Jambhāsura

Jambhāsura was one of the chief commanders in the dānava army of Tārakāsura. He was a general of great might and a fearsome look. His battle-flag bore the iron face of a piśāca (a flesh-eating spirit).

He fought in the great war between the devas and the asuras that came before the birth of Kārttikeya. He met the devas in fierce combat himself. With his māyā (illusion), he drove Indra from the battlefield more than once. In the end Indra killed him with the Brahmāstra, in the form of a crescent-shaped arrow (ardha-candra śara) that cut off his head. After his death the other dānavas ran to Tāraka.

Place in Tāraka’s army

Tārakāsura gathered his forces for war against the devas, and Jambhāsura was among the foremost commanders. The Matsya Purāṇa describes the dānava hosts marching under their own battle-flags. Jambhāsura’s flag showed an iron piśāca-mukha (piśāca-face), a sign of his terrifying nature. He led a very large force and fought in the front of the dānava army against the gathered devas. This is told in Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 147.

The battle with the devas

In the great clash between the army of the devas and the forces of Tāraka, Jambhāsura was a hard enemy. He fought with māyā, using his supernatural powers to confuse and overwhelm the devas. They were struck down by his dānava weapons and could not fight back. They huddled together like cattle frightened by cold.

Bhagavān Viṣṇu saw their trouble. He told Indra to call up the Brahmāstra.

Indra set an arrow to his bow and called on the full power of the weapon. When Jambhāsura saw the Brahmāstra being drawn, he gave up his māyā completely. He planted himself on the earth and stood firm. Yet his mouth dried up, his body shook, and his strength began to fail. The huge crescent-shaped arrow flew from Indra’s bow, blazing with tejas (radiance), and struck Jambhāsura full on the body. This is told in Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 151–152.

His death

The arrow cut off Jambhāsura’s head and it fell. It was still adorned with a gleaming diadem and swaying earrings. The crown shone with the light of gems, and his hair carried the scent of flowers.

The other dānava commanders saw their great general fall and lost heart. They fled from the battlefield and ran to Tāraka. They told him that four of the leading dānava lords, Jambhāsura among them, had fallen at the hands of the devas.

When Tārakāsura heard this, he blazed with fury and went down into the battle himself. He mounted his chariot drawn by a thousand garuḍas, took up all his weapons, and went to face the whole army of the devas. This is told in Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 152.

Sources

• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 147–152 (the flag in Chapter 147, the battle in Chapters 151–152, the death and Tāraka’s anger in Chapter 152)