Chapter 70

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

VERSE 1

तौ तु तत्र स्थितौ दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरौ राम लक्ष्मणौ
बाहु पाश परिक्षिप्तौ कबन्धो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्

tau tu tatra sthitau dṛṣṭvā bhrātarau rāma lakṣmaṇau
bāhu pāśa parikṣiptau kabandho vākyam abravīt

SYNONYMS

bāhu pāśa pari kṣiptau: arms, [hangman's] halter, completely stowed by | tatra sthitau: therein [within the grip,] staying [enduring] | bhrātarau: at brothers | tau rāma lakṣmaṇau: them, at Rama, Lakshmana | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing [prying] | kabandhaḥ vākyam abravīt: Kabandha, sentence, said. |

TRANSLATION

On prying at those two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, who are completely stowed in the hangman's halter-like arms of the demon, and who are enduring within it, Kabandha said this sentence to them. [3-70-1]

VERSE 2

तिष्ठतः किम् नु माम् दृष्ट्वा क्षुधा आर्तम् क्षत्रिय ऋषभौ
आहार अर्थम् तु सन्दिष्टौ दैवेन गत चेतसौ

tiṣṭhataḥ kim nu mām dṛṣṭvā kṣudhā ārtam kṣatriya ṛṣabhau
āhāra artham tu sandiṣṭau daivena gata cetasau

SYNONYMS

kṣatriya ṛṣabhau: oh, Kshatriya, best ones among | kṣudhā ārtam: by hunger, anguished [miserably famished] | mām dṛṣṭvā: me, on seeing | kim nu tiṣṭhataḥ: what for, really, you stay [cool] | gata cetasau: gone, your lives [you are almost dead] | daivena āhāra artham tu sandiṣṭau: by god, food [my gobbets,] for purpose of, only, you are sent. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, excellent Kshatriya-s, on seeing me who am miserably famished, really what for you stay cool? You are the godsend gobs of mine, and hence now you are almost dead..." So said Kabandha to brothers. [3-70-2]

VERSE 3

तत् श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणो वाक्यम् प्राप्त कालम् हितम् तदा
उवाच आर्तिम् समापन्नो विक्रमे कृत निश्चयः

tat śrutvā lakṣmaṇo vākyam prāpta kālam hitam tadā
uvāca ārtim samāpanno vikrame kṛta niścayaḥ

SYNONYMS

lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakshmana | tat śrutvā: that, one hearing | tadā ārtim sam āpannaḥ: then [who is by now,] anguish, possessed by | vikrame kṛta niścayaḥ: in valour [to wreck revenge on demon,] making, determination | prāpta kālam: chanced, time [expedient] | hitam vākyam uvāca: advisable, words, said [to Rama.] |

TRANSLATION

Lakshmana who is possessed by anguish, and who is determined to wreck revenge on that demon, said these expedient and advisable words to Rama on hearing that demon's word. [3-70-3]

VERSE 4

त्वाम् च माम् च पुरा तूर्णम् आदत्ते राक्षस अधमः
तस्मात् असिभ्याम् अस्य आशु बाहू चिन्दावहे गुरू

tvām ca mām ca purā tūrṇam ādatte rākṣasa adhamaḥ
tasmāt asibhyām asya āśu bāhū cindāvahe gurū

SYNONYMS

rākṣasa adhamaḥ: demon, scurrilous | tūrṇam: quickly | tvām ca: you, also | mām ca: me, also | purā: prior to | ādatte: can take in / hauled us in | tasmāt: therefore | asya: his | gurū bāhū: lengthy, arms | asibhyām: with two [of our] swords | āśu: swiftly | cindāvahe: we hack off. |

TRANSLATION

"This scurrilous demon quickly hauled in you and me to his face level, and he will quickly take us in, therefore, we will have to swiftly hack off his lengthy arms at his shoulder level... [3-70-4]

VERSE 5

भिषणो अयम् महाकायो राक्षसो भुज विक्रमः
लोकम् हि अति जितम् कृत्वा हि अवाम् हन्तुम् इह इच्छति

bhiṣaṇo ayam mahākāyo rākṣaso bhuja vikramaḥ
lokam hi ati jitam kṛtvā hi avām hantum iha icchati

SYNONYMS

bhiṣaṇaḥ: gruesome one | mahākāyaḥ: gargantuan bodied | bhuja vikramaḥ: by arms, triumphing one | ayam rākśasaḥ: such, a demon | lokam ati jitam kṛtvā: world [his province,] completely, conquered [devastating,] on making | iha avām hantum icchati hi: now, us, to finish off, wishes, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

"Gruesome is this gargantuan bodied demon, and triumphing over just with his arms he has utterly devastated this province, and he now wishes to end us... [3-70-5]

VERSE 6

निश्चेष्टानाम् वधो राजन् कुत्स्तितो जगती पतेः
क्रतु मध्य उपनीतानाम् पशूनाम् इव राघव

niśceṣṭānām vadho rājan kutstito jagatī pateḥ
kratu madhya upanītānām paśūnām iva rāghava

SYNONYMS

rājan rāghava: oh, king, Raghava | niḥ ceṣṭānām: without, gesticulations [motionless, those that are non-aggressive] | vadhaḥ: [their] killing | kratu madhya: Vedic-ritual, in the midst of | upa nītānām paśūnām iva: to nigh, led in, animal, like [tantamount to] | jagatī pateḥ kutstitaḥ: for world's, lords [kings,] despicable. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, king Raghava, killing the non-aggressive is tantamount to the killing of animals that are led into Vedic-ritual in its midst is despicable to the kings... [3-70-6]

PURPORT

The text varies with other mms. kratu madhye upa niitaam will change to kratu madhye apa niitaam in Maheshvara Tiirtha's version, then it translates as 'an animal led out of the ritual half way through the ritual...' meaning that 'the animal unbefitting for sacrifice...' And that is to say 1] an animal not prearranged and sanctified right from the beginning, but brought in the middle of ritual; 2] or, one that is brought for ritual which has to yield without being aggressive pratikaara hiina shakti ; 3] or, paryagni kR^itaa na araNyaam utsR^ijyam a himsaayaa 'unsanctified or wild animals brought from wilds are to be let off, unhurt...' 4] or, one that which is not at the sacrificial post - it is not to be sacrificed...' and Lakshmana says addressing Rama as 'oh, king, you have to let off those beasts, but not this beastly demon who is aggressive and contemplating a regicide...'
VERSE 7

एतत् संजल्पितम् श्रुत्वा तयोः क्रुद्धः तु राक्षसः
विदार्य आस्यम् ततो रौद्रम् तौ भक्षयितुम् आरभत्

etat saṃjalpitam śrutvā tayoḥ kruddhaḥ tu rākṣasaḥ
vidārya āsyam tato raudram tau bhakṣayitum ārabhat

SYNONYMS

kruddhaḥ rākśasaḥ tu: infuriated, demon, on his part | tataḥ: then | tayoḥ: their | sam jalpitam: together, talked [conversation] | etat śrutvā: all that, on hearing | raudram āsyam vidārya = ferocious, mouth, broke open: opening wide | tau bhakśayitum ārabhat: both, to wolf down, started to. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing all of their conversation that demon is infuriated, and then widely opening his ferocious mouth he started to wolf down both of them. [3-70-7]

VERSE 8

ततः तौ देश कालज्ञौ खड्गाभ्याम् एव राघवौ
अच्छिन्दताम् सुसंहृष्टौ बाहू तस्य अंस देशतः

tataḥ tau deśa kālajñau khaḍgābhyām eva rāghavau
acchindatām susaṃhṛṣṭau bāhū tasya aṃsa deśataḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | su sam hṛṣṭau: very, highly, gladdened | deśa kālajñau: place, time knowers of [brothers with circumspection] | tau rāghavau: those, Raghava-s | khaḍgābhyām eva: with two swords, only | tasya bāhū: his, arms | amsa deśataḥ: shoulder joint, from the place of | acchindatām: mutilated. |

TRANSLATION

Then both the Raghava-s are very highly gladdened as the demon is hauling them towards his eye at shoulder level, and as they are the brothers with circumspection, they instantly mutilated his arms right at their shoulder joints only with two swords. [3-70-8]

PURPORT

This compound su sam hR^iSTau is as per the text of Govindaraja and Maheshvara Tiirtha states this as su sam vignau meaning 'very highly agitated...' agitated at the short time available to cut off his hands, before falling into his well-head like mouth. And this expression 'very highly gladdened' is for the righteous advice given by Lakshmana, circumspectly.
VERSE 9

दक्षिणो दक्षिणम् बाहुम् असक्तम् असिना ततः
चिच्छेद रामो वेगेन सव्यम् वीरः तु लक्ष्मणः

dakṣiṇo dakṣiṇam bāhum asaktam asinā tataḥ
ciccheda rāmo vegena savyam vīraḥ tu lakṣmaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | dakṣiṇaḥ rāmaḥ: dextrous, Rama | a saktam: not, restrained | vegena: with speed | dakṣiṇam bāhum: right, arm | asinā ciccheda: with sword, hacked off | vīraḥ lakṣmaṇaḥ tu: valiant one, Lakshmana, on his part | savyam [bāhum ciccheda]: left [arm, hewed down.] |

TRANSLATION

Then that dextrous Rama with an unrestrained speed hacked off the right arm, and valiant Lakshmana on his part hewed down the left arm that speedily. [3-70-9]

VERSE 10

स पपात महाबाहुः चिन्न बाहुः महा स्वनः
खम् च गाम् च दिशः चैव नादयन् जलदो यथा

sa papāta mahābāhuḥ cinna bāhuḥ mahā svanaḥ
kham ca gām ca diśaḥ caiva nādayan jalado yathā

SYNONYMS

mahābāhuḥ: overlong-armed | saḥ: he, Kabandha | cinna bāhuḥ: with mangled, arms | mahā svanaḥ: with cacophonous, voice | jala daḥ yathā: rain, giver [black-thunderous-cloud,] as with | kham ca: sky, also | gām ca: earth, also | [daśa] diśaḥ caiva: [ten] points of horizons, also, thus | nādayan: reverberating | papāta: he, fell down. |

TRANSLATION

He that overlong-armed Kabandha fell down with mangled arms, reverberated the sky, earth, and all of the ten points of horizon with a cacophonous voice, like a black-thunderous-cloud. [3-70-10]

VERSE 11

स निकृत्तौ भुजौ दृष्ट्वा शोणित ओघ परिप्लुतः
दीनः पप्रच्छ तौ वीरौ कौ युवाम् इति दानवः

sa nikṛttau bhujau dṛṣṭvā śoṇita ogha pariplutaḥ
dīnaḥ papraccha tau vīrau kau yuvām iti dānavaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ dānavaḥ: he, that demon | nikṛttau bhujau: at his dissevered, shoulders | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | śoṇita ogha pari plutaḥ: blood, gushes, with over, flowing | dīnaḥ: self-piteously | yuvām kau: you two, who | iti: thus | tau vīrau papraccha: those, two bold ones, has asked. |

TRANSLATION

That demon on seeing at his dissevered shoulders on which the gushes of blood are overflowing, he self-piteously asked those two bold ones thus as, "who are you..." [3-70-11]

VERSE 12

इति तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य लक्ष्मणः शुभ लक्षणः
शशंस तस्य काकुत्स्थम् कबंधस्य महाबलः

iti tasya bruvāṇasya lakṣmaṇaḥ śubha lakṣaṇaḥ
śaśaṃsa tasya kākutstham kabaṃdhasya mahābalaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya iti bruvāṇasya: his, this way, who is speaking [asking] | śubha lakṣaṇaḥ: one with prosperous, characteristics | lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakshmana | mahābalaḥ [mahātmānaḥ]: great-mighty [or, great souled] | tasya kabandhasya: to him, to Kabandha | kākutstham śaśamsa: about Kakutstha Rama, informed. |

TRANSLATION

When that great mighty Kabandha is asking thus, Lakshmana who has prosperous characteristics has informed him about Rama of Kakutstha, an unremitting dynasty. [3-70-12]

VERSE 13

अयम् इक्ष्वाकु दायादो रामो नाम जनैः श्रुतः
तस्य एव अवरजम् विद्धि भ्रातरम् माम् च लक्ष्मणम्

ayam ikṣvāku dāyādo rāmo nāma janaiḥ śrutaḥ
tasya eva avarajam viddhi bhrātaram mām ca lakṣmaṇam

SYNONYMS

ayam: he is | rāmaḥ nāma: Rama, by name | janaiḥ śrutaḥ: by people, heard [known] | ikṣvāku dāyādaḥ: Ikshvaaku's, legatee | mām tasya avarajam bhrātaram: me, his, later born [younger,] as brother | lakṣmaṇam [nāma nāmataḥ]: as Lakshmana [named one by my name] | viddhi: you know. |

TRANSLATION

"He is known to people by the name of Rama, the legatee of Ikshvaku dynasty, and you know me as his younger brother, Lakshmana, by my name... [3-70-13]

VERSE 14

मात्रा प्रतिहतो राज्ये रामः प्रवाजितो वनम्
मया सह चरति एष भार्यया च महत् वनम्

mātrā pratihato rājye rāmaḥ pravājito vanam
mayā saha carati eṣa bhāryayā ca mahat vanam

SYNONYMS

eṣa: this one | rāmaḥ: Rama | mātrā: by mother | prati hataḥ: counter, vailed | rājye: from kingdom | vanam pra vājitaḥ: to forest, bluntly, sent to | mayā saha: me, along with | bhāryayā ca: with his wife, also | mahat vanam carati: great, forest, he moves about. |

TRANSLATION

"Countervailed from kingdom by mother this Rama is bluntly sent to forests, and he is on the rove in great forests along with me ad his wife... [3-70-14]

VERSE 15

अस्य देव प्रभावस्य वसतो विजने वने
रक्षसा अपहृता भार्या याम् इच्छन्तौ इह आगतौ

asya deva prabhāvasya vasato vijane vane
rakṣasā apahṛtā bhāryā yām icchantau iha āgatau

SYNONYMS

vi jane vane: without, people, in forest | vasataḥ: while living | deva prabhāvasya: god [like that of,] in his leverage | asya bhāryā rakṣasā apahṛtā: his, wife, by demon, abducted | yām icchantau iha āgatau: whom, wishing [to retrieve,] to here, [we] came. |

TRANSLATION

"A demon stole his wife while he whose leverage is like that of god is living in the unpopulated forest... and wishing to retrieve her we came here... [3-70-15]

VERSE 16

त्वम् तु को वा किम् अर्थम् वा कबन्ध सदृशो वने
आस्येन उरसि दीप्तेन भग्न जन्घो विचेष्टसे

tvam tu ko vā kim artham vā kabandha sadṛśo vane
āsyena urasi dīptena bhagna jangho viceṣṭase

SYNONYMS

tvam tu: you, but | kaḥ vā: who, or | kabandha sadṛśaḥ: trunk, alike | urasi dīptena āsyena: in chest, infernal, with mouth | bhagna janghaḥ: broken, calves [legs, legless] | vane: in forest | kim artham vā: for what, reason, or | vi ceṣṭase: sprawling. |

TRANSLATION

"But who are you? Your legs are broken, and your mouth is infernal, yet it is on your chest, and alike a topless, rootless tree trunk you are sprawling in the forest, how so, or, for what reason?" Lakshmana asked the demon thus. [3-70-16]

VERSE 17

एवम् उक्तः कबंधः तु लक्ष्मणेन उत्तरम् वचः
उवाच परम प्रीतः तत् इन्द्र वचनम् स्मरन्

evam uktaḥ kabaṃdhaḥ tu lakṣmaṇena uttaram vacaḥ
uvāca parama prītaḥ tat indra vacanam smaran

SYNONYMS

lakṣmaṇena evam uktaḥ: by Lakshmana, that way, when spoken | kabandhaḥ tu: Kabandha, on his part | tat indra vacanam smaran: that, Indra's, words, on memorising | parama prītaḥ: highly, delighted | uttaram vacaḥ uvāca: in reply, words, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

But Kabandha is highly delighted when Lakshmana spoke that way, as the words of Indra came to his memory, and he said these words in reply. [3-70-17]

VERSE 18

स्वागतम् वाम् नरव्याघ्रौ दिष्ट्या पश्यामि वाम् अहम्
दिष्ट्या च इमौ निकृत्तौ मे युवाभ्याम् बाहु बन्धनौ

svāgatam vām naravyāghrau diṣṭyā paśyāmi vām aham
diṣṭyā ca imau nikṛttau me yuvābhyām bāhu bandhanau

SYNONYMS

naravyāghrau: oh, manly-tigers | vām svāgatam [su āgatam]: to you, well, come | aham vām diṣṭyā paśyāmi: I am, you, providentially, seeing you [instead, you are a revelation to me] | diṣṭyā: providentially | yuvābhyām: by you two | me imau: my, these | bāhu bandhanau: arms, shackles of [or, bondage] | nikṛttau: sheared. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, manly tigers, by my providence you are revealed to me... welcome to you... and providentially sheared are these shackles, called my two arms, by you... [3-70-18]

PURPORT

The arms, mouth-to-stomach, and another organ are the epitomes of mortals. A mortal does everything with arms and devours anything with mouth. martyaa kartaa bhoktaa ca Now those shackles of mortality are severed and he is ready for immortality.
VERSE 19

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे सप्ततितमः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe saptatitamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

naravyāghra: oh, manly tiger | me: my | vi rūpam: dis, figure | yat rūpam = mine, vhic, form: is there | yathā: as to how | a vinayāt: by dis, respect | prāptam: chanced on me | tava: to you | tattvataḥ śamsataḥ: actually, while being narrated | tat me śṛṇu: that, from me, you listen. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, manly tiger, actually how this form of mine is disfigured, of course owing to my distrustful behaviour, that you may listen while I narrate it to you. [3-70-19]