---
title: "Aranya Kanda, Sarga 71"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/aranya-kanda/sarga-71"
lang: "en"
---

# Aranya Kanda, Sarga 71

> तौ तु तत्र स्थितौ दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।  
> बाहुपाशपरिक्षिप्तौ कबन्धो वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ १॥

Seeing the aforesaid two brothers, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, standing there encircled by the cord of his arms, Kabandha for his part spoke as follows : (1)

> तिष्ठतः किं नु मां दृष्ट्वा क्षुधार्तं क्षत्रियर्षभौ।  
> आहारार्थं तु संदिष्टौ दैवेन हतचेतनौ॥ २॥

“With your wits come to an end, destined as you are by fate to serve as my food, why, I wonder, do you for your part stand motionless even on seeing me, oppressed with hunger, O jewels among Kṣatriyas?” (2)

> तच्छ्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणो वाक्यं प्राप्तकालं हितं तदा।  
> उवाचार्तिसमापन्नो विक्रमे कृतनिश्चयः॥ ३॥

Hearing the aforesaid question, Lakṣmaṇa, who was stricken with agony and had made up his mind to fall upon his prowess, presently tendered the following opportune and friendly advice to Śrī Rāma : (3)

> त्वां च मां च पुरा तूर्णमादत्ते राक्षसाधमः।  
> तस्मादसिभ्यामस्याशु बाहू छिन्दावहे गुरू॥ ४॥

“This vile ogre promptly caught hold of us at the very outset without any provocation from us, hence let us quickly cut off his vast arms with our swords. (4)

> भीषणोऽयं महाकायो राक्षसा भुजविक्रमः।  
> लोकं ह्यतिजितं कृत्वा ह्यावां हन्तुमिहेच्छति॥ ५॥

“This gigantic ogre, whose prowess, inasmuch as he is unarmed, resides in his arms alone, is frightful. Indeed, having thoroughly conquered the people, he actually seeks to make short work of us. (5)

> निश्चेष्टानां वधो राजन् कुत्सितो जगतीपतेः।  
> क्रतुमध्योपनीतानां पशूनामिव राघव॥ ६॥

“Like the slaughter of animals brought in the course of a sacrificial performance, killing those, who, being unarmed, are defenceless, is reproachful for a ruler of the earth, O royal scion of Raghu !” (6)

> एतत् संजल्पितं श्रुत्वा तयोः क्रुद्धस्तु राक्षसः।  
> विदार्यास्यं ततो रौद्रं तौ भक्षयितुमारभत्॥ ७॥

Enraged to hear this talk of the two princes and opening his fearful mouth wide, the ogre for his part now proceeded to devour them. (7)

> ततस्तौ देशकालज्ञौ खड्गाभ्यामेव राघवौ।  
> अच्छिन्दन्तां सुसंहृष्टौ बाहू तस्यांसदेशतः॥ ८॥

Extremely delighted, those two scions of Raghu, who knew the proper place and time for an action, severed his arms from his shoulders with their swords alone. (8)

> दक्षिणो दक्षिणं बाहुमसक्तमसिना ततः।  
> चिच्छेद रामो वेगेन सव्यं वीरस्तु लक्ष्मणः॥ ९॥

With alacrity Śrī Rāma, who stood to his right, severed his right arm with his sword vehemently without any obstruction, while the heroic Lakṣmaṇa, who stood to his left, cut off his left. (9)

> स पपात महाबाहुश्छिन्नबाहुर्महास्वनः।  
> खं च गां च दिशश्चैव नादयञ्जलदो यथा॥ १०॥

With his arms severed that mighty-armed ogre dropped down thundering like a cloud and making the heaven and earth as well as the quarters resound. (10)

> स निकृत्तौ भुजौ दृष्ट्वा शोणितौघपरिप्लुतः।  
> दीनः पप्रच्छ तौ वीरौ कौ युवामिति दानवः॥ ११॥

Afflicted to behold his arms lopped off and bathed in a stream of blood, the aforesaid demon inquired of those heroes : “Who are you?” (11)

> इति तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य लक्ष्मणः शुभलक्षणः।  
> शशंस तस्य काकुस्त्थं कबन्धस्य महाबलः॥ १२॥

While the said Kabandha was inquiring as above, Lakṣmaṇa, who was endowed with auspicious bodily marks and possessed of great might, introduced to him Śrī Rāma, a scion of Kākutstha, as below : (12)

> अयमिक्ष्वाकुदायादो रामो नाम जनैः श्रुतः।  
> तस्यैवावरजं विद्धि भ्रातरं मां च लक्ष्मणम्॥ १३॥

“A son of Daśaratha (born in the line of Ikṣwāku), he is known by the people by the name of ‘Rāma’. And know me to be Lakṣmaṇa, a younger brother of the selfsame Śrī Rāma. (13)

> मात्रा प्रतिहते राज्ये रामः प्रव्राजितो वनम्।  
> मया सह चरत्येष भार्यया च महद् वनम्॥ १४॥

“Exiled to the forest when his installation as Prince Regent on the throne of Ayodhyā had been interrupted by his step-mother, Kaikeyī, this Rāma continued to range the great forest of Daṇḍaka with his spouse and myself. (14)

> अस्य देवप्रभावस्य वसतो विजने वने।  
> रक्षसापहृता भार्या यामिच्छन्ताविहागतौ॥ १५॥

“While this prince, mighty as a god, was dwelling in an uninhabited forest, his consort was carried away by an ogre; seeking her alone we have come hither. (15)

> त्वं तु को वा किमर्थं वा कबन्धसदृशो वने।  
> आस्येनोरसि दीप्तेन भग्नजङ्घो विचेष्टसे॥ १६॥

“As for yourself, who are you and what for do you roll about in the forest like a headless trunk with your shanks broken and with a flaming mouth located in your breast (belly)?” (16)

> एवमुक्तः कबन्धस्तु लक्ष्मणेनोत्तरं वचः।  
> उवाच वचनं प्रीतस्तदिन्द्रवचनं स्मरन्॥ १७॥

Rejoiced when spoken to in these excellent words by Lakṣmaṇa, Kabandha for his part made the following reply, recalling the assurance given to him by Indra as going to be detailed in the following canto : (17)

> स्वागतं वां नरव्याघ्रौ दिष्ट्या पश्यामि वामहम्।  
> दिष्ट्या चेमौ निकृत्तौ मे युवाभ्यां बाहुबन्धनौ॥ १८॥

“Welcome to you, O tigers among men ! By stroke of good luck, I am able to behold you. And luckily enough for me these arms, which served as a halter to me, have been cut off by you. (18)

> विरूपं यच्च मे रूपं प्राप्तं ह्यविनयाद् यथा।  
> तन्मे शृणु नरव्याघ्र तत्त्वतः शंसतस्तव॥ १९॥

“Now hear from me, even as I truthfully relate to you, O tiger among men, how and through what insolence this monstrous shape actually came to be acquired by me. (19)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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