| Vibhishana | |
|---|---|
King of Lanka[1] | |
| Member ofChiranjivi | |
 Lakshmana crowns Vibhishana as King of Lanka | |
| Affiliation | Rakshasa,Vaishnavism |
| Predecessor | Ravana |
| Abode | Lanka |
| Texts | Ramayana and its versions |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents | |
| Siblings | Ravana Kumbhakarna Shurpanakha |
| Consort | Sarama Mandodari |
| Children | Taranisena, Nila (sons), Sananda,Trijata and Analte(daughters) by Sarama |
| Dynasty | Rakshasa |
Vibhishana (Sanskrit:विभीषण,romanized: Vibhīṣaṇa,lit. 'formidable')[2] is the younger brother ofRavana, the King ofLanka, in the ancient Indian epicRamayana, and one of the eightChiranjivis.[3] Though arakshasa himself, Vibhishana turned his back on Ravana, and defected toRama's side, owing to hisdharma.[4] After Rama defeated Ravana, the former crowned Prince Vibhishana as the King of Lanka before returning toAyodhya.
Prince Vibhishana is portrayed as a pious and pure of heart in the epic. After performing a penance to invoke a boon fromBrahma, he asked the deity to always set his mind on the path to righteousness, and nothing more.[5] Pleased by his righteousness Brahma gave the boon of immortality.[6]
Vibhishana was the youngest son of the rakshasi Kaikesi and the sageVishrava, who was himself a son of the sage Pulastya, one of thePrajapati. Vibhishana was the younger brother of the King of Lanka, Ravana, and also the sibling ofKumbhakarna. Even though he was born as arakshasa, he was pious and virtuous, upholding the values ofdharma.
Due to Vibhishana's differences with Ravana, and because he was against the act of kidnapping Sita, he fled Lanka. His mother,Kaikesi, advised him to go and serve Rama, who was at that time assembling an army to defeat Ravana and to recover his wife. As a consequence, he divulged the secrets of Ravana's army and made sure Rama was victorious in the great battle. Rama accepted Vibhishana's fealty and anointed him the King of Lanka after Ravana's death. In some versions of the epic, he takes his slain brother's queenMandodari as his second wife, though in others he merely seeks her blessings during his coronation.[7]
In the Lanka War, Vibhishana's knowledge about the secrets of Lanka proved invaluable to Rama.[8] Vibhishana freely divulged many secrets that became key to the success of Rama's attack, including revealing the secret path to the temple of Nikumbala, the family deity of the Pulastya clan.[9] In the climactic battle between Rama and Ravana, when Rama was unable to kill Ravana, he revealed the secret of Ravana's invulnerability to Rama. He told Rama that Ravana has stored the nectar of immortality in his belly and it is necessary to dry it. With this knowledge, Rama was finally able to kill Ravana.[10] He had a daughter namedTrijata.
When Rama was about to leave Ayodhya at the end of his reign, he assumed his true form of Vishnu, ordering Vibhishana to stay on earth and serve the people and guide them to the path of truth anddharma. Hence, Vibhishana is considered one of the immortals, theChiranjivis.[11] Vishnu also ordered Vibhishana to pray to the family deity ofSolar dynasty,Ranganatha.[12]
In theRamayana, Vibhishana's characterisation assists in demonstrating the practical implications of the concept ofdharma. The epic stresses that neither Vibhishana nor Kumbhakarna strayed from the path ofdharma and that there is no single way out of a moral dilemma. TheRamayana teaches that Kumbhakarna adhered to thedharma of loyalty to his kin when his advice fails, while Vibhishana chose to oppose his kin when his advice failed.[13]
Vibhishana is featured in thePancharatra, and consequently theregional legend ofRanganathaswamy temple ofSrirangam, considered the foremost of theDivya Desams, the abodes of Vishnu inSri Vaishnavism. During the coronation ofRama, the avatar of Vishnu, Vibhishana was presented the sacrosanct Sri Rangavimana. He decided to carry it to his kingdom of Lanka. Midway his journey, in order to rest, he placed the image on the banks of theKaveri. After performing his routinepuja, he tried to lift the vimana, but it could not be lifted.[15] Vishnu appeared to him and said that he desired to stay as Ranganatha in the place, which went on to becomeSrirangam. Vishnu also desired to watch thebrahmotsavam at Tirucherai. The festivals of the temple are thus considered sacred.[16]
In some period of historySinhalese people have considered Vibhishana as one of theSathara Waram Deviyo (four guardian deities).[17] This belief was more prominent in theKotte period. According to theRavana Katha of Wickramasinghe Adigar, after the defeat of Ravana, Vibhishana transferred theYaksha capital fromAlaka mandawa toKelaniya.[18] In the 15th-century poem ofThotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera, thesælalihini sandesaya,Myna is ordered to carry the missive to Vibhishana at his temple in Kelaniya. After the 16th century, he was replaced as a God of the four warrants by the goddessPattini. He continues to be worshipped by a diminishing number of adherents, mainly in the Kelaniya area.[19]
The Sapta Chiranjivi Stotram is a mantra that is featured inHindu literature:
अश्वत्थामा बलिर्व्यासो हनुमांश्च विभीषण:।
कृप: परशुरामश्च सप्तैतै चिरञ्जीविन:॥
सप्तैतान् संस्मरेन्नित्यं मार्कण्डेयमथाष्टमम्।
जीवेद्वर्षशतं सोपि सर्वव्याधिविवर्जितः॥aśvatthāmā balirvyāsō hanumāṁśca vibhīṣaṇaḥ।
kṛpaḥ paraśurāmaśca saptaitai cirañjīvinaḥ॥
saptaitān saṁsmarēnnityaṁ mārkaṇḍēyamathāṣṭamam।
jīvēdvarṣaśataṁ sopi sarvavyādhivivarjitaḥ॥
— Sapta Chiranjivi Stotram
The mantra states that the remembrance of the eight immortals (Ashwatthama,Mahabali,Vyasa,Hanuman, Vibhishana,Kripa,Parashurama, andMarkandeya) offers one freedom from ailments and longevity.
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