Who Was the Guru of Akshay Kumar and Angad? The Curse Behind Angad's Doubt - Angad and Ravana's son Akshay Kumar studied under the same guru. Learn about the curse that explains Angad's doubt at the sea and Ravana's choice to send Akshay Kumar against Hanuman.
When the Vanara army stood at the shore searching for Mother Sita, Angad, the son of Bali, said:
अंगद कहइ जाउँ मैं पारा। जियँ संसय कछु फिरती बारा॥
"I can cross over, but I have some doubt about the return trip."
This is surprising. Angad had his father's strength and could have leapt the ocean in play. So why did he doubt his return? Folk tradition answers with a story about a shared guru and a curse.
Note: This story is a popular katha tradition. It does not appear in Valmiki's Ramayana or the Ramcharitmanas. The guru's name is not given in any version, so we have not named him.
One Guru, Two Students (Angad and Akshay Kumar)
According to the tradition, Angad (Bali's son) and Akshay Kumar (Ravana's son) studied under the same teacher. Angad had been very strong since birth, and his strength made him mischievous. He often slapped Akshay Kumar, sometimes hard enough to knock him unconscious.
Akshay Kumar complained to the guru again and again. At first the guru forgave Angad, seeing him as a child. But Angad did not stop, and he troubled Akshay Kumar every day.
The Guru's Curse
One day the guru lost his patience and cursed Angad: if he ever raised his hand against Akshay Kumar again, he would die at that very moment. After this, Angad kept his distance from Akshay Kumar.
Why Angad Doubted the Return
At the shore, Angad realised that if he reached Lanka and met Akshay Kumar, a clash could trigger the curse. He would die and never return, and Lord Ram's mission would remain incomplete. That is why he spoke of doubt about the return, not the crossing. Hanuman then took up the task and leapt across the sea to Lanka.
Ravana's Miscalculation
When Hanuman began destroying Lanka, Ravana assumed the intruder was Angad. In his eyes only two Vanaras had such power: Bali and Bali's son. Since Ram had already killed Bali, it must be Angad. Knowing about the curse, Ravana sent Akshay Kumar to stop the intruder, expecting Angad to die the moment he struck back.
The Ramcharitmanas describes what happened next:
पुनि पठयउ तेहिं अच्छकुमारा। चला संग लै सुभट अपारा॥
आवत देखि बिटप गहि तर्जा। ताहि निपाति महाधुनि गर्जा॥
Ravana then sent Akshay Kumar, who marched out with a vast army. Seeing him come, Hanuman seized a tree, struck him down and roared.
The Illusion Breaks
Hanuman killed Akshay Kumar, and Ravana's plan failed. He understood that this was another Vanara of great power. Furious at his son's death, he sent his strongest warrior, Meghnad:
सुनि सुत बध लंकेस रिसाना। पठएसि मेघनाद बलवाना॥
मारसि जनि सुत बाँधेसु ताही। देखिअ कपिहि कहाँ कर आही॥
Hearing of his son's death, Lankesh was enraged and sent the mighty Meghnad: "Do not kill him, son, bind him. Let us see where this Vanara comes from."
Hanuman's Wisdom
In this telling, Hanuman's act also helped Angad. With Akshay Kumar gone, the curse could no longer threaten him, and the way into Lanka was clear for him later.
Angad in Ravana's Court
When Ram's army reached Lanka, Angad went to Ravana's court as Ram's messenger of peace. He planted his foot firmly on the ground and challenged the court to move it. No warrior in the assembly could, and when Ravana himself bent to grip Angad's foot, Angad told him to seek Shri Ram's feet instead. The scene remains one of the great displays of Angad's courage and loyalty.
Key Takeaways
- Guru: Angad and Akshay Kumar had the same teacher, whose name is not given in any version of the tradition.
- Connection: A curse from the guru said Angad would die if he struck Akshay Kumar.
- Angad's doubt: He feared meeting Akshay Kumar in Lanka would cost him his life.
- Ravana's plan: He sent Akshay Kumar, believing Angad was the intruder.
- Outcome: Hanuman killed Akshay Kumar, and Angad later shone in Ravana's court.
