Kambukaṇṭha
Kambukaṇṭha is the king of the Draviḍa realm. He rules from Śivakāñcīpura on the south-eastern coast of Bhāratavarsha. He appears in the Vivāha Khaṇḍa of the Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa. First, he is one of the kings passed over at the svayaṃvara (a ceremony where a princess chooses her husband) of Sumatī. Second, he is the central figure in the story of the svayaṃvara of his daughter Madanasundarī. He left Rāma’s sons out of it on purpose.
The young Yūpaketu defeated him. Later he made peace with Śatrughna and Rāma. This is the main story of the eighth sarga (chapter) of the khaṇḍa.
At Sumatī’s svayaṃvara
Kambukaṇṭha went to the svayaṃvara of Sumatī, the granddaughter of Bhūrikīrti Mahārāja. It was held at Vaṭapura on the eastern coast. Sunanda, called the dādi, presented him to Sumatī as the Draviḍa king. She described him as a warrior of note and the ruler of the great city of Kāñcīpura in the south.
Sumatī passed him over. She put her māla (garland) on Lava. Kambukaṇṭha kept this insult in his heart.
The exclusion of Rāma’s sons
Kambukaṇṭha arranged a svayaṃvara for his daughter Madanasundarī. The kings from all seven dvīpas (island-continents) agreed together, by letters, that they would come only if Rāma’s sons were left out. Kambukaṇṭha shared their grievance and accepted their condition. He sent no invitation to Rāma’s sons. All the kings of Jambūdvīpa gathered at Kāñcī for the svayaṃvara.
Defeat by Yūpaketu
Yūpaketu came into the svayaṃvara hall. He used the Mohanāstra and rode out of Kāñcī with Madanasundarī. The kings, now recovered, were furious and rushed out to fight.
Kambukaṇṭha led the charge himself, in full battle dress and with his army. He struck Yūpaketu with seven arrows. The battle was fierce but short. Yūpaketu did the following.
- He broke Kambukaṇṭha’s seven arrows in flight.
- He struck back with nine arrows. They broke his bow, killed his charioteer, shattered his flagstaff, broke his armour and crown, and killed his horses.
- He cut Kambukaṇṭha’s gadā (mace) into a thousand pieces when Kambukaṇṭha charged on foot.
- He took Kambukaṇṭha’s fist-blow on his chest without flinching.
In the end Kambukaṇṭha was captured and bound to the flagpole of Yūpaketu’s chariot. Only the plea of Madanasundarī herself saved him from being put to death.
Peace and Rāma’s visit
Śatrughna came to Kāñcī with the whole army. Kambukaṇṭha came forward and gave himself up to Śatrughna. Śatrughna heard the full account from him. He was moved by Madanasundarī’s plea and by Kambukaṇṭha’s surrender. He received him with a generous heart and entered the city as an honoured guest. Kambukaṇṭha then sent messengers to Rāma, asking him to come for the wedding.
Bhagavān Rāma came to Śivakāñcīpura with Sītā. Kambukaṇṭha received Rāma with full reverence and all the honours due to Bhagavān Rāma. He saw the wedding of Yūpaketu and Madanasundarī. At its end he honoured Rāma with gifts.
The Rāmanāthapura land grant
In Chapter 18 of the Rājya Khaṇḍa, Kambukaṇṭha appears again as the king of Kāñcī. This time the account is about the Rāmanāthapura land grant.
Rāma had earlier given a formal land grant for Rāmanāthapura. It was written on a stone inscription (śilāśāsana). Hanumān went to Kāñcī and stamped the Rāmamudrā, Rāma’s royal seal, on this inscription. This made the grant sacred with the direct authority of Rāma.
A prophecy was also given at that time. A corrupt king would come in the future and break the terms of the grant. Hanumān would come himself and restore righteousness.
Two sacred places belong to Kambukaṇṭha’s realm. They are the Udārarāghava liṅga and the Hṛttāpaśamana tīrtha (a holy tank). Hṛttāpaśamana means “remover of the heart’s pain.”
Sources
- Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Khaṇḍa, Chapters 3, 8
- Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Khaṇḍa, Chapters 8–9
- Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Rājya Khaṇḍa, Chapter 18