Aranya Kanda, Sarga 4
ह्रियमाणौ तु काकुत्स्थौ दृष्ट्वा सीता रघूत्तमौ। उच्चैः स्वरेण चुक्रोश प्रगृह्य सुमहाभुजौ॥ १॥
Meaning
Seeing the descendants of Kakutstha, the foremost of Raghu’s race, possessed of very powerful arms, (Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa) being forcibly taken away, Sītā, however, cried in a loud voice : (1)
एष दाशरथी रामः सत्यवाञ्छीलवान् शुचिः। रक्षसा रौद्ररूपेण ह्रियते सहलक्ष्मणः॥ २॥
Meaning
“This Rāma, son of Daśaratha, truthful, well-behaved and pious, is being taken away together with Lakṣmaṇa by an ogre of terrible form. (2)
मामृक्षा भक्षयिष्यन्ति शार्दूलद्वीपिनस्तथा। मां हरोत्सृज काकुत्स्थौ नमस्ते राक्षसोत्तम॥ ३॥
Meaning
“O jewel among ogres, hail to you ! Take me away. Bears will eat me up and so will tigers and panthers. Release the descendants of Kakutstha.” (3)
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा वैदेह्या रामलक्ष्मणौ। वेगं प्रचक्रतुर्वीरौ वधे तस्य दुरात्मनः॥ ४॥
Meaning
Hearing the aforesaid appeal of that princess of Videha territory, the heroic Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa made haste in killing the wicked ogre. (4)
तस्य रौद्रस्य सौमित्रिः सव्यं बाहुं बभञ्ज ह। रामस्तु दक्षिणं बाहुं तरसा तस्य रक्षसः॥ ५॥
Meaning
The son of Sumitrā broke the left arm of that terrible one and Rāma for his part the right arm of the said ogre with expedition. (5)
स भग्नबाहुः संविग्नः पपाताशु विमूर्च्छितः। धरण्यां मेघसंकाशो वज्रभिन्न इवाचलः॥ ६॥
Meaning
He with his arms broken, and frightened fell quickly on the ground in swoon looking like a cloud or a mountain rent asunder by lightning. (6)
मुष्टिभिर्बाहुभिः पद्भिः सूदयन्तौ तु राक्षसम्। उद्यम्योद्यम्य चाप्येनं स्थण्डिले निष्पिपेषतुः॥ ७॥
Meaning
Those two, while beating the ogre with their fists, arms and kicks, also crushed him on the ground, lifting him again and again. (7)
स विद्धौ बहुभिर्बाणैः खड्गाभ्यां च परिक्षतः। निष्पिष्टो बहुधा भूमौ न ममार स राक्षसः॥ ८॥
Meaning
Though pierced with many arrows and injured with two swords and crushed several times on the ground, that ogre did not die. (8)
तं प्रेक्ष्य रामः सुभृशमवध्यमचलोपमम्। भयेष्वभयदः श्रीमानिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ ९॥
Meaning
Seeing him very much incapable of being killed and looking like a mountain, the glorious Rāma, who gave protection in danger, spoke these words to Lakṣmaṇa : (9)
तपसा पुरुषव्याघ्र राक्षसोऽयं न शक्यते। शस्त्रेण युधि निर्जेतुं राक्षसं निखनावहे॥ १०॥
Meaning
“O tiger-man, by virtue of his penance this ogre cannot be conquered in battle with a weapon. We two shall bury him in a pit. (10)
कुञ्जरस्येव रौद्रस्य राक्षसस्यास्य लक्ष्मण। वनेऽस्मिन् सुमहच्छ्वभ्रं खन्यतां रौद्रवर्चसः॥ ११॥
Meaning
“O Lakṣmaṇa, dig a very big pit in this forest for this terrible ogre of fierce lustre, looking like an elephant.” (11)
इत्युक्त्वा लक्ष्मणं रामः प्रदरः खन्यतामिति। तस्थौ विराधमाक्रम्य कण्ठे पादेन वीर्यवान्॥ १२॥
Meaning
Thus telling Lakṣmaṇa to dig a pit, the valorous Rāma stood stamping his foot on the neck of Virādha. (12)
तच्छ्रुत्वा राघवेणोक्तं राक्षसः प्रश्रितं वचः। इदं प्रोवाच काकुत्स्थं विराधः पुरुषर्षभम्॥ १३॥
Meaning
Hearing the command given by the scion of Raghu, the ogre Virādha made this polite submission to the descendant of Kakutstha, the best among men : (13)
हतोऽहं पुरुषव्याघ्र शक्रतुल्यबलेन वै। मया तु पूर्वं त्वं मोहान्न ज्ञातः पुरुषर्षभ॥ १४॥
Meaning
“O tiger-man, I stand killed by you, equal in strength to Indra. However, O jewel among men, earlier due to delusion you were not recognized by me. (14)
कौसल्या सुप्रजास्तात रामस्त्वं विदितो मया। वैदेही च महाभागा लक्ष्मणश्च महायशाः॥ १५॥
Meaning
“O dear, Kausalyā is possessed of good progeny in you. You are known by me as Rāma, as also the princess of Videha territory, who is very fortunate, and Lakṣmaṇa, who is very well-known. (15)
अभिशापादहं घोरां प्रविष्टो राक्षसीं तनुम्। तुम्बुरुर्नाम गन्धर्वः शप्तो वैश्रवणेन हि॥ १६॥
Meaning
“Indeed, I am a Gandharva named Tumburu, cursed by Kubera. Due to the curse I entered the fierce form of an ogre. (16)
प्रसाद्यमानश्च मया सोऽब्रवीन्मां महायशाः। यदा दाशरथी रामस्त्वां वधिष्यति संयुगे॥ १७॥ तदा प्रकृतिमापन्नो भवान् स्वर्गं गमिष्यति। अनुपस्थीयमानो मां स क्रुद्धो व्याजहार ह॥ १८॥
Meaning
“When requested for grace by me, he, possessed of great fame, said to me, ‘When Rāma, son of Daśaratha, will kill you in battle, then regaining your pristine state you will go to paradise.’ He, not being attended upon by me, angrily addressed me thus. (17-18)
इति वैश्रवणो राजा रम्भासक्तमुवाच ह। तव प्रसादान्मुक्तोऽहमभिशापात् सुदारुणात्॥ १९॥
Meaning
‘King Kubera spoke thus to me, who was attached to Rambhā. With your grace I stand freed from a very terrible curse. (19)
भुवनं स्वं गमिष्यामि स्वस्ति वोऽस्तु परंतप। इतो वसति धर्मात्मा शरभङ्गः प्रतापवान्॥ २०॥ अध्यर्धयोजने तात महर्षिः सूर्यसंनिभः। तं क्षिप्रमभिगच्छ त्वं स ते श्रेयोऽभिधास्यति॥ २१॥
Meaning
“I shall go to my own realm, O tormentor of foes, good luck be to you. There lives the righteous and powerful great sage Śarabhaṅga, effulgent like the sun—just a Yojana and a half from here. Go quickly to him. He will give you good advice. (20-21)
अवटे चापि मां राम निक्षिप्य कुशली व्रज। रक्षसां गतसत्त्वानामेष धर्मः सनातनः॥ २२॥ अवटे ये निधीयन्ते तेषां लोकाः सनातनाः। एवमुक्त्वा तु काकुत्स्थं विराधः शरपीडितः॥ २३॥ बभूव स्वर्गसम्प्राप्तो न्यस्तदेहो महाबलः। तच्छ्रुत्वा राघवो वाक्यं लक्ष्मणं व्यादिदेश ह॥ २४॥ कुञ्जरस्येव रौद्रस्य राक्षसस्यास्य लक्ष्मण। वनेऽस्मिन्सुमहान् श्वभ्रः खन्यतां रौद्रकर्मणः॥ २५॥
Meaning
Go happily, throwing me into the pit. This is the time-honoured practice for the dead ogres. Eternal worlds exist for them who are interred in a pit.” Thus saying to the descendant of Kakutstha, the mighty Virādha, for his part, being tormented by arrows, left his body and reached heaven. Hearing that speech Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa: “O Lakṣmaṇa, dig a very big pit in this forest for this dreadful ogre of fierce activities like an elephant.” (22—25)
इत्युक्त्वा लक्ष्मणं रामः प्रदरः खन्यतामिति। तस्थौ विराधमाक्रम्य कण्ठे पादेन वीर्यवान्॥ २६॥
Meaning
Thus telling Lakṣmaṇa to dig a pit, the valorous Rāma stood laying his foot on the neck of Virādha. (26)
ततः खनित्रमादाय लक्ष्मणः श्वभ्रमुत्तमम्। अखनत् पार्श्वतस्तस्य विराधस्य महात्मनः॥ २७॥
Meaning
Then taking the pick, Lakṣmaṇa dug an excellent pit by the side of that high-souled Virādha. (27)
तं मुक्तकण्ठमुत्क्षिप्य शङ्कुकर्णं महास्वनम्। विराधं प्राक्षिपच्छ्वभ्रे नदन्तं भैरवस्वनम्॥ २८॥
Meaning
Lifting up Virādha, who was possessed of spike-like ears and a sonorous voice, Śrī Rāma threw him into the pit while he was crying in a fearful voice. (28)
तमाहवे दारुणमाशुविक्रमौ स्थिरावुभौ संयति रामलक्ष्मणौ। मुदान्वितौ चिक्षिपतुर्भयावहं नदन्तमुत्क्षिप्य बलेन राक्षसम्॥ २९॥
Meaning
Full of joy, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa of quick valour, both firm on the battlefield, threw that fierce, frightening and roaring demon into the pit after lifting him up with force. (29)
अवध्यतां प्रेक्ष्य महासुरस्य तौ शितेन शस्त्रेण तदा नरर्षभौ। समर्थ्य चात्यर्थविशारदावुभौ बिले विराधस्य वधं प्रचक्रतुः॥ ३०॥
Meaning
Having realized that the great demon could not be killed with a sharp weapon, both those foremost men, highly skilled, then killed Virādha burying him in a pit with full justification. (30)
स्वयं विराधेन हि मृत्युमात्मनः प्रसह्य रामेण यथार्थमीप्सितः। निवेदितः काननचारिणा स्वयं न मे वधः शस्त्रकृतो भवेदिति॥ ३१॥
Meaning
In fact, Virādha himself had desired his own forcible death from Rāma. Hence the forest-wanderer himself said, “My death cannot happen with a weapon.” (31)
तदेव रामेण निशम्य भाषितं कृता मतिस्तस्य बिलप्रवेशने। बिलं च तेनातिबलेन रक्षसा प्रवेश्यमानेन वनं विनादितम्॥ ३२॥
Meaning
Having heard this very speech, Rāma made up his mind to throw him into a pit and while that mighty ogre was being thrown into the pit he made the forest resound. (32)
प्रहृष्टरूपाविव रामलक्ष्मणौ विराधमुर्व्यां प्रदरे निपात्य तम्। ननन्दतुर्वीतभयौ महावने शिलाभिरन्तर्दधतुश्च राक्षसम्॥ ३३॥
Meaning
Appearing as though pleased on having thrown that Virādha into a pit in the earth, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa rejoiced in the great forest, their fear being removed, and covered the ogre with rocks. (33)
ततस्तु तौ काञ्चनचित्रकार्मुकौ निहत्य रक्षः परिगृह्य मैथिलीम्। विजह्रतुस्तौ मुदितौ महावने दिवि स्थितौ चन्द्रदिवाकराविव॥ ३४॥
Meaning
And then, having killed the ogre and received Maithilī, those two princes, possessed of lovely golden bows, happily moved about in the great forest, like the moon and the sun in the sky. (34)
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