat and falls back to sleep. The rakshasas woke him up to defeat Rama but not after first feeding him. Rama's army was scared of the great Kumbhakarna for he ate their fellow monkey army men, seized Sugriva, and defeated Hanuman. Finally, it was Rama who finally destroys Kumbhakarna as he detaches his head from his body. Kumbhakarna falls to the earth and dies.

Bibliography: Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (link)

Kumbhakarna. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: PDE, Part D

Reading Notes for Part D: As soon as Rama killed Ravana once and for all, Rama asked that Hanuman bring Sita to him adorned in beautiful clothing and jewels. Therefore, Hanuman did as he was told and brought Sita to Rama. Rama did have one more request though and that was that Sita be brought to him by foot and not on a palanquin. The new king of Lanka, Vibhishana, cast down at that rebuke and brought Sita to Rama. Once they were together, Rama did not embrace her but instead told her that he has brought honor to his name and to the family, but Sita had stained her honor. Sita could not believe what she was hearing and was heartbroken. Sita could not believe that Rama was accusing her for loving someone else. Therefore, to prove her innocence and to defend her honor, Sita prayed that the fire-god, Agni, consume her and be of witness to her true fidelity to Rama. With sorrowful eyes, Sita asked Lakshmana to start the fire for her and he did so but not without giving Rama a mean look first. The gods came down and asked Rama what he was doing. The gods and the people were all filled with grief and lamenting what was about to take place. However, Rama stood his ground and let Sita prove herself. Sita was then consumed by the fire and while Brahma was chanting, the fire rose to the sky with Sita on his lap and proved her sweet innocence and fidelity to Rama. After a few silent minutes, Rama rejoiced for he knew his wife's innocence but he had to prove to the people that he was not just guided by desire. Rama then ran to Sita and finally regained his beautiful bride.


Bibliography: Public Domain Edition of the Ramayana by Laura Gibbs (Chapters 73-74 - link)

Sita's Fire Test. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: PDE, Part C

Reading Notes for Part C: When Hanuman finally finds Sita, he makes a ruckus to try to save her. Ravana gets his servant, Jambumali, to kill Hanuman but Hanuman comes out victorious. To try to save Sita, Hanuman battles many rakshasas and comes out victorious until he battles Indrajit were he captures Hanuman. The rakshasas tie him up with two layers of cords and bark, but instead of tying him up tighter, the rakshasas actually loosen the cords on Hanuman but he did not tell them that. Hanuman is then brought to Ravana in which Hanuman tells Ravana the reason why he was in Lanka in the first place. Ravana, furious, decides to set Hanuman's tail on fire. As the rakshasas set his tail on fire, Hanuman asked to be shown around the city. As Hanuman was lead around Lanka, Sita heard about the fact that Hanuman's tail was set on fire and she to heal him, she prayed to the Fire and the flame subsided. As the fire began to die down, Hanuman devised and succeeded with the plan of burning down Lanka. After Hanuman burned down Lanka, he searched for Sita to make sure she was safe. Hanuman found her safe near a tree and told her that Rama was going to save her. Hanuman returned to King Sugriva and Rama with good news and insight on the city of Lanka. With this insight, King Sugriva and Rama led an army to march to Lanka to save the beautiful Sita. As Ravana waits for Rama, he debates on whether on not he should battle Rama or just give Sita back to him to avoid battle. Ravana's court advises him to battle Rama, but it is Ravana's younger brother, Vibhishana, that goes against the majority. Ravana becomes mad at Vibhishana which makes Vibhishana leave Lanka to join forces with the great Rama.


Bibliography: Public Domain Edition of the Ramayana by Laura Gibbs (Chapters 55-60 - link)

Hanuman and Ravana fighting. Source: Wikimedia Commons