--- canonical: "https://ramayana.com/who-killed-kumbhkaran" lang: "en" --- # Who killed Kumbhkaran? Shri Ram killed Kumbhkaran in the battle of Lanka. Both Maharshi Valmiki’s Ramayana, in Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 67, and Goswami Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, in Lanka Kand, Doha 71, describe his death at Shri Ram’s hands. Both accounts tell how Shri Ram severed his head. The Ramcharitmanas also says that Kumbhkaran received the Lord’s own abode. ## Kumbhkaran's advice to Ravan Kumbhkaran recognises the wrong in Ravan’s conduct. In the Ramcharitmanas, he urges his brother to give up pride and worship Shri Ram: > भल न कीन्ह तैं निसिचर नाहा। अब मोहि आइ जगाएहि काहा॥ > अजहूँ तात त्यागि अभिमाना। भजहु राम होइहि कल्याना॥१॥ > Ramcharitmanas, Lanka Kand, Doha 63, Chaupai 1 “You have acted wrongly, O king of demons. You have come to wake me now, after doing this wrong. Even now, dear brother, give up pride and worship Shri Ram, and you will be blessed.” In Chaupai 2, Kumbhkaran recognises that Shri Ram cannot be an ordinary human being when He has servants like Hanumanji. In Maharshi Valmiki’s account, Kumbhkaran affirms the advice Ravan had already received: > यदुक्तमिह ते पूर्वं प्रियया मेऽनुजेन च । > तदेव नो हितं वाक्यं यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥ २१ ॥ > Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 21 “What your beloved wife Mandodari and my younger brother Vibhishan told you earlier was for our welfare. Act as you wish.” Kumbhkaran knows which counsel was right. Yet he goes to fight for his brother. ## How Shri Ram killed him in the Valmiki Ramayana In Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 67, Maharshi Valmiki describes Shri Ram severing Kumbhkaran’s raised arm, which holds a palmyra tree: > तं तस्य बाहुं सहतालवृक्षं > समुद्यतं पन्नगभोगकल्पम् । > ऐन्द्रास्त्रयुक्तेन जघान रामो > बाणेन जाम्बूनदचित्रितेन ॥१५९॥ > Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 159 “Shri Ram severed his uplifted arm, together with the palmyra tree, using a gold-adorned arrow charged with the Aindra astra. The arm resembled a serpent’s coils.” The Aindra astra is associated with Indra. Shloka 159 names it specifically when describing the severing of the arm holding the tree. Later, an arrow cuts off Kumbhkaran’s head: > स तन्महापर्वतकूटसंनिभं > सुवृत्तदंष्ट्रं चलचारुकुण्डलम् । > चकर्त रक्षोऽधिपतेः शिरस्तदा > यथैव वृत्रस्य पुरा पुरंदरः ॥१६८॥ > Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 168 “The arrow severed Kumbhkaran’s head, which resembled a great mountain peak, with rounded fangs and lovely swinging earrings, as Indra had once severed Vritra’s head.” After his death, the earth and mountains shake, and the gods rejoice: > तस्मिन् हते ब्राह्मणदेवशत्रौ > महाबले संयति कुम्भकर्णे । > चचाल भूर्भूमिधराश्च सर्वे > हर्षाच्च देवास्तुमुलं प्रणेदुः ॥१७२॥ > Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 172 “When mighty Kumbhkaran, the enemy of Brahmanas and gods, was killed in battle, the earth and all the mountains shook. The gods raised a great shout of joy.” ## How Shri Ram killed him in the Ramcharitmanas In Lanka Kand, Doha 70, Chaupai 5, Kumbhkaran uproots a mountain. Shri Ram cuts off the arm holding it. Kumbhkaran then charges with a mountain in his left hand, and the Lord severs that arm too. Even after losing both arms, Kumbhkaran continues to attack: > सरन्हि भरा मुख सन्मुख धावा। काल त्रोन सजीव जनु आवा॥ > तब प्रभु कोपि तीब्र सर लीन्हा। धर ते भिन्न तासु सिर कीन्हा॥२॥ > Ramcharitmanas, Lanka Kand, Doha 71, Chaupai 2 “With his mouth full of arrows, he rushed forward like a living quiver of death. Then the Lord, in anger, took a sharp arrow and severed his head from his body.” Goswami Tulsidas then describes Kumbhkaran’s light entering Shri Ram’s face. The gods and sages witness this with wonder in Doha 71, Chaupai 4. Shiv explains its meaning to Parvati: > निसिचर अधम मलाकर ताहि दीन्ह निज धाम। > गिरिजा ते नर मंदमति जे न भजहिं श्रीराम॥७१॥ > Ramcharitmanas, Lanka Kand, Doha 71 “Shri Ram gave His own abode even to that lowly demon, a storehouse of sin. O Girija, those who do not worship Shri Ram lack understanding.” The two accounts share the central event but describe different details. Maharshi Valmiki describes the tree-bearing arm and the Aindra astra. Goswami Tulsidas describes the mountain-bearing arms and Kumbhkaran’s light entering the Lord. The Ramcharitmanas also describes Kumbhkaran’s meeting with Vibhishan before the battle. In Doha 64, Chaupai 4, he praises his younger brother as an honour to their family. In Doha 64, he urges Vibhishan to worship Shri Ram without deceit in thought, word and deed. He blesses the devotion of the brother whose choice he does not follow. ## Knowing what is right and choosing it Kumbhkaran’s conduct points to a familiar struggle. We can recognise good advice and still act against it out of loyalty to someone dear to us. Affection does not remove our responsibility for what we choose. For example, a friend asks us to approve an expense claim we know is false. We understand their difficulty and want to help. Still, signing the claim would make us responsible for our own dishonesty. We can help them find another solution while refusing to sign. Before agreeing to a request today, pause. Consider whether the action is honest and whom it may harm. Offer a short prayer to Shri Ram for clarity and the courage to do what is right. ## Questions people ask ### Who killed Kumbhkaran? Shri Ram killed Kumbhkaran in the battle of Lanka, as described in both the Valmiki Ramayana and the Ramcharitmanas. ### Which weapon did Shri Ram use? Valmiki names the Aindra astra for the arrow that severs the tree-bearing arm. Shloka 168 describes an arrow severing the head. Tulsidas describes a sharp arrow. ### Did Kumbhkaran know Shri Ram was God? In the Ramcharitmanas, Lanka Kand, Doha 63, Chaupai 2, Kumbhkaran recognises Shri Ram’s divinity, saying that one with servants like Hanumanji cannot be an ordinary human being. ### Did Kumbhkaran attain moksha? The Ramcharitmanas, Lanka Kand, Doha 71, says Shri Ram gave him His own abode. The cited verses from the Valmiki Ramayana describe his death and the gods’ joy without making this claim. ## Read it yourself - [Kumbhkaran](/characters/kumbhkaran) - [Ravan](/characters/ravan) - [Lanka Kand](/ramcharitmanas/lanka-kand) - [Valmiki Ramayana](/valmiki-ramayana) - [Who gave Ravan his boon?](/ravan-boon) --- Ramayana.com, a free, ad-free project of Ved Vyas Foundation.