- Rama offered prayers to his Lord and surrendered at the Divine feet before the war. The echo of the conch sound resonated in the air. Ravana realized that he had to fight. He appeared on the field with his full-fledged army. The war began.
- Ravana found that his soldiers appeared hollow before the strong though little Vanara Sena. A cyclone of ideas swirled in his mind and, he thought of disturbing Kumbhakarana from his semi-annual slumber. People went to Kumbhakarana and shook him severely. Kumbhakarana woke up with his drained eyes. Ravana told him that Rama had come. Kumbhakarana rejoiced as Rama arrived.
- Ravana asked him to fight with Rama. Kumbhakarana denied. Ravana held his head and then asked the guards to intoxicate Kumbhakarana with alcohol. Kumbhakarana boozed over the glass and enjoyed the ecstasy. Then, Ravana asked the guards to offer him a large platter of roasted meat and mutton. Kumbhakarana gulped the mutton in a few bites and burped heavily. Despite all these activities, Kumbhakarana’s mind denied fighting. Ravana arranged prostitutes for Kumbhakarana. The lustful environment mesmerized Kumbhakarana and, he agreed to fight.
- Kumbhakarana walked on the field in an unsteady gait. Though he owned a plethora of powers, the intoxication of alcohol and lust staggered him. He died on the field with a single arrow.
- Though Kumbhakarana was not ready to fight in the first step, he paid heed to his brother’s words and died under intoxication. No matter whoever moves our mind, the firmness must question the person to move aside from our path. If we practice a perfect ‘personal quiet time’, we will not be stirred by superficial stirrers. Every breath is a test posed by the divine will, and we need to pass it in this birth or other succeeding sufferings.
