Ravana’s brother, Kumbhakarna, was a powerful giant, feared by gods, demons and humans. Like Ravana, he had invoked Brahma with his austerities with the intention of asking for Indra’s seat. Alarmed by this intention, Indra had begged Saraswati, goddess of speech, to twist Kumbhakarna’s tongue so that instead of asking for Indra’s seat he asked for Nidra’s seat, which means the seat of the goddess of sleep, which means a bed. ‘So be it,’ said Brahma. ‘You will sleep all the time.’ Realizing what was happening, Ravana begged Brahma to change his boon. ‘How can you let him sleep all the time?’ Brahma said, ‘What is done cannot be undone. But I shall modify it. One day a year, Kumbhakarna shall awake. On that day he will be invincible. However, should he be roused on any other day, he will surely die.’ So it came to pass, that Kumbhakarna spent all his life, except one day a year, asleep. When Ram attacked Lanka, and turned out to be a formidable opponent, a desperate Ravana decided to rouse Kumbhakarna from his sleep. ‘He can destroy all the monkeys with a single sweep of his hand,’ he said, forgetting Brahma’s warning that the day Kumbhakarna’s sleep would be interrupted would be the day of Kumbhakarna’s death. Drums were beaten and conch-shells blown and a great din created to awaken Kumbhakarna. He was prodded with sharp tools, beaten with sticks and even kicked by elephants but he refused to wake up. Finally, vast vats of the best food were brought into his chambers. The aroma of the feast was so intense that Kumbhakarna’s mouth watered and he woke up. While wolfing down his meal, Ravana apprised him of the situation. ‘I don’t agree with what you have done, brother. Nevertheless, I shall not turn against you as Vibhishana did. I shall fight for you because you are my brother.’ So saying Kumbhakarna entered the battlefield and spread mayhem amongst the monkeys. He crushed them under his foot as if they were insects and he swatted them away like flies. The Vanaras began to flee and the Rakshasas began to cheer; then Ram entered the battlefield. Kumbhakarna saw Vibhishana stand next to Ram. ‘Traitor,’ he shouted and rushed towards him in a murderous rage. Ram, unperturbed by the sight of his gigantic monster, raised his bow and released his arrow. The missile hit its mark and Kumbhakarna fell down instantly.

Ravana broke down on hearing of Kumbhakarna’s death. Unlike Ram who broke down when Lakshman was struck by an arrow, Ravana’s sorrow has more to do with his imminent defeat than with the loss of his brother.

Through the characters of Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana, the Ramayana raises the question: What is more important, family loyalty or dharma? The answer given is clear enough: dharma is superior to loyalty. That is why Ram makes Vibhishana king of Lanka.