Saturday, 22 August 2015

How many number of demons were killed by Sri Hanuma ?


According to Srimad Ramayana, Sri Hanuma eliminated 80,000 Kinkaras, Jambumali, the 7 heroic sons of ministers and the five chiefs of army, Aksha, the son of Ravana, as also the army together with highly abundant number of horses, elephants and chariots in the great war that took place after his  meeting Seeta.

A question then arises: how many number of demons were killed by Sri Hanuma during that war?

Sage Valmiki did not directly  give details to this question, though he gave an indirect answer.

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1)    After abducting Seeta and bringing her to Lanka, Ravana by demonstrating various luxuries and comforts, exhibits his Lanka and explains his prowess.  

दश राक्षस कोट्यः च द्वाविंशतिः अथ अपराः |
वर्जयित्वा जरा वृद्धान् बालान् च रजनीचरान् || 
तेषाम् प्रभुः अहम् सीते सर्वेषाम् भीम कर्मणाम् |  

(Aranya kanda 55th Sarga 14th Sloka)


"Oh, Seetha, ten crores of first-rated demons are there, furthermore, twenty-two crores of demons of ghastly exploits are there, thus all put together, 32 Crores demons are there in Lanka, omitting the weakish, oldish, youngish demons. For all of them I am the lord." Thus Ravana started his self-eulogy.

2)        Sri Hanuma gives a detailed description of Lanka as he saw it to Sri Rama and also explains as how he destroyed Lanka.

ते मया सम्क्रमा भग्नाः परिखाः च अवपूरिताः |
दग्धा च नगरी लंका प्राकाराः च अवसादिताः || 
बलैकदेशः क्षपितो राक्षसानाम् महात्मनाम् |

(Yuddha kanda 3rd Sarga 29-30th Slokas)


"Those bridges were broken by me and the moats were filled up (with the wreckage). The city of Lanka was burnt by me and the defensive walls were pulled down. A part of the army of the gigantic rakshasas was destroyed."
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Ravana declared in the First sloka that there were 32 Crores demons residing in Lanka.    In the 2nd sloka Sri Hanuma said that he eliminated A part of the army of the gigantic rakshasas.

 32 Crores of Rakshasas can be divided into 100 parts or 1000 parts.  If we consider 100 parts, we can conclude that Sri Hanuma eliminated 32 lakhs of Rakshasas.  

If we consider 1000 parts, then we can infer that Sri Hanuma killed 3.20 lakh rakshasas. 

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