When mentioning the great battle from the epic Ramayana, the army of Lord Rama's monkeys and a number of mighty warriors come to the forefront. Among them are names such as Hanuman, Angad, Sugriva, Jambavan, Nal, and Nil. However, the question arises about the number of brave and strong demons in Ravana's army. Goswami Tulsidas mentioned some key warriors of Ravana in his work Ramcharitman.
Below is an overview of the most powerful warriors of Ravana's army.
Kumbhakarna was Ravana's younger brother. In the Ramayana, he is described as a warrior with a huge physique and colossal physical strength. His power was so great that it was not easy to confront him in battle. In Ramcharitman, Goswami Tulsidas writes about Kumbhakarna the following:
Shloka
अतिबल कुंभकरन अस भ्राता।
जेहि कहुँ नहिं प्रतिभट जग जाता।।
करइ पान सोवइ षट मासा।
जागत होइ तिहुँ पुर त्रासा।।
Meaning
These four lines describe Kumbhakarna's exceptional strength. According to Tulsidas, there was no warrior capable of opposing him. He slept for six months, and when he woke up, he caused terror in the three worlds. In the history of the Ramayana, Kumbhakarna is considered one of the strongest warriors in Ravana's army. During the battle, he inflicted significant damage on the monkey army but was ultimately killed by Lord Shri Rama.
Meghanada was Ravana's eldest son and is also known as Indrajit. He defeated the god Indra in battle, after which he received the title Indrajit. He was skilled in using divine attacks and in warfare. Tulsidas describes his exploits in Ramcharitman, writing:
Shloka
बारिदनाद जेठ सुत तासू।
भट महुं प्रथम लीक जग जासू।।
जेहि न होइ रन सनमुख कोई।
सुरपुर नितहिं परावन होई।।
Meaning
Meghanada is described as Ravana's eldest son and a great warrior. His valor was known far and wide. Confronting him on the battlefield was considered difficult, and his attacks caused concern even among the gods. The Ramayana states that Meghanada possessed numerous divine attacks. He put Lord Shri Rama and Lakshmana in a difficult position by using astral powers like Nagapasha. Nevertheless, Lakshmana managed to kill him in battle.
In the Ramayana, Tulsidas also mentions other warriors of Ravana.
Shloka
कुमुख अकंपन कुलिसरद धूमकेतु अतिकाय।
एक एक जग जीति सक ऐसे सुभट निकाय।।
Atikaya was the son of Ravana and his wife Vindhyamalini. He was famous for his exceptional strength and combat skills. Thanks to the blessing received from Brahma, he was difficult to defeat by gods, demons, and humans. However, in battle, Lakshmana destroyed him using divine astras.
Akampan is known for his resilience and magical abilities. He did not panic even in the most difficult circumstances. According to legend, he fought with Hanuman and repeatedly confused the monkey army with his illusionary powers. Akampan advised Ravana that a direct confrontation with Rama in battle was inadvisable, and the abduction of Sita was the only way out.
Kumukha was a powerful demon in Ravana's army, known for his aggressive fighting style and bravery. Given his strength and martial achievements, Ravana included him among the main warriors of his army.
Dhumraketu was a strong demon in Ravana's army. It is said that he confused enemies by creating illusions of fire and smoke, trying to weaken them in battle by luring them into his traps.
Har and Dushan were Ravana's half-brothers and mighty demons. Shurpanakha told them about her sorrow after her nose was cut off. To avenge the insult to his sister, Har and Dushan arrived in Panchavati with a huge army and attacked Lord Rama, Mother Sita, and Lakshmana. Both demons were skilled in handling weapons and were renowned for their strength in battle.
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