page_title: Kabandha
section_title: Early life and curse
hierarchical_section_title: Kabandha / Early life and curse
caption_attribution_description: English: It is a picture of the 10th century Cham "Dancers' Pedestal" belonging to the Tra Kieu Style of Cham art. The figures are an apsara dancer and a gandharva musician.
context_page_description: In Hindu mythology, Kabandha is a Rakshasa who is killed and freed from a curse by the god Rama – an Avatar of Vishnu – and his brother Lakshmana. Kabandha's legend appears in the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as in later Ramayana adaptations.
  Kabandha was a gandharva named Vishvavasu or Danu, who was cursed and made into an ugly, carnivorous demon by Indra, the king of the gods, and/or a sage named Ashtavakra. In an encounter with Rama and Lakshmana, the brothers sever his arms and proceed to cremate his corpse. Upon his death, Kabandha resumes his gandharva form and directs Rama to the Rishyamukha mountain, where the exiled monkey-chief Sugriva is hiding. Kabandha advises Rama to form an alliance with Sugriva, who would be of assistance in the search for Rama's wife Sita, who had been kidnapped by Ravana, the demon-king of Lanka. Following Kabandha's instructions, Rama befriends Sugriva and rescues Sita with his help.
context_section_description: The Ramayana narrates: Kabandha was born as a gandharva (celestial musician) named  Vishvavasu. He was the son of the gandharva Sri Vishvavasu or Sri and was also known as Danu (दनु). Vishvavasu performed penance and got the boon of immortality from the creator-god Brahma. He became arrogant due to his boon and attacked Indra, the god-king of heaven. Indra used his celestial weapon the Vajra (thunderbolt) and drove Vishvavasu's head and thighs into his body. Vishvavasu pleaded that he be given a way to find and eat food. Upon Vishvavasu's beseeching, Indra gave him two long arms and a mouth on his belly. Indra also decreed that Kabandha would regain his original form when Rama severs his arms.
  The Ramayana further adds: Kabandha spent his days near the hermitage of the sage Matanga in the Krauncha forest. There, he spent his time scaring sages. Once, Kabandha attacked the sage Stulashira, who cursed him to remain in his hideous form for eternity. Upon Kabandha's pleading, the sage reduced his curse and said that Kabandha would be freed of his form, once Rama and Lakshmana sever his arms. So Kabandha waited in that forest for Rama's arrival. Growse suspected the tale to be a later interpolation arguing that it does not appear in all versions/translations of the original Ramayana.
  The Adhyatma Ramayana tells that Kabandha (the name Vishvavasu is not used) was a Gandharva chief, who was blessed by Brahma with immortality. He was "drunk with the wine of youth and beauty" and used to roam the universe enchanting beautiful maidens. Once, he laughed at the sage Ashtavakra ("one who was eight deformities"), who cursed him to become a Rakshasa, though the sage assured him that Rama would free him of the curse. Still arrogant, Kabandha once chased Indra. The rest of the Indra episode mirrors the Ramayana telling.
  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". The Mahavira-charita calls Kabandha's real form Danu, son of Sri. The Bhattikavya does not explicitly name Kabandha. He is introduced as "a dreadful demon that was always hungry and being endowed with long arms". Later, he is identified as Sri's son, who was cursed by an ascetic. The  Ramacharitamanas tells that Kabandha was cursed by the sage Durvasa, who is known for his hot temper in Hindu mythology.
caption: 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.)
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