Lembusura - (Wayang Kulit)

Lembusura - senopati of Gowa Kiskenda

Title	Lembusura - (Patih) - Mahabharata
Other names
Size	55 cm
Personal data	Lembusura was a giant with the head of an ox/bull. Thanks to his supernatural powers, he was appointed as the patih (prime minister) of Gowa Kiskenda under the reign of the demon king Prabu Maesasura, a giant with a buffalo's head. Lembusura had a brother named Diradasura, a giant with an elephant's head.
Appearance	General of the demon king Maesasura. Many prime ministers in wayang stories have unparalleled supernatural powers.
Collection	Private collection

Lembusura – (Patih) – Mahabharata

In East Javanese folklore, there is a puppet story that is associated with the eruption of Mount Kelud.
King Brawijaya was the king of Majapahit Kingdom. He had a daughter, her name was Dyah Ayu Pusparani. She was very beautiful. Many young men fell in love with her. However, she always refused their marriage proposals. King Brawijaya was sad. He really wanted to see his daughter to get married.

“You have to get married soon, my daughter,” said King Brawijaya. He continued, “I’m getting older, I know you are looking for a great husband. I have an idea, I’m going to hold a competition. If a man can stretch Kyai Garudayaksa’s bow and lift Kyai Sekardelima’s gong, he will be your husband."

Princess Dyah Ayu Pusparani was speechless. She knew her father really wanted her to get married. She just hoped that she would marry a great man. She knew the bow and the gong had supernatural power. So the winner must had supernatural power too.

One by one men tried to stretch the bow and lifted the gong. No one succeeded. They were injured, their hands and backs were broken. King Brawijaya planned to stop the competition. He thought no one could win the competition. However, before he stopped it, a man came to him.
“Don’t stop the competition now. I haven’t tried it yet.”
Everybody was looking at him. He was very strange. His head was unlike human’s head. He had a bull’s head.
“What’s your name?” asked the king.
“My name is Lembusura.”

Then he tried to stretch the bow, he succeeded. The next test, he had to lift the gong. Again, he succeeded. Everybody applauded. They all were amazed by his power.
However, Princess Dyah Ayu Pusparani was sad. She never thought that she would marry a man who had a bull’s head. King Brawijaya was also sad. But he had no choice. He had to keep his promise.
Later, he asked his men to prepare a wedding ceremony. The ceremony was getting closer and Princess Dyah Ayu Pusparini was really sad. She really wanted to cancel the wedding. She was thinking very hard. Finally she had an idea. She told her father.
“Father, ask Lembusura to make a well on the top of Kelud Mountain. The well is for me to take a bath,” said Princess Dyah Ayu Pusparini.

King Brawijaya understood the plan. He asked Lembusura to go to the top of Kelud Mountain. Lembusura agreed. When he arrived, Lembusura dug the ground. He was digging until the hole was deep. Suddenly, some soldiers pushed him into the hole. They buried him alive. Lembusura was helpless. He could not do anything.
Before he died, he cursed the King. “King Brawijaya, wait for my revenge. I will destroy your kingdom!” cursed Lembusura.
Everybody was so scared. They really believed that Lembusura would revenge to the kingdom. Until now, every time Kelud Mountain erupts, people say that Lembusura is doing his revenge!

Story of Maesasura
In the story of Maesasura, the heaven Suralaya was destroyed by Jatasura (a giant with boar headed), delegated by King Maesasura (a giant with buffalo headed) and his brother Lembusura (a giant with cow headed). They also demanded the Goddesses Tara and Tari for their wives.

Jatasura and Maesasura live in one soul, they cannot die if one of them is still alive. The key to ending the lives of Jatasura and Maesasura is to kill them at the same time.

Thanks to his supernatural powers, Jatasura dared to help Prabu Maesasura who wanted to marry Dewi Tara, the nymph from Suralaya, daughter of Batara Indra from the empress Dewi Wiyati. Prabu Maesasura instructed prime minister Lembusura to go to Suralaya to propose to Dewi Tara. He traveled accompanied by his brother Diradasura.
When his proposal was rejected by Bathara Guru, with the authority given by his king, Lembusura and Diradasura went on a rampage in Suralaya and succeeded in defeating the gods.

Bathara Guru then assigned Bathara Narada to go down to Arcapada. He asked for help from Subali and Sugriwa, sons of Resi Gotama with Dewi Windradi from the Erraya or Agrastina hermitage who were at that time meditating ngijang in the Sunyapringga forest.
In the battle on the field called Mrepatkepanasan in Suralaya, Patih Lembusura finally died at the hands of Sugriwa and Prabu Maesasura and Jatasura were killed by Subali. Their heads were smashed by a kumba until they cracked by Resi Subali who had the Aji Pancasona.

After Prabu Maesasura, Jatasura and Lembusura were destroyed, Dewi Tara was then bestowed upon Sugriwa, because Subali was thought to have died in the cave. Sugriwa was then appointed king of Gua Kiskenda with Dewi Tara as his consort.

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Source: radarmadiun.jawapos.com – 2024 – Ki Damar
Source: radarpurworejo.jawapos.com – 2024
Source: indonesianfolklore.blogspot.com – 2009