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Once when Kubera, in his pomp and splendour was in the company of Vishravas. At that time Ravana and others were moved by jealousy over his wealth and grandeur. In their heart of hearts they all decided to do severe tapas (penance) to please Brahma. Ravana did penance for thousand years standing on one foot, living only on air and in deep meditation with Panchaagnis around him. Kumbhakarna similarly limited his food and slept only on the ground. Vibhishana sustained himself only on dry leaves during his penance. Clever and generous hearted Vibhishana also continued his penance for years along with his brothers. Khara and Surpanakha engaged themselves in protecting and serving their brothers who were doing penance. After a thousand years of penance, Ravana cut off one of his ten heads and offered it into Agni as ahuti.  

Once when Kubera, in his pomp and splendour was in the company of Vishravas. At that time Ravana and others were moved by jealousy over his wealth and grandeur. In their heart of hearts they all decided to do severe tapas (penance) to please Brahma. Ravana did penance for thousand years standing on one foot, living only on air and in deep meditation with Panchaagnis around him. Kumbhakarna similarly limited his food and slept only on the ground. Vibhishana sustained himself only on dry leaves during his penance. Clever and generous hearted Vibhishana also continued his penance for years along with his brothers. Khara and Surpanakha engaged themselves in protecting and serving their brothers who were doing penance. After a thousand years of penance, Ravana cut off one of his ten heads and offered it into Agni as ahuti.  

Brahmadeva highly pleased with with their tapas asked them to wish for any boons other than Amaratva (immortality). Brahma granted Ravana that he can take any form as per his wish and will be victorious in wars with his enemies. It is then that Ravana makes his extraordinary request that he should never be defeated by Gandharvas, devatas, asuras, yakshas, nagas, kinnaras, bhutas which is granted by Brahma. Kumbhakarna, whose mind was controlled by tamas, asked to be granted sleep for a long time. Vibhishana requested that inspite of big distress befalling on him, he should remain undisturbed or adharmic. Also he asked for the Brahmastra to be granted to him, with the knowledge of application (prahara) and retraction (upasamhara). Pleased Brahma along with these two boons grants Amaratva (immortality) to Vibhishana.

Brahmadeva highly pleased with with their tapas asked them to wish for any boons other than Amaratva (immortality). Brahma granted Ravana that he can take any form as per his wish and will be victorious in wars with his enemies. It is then that Ravana makes his extraordinary request that he should never be defeated by Gandharvas, devatas, asuras, yakshas, nagas, kinnaras, bhutas which is granted by Brahma. Kumbhakarna, whose mind was controlled by tamas, asked to be granted sleep for a long time. Vibhishana requested that inspite of big distress befalling on him, he should remain undisturbed or adharmic. Also he asked for the Brahmastra to be granted to him, with the knowledge of application (prahara) and retraction (upasamhara). Pleased Brahma along with these two boons grants Amaratva (immortality) to Vibhishana.

<blockquote>राक्षसस्तु वरं लब्ध्वा दशग्रीवो विशाम्पते। लङ्कायाश्च्यावयामास युधि जित्वा धनेश्वरम्॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 275.32) </blockquote><blockquote>rākṣasastu varaṁ labdhvā daśagrīvō viśāmpatē। laṅkāyāścyāvayāmāsa yudhi jitvā dhanēśvaram॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 275.32)</blockquote>

<blockquote>राक्षसस्तु वरं लब्ध्वा दशग्रीवो विशाम्पते। लङ्कायाश्च्यावयामास युधि जित्वा धनेश्वरम्॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 275.32) </blockquote><blockquote>rākṣasastu varaṁ labdhvā daśagrīvō viśāmpatē। laṅkāyāścyāvayāmāsa yudhi jitvā dhanēśvaram॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 275.32)</blockquote><blockquote>हित्वा स भगवाँल्लङ्कामाविशद्गन्धमादनम्। गन्धर्वयक्षानुगतो रक्षःकिम्पुरुषैः सह॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 275.33)</blockquote><blockquote>hitvā sa bhagavām̐llaṅkāmāviśadgandhamādanam। gandharvayakṣānugatō rakṣaḥkimpuruṣaiḥ saha॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 275.33)</blockquote>Ravana after having obtained the mighty boons, from Brahma which made him invincible, came to Lanka and defeated Dhaneshvara (Kubera) in a war against him. Having no choice Kubera had to leave Lanka to live on Gandhamadhana mountain along with Gandharvas, Yakhsas, Rakshasas and Kimpurushas.

 

== Viradha of Ramayana ==

== Viradha of Ramayana ==

Valmiki Ramayana describes the important episode of Viradha, a demon killed by ShriRama and Lakshmana, in the Aranyakanda. Viradha takes away Sitadevi with his huge arms, seeing thus, Rama and Lakshmana cut his arms. Later he carries Rama and Lakshmana far away and eventually gets killed by them. Viradha, desirous to die in the hands of ShriRama briefly describes who he is and how he came to live in the Dandakaaranya. This episode occurs in Adhyatma Ramayana, Brahmanda Purana (Adhyaya 61) and Skanda Purana which describes it in detail.  

Valmiki Ramayana describes the important episode of Viradha, a demon killed by ShriRama and Lakshmana, in the Aranyakanda. Viradha takes away Sitadevi with his huge arms, seeing thus, Rama and Lakshmana cut his arms. Later he carries Rama and Lakshmana far away and eventually gets killed by them. Viradha, desirous to die in the hands of ShriRama briefly describes who he is and how he came to live in the Dandakaaranya. This episode occurs in Adhyatma Ramayana, Brahmanda Purana (Adhyaya 61) and Skanda Purana which describes it in detail.  

Once Tumburu, a Gandharva, interested in the apsara named Rambha, neglected his services to Kubera and invited his wrath. Kubera angrily cursed him to become a rakshasa named Viradha. He later told him that when Rama kills him in a fight, he would regain his previous celestial body and then go to swarga.<ref>Valmiki Ramayana ([https://valmikiramayan.net/utf8/aranya/sarga4/aranya_4_frame.htm Aranya Kanda Sarga 4])</ref><blockquote>तुंबुरुः नाम गन्धर्वः शप्तो वैश्रवणेन हि || ३-४-१६  </blockquote><blockquote>''tuṁburuḥ nāma gandharvaḥ śaptō vaiśravaṇēna hi || 3-4-16''</blockquote><blockquote>प्रसाद्यमानः च मया सोऽब्रवीत् माम् महायशाः | यदा दाशरथी रमः त्वाम् वधिष्यति संयुगे || ३-४-१७</blockquote><blockquote>prasādyamānaḥ ca mayā sō'bravīt mām mahāyaśāḥ | yadā dāśarathī ramaḥ tvām vadhiṣyati saṁyugē || 3-4-17</blockquote><blockquote>तदा प्रकृतिम् आपन्नो भवान् स्वर्गम् गमिष्यति |अनुपस्थीयमानो माम् स क्रुद्धो व्याजहार ह || ३-४-१८</blockquote><blockquote>tadā prakr̥tim āpannō bhavān svargam gamiṣyati |anupasthīyamānō mām sa kruddhō vyājahāra ha || 3-4-18</blockquote><blockquote>इति वैश्रवणो राजा रंभ आसक्तम् उवाच ह | तव प्रसादान् मुक्तो अहम् अभिशापात् सु दारुणात् || ३-४-१९ (Valm. Rama. Aran. 4.3.16-10)</blockquote><blockquote>iti vaiśravaṇō rājā raṁbha āsaktam uvāca ha | tava prasādān muktō aham abhiśāpāt su dāruṇāt || 3-4-19</blockquote>Courtesy: Samskrit Shlokas of Mahabharata from Rashtriya Vidyapeetha, Tirupati.<ref>Mahabharata Project - [http://www.rsvidyapeetha.ac.in/mahabharatha/menu.html Main Page]</ref>

Once Tumburu, a Gandharva, interested in the apsara named Rambha, neglected his services to Kubera and invited his wrath. Kubera angrily cursed him to become a rakshasa named Viradha. He later told him that when Rama kills him in a fight, he would regain his previous celestial body and then go to swarga.<ref>Valmiki Ramayana ([https://valmikiramayan.net/utf8/aranya/sarga4/aranya_4_frame.htm Aranya Kanda Sarga 4])</ref><blockquote>तुंबुरुः नाम गन्धर्वः शप्तो वैश्रवणेन हि || ३-४-१६  </blockquote><blockquote>tuṁburuḥ nāma gandharvaḥ śaptō vaiśravaṇēna hi || 3-4-16</blockquote><blockquote>प्रसाद्यमानः च मया सोऽब्रवीत् माम् महायशाः | यदा दाशरथी रमः त्वाम् वधिष्यति संयुगे || ३-४-१७</blockquote><blockquote>prasādyamānaḥ ca mayā sō'bravīt mām mahāyaśāḥ | yadā dāśarathī ramaḥ tvām vadhiṣyati saṁyugē || 3-4-17</blockquote><blockquote>तदा प्रकृतिम् आपन्नो भवान् स्वर्गम् गमिष्यति |अनुपस्थीयमानो माम् स क्रुद्धो व्याजहार ह || ३-४-१८</blockquote><blockquote>tadā prakr̥tim āpannō bhavān svargam gamiṣyati |anupasthīyamānō mām sa kruddhō vyājahāra ha || 3-4-18</blockquote><blockquote>इति वैश्रवणो राजा रंभ आसक्तम् उवाच ह | तव प्रसादान् मुक्तो अहम् अभिशापात् सु दारुणात् || ३-४-१९ (Valm. Rama. Aran. 4.3.16-19)</blockquote><blockquote>iti vaiśravaṇō rājā raṁbha āsaktam uvāca ha | tava prasādān muktō aham abhiśāpāt su dāruṇāt || 3-4-19</blockquote>Courtesy: Samskrit Shlokas of Mahabharata from Rashtriya Vidyapeetha, Tirupati.<ref>Mahabharata Project - [http://www.rsvidyapeetha.ac.in/mahabharatha/menu.html Main Page]</ref>

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Mahabharata]]

[[Category:Mahabharata]]

[[Category:Upakhyanas]]

[[Category:Upakhyanas]]

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