Mālyavān, Sumāli and Māli

Mālyavān, Sumāli and Māli were the three sons of Sukeśa. Before Rāvaṇa, they were the strongest trio in the rākshasa world. They did tapas together, won divine boons, took Laṅkā, and for a time ruled all three worlds. Their fall came when Bhagavān Vishṇu himself came down and killed Māli in battle. Mālyavān and Sumāli withdrew to pātāla.

Sumāli’s clever plan in the end brought about the birth of Rāvaṇa, who was his grandson. So this generation of rākshasas led to the events of the Rāmāyaṇa. Mālyavān lived to see the war at Laṅkā and spoke the truth to Rāvaṇa in the last years.

Birth and early life

Mālyavān, Sumāli and Māli were the three sons of Sukeśa and Devavatī. Sukeśa himself had been blessed by Bhagavān Śiva and Devī Pārvatī and had a divine vimāna as a sign of that favour. Born into such a family, the three sons grew into rākshasas of great might.

From childhood the brothers were never apart. They shared everything: tapas, training in arms, rule and ambition. As they grew, they did tapas together for Brahmā and received boons that put them beyond the reach of ordinary enemies. (Uttara Kāṇḍa, Chapters 4 and 5)

Families and descendants

Each of the three brothers had a large family.

Mālyavān married Sundarī. Their seven sons were Vajramushṭi, Virūpāksha, Durmukha, Suptaghna, Yajñakopa, Matta and Unmatta, all strong warriors. A daughter, Analā, also appears in the rākshasa family lines.

Sumāli married Ketumatī. His sons included Prahasta (who became a great general under Rāvaṇa), Vikaṭa, Kālīmukha, Muka and others. His daughters were Rākā, Pushpotkaṭā, Kaikasī (who became Rāvaṇa’s mother) and Kumbhīnasī (who became Lavaṇāsura’s mother). Sumāli sent Kaikasī to Viśravas, and so became Rāvaṇa’s grandfather and the planner of all that followed.

Māli married Vasudhā. Their sons were Anala, Anila, Hara and Sampāti. Māli did not live to see the Rāmāyaṇa, because he fell to Bhagavān Vishṇu’s Sudarśana Chakra in the great battle. (Uttara Kāṇḍa, Chapter 5)

The taking of Laṅkā

With their divine boons and their huge combined armies, the three brothers set their hearts on Laṅkā. It was the finest city in the three worlds, and it was then ruled by Kubera (Vaiśravaṇa). They marched on the city. Kubera did not want to fight kinsmen, since they were tied to him through Viśravas, and he withdrew without a battle. The three brothers took Laṅkā.

From Laṅkā they spread their rule. They terrified the three worlds, shamed the devas, and took tribute from kings and ṛshis. Their rule was a reign of terror over the world. (Uttara Kāṇḍa, Chapter 6)

Bhagavān Vishṇu comes down and the great battle

The devas could not bear the rākshasas’ rule and called on Bhagavān Vishṇu. He took up his divine weapons and came down with the deva-senā (army of the devas). The battle was huge. Māli, the most aggressive of the three brothers, charged straight at Bhagavān Vishṇu with his weapons flying. Bhagavān Vishṇu used the Sudarśana Chakra and killed Māli.

Māli’s death was the turning point. Mālyavān and Sumāli now faced Bhagavān Vishṇu’s anger directly. They knew they could not win this battle, not for lack of strength but because Bhagavān Vishṇu himself had come down. They gathered the forces that were left and withdrew into the deep regions of pātāla, where they lived in hiding for many generations.

Kubera went back to Laṅkā with divine approval. (Uttara Kāṇḍa, Chapter 7)

Sumāli’s return and the plan for Rāvaṇa

Many generations later, Sumāli came out of pātāla. He looked at the world. Kubera ruled Laṅkā with dharma, and his power rested on being the son of the great brahmarshi Viśravas. Sumāli thought of a plan. If he could have grandchildren through Viśravas himself, children who joined the power of a brahmarshi with rākshasa fierceness, they could win back what the rākshasas had lost.

He brought his daughter Kaikasī to Viśravas’s āśrama and told her to win the ṛshi and bear his children. Kaikasī went to Viśravas. He warned her about the bad hour at which she had come. Even so, Rāvaṇa, Kumbhakarṇa, Śūrpaṇakhā and Vibhīshaṇa were born from their union.

Sumāli’s plan worked beyond what he had imagined. Rāvaṇa did tapas, received boons, and took Laṅkā from Kubera. This brought back rākshasa rule there after the long exile in pātāla. Sumāli’s grandson became the most powerful rākshasa the world had ever known. (Uttara Kāṇḍa, Chapters 9 and 10)

Mālyavān in old age

Of the three brothers, only Mālyavān lived to see the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa. By then he was the eldest living rākshasa of Rāvaṇa’s mother’s family, with the weight of great age and wisdom. When the vānara army had crossed the ocean and war was near, Mālyavān asked to speak with Rāvaṇa in the royal sabhā (assembly hall).

He spoke plainly and saw clearly what lay ahead. He named Rāma as Śrī Mahāvishṇu himself and said that the vānaras were aṃśas (parts) of the devas. He urged Rāvaṇa to give Sītā back and make peace. He read the omens correctly: Laṅkā was doomed if Rāvaṇa refused. Rāvaṇa answered with fury and drove Mālyavān out of the assembly.

Mālyavān withdrew, having spoken the truth to a man of power. His advice named Rāma’s divine nature, and it was ignored. (Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapters 35 and 36)

Sources

• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Uttara Kāṇḍa, Chapters 5 to 7
• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapters 35 and 36