Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.201

c8.201

1). Birth. Long ago there was a famous Asura King named Danu. Two sons named Rambha and Karambha were born to him. Having no issue, they decided to worship Mālavaya yakṣa, praying to be blessed with children. They started tapas, Karambha, in the middle of water and Rambha in the middle of pañcāgni. Indra was alarmed at their tapas. He took the form of a crocodile and went into the water in which Karambha was standing and caught hold of his feet, pulling him down. Karambha was drowned. The mighty Rambha who was enraged at the death of his brother, decided to cut off his own head and offer it as sacrifice in the fire. He drew his sword and was about to cut off his head, when Agni, the god of fire, appeared before him and stopped him saying:—"Do not kill yourself. Killing another person itself is a sin. Suicide is a more serious sin. Ask for any boon you wish to have; I shall grant it. Do not put an end to your life."