Viradha
Encyclopedia
Virādha is minor character from the Aranya Kanda of the Ramayana. He is rakshasa
living in Dandaka forest who briefly kidnaps Sita
in an episode that has been described as "strongly [prefiguring Sita's] later abduction by Ravana
, the central event of the book and the pivotal event of the epic." Rama
and Lakshmana
begin to battle the monster, but though they shoot it with many arrows, the arrows pass straight through him and leave him unharmed (Aranyakada, Sarga 3). The monster reveals that he has a boon from Brahma
which makes him invincible to weapons. So the brothers kill the rakshasa by first breaking his arms, then burying him alive in a grave. When the monsters arms are broken, he begins to praise the brothers for liberating him: he had, in a previous life, been a celestial being named Tumburu
, and had been cursed by Kuvera to live as a fearsome monster until he be killed by Rama. The brothers bury him, and he apparently goes back to his former celestial abode.
Rakshasa
A Rakshasa or alternatively rakshas, is a race of mythological humanoid beings or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist religion...
living in Dandaka forest who briefly kidnaps Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
in an episode that has been described as "strongly [prefiguring Sita's] later abduction by Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
, the central event of the book and the pivotal event of the epic." Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
and Lakshmana
Lakshmana
Lakshmana was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana...
begin to battle the monster, but though they shoot it with many arrows, the arrows pass straight through him and leave him unharmed (Aranyakada, Sarga 3). The monster reveals that he has a boon from Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
which makes him invincible to weapons. So the brothers kill the rakshasa by first breaking his arms, then burying him alive in a grave. When the monsters arms are broken, he begins to praise the brothers for liberating him: he had, in a previous life, been a celestial being named Tumburu
Tumburu
In Hindu mythology, Tumburu , also spelt Tumbaru and Tumbara is the best among Gandharvas or celestial musician and is sometimes described as the best of singers. He is described to perform in the courts of gods Kubera and Indra as well as sing praises of god Vishnu...
, and had been cursed by Kuvera to live as a fearsome monster until he be killed by Rama. The brothers bury him, and he apparently goes back to his former celestial abode.