Rama's Victory Over the Giant

Hanuman showered boulders upon Kumbhakarna from the sky, but Kumbhakarna easily neutralized these attacks. Then Hanuman lifted a mountain peak and threw it at Kumbhakarna, but Kumbhakarna deftly destroyed it. Kumbhakarna then pierced Hanuman's chest with his spear, seriously injuring him. He then swallowed the monkeys who dared cross his path.

Sugriva grabbed a gigantic boulder and threw it at Kumbhakarna with lightning-fast speed, but the boulder crumbled upon hitting Kumbhakarna's enormous chest. Kumbhakarna smashed Sugriva's head with a rock, causing him to lose consciousness. Kumbhakarna picked Sugriva up and began spinning him in the air. He then carried Sugriva back to Lanka; the demons showered flowers on Kumbhakarna for his heroism. When Sugriva regained consciousness, he literally found himself in the hands of the enemy! With his sharp nails, he cut off Kumbhakarna's nose and ears. Kumbhakarna's face was soaked with blood. Anxious, he dropped Sugriva on the ground; the latter swiftly returned to the battlefield.

Kumbhakarna returned to the battlefield, wielding a massive mace. Rama prayed to Lord Shiva and then used the Pashupatastra on Kumbhakarna; the weapon pierced Kumbhakarna's heart. Kumbhakarna groaned and dropped his mace. He lost so much blood that he could no longer control his anger and began to slaughter both monkeys and demons indiscriminately.

Mad with rage, Kumbhakarna charged toward Rama. Rama prayed to Vayu and fired an arrow at Kumbhakarna, severing his right arm. The falling arm crushed hundreds of monkeys to death. Rama then prayed to Indra, the king of the gods, and fired another arrow, cutting off Kumbhakarna's left arm. Armless and roaring in pain, Kumbhakarna continued advancing toward Rama. Rama then fired moon-shaped arrows, severing Kumbhakarna's feet. He prayed to Indra again and fired another arrow at Kumbhakarna's neck, decapitating him. Kumbhakarna's head fell in Lanka's royal courtyard while his torso plunged into the sea; Kumbhakarna had perished. When Lord Rama slew Kumbhakarna, the enemy of the gods and Brahmins, happiness spread throughout all three worlds.

The demons informed Ravana of Kumbhakarna's death. "O brave Kumbhakarna," lamented Ravana, "you always conquered your enemies. Why have you left me now? You were my right hand; I never feared anyone—god or demon—due to your strength. How did Rama manage to slay a great warrior like yourself?"

Ravana's friends and sons tried to console him and asked for his permission to join the war. Ravana blessed them, embraced them, and gifted them jewelry before they went to fight.