Novella of Indian Mythology

Truth About Ravana and KumbhaKaran

Once Lord Vishnu was resting in his native place in Vaikunth. Four Kumaras (great sages) came to meet him.The Kumaras appeared to be mere children due to the strength of their Tapas but they were of great ages. The entrance gate to Vaikunth was closed and two gatekeepers named Jaya and Vijaya were guarding the entrance gate.

Then the four kumaras asked them to open the gate as they were there to meet Lord Vishnu. But the gatekeepers  laughed at them being not aware of the fact that the these kumaras were great sages and told them that Lord Vishnu was resting and could not meet them now.The laugh annoyed the Kumaras and they told Jaya and Vijaya that the Lord Is always there for his devotees at any time. They then cursed Jaya and Vijaya that they had to leave their divinity and holiness and be born as mere mortals on the Earth and live the life as normal human beings, then Kumaras left the Vaikunth.

Jaya and Vijaya rushed to Lord Vishnu with grief and asked him to lift the curse of Kumaras. The Lord replied that the curse could not be lifted but they had two options; either they had to be born seven times as devotees of Vishnu or three times as enemies of Vishnu. After that they could regain their stature at Vaikunth and be with the Lord Permanently. Jaya and Vijaya having immense devotion towards the lord could not think of living seven lives away from Him and thus chose to be born three times on Earth as enemies of Lord Vishnu.

In the first life form that Jaya and Vijaya took were born as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha .Both were killed by lord Vishnu in the form of Vahara, boar and Narshimha, half man-half lion.

In the Second life form they took were the famous RAVANA and KUMBHAKARAN and were killed by Vishnu in the form of Lord Rama.

In the third life, they were born as Shisupal and DantVakra and killed by Lord Krishna who was himself the lord Vishnu in Dwapara Yuga.