Chapter 70
Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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
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
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]
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
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
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
इति तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य लक्ष्मणः शुभ लक्षणः
शशंस तस्य काकुत्स्थम् कबंधस्य महाबलः
iti tasya bruvāṇasya lakṣmaṇaḥ śubha lakṣaṇaḥ
śaśaṃsa tasya kākutstham kabaṃdhasya mahābalaḥ
SYNONYMS
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे सप्ततितमः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe saptatitamaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
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]