Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.763

c9.763

5) Death. Sahasramukha had an army-chief named Bāṇa and both of them together did incalculable harm to the three worlds. Śrī Rāma was King of Ayodhyā at the time, and Devas and sages complained to him about Sahasramukha and as soon as the complainants left Ayodhyā, Sugrīva and Vibhīṣaṇa came there. They told Rāma about the abduction by Sahasramukha’s second son, Candragupta of Sugrīva’s daughter and Vibhīṣaṇa’s daughter-in-law. At once Śrī Rāma, along with Lakṣmaṇa, Sugrīva, Vibhīṣaṇa, Hanūmān and a great army of monkeys reached Sahasramukha’s capital city. Śrī Rāma sent word to him through Hanūmān that Sugrīva’s daughter and Vibhīṣaṇa’s daughter-in-law should be returned, Indra should be released and that pardon should be begged for, for his errors. Angered at this message Sahasramukha deputed Bāṇa to fight Śrī Rāma. Bāṇa was killed in battle. (See under Bāṇa IV). Then ensued a fierce battle between Rāma and Sahasramukha, the latter aided by Candragupta. Aṅgada was about to be overpowered by Candragupta, and then the following celestial voice was heard: “Candragupta will not die as long as his wife Padmāvatī is reciting Brahmamantra imparted by Brahmā.” Then Vibhīṣaṇa sent Hanūmān to the women’s quarters and as a result of the latter using a ‘Kūṭatantrayantra’ great confusion and quarrels broke out among the women-folk, and utilising the opportunity Aṅgada killed Candragupta. Sahasramukha fought Śrī Rāma single-handed. All tactics of Rāma proved to be of no use. Then he remembered Brahmā’s boon to Sahasramukha and Cañcalākṣī’s curse upon him. Immediately Śrī Rāma brought down Sītā from Ayodhyā and the latter shot the Śaktika arrow at the throat of Sahasramukha and he was killed. (Kamba Rāmāyaṇa, Uttarakāṇḍa),