Rambha (asura): Difference between revisions

Asura in Hindu mythology

Rambha is an asura in Hindu mythology. Rambha and Karambha are asura brothers, born as the descendants of Danu and Kashyapa. When they were young, both decided to perform penance to get special powers to establish the rule of Danavas in the universe.^[1]

According to the Puranas, Rambha and Karambha did Tapas (Indian religions) at Pañcanada for the blessing of having children.
They decided to meditate Malavaṭa Yakṣa. Karambha in the middle of water and Rambha in the middle of five fires. Indra was alarmed at their tapas. He decided to kill them. In the guise of a crocodile, Indra dragged Karambha away by the feet and killed him by drowning him. Angry at the death of his brother, Rambha decided to cut off his head and offer it as a sacrifice. When he was about to do so, Agni appeared and told him that suicide is a greater sin than killing others, and promised to grant him whatever he desired.

Rambha requested Agni in this manner
“If you are prepared to grant me a boon, let me have a son who is more effulgent than yourself and who will be the conqueror of all the
Three Worlds. He should not be defeated by Deva or Asuras, and he should be as mighty as Vāyu,
handsome and an expert in archery” . Agni replied:”You will have such a son by the woman who wins your heart”.

On Rambha’s way back home, he saw a beautiful she-buffalo called Shyamala, whom he married. Shyamala was a princess who had become a water buffalo due to a sage’s curse. Rambha took Shyamala, who got pregnant by him, to Patala to protect it from the attack by other buffaloes. One day another buffalo felt a passion for Shyamala and in the fight that Rambha was killed by impaling him with his horns. Later, the water buffalo was killed by Rambha’s soldiers. Shyamala died in Rambha’s funeral pyre by jumping into it. It was from the centre of the fire that the very powerful Mahishasura was born. Rambha also rose from the fire under the name Raktabīja along with his brother, Mahishasura.

According to legends, Rambha was reborn as Raktabīja, the army commander of Shumbha and Nishumbha. Raktabīja secured from Shiva a boon according to which if one drop of blood from his body fell on the battlefield, many Raktabījas would arise from the blood and fight the enemies. Each of these Raktabījas would also be like the others in the matter of strength, form, and weapons. When Kaushiki was sent to crush the growing power of these two demon brothers, she had to face the stiffest opposition from Raktabīja. Kaushiki then took the form of Kali, and licked off the blood before they touched the ground. Gradually, Raktabīja was defeated and killed.^{[citation needed]}