Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.4538

c9.4538

VIRŪPĀKṢA II. A Rākṣasa (giant) who fought on the side of Rāvaṇa against Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. It is mentioned in Uttara Rāmāyaṇa that this giant was born to Mālyavān by a Gandharva damsel called Sundarī. Seven sons named Vajramuṣṭi, Virūpākṣa, Durmukha, Suptaghna, Yajñakośa, Matta and Unmatta and a daughter named Nalā were born to Mālyavān by Sundarī. All these sons held prominent places in the army of Rāvaṇa. It is mentioned in Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 10, that in the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, when Kumbhakarṇa was killed, the army was commanded by Kumbha, Nikumbha, Makarākṣa, Mahodara, Mahāpārśva, Matta, Unmatta, Praghasa, Bhāsakarṇa, Virūpākṣa, Devāntaka, Narāntaka, Triśiras and Atikāya. When Sugrīva devastated the army of Rāvaṇa and caused havoc among the giants, Virūpākṣa, who was an archer got on an elephant and entered the battlefield. He confronted Sugrīva first. He thwarted the stone flung at him by Sugrīva, and struck him. For a time Sugrīva found it difficult to withstand him. But in the battle which followed, Sugrīva struck Virūpākṣa down and killed him. (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Sarga 97).