Aranya Kanda, Sarga 2

Meaning

Then, Rāma after receiving the hospitality, took leave of all the sages at sunrise and plunged into the depths of the forest. (1)

Meaning

Rāma, with Lakṣmaṇa as his follower, saw the heart of the forest crowded with herds of various deer, resorted to by boars and tigers; the shrubs, trees and creepers in which had been destroyed, the water-reservoirs in which were not visible, in which the birds were not singing and which was made noisy by swarms of crickets. (2-3)

Meaning

Rāma (a descendant of Kakutstha) together with Sītā saw in that forest, full of wild animals, a dreadful man-eating ogre of terrific voice, looking like a mountain-peak, having deep eyes, a huge mouth, a fierce belly, despicable, uneven, tall, abnormal, presenting a terrible sight, wearing a tiger’s skin wet with fat and sprinkled with blood, molesting all beings, resembling the god of death with his mouth wide open, tying three lions, four tigers, two wolves, ten spotted deer and the big head of an elephant with tusks, and wet with fat, to an iron lance, and roaring in a terrific voice. He saw Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and also Sītā, the princess of Mithilā, and attacked them with great anger as Kāla, the destroyer of people, attacks them. He made a terrific sound as though making the earth tremble, took the princess of Videha country, Sītā, in his arms, went afar and then said, “You two having matted hair and wearing a bark-garment, and still having a wife with you, with your life coming to an end, have entered the Daṇḍaka forest, taking arrows, bow and sword in your hands. Again, how are you two ascetics staying with a woman? (4—11)

Meaning

“Who are you two sinners, doing unrighteous deeds, bringing a blot upon the sages? Armed with weapons, I, an ogre named Virādha, always wander in this forest, which is difficult of access, eating the flesh of sages. This beautiful lady will become my wife and I shall drink the blood of you two sinners on the battlefield.” Hearing thus the wicked and boastful speech of that wicked Virādha, the overawed Sītā, the daughter of Janaka, trembled with fear as does a plantain tree in a storm. (12—15)

Meaning

Beholding that auspicious Sītā in the lap of Virādha, Rāma (a scion of Raghu) said to Lakṣmaṇa with his mouth getting parched : (16)

Meaning

“Oh dear ! see this daughter of King Janaka, my wife of good conduct, brought up in great prosperity, a princess of renown, having passed into the lap of Virādha. What the far-sighted Kaikeyī—who was not satisfied with the kingdom for her son, who has sent me, liked by all beings, to the forest—had fondly cherished regarding us, that for which she had asked for two boons has well happened quickly, today only, O Lakṣmaṇa ! Today, know, that mother of mine, Kaikeyī, has her desire fulfilled. (17—20)

Meaning

“There is nothing more sorrowful to me than the princess of the Videha country being touched by another, which is more painful even than the death of my father and the loss of my kingdom, O son of Sumitrā”. (21)

Meaning

While the descendant of Kakutstha, Rāma, was thus speaking, shedding tears of sorrow, Lakṣmaṇa getting angry and hissing like an impeded cobra, said: (22)

Meaning

“Why are you, the lord of all beings like Indra, with a servant like me, grieving like an orphan, O descendant of Kakutstha? (23)

Meaning

“Today, the earth will drink the blood of Virādha, the ogre, losing his life when killed by my angry self with an arrow. (24)

Meaning

My anger, which was directed against Bharata, having the desire for kingdom, now I shall ventilate against Virādha as did the wielder of the thunderbolt, discharge the thunderbolt against a mountain. (25)

Meaning

“Let the great arrow getting impulse from the force exerted by the strength of my arms fall on his huge breast and take away the life from the body and then let him fall down on the earth whirling round.” (26)