Kabandha respect thread.

This post is about the character named KABANDHA. He is a unsung warrior from Valmiki's Ramayana and he proved his power on many occasions. He is a underrated warrior and has never been done justice by TV serials, popular fictions etc. Most Ramayana readers, enthusiasts, devotees do not even know the identity, existence, name of this guy.

In this post i intend on not only discussing Kabandha's power but also his character so readers, viewers can learn more about him.

1) His arms were longer than miles: "he is outstretching both of his deadly arms, each of which is stretchable to a yojana distance" http://valmikiramayan.pcriot.com/utf8/aranya/sarga69/aranya_69_frame.htm

2) Dragged Ram, Laxman duo: "Gripping them with both of his long-reaching hands and hauling towards his mouth at his abdomen (stomach) & dropping them off if they are unpalatable (not tasty to eat)" http://valmikiramayan.pcriot.com/utf8/aranya/sarga69/aranya_69_frame.htm

3) He overpowered the protagonists of ramayana with ease:

"He that overlong-armed Kabandha outstretching his overlong arms snatched both of the Raghava-s, keeping them side-by-side in his fists, and wringing them with his might." http://valmikiramayan.pcriot.com/utf8/aranya/sarga69/aranya_69_frame.htm

4) Made laxman depressed: "In that situation, that valiant Rama, the legatee of Raghava-s, is not verily anguished owing to his courage, but Lakshmana is very much anguished, as if he is callow and in an unsheltered state."

http://valmikiramayan.pcriot.com/utf8/aranya/sarga69/aranya_69_frame.htm

Commentary - no point in telling me or anyone about ram not being depressed, the whole point of this quote is to show the weaknesses of Laxman. If Ram was not defeated then at least Laxman is beaten.

5) Laxman accepted his defeat & weakness:

"Oh, valiant brother, see me, who am out of control on my inner-self, and gone into the control of the demon." http://valmikiramayan.pcriot.com/utf8/aranya/sarga69/aranya_69_frame.htm

COMMENTARY; after this Kabandha started a conversation with Ram and Laxman, he made small talk with them, and this allowed both brothers to gain time that allowed them to regain strength after Kabanda injured them.

6) As per Laxman this Kabandha guy had won a whole country of land: "Gruesome is this gargantuan bodied demon, and triumphing over just with his arms he has utterly devastated this province." http://valmikiramayan.pcriot.com/utf8/aranya/sarga70/aranya_70_frame.htm

Commentary; sanskrit word for province here was "loka" "lokam"

7) Appearance of Kabandha: "Your legs are broken, and your mouth is infernal, yet it is on your chest, and alike a topless, rootless tree trunk." http://valmikiramayan.pcriot.com/utf8/aranya/sarga70/aranya_70_frame.htm

8) Boon attained from Brahma: "I have gladdened Grandparent Braham with severe tapasya and He granted longevity to me, and then a kind of uncontrallable strength touched off in my mind." http://valmikiramayan.pcriot.com/utf8/aranya/sarga71/aranya_71_frame.htm

9) Battle with indra: "When longevity is acquired by me what Indra can do to me...thus relying upon that kind of certitude, I jousted with Indra in a bout." [1st quote] "But the Thunderbolt that has a hundred cutting edges and that which is launched from Indra's hand has rammed by head and thighs into my body." [2nd quote]

"By the impaction of Thunderbolt disarranged are my thighs and head, thereby my mouth went into my stomach... and without thighs how can I prowl, without arms how can I scrabble, and without a mouth how can I guzzle... and how am I capable to live on, and even that living too, is destined for too long a time." [3rd quote] http://valmikiramayan.pcriot.com/utf8/aranya/sarga71/aranya_71_frame.htm

He is the most underrated warrior of Ramayana because his power has been omitted in popular retellings by fans and bhakts. They dont want to show this character who has a very limited amount of time in the book. Sometimes if he is shown in a tv serial then the battle he has with Ram/Laxman is falsely depicted as a cakewalk for the 2 brothers. A mard like him deserves better representation.