Kabandha

"headless torso") is a Rakshasa (demon) who is killed and freed from a curse by the god Rama – an Avatar of Vishnu – and his brother Lakshmana.

Upon his death, Kabandha resumes his Gandharva form and directs Rama to the Rishyamukha mountain, where the exiled monkey-chief Sugriva is hiding.

The most detailed account of Kabandha appears in the third book, Aranya kanda, of the epic Ramayana, Sargas (cantos) 69-73.

[1] However, Kabandha first appears in canto one of the first book Bala kanda of the Ramayana, in which the entire story is summarized.

Indra used his celestial weapon the Vajra (thunderbolt) and drove Vishvavasu's head and thighs into his body.

[8] The Adhyatma Ramayana tells that Kabandha (the name Vishvavasu is not used) was a Gandharva chief, who was blessed by Brahma with immortality.

[6] The Mahabharata tells that Kabandha was a Gandharva named Vishvavasu in his previous life and was cursed by Brahma to be born "from a Rakshasa womb".

[11] The Ramacharitamanas tells that Kabandha was cursed by the sage Durvasa, who is known for his hot temper in Hindu mythology.

[8] The Mahabharata describes him thus: Kabandha was "as big as a mountain, dark as a black cloud, with pointed hairs all over his body and looked fierce with a voice as loud as thunder.

[7] Since Vishvavasu now did not have a head, but just two arms and a mouth on his stomach, he came to be known as the Rakshasa (demon) Kabandha, the "headless torso".

[6] The Ramayana narrates: Rama, his consort Sita and his brother Lakshmana were exiled to the forest for a 14-year period.

Rama was informed of Sita's fate by the dying vulture Jatayu, who had been mortally wounded in trying to save her.

The demon blocked the path of the brothers, who tried to escape by taking a different route, but was finally caught by Kabandha.

[10] Anargharaghava mirrors the Mahavira-Charita, replacing Shramana with Guha, a forest chief who leads them to Sugriva.

He advised the brothers to find the monkey (vanara) king Sugriva, who would guide them in the quest for Sita.

He advised Rama to travel in the western direction till he reached the Pampa lake in the region called Matangavana where sage Matanga's hermitage once stood.

Ram would meet vanaras at this lake and also sage Matanga's aged female disciple Shabari, who is waiting for him and after Rama's visit, would ascend to heaven.

[3] In the Mahavira-Charita, the divine person that leaves the funeral pyre informs Rama that he is Danu and a curse had turned him in a demon, who was manipulated by Malyavan – Ravana's chief adviser – to create havoc in the region.

[13] Raghuvamsa, which is a summary of the lives of ancestors of Rama and his own, does not mention the details of the killing of Kabandha, however, it acknowledges the counsel.

In a passing reference, it notes: "At the advice of Kabandha, who by death escaped from curse, there grew up a friendship between Rama and the monkey-chief (Sugriva)".

The Adhyatma Ramayana, the Mahavira-charita, the Anargharaghava and the Ramacharitamanas do not discuss the counsel at all and credit Shabari or Shramana or Guha as the one who leads Rama to Sugriva.

[6][8][10][12] In the Adhyatma Ramayana, Kabandha appears from the pyre as a divine being and reveals his true identity as a cursed Gandharva.

Rama and Lakshmana seated on Kabandha's arms, about to sever them. Kabandha is depicted with a big mouth on his stomach and no head or neck; though depicted with two eyes, the Ramayana describes him as one-eyed. (Painting on the ceiling of Kodandaramaswamy Temple, Ayodhyapatinam near Salem , probably 16th-century.)
Kabandha was born as a Gandharva – a celestial musician (right) here pictured with an Apsara , celestial dancer. (10th-century Cham "Dancers' Pedestal" of the Tra Kieu style.)
Rama (left) and Lakshamana seated on the arms of Kabandha, about to sever his arms, a 19th-century painting from Tiruchchirappalli .
The exiled princes Rama and Lakshamana were caught by Kabandha, whose arms they severed.
Kabandha tells Rama and Laksmana how he came to have his hideous form
As per the advice of Kabandha, Rama forms an alliance with Sugriva. Rama seated with Sugriva as the vanaras look for Sita in all directions. (17th-century painting from manuscripts commissioned by Rana Jagat Singh.)