[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975) › c7.2990 # Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.2990 Purāṇic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Purāṇic Literature c7.2990 - **Language:** English ### [c7.2990](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2990) 3) Former births of Kumbhakarṇa. Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa were originally the two Devas called Jaya and Vijaya. Viṣṇu appointed them as gate-keepers at Vaikuṇṭha. Once they stopped sages like Sanaka and others at the gates, and the latter cursed Jaya and Vijaya into Rākṣasas. When they complained about the curse to Viṣṇu he promised to welcome them back to Vaikuṇṭha after they had lived three births as Rākṣasas. Accordingly Jaya was born as Hiraṇyākṣa and Vijaya as Hiraṇyakaśipu, both of them Asuras. Mahāviṣṇu incarnated himself as a Boar and killed Hiraṇyākṣa and as Narasimha he killed Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu were reborn as Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa respectively. Mahāviṣṇu, during his incarnation as Śrī Rāma killed both Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa. Rāvaṇa was reborn as Śiśupāla and Kumbhakarṇa as Dantavaktra. Both of them were killed by Mahāviṣṇu during his incarnation as Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Thus the Deva called Vijaya, on account of the curse of Sanaka and other sages, passed through three lives as Hiraṇyakaśipu, Kumbhakarṇa and Dantavaktra and finally reached Vaikuṇṭha. (Bhāgavata, 7th Skandha). - [Previous: c7.2989](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2989) - [Next: c7.2991](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2991) - [Up: c7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7) ## Cites (1) - [Bhāgavatapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.bhagavata) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2990](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2990) · Pramāṇa