Once Ravana decided to overthrow Indra from heaven, he embarked on a grand mission accompanied by his formidable son, Meghnad. The ensuing battle between Indra and Ravana was intense and tumultuous. Despite Ravana losing his heads during the skirmish, they miraculously regenerated, showcasing his extraordinary resilience and power.
Kumbhakarna, the colossal and fearsome brother of Ravana, had woken up from his deep slumber in Lanka and soon joined the fray. The battle that followed was overwhelmingly one-sided, with the Gods finding themselves outmatched and overpowered by Ravana and his mighty army. Even the combined might of Shani, Yama, Pavana, and Varuna proved insufficient against the onslaught led by Ravana.
Meghnad, fierce and skilled in combat, engaged in a duel with Jayanta, the son of Indra. The battle was fierce, but Jayanta eventually had to flee.
Desperate for assistance, Indra approached the goddess Durga, imploring her to intervene. Durga, with a compassionate smile, instructed her sixty-four attendants to aid Indra in his time of need. However, upon seeing this, Ravana respectfully bowed to Durga and requested her to withdraw her forces, expressing that a loss today would bring shame to both her and him. Durga, recognizing that Ravana's destiny was tied to a human and not to divine intervention, smiled and called back her attendants.
The battle then resumed with renewed vigor. Ravana, riding his magnificent Pushpaka Vimana, clashed with Indra, who was mounted on his majestic elephant, Airavata. Indra wielded his powerful Vajra, aiming to strike Ravana down. At this critical moment, Kumbhakarna intervened, boldly declaring that he would consume the Vajra itself. With a mighty leap, Kumbhakarna began to swallow the Gods whole. However, being immortals, the Gods did not perish and managed to escape from his nostrils and ears in a miraculous turn of events.
As the battle waged on, the day drew to a close, and it was time for Kumbhakarna to return to his slumber, which lasted six months at a stretch. Ravana, understanding his brother's need for rest, had Kumbhakarna transported back to Lanka, thus temporarily concluding the epic confrontation in heaven.
This story is found in the Bengali Krittibasi Ramayana.