Kumbhakarna

Ravan had a brother, Kumbhakarna, as huge as a mountain and enormously strong. The story goes that after his austerities he was to ask Brahma for a boon, but at the gods' prayer Goddess Saraswati twisted his tongue, and he asked for long sleep instead. From then on he slept for months at a time.

Ravan ordered him woken. The demons beat drums, blew conches and even drove elephants over him before he finally awoke. He ate mountains of food, then went to Ravan.

Hearing everything, Kumbhakarna said plainly: brother, you did wrong. Carrying off another man's wife is adharma. You should have returned Sita. But now that the war has begun, I am your brother and I will fight for you. With that he marched to the battlefield.

At the sight of him the vanaras fled in fear. He scooped them up by the handful. He even caught Sugriv, tucked him under his arm and carried him towards Lanka. But on the way Sugriv came to his senses, struck at his ears and nose, and broke free.

Now Kumbhakarna faced Ram. With arrow after arrow Ram cut off his arms and legs, and finally his head. When the giant body fell, Lanka shook. Ravan wept bitterly for his brother: today my right arm is broken.