Chapter 71
Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest
पुरा राम महाबाहो महाबल पराक्रम
रूपम् आसीत् मम अचिंत्यम् त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्
purā rāma mahābāho mahābala parākrama
rūpam āsīt mama aciṃtyam triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, great dextrous Rama with great daring and dashing, as to how the physique of sun, moon, and even that of Indra is there now, my physique was also like that earlier, an unbelievable mien and renowned in all the three worlds... [3-71-1, 2a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Such as I was with an admirable body, disguising myself in this kind of horrendous form which is utterly dreadful to the world, I was scaring the forest living sages, there and there... [3-71-2]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On one day, when a great sage named Sthuulashira was collecting divers forest produce for his Vedic-ritual, I scared him with this ugly form and I even exasperated him... [3-71-3b, 4a]
तेन अहम् उक्तः प्रेक्ष्य एवम् घोर शाप अभिधायिना
tena aham uktaḥ prekṣya evam ghora śāpa abhidhāyinā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On seeing me that sage who is an enforcer of deadly curse cursed me in this way, 'that which is presently diabolic and despicable form of yours, hereinafter you will abide in this form alone...' [3-71-4b, 5a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When I begged that enraged sage as, 'even if I have committed this blasphemy owing to my blasphemous fate, will there be an end to this blasphemed form of mine, or not...' and then he spoke this word to me... [3-71-5b, 6a]
यदा छित्त्वा भुजौ रामः त्वाम् दहेत् विजने वने
yadā chittvā bhujau rāmaḥ tvām dahet vijane vane
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'When Rama incinerates you in an uninhibited forest on chopping off your shoulders, then you will regain your own grand and auspicious form...' So said the sage to me... [3-71-6b, 7a]
श्रिया विराजितम् पुत्रम् दनोः त्वम् विद्धि लक्ष्मण
śriyā virājitam putram danoḥ tvam viddhi lakṣmaṇa
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Lakshmana, you may know as the most handsome son of Danu, and this misshapen form has chanced on me owing the ire of Indra in battlefield... [3-71-7b, 8a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I have gladdened Grandparent Braham with severe ascesis and He granted longevity to me, and then a kind of recalcitrance touched off in my mind... [3-71-8b, 9a]
दीर्घम् आयुः मया प्राप्तम् किम् मे शक्रः करिष्यति
dīrgham āyuḥ mayā prāptam kim me śakraḥ kariṣyati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'When longevity is acquired by me what Indra can do to me...' thus relying upon that kind of certitude, I jousted with Indra in a bout... [3-71-9b, 10a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"But the Thunderbolt that has a hundred cutting edges and that which is launched from Indra's hand has rammed by head and thighs into my body... [3-71-10b, 11a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When I begged of him saying, 'lead me to the hell of Yama, rather than making me to live this hell of a body...' Then Indra said this to me, 'Let the Grandparent Brahma's word about your longevity come true...' Thus Indra spared me to me... [3-71-11b, 12a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'By the impaction of Thunderbolt disarranged are my thighs and head, thereby my mouth went into my stomach... and without thighs how can I prowl, without arms how can I scrabble, and without a mouth how can I guzzle... and how am I capable to live on, and even that living too, is destined for too long a time...' [3-71-12b, 13a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When I said to Indra this way, Indra devised for me yojana long arms, also that way a rapier-fanged mouth in my paunch... [3-71-13b, 14a]
सो अहम् भुजाभ्याम् दीर्घाभ्याम् संकृष्य अस्मिन् वने चरान्
so aham bhujābhyām dīrghābhyām saṃkṛṣya asmin vane carān
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Such as I am, I have been eating the lions, elephants, animals, and tigers that are on the move in this forest, hauling them in with both of my overlong arms... [3-71-14b, 15a]
स तु माम् अब्रवीत् इन्द्रो यदा रामः स लक्ष्मणः
sa tu mām abravīt indro yadā rāmaḥ sa lakṣmaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Indra has also said to me, 'as and when Rama hacks off your arms along with Lakshmana in a conflict, then you can go to heaven...' Thus Indra said to me and vanished. [3-71-15b, 16a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, sire, I am grabbing whatever I see in this forest while living with this body... oh, powerful king, as I feel it meetly and a must for me... [3-71-16b, 17a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I believed that Rama will certainly come nigh of my captivity, and confiding myself in this kind of determination, presaged by sage Sthuulashira, as well... I have been toiling to dislodge this body... [3-71-17b, 18a]
स त्वम् रामो असि भद्रम् ते न अहम् अन्येन राघव
sa tvam rāmo asi bhadram te na aham anyena rāghava
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Raghava, as to how this has happened in this way according to the sum and substance told by the sage Sthulashira, you alone are that Rama, let safe betide you, and none other than you is capable to mangle me... [3-71-18b, 19a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, impetuous man Rama, if I were to be beatified by you two by incinerating me in Fire, I will advice you about the next course of your action... I will further advise you about your prospective friend..." So said Kabandha to Rama. [3-71-19b, 20a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When Raghava is said thus by that Kabandha, the heir of Danu, that duty-minded Rama said this word to Kabandha while Lakshmana is hearing. [3-71-20b, 21a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Ravana conveniently stole my illustrious wife when myself and my brother exited from Janasthaana... [3-71-21b, 22a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I only know his name but not the form of that demon... and we are unaware either of his stronghold or of his staying power... [3-71-22b, 23a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"It will be apt of you to show befitting mercy on us who are anguished by agony, running all over helter-skelter like unsheltered ones, and we who will be compliant for your restitution... [3-71-23b, 24a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, brave Kabandha, on bringing dried up firewood that was rent at times by elephants, and on digging a large trench, we will incinerate you in it... [3-71-24b, 25a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Such as you are, if you actually know who stole Seetha, or whereto she is stolen, either... you clearly inform of her when incinerated, thus you will be rendering a most gracious deed to me, and to all concerned..." Thus Rama made clear of his case. [3-71-25b, 26a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When he is said thus that expert articulator Kabandha replied Rama, who is also an expert enunciator, with expedient words. [3-71-26b, 27a]
दिव्यम् अस्ति न मे ज्ञानम् न अभिजानामि मैथिलीम्
divyam asti na me jñānam na abhijānāmi maithilīm
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"There is no divine knowledge to me as of now... nor I can identify Maithili... but when I am burnt I assume my own original divine form, and then I will be able tell about him, who will find her out... [3-71-27b, 28a]
यो अभिजानाति तद् रक्षः तद् वक्ष्ये राम तत् परम्
yo abhijānāti tad rakṣaḥ tad vakṣye rāma tat param
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"With this unburnt body, oh, Rama, I indeed have no ability to discern anything, hence oh, lord, I will be able to speak about him who can familiarise you with that great mighty demon, by whom your Seetha is stolen, only after that incineration... [3-71-28b, 29]
विज्ञानम् हि महत् भ्रष्टम् शाप दोषेण राघव
स्वकृतेन मया प्राप्तम् रूपम् लोक विगर्हितम्
vijñānam hi mahat bhraṣṭam śāpa doṣeṇa rāghava
svakṛtena mayā prāptam rūpam loka vigarhitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Raghava, utterly distorted is my acumen, indeed, by the blemish of curse... and this form which is despicable to world has bechanced only because of my own antics... [3-71-30]
किम् तु यावत् न याति अस्तम् सविता श्रान्त वाहनः
तावत् माम् अवटे क्षिप्त्वा दह राम यथा विधि
kim tu yāvat na yāti astam savitā śrānta vāhanaḥ
tāvat mām avaṭe kṣiptvā daha rāma yathā vidhi
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Rama, soon you have to toss me into trench to burn me customarily, sooner than the Sun's going to Mt. Dusk when his horses are fatigued... [3-71-31]
PURPORT
दग्धः त्वया अहम् अवटे न्यायेन रघुनंदन
वक्ष्यामि तम् महावीर यः तम् वेत्स्यति राक्षसम्
dagdhaḥ tvayā aham avaṭe nyāyena raghunaṃdana
vakṣyāmi tam mahāvīra yaḥ tam vetsyati rākṣasam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Rama, the legatee of Raghu, when I am scripturally burnt by you in a trench, oh, great valiant Rama, for sure, I will tell of him, who can quiet fathom that demon... [3-71-32]
तेन सख्यम् च कर्तव्यम् न्याय्य वृत्तेन राघव
कल्पयिष्यति ते प्रीतः साहाय्यम् लघु विक्रमः
tena sakhyam ca kartavyam nyāyya vṛttena rāghava
kalpayiṣyati te prītaḥ sāhāyyam laghu vikramaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Raghava, you have to befriend him with an amicable comportment... and that valiantly alacritous one will be gladdened by the sequel of your friendship, and he will evolve a succour to you... [3-71-33]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे एक सप्ततितमः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe eka saptatitamaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Raghava, nothing is there in all the three worlds that is unfamiliar to him, for he circumnavigated all worlds once, in a different context... [3-71-34]