Sri Valmiki Ramayanam -Aranya Kanda (Book 3) Sarga 67 to 75

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar, 

 Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

Book III : Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

Chapter [Sarga] 67

Introduction

Rama spots Jataayu, whose wings are hacked and who is breathless, and is in his last moments. On conceding to the suggestion of Lakshmana that they should search for Seetha, they start searching the forest and at certain place the mountainous Jataayu is seen. Mistaking him to be a demon Rama wants to kill and speedily approaches Jataayu, but on listening Jataayu's words, Rama recognises and laments for his wretched situation.

puurvajo api ukta maatraH tu lakShmaNena subhaaShitam |
saara graahii mahaasaaram pratijagraaha raaghavaH || 3-67-1

1. saara graahii= essence, taker [best gleaner of the gist]; raaghavaH= Raghava; puurva jaH api= earlier, born [elder brother of Lakshmana,] even though; lakSmaNena ukta maatraH tu= by Lakshmana, when he [Rama] is said, just, but; mahaa saaram= ultimate, tenor; su bhaaSitam= well, said [said expediently]; prati jagraaha= in turn, taken [himself gleaned.]

Even though Rama is elder to Lakshmana he gleaned the ultimate tenor of Lakshmana's words when Lakshmana just said them expediently because Raghava is a best gleaner of the gist of advises. [3-67-1]

If the advice is with ideation it can be taken form youngsters... yukti yuktam vaco gr˜hyam b˜l˜t api subh˜ÿitam | tathaa ca - anena b˜lot Ÿritam api yuktam vaco gr˜hyam iti uktam - tath˜ ca bh˜rate udyoge - vidura× - api unmatta pral˜pato b˜l˜cca parisarpita× | sarvata× s˜ram ˜dady˜t aþmabhya iva k˜ncanam || iti - dk 'youngsters advices can be taken like gold from the coals...'

sa nigR^ihya mahaabaahuH pravR^iddham roSham aatmanaH |
avaShTabhya dhanuH citram raamo lakShmaNam abraviit || 3-67-2

2. saH= such as he is - Rama; mahaabaahuH= dextrous one; raamaH= Rama; pra vR^iddham aatmanaH roSam nigR^ihya= highly heightening, his own, fury, on controlling; citram dhanuH avaSTabhya= bedazzling bow, on that bow, propping against; lakSmaNam abraviit= he, to Lakshmana, said.

Such as he is that dextrous Rama on controlling his highly heightening fury, propping against his bedazzling bow spoke this to Lakshmana. [3-67-2]

kim kariShyaavahe vatsa kva vaa gacchhaava lakShmaNa |
kena upaayena pashyeyam siitaam iha vicintaya || 3-67-3

3. vatsa= oh, bear boy; lakSmaNa= Lakshmana; kim kariSyaavahe= what, is to be done by us; kva vaa gacChaava= to where, or, we go; siitaam kena upaayena pashyeyam= Seetha, by which, device, we can see; iha vi cintaya= in this matter, you clearly think.

"What is to be done by us, oh, dear boy... or, whereto we might go, or, by which device Seetha is discernable... Lakshmana, now you think of it, clearly... [3-67-3]

tam tathaa paritaapa aartam lakShmaNo raamam abraviit |
idam eva janasthaanam tvam anveShitum ar.hhasi || 3-67-4
raakShasaiH bahubhiH kiirNam naanaa druma lataa aayutam |

4, 5a. tathaa= in that manner; paritaapa aartam= by anguish, tormented; tam raamam= to him, to Rama; lakSmaNaH abraviit= Lakshmana, said; tvam= you; bahubhiH raakSasaiH kiirNam= with many, demons, rife with; naanaa druma lataa aayutam= manifold, trees, climber-plants, replete with; idam janasthaanam eva= this, Janasthaana, alone; anveSitum arhasi= to search, apt of you.

To such a Rama who is tormented by anguish, Lakshmana said, "it will be apt of you to search this Janasthaana alone which is rife with many demons, and replete with manifold trees and climber-plants... [3-67-4]

santi iha giri dur.hgaaNi nirdaraaH ka.ndaraaNi ca || 3-67-5
guhaaH ca vividhaa ghoraa naanaa mR^iga gaNa aakulaaH |
aavaasaaH kinnaraaNaam ca gandharva bhavanaani ca || 3-67-6

5b, 6. iha= at this place; giri durgaaNi= mountains, unclimbable; nirdaraaH= glens; kandaraaNi ca= glyphs, as well; vividhaa= divers; ghoraa= pernicious; naanaa mR^iga gaNa aakulaaH= with diverse, predators, packs, tumultuous with; guhaaH ca= caverns, also; kinnaraaNaam aavaasaaH= kinnaraa-s, mansions; gandharva bhavanaani ca= gandharva-s, palaces, as well; santi= are there.

"Here there are unclimbable mountains, glens and glyphs as well. There are divers and pernicious caverns tumultuous with diverse packs of predators, and here are the mansions of kinnaraa-s and palaces of gandharva-s, as well... [3-67-5b, 6]

taani yukto mayaa saardham samanveShitum ar.hhasi |
tvat vidhaa buddhi saMpannaa maahaatmaano nararShabha || 3-67-7
aapat.hsu na prakaMpante vaayu vegaiH iva acalaaH |

7, 8a. [tvam= you]; yuktaH= steadfastly; maya saardham= me, along with; taani sam anveSitum arhasi= them, to thoroughly search, apt of you; nararSabha= oh, best one among men; buddhi sampannaaH= cleverness, those possessed with [literati]; tvat vidhaa= your, sort of; maahaa aatmaanaH= clever souls; vaayu vegaiH= by wind, speed [storms]; a + calaaH= not, fluctuating ones [i.e., mountains]; iva= as with; aapatsu na pra kampante= in calamities, will not, fluctuate.

"It will be apt of you to steadfastly search in them along with me, and oh, best one among men, your sort of literati and clever-souls will be unfluctuating in calamities like the mountains unfluctuating in windstorms..." Lakshmana said so Rama. [3-67-6, 7, 8a]

iti uktaH tat vanam sarvam vicacaara sa lakShmaNaH || 3-67-8
kruddho raamaH sharam ghoram sa.ndhaaya dhanuShi kShuram |

8b, 9a. kruddhaH raamaH= ireful, Rama; iti uktaH= thus, when he is said by Lakshmana; sa lakSmaNaH= along with Lakshmana; dhanuSi= in bow; ghoram= a deadly one; kSuram sharam= razor-sharp / crescent shaped, arrow; sandhaaya= on readying; sarvam tat vanam vicacaara= all, that, forest, he roved.

When Lakshmana said in this way to that ireful Rama, he roved entire forest along with Lakshmana readying a crescent-shaped razor-sharp deadly arrow on his bow. [3-67-8b, 9a]

tataH parvata kuuTa aabham mahaa bhaagam dvija uttamam || 3-67-9
dadarsha patitam bhuumau kShataja aardram jaTaayuSham |

9b, 10a. tataH= then; parvata kuuTa aabham= mountain, top, in gleam [akin]; mahaa bhaagam= best, beatific; dvija uttamam= [among all] birds, best [brave]; bhuumau patitam= onto earth, fallen; kSataja aardram= blood, wet [bloodstained]; jaTaayuSam= at Jataayu; dadarsha= [Rama] beheld.

Then Rama beheld Jataayu who is akin to a mountaintop in his gleam, and a best beatific brave bird among all the birds, but bloodstained and buckling on earth. [3-67-9b, 10a]

tam dR^iShTvaa giri shR^i.nga aabham raamo lakShmaNam abraviit || 3-67-10
anena siitaa vaidehii bhakShitaa na atra saMshayaH |

10b, 11a. giri shR^inga aabham= mountain, top, in gleam; tam dR^iSTvaa= him, on beholding; raamaH lakSmaNam abraviit= Rama, to Lakshmana, said; anena= by him [by this one]; vaidehii siitaa bhakSitaa= Videha king's daughter, Seetha, is gluttonised; atra samshayaH na= in that matter, doubt, is not there.

On beholding him who is like a mountaintop in his gleam, Rama said to Lakshmana, "This one has gluttonised Seetha, the princess from Vaidehi, there is no doubt about it... [3-67-10b, 11a]

Seetha is given to Rama presuming Rama to be a true valiant and befitting husband and the saviour of Seetha, as Rama established his superpower in breaking a non-liftable bow, in any dire situation. But reversed are situations in Aranya as she is likely to be abducted in its early chapters, and really abducted in later chapters. Now Rama has actually not protected Seetha, though capable enough. Leave Rama and Valmiki alone for a while in giving so many epithets to Seetha, can any self-respecting son-in-law, a protective husband, more so, a semi-super power on earth, can possibly face his father-in-law and say smilingly, 'your daughter is lost...' Hence, these 'so many epithets... that too, as Vaidehi, in particular, in this particular Aranya...' have their own meanings and subtexts, which can be known only through commentaries, unlike reading a novel. Ramayana is a dhvani kaavya ' epic with allusions...' and which word has which allusiveness is to be known first, before theorising the craft of Valmiki or the crafty interpolators. 'If the interpolators have interpolated unwittingly, will the Sanskrit grammarians and linguists keep quiet, or wage a war, until it is changed...' is the pursuant exclamation. Hence we appeal to the near extinct species called Sanskrit pundits to record somewhere as which epithet functions in which way.

gR^idhra ruupam idam vyaktam rakSho bhramati kaananam || 3-67-11
bhakShayitvaa vishaalaakShiim aaste siitaam yathaa sukham |
enam vadhiShye diipta agraiH ghoraiH baaNaiH ajihmagaiH || 3-67-12

11b, 12. idam rakSaH= this, demon; gR^idhra ruupam= in eagle's, semblance - assuming; kaananam bhramati= in forest, skulks; vyaktam= apparently; vishaalaakSiim siitaam= wide-eyed, Seetha; bhakSayitvaa= having gluttonised; yathaa sukham= as per, his comfort [comfortably]; aaste= reposing [himself]; diipta agraiH= with blazing, arrowheads; ghoraiH= deadly ones; a +jihma gaiH= not, crisscross, going [shoot off straightly]; baaNaiH= with bolts; enam vadhiSye= him, I eliminate.

"It is apparent that this demon skulks in the forest in the semblance of an eagle, and having gluttonised that wide-eyed Seetha he is now reposing comfortably. I will eliminate him with deadly arrows, whose arrowheads blaze away and which shoot off straightly..." Thus Rama declared. [3-67-11b, 12]

iti uktvaa abhyapatat gR^idhram sandhaaya dhanuShi kShuram |
kruddho raamaH samudra antaam caalayan iva mediniim || 3-67-13

13. raamaH= Rama; iti uktvaa= thus, saying; kruddhaH= ireful one; dhanuSi kSuram sandhaaya= on bow, razor-sharp / crescent shaped arrow, on readying; samudra antaam mediniim caalayan iva= ocean, up to perimeter, [whole of the] earth, to a-treble, as though; gR^idhram= to eagle; abhyapatat [abhi aa patat= towards, come, and fallen]= rushed towards.

On saying thus and on readying a crescent-shaped razor-sharp deadly arrow on his bow, that ireful Rama rushed towards the eagle, as though to a-tremble the whole of the earth that which is within the perimeter of oceans. [3-67-13]

tam diina diinayaa vaacaa sa phenam rudhiram vaman |
abhyabhaaShata pakShii tu raamam dasharatha aatmajam || 3-67-14

14. pakSii tu= bird, on its part; sa phenam rudhiram vaman= with, frothy, blood, spewing up; diina= pathetically; tam dasharatha aatmajam raamam= to him, to Dasharatha's, son, to Rama; diinayaa vaacaa= in a pathetic, tone; abhyabhaaSata= uttered [appealed.]

But that bird spewing up frothy blood pathetically appealed to such an ireful son of Dasharatha, namely Rama, in a pathetic tone. [3-67-14]

Jataayu is firstly recollecting his friend Dasharatha on his deathbed, then he recounts this Rama as that Dasharatha's son, and hence, the epithet to Rama is non-non-essential.

yaam oShadhim iva aayuShman anveShasi mahaa vane |
saa devii mama ca praaNaa raavaNena ubhayam hR^itam || 3-67-15

15. aayuSman= oh, boy, blest is your eternality - oh, Rama; yam= whom; mahaa vane oSadhim iva anveSasi= in vast, of forest, herb, as with, you are searching; saa devii= she, that lady; mama praaNaa ca= my, lives, too; ubhayam= both; raavaNena hR^itam= by Ravana, stolen.

"Oh, boy Rama, blest is your eternality, for whom you are searching as with the search of a rejuvenescent herb in the vast of forest, Ravana stole that lady and my lives, too... [3-67-15]

tvayaa virahitaa devii lakShmaNena ca raaghava |
hriyamaaNaa mayaa dR^iShTaa raavaNena baliiyasaa || 3-67-16

16. Raaghava= oh, Raghava; tvayaa=with you; lakSmaNena ca= with Lakshmana, as well; virahitaa= without, absented; devii= lady - Seetha; baliiyasaa raavaNena hriyamaaNaa= by brute-forced, by Ravana, while being stolen; mayaa dR^iSTaa= by me, seen.

"I have seen that lady while being stolen by brute-forced Ravana when you and even Lakshmana absented from her... [3-67-16]

siitaam abhyavapanno aham raavaNaH ca raNe mayaa |
vidhva.nsita rathaH ca atra paatito dharaNii tale || 3-67-17

17. aham= I; siitaam= for Seetha; abhyavapannaH [abhi ava pad= towards, nearly, got at to rescue]= outreached to rescue; raNe= in combat; maya= by me; raavaNaH ca= Ravana, also; vidhvansita rathaH ca= [Ravana is rendered as one with a] utterly, battered, chariot, also; atra dharaNii tale paatitaH= there, on earth's, surface, felled [him and that chariot.]

"I outreached to rescue Seetha... and in a combat Ravana is rendered as one with utterly battered chariot... and I felled him and that chariot there... onto earth's surface... [3-67-17]

Some mms use Chatram 'parasol...' for the word atra for 'there...' and prabho 'oh, lord...' for mayaa 'by me...'

etat asya dhanuH bhagnam etat asya sharaavaram |
ayam asya raNe raama bhagnaH saaMgraamiko rathaH || 3-67-18

18. raama= oh, Rama; etat asya bhagnam dhanuH= this one is, his, fragmented, bow; etat asya sharaavaram= this one, his, armour; ayam= this one is; asya= his; raNe= in combat; bhagnaH= shattered [by me]; saangraamikaH rathaH= combatant's / used in combats, chariot.

"This one is his fragmented bow and this is his fragmented armour... oh, Rama, this is his combat-chariot... which, in combat shattered by me... [3-67-18]

Some mms use prabho 'oh, lord...' for etat and sharaaH tathaa 'arrows like that' for sharaavaram 'armour...'

ayam tu saarathiH tasya mat paksha nihato bhuviH |
parishraantasya me pakShau chhittvaa khaDgena raavaNaH || 3-67-19
siitaam aadaaya vaidehiim utpapaata vihaayasam |
rakShasaa nihatam puurvam na maam hantum tvam ar.hhasi || 3-67-20

19. ayam tu= he is, on his part; bhuviH= on earth; mat paksha nihataH= by my, wings, drop dead; tasya saarathiH= his, charioteer; raavaNaH= Ravana; parishraantasya= overtired [such I was]; me pakSau khaDgena Chittvaa= my, two wings, with sword, on gashing; vaidehiim siitaam aadaaya= of Videha, Seetha, on taking; vihaayasam= on skies; utpapaata= fallen in a trice; rakSasaa puurvam nihatam= by demon, earlier [already,] killed; maam= me; tvam hantum na arhasi= to you, to kill, not, apt of you.

"This is his charioteer drop dead onto earth by my wings... when I am overtired Ravana gashed my wings and flew skyward taking Seetha of Videha kingdom with him, and it will be inapt of you to kill me who am already killed by the demon..." Thus Jataayu appealed to Rama. [3-67-19, 20]

raamaH tasya tu viGYaaya siitaa saktaam priyaam kathaam |
gR^idhra raajam pariShvajya parityajya mahat dhanuH || 3-67-21

21. raamaH= Rama; tasya= of his - from him; siitaa saktaam= Seetha, concerning to; priyaam kathaam= desirable, narration - news; vij~naaya= came to know; parityajya mahat dhanuH= jettisoned, forceful, bow; gR^idhra raajam pariSvajya= eagle, kingly, on hugging.

Rama jettisoned his forceful bow when he heard the much desired news about Seetha while hugging that kingly eagle Jataayu. [3-67-21]

nipapaata avasho bhuumau ruroda saha lakshmaNa |
dviguNiikR^ita taapa aarto raamo dhiirataro api san || 3-67-22

22. raamaH= Rama; dhiira taraH= bold [person,] higher in degree [comparatively bold person]; api san= even though, he is; a +vashaH= without, control [involuntarily]; bhuumau= on earth; nipapaata= fell down; saha lakshmaNa ruroda= along with, Lakshmana, wept over [the fate of Jataayu]; dvi guNii kR^ita taapa aartaH= two, fold, made as [doubled,] he is scorched, by anguish.

Even though Rama is comparatively a bold person he involuntarily fell down to ground, as the onefold scorch of anguish for Seetha is doubled by this predicament of Jataayu, and he wept over Jataayu. [3-67-22]

Rama's weeping is real or unreal, is a haunted notion for commentators. Here also he is weeping over. For this Maheshvara Tiirtha says that he weeps and bewails when his adherents are ill at ease. In Ayodhya vyasaneÿu manuÿy˜õ˜Õ bh®þaÕ bhavati du×khita× || utsaveÿu ca sarveÿu piteva parituÿyati | 2-2-40 'Rama feels very sad towards afflictions of men, and feels delighted in all functions celebrated by people on the occasions of child birth and the like, just as their own father does...' So, it must be true in respect of Seetha, even. This is agreeable to Govindaraja, too.

ekam eka ayane kR^icchhre niHshvasantam muhur muhuH |
samiikShya duHkhito raamaH saumitrim idam abraviit || 3-67-23

23. kR^icChre= [single] strait [supine on pathway]; eka ayane= for single [person,] passable - on pathway; ekam= singly; muhuH muhuH niHshvasantam= again, again [for several times,] suspiring [Jataayu]; samiikSya= on seeing; raamaH duHkhitaH= Rama, became anguished; saumitrim idam abraviit= to Soumitri, this, spoke.

Jataayu is supine on a single-strait passable for a single-person and he is suspiring for several times, and on seeing such Jataayu Rama became anguished and spoke this to Soumitri. [3-67-23]

Here the words ekaayane kR^irChre may mean differently. kR^iChre 'difficultly...' ekaayane 'one-way breathing, breathing in, inhaling difficultly...' and this way of juxtaposing words, 'Jataayu is struggling for a breath...' would mean more near to the scene, than a single-strait, or a narrow pathway, which are not uncommon in forests.

raajyam bhraShTam vane vaasaH siitaa naShTaa mR^ite dvijaH |
iidR^ishii iyam mama alakShmiiH dahet api paavakam || 3-67-24

24. raajyam bhraSTam= kingdom, forfeited - misfired; vane vaasaH= in forest, resided [misplaced]; siitaa naSTaa= Seetha, lost [mislaid]; mR^ite dvijaH= [mischance of] death, to bird - or, dvijo hataH= bird, is killed; iidR^ishii iyam= this kind of, this; mama a+ lakSmiiH= my, mis, fortune; paavakam api dahet= Agni, Fire-god - Divine-Incinerator, even, incinerates.

"Mislaid is my kingdom and I am mislocated into forests, Seetha is misplaced and now this mischance of death on this bird... this kind of misfortune of mine incinerates even Agni, the Divine-Incinerator... [3-67-24]

saMpuurNam api cet adya pratareyam mahodadhim |
so api nuunam mama alakShmyaa vishuShyet saritaam patiH || 3-67-25

25. adya= now; sampuurNam mahaa udadhim api= plethoric, limitless, ocean, even; pra tareyam cet= sincerely, to take a swim [for the shore of blissfulness,] if - or, pravisheyam cet= I were to enter, if; saH saritaam patiH api= that, rivers, lord, even; mama= owing to my; a+ lakSmyaa= mis, fortune; vi shuSyet= completely, runs dry; nuunam= definitely.

"Even if it were to be a plethoric and limitless ocean, and now if I were to enter it, or take a swim to the other shore of blissfulness, even that Lord of Rivers runs completely dry, owing to my misfortune, it is definite... [3-67-25]

na asti abhaagyataro loke matto asmin sa caraacare |
yena iyam mahatii praaptaa mayaa vyasana vaaguraa || 3-67-26

26. yena= by whom [me]; maya= [suchlike] me; iyam mahatii= this, great [complicated]; vyasana vaaguraa= catastrophic, enmeshment; praaptaa= chanced; mattaH= than me; abhaagyataraH [a bhaagya taraH= un, fortunate, comparatively higher - greater unfortunate being; sa cara acare= [even if] put together, mobile, sessile [all beings]; asmin= in this; loke= in world; na asti= not, is there.

"There will not be any greater unfortunate being in this world than me, even if all the sessile and mobile beings are put together, by whom such a complicated catastrophic enmeshment as this is derived... [3-67-26]

ayam pitR^i vayasyo me gR^idhra raajo jaraa anvitaH |
shete vinihato bhuumau mama bhaagya viparyayaat || 3-67-27

27. me pitR^i vayasyaH= my, father's, friend; jaraa anvitaH= decrepitude, having; ayam gR^idhra rajah= this, eagle, king; mama bhaagya= [owing to] my, fortune's; viparyayaat= owing to counteraction; vi nihataH= terminally gashed; bhuumau shete= on floor, he is recumbent.

"This decrepit kingly eagle is the friend of my father who is terminally gashed and recumbent on the floor owing only to the backlash of my fortune..." So lamented Rama for the wounded eagle Jataayu. [3-67-27]

Some mms use the word mahaa balaH 'great mighty' eagle king, while others use jaraanvita 'old aged, decrepit...' for a pathetic touch.

iti evam uktvaa bahusho raaghavaH saha lakShmaNaH |
jaTaayuSham ca pasparsha pitR^i sneham nidarshayan || 3-67-28

28. raaghavaH= Raghava; iti evam bahushaH uktvaa= thus, in that way, in many ways, saying - lamenting; saha lakSmaNaH= with, Lakshmana; pitR^i sneham nidarshayan= parental, regard, instancing; jaTaayuSam pasparsha= Jataayu is, also, patted [on body.]

Thus, lamenting in that way for many times Raghava patted the body of Jataayu along with Lakshmana instancing his parental regard. [3-67-28]

nikR^itta pakSham rudhira avasiktam
tam gR^idhra raajam parirabhya raamaH |
kva maithili praaNa samaa mama iti
vimucya vaacam nipapaata bhuumau || 3-67-29

29. raamaH= Rama; nikR^itta pakSam= one with hacked off, wings; rudhira avasiktam= with blood, sopped; tam gR^idhra raajam= him, eagle, king; parirabhya= on hugging; mama praaNa samaa= to my, lives, equal; Maithili kva= Maithili, where is; iti vaacam vimucya= thus, words, on releasing - uttering this mcuh; bhuumau nipapaata= onto earth, he fell down.

On hugging that kingly eagle whose wings are hacked off and who is bloodstained, and on uttering this much, "she who is identical with my lives,... where is that Maithili..." Rama collapsed to earth. [3-67-29]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe sapta ShaShTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 67th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 68

Introduction

Jataayu names Ravana as the abductor of Seetha while breathing his last. Though he struggles hard to say what all has happened, the Time called death takes him away, at such a time when the important information is about to be said to Rama. Receiving that much information at least, Rama consigns Jataayu to funeral fire, like his own relative and performs other rites, and then proceeds for searching Seetha

raamaH prekSya tu tam gR^idhram bhuvi raudreNa paatitam |
saumitrim mitra sa.mpannam idam vacanam abraviit || 3-68-1

1. raudreNa= by atrocious - Ravana; bhuvi paatitam= on ground, felled by; tam gR^idhram prekSya= at that, eagle, on seeing; raamaH tu= Rama, on his part; mitra sampannam saumitrim= friendly, asset - who has the assets of companionability,] to Soumitri; idam vacanam abraviit= this, sentence, said.

Rama on seeing that eagle felled to ground by the atrocious Ravana, said this sentence to Soumitri who is an asset for good companionability. [3-68-1]

mama ayam nuunam artheSu yatamaano viha.ngamaH |
raakSasena hataH sa.nkhye praaNaan tyajati mat kR^ite || 3-68-2

2. mama artheSu= in my respect, concerning himself - took trouble for me; yatamaanaH= while trying; ayam vihan gamaH= this, sky goer [bird]; sankhye raakSasena hataH= in combat, by demon, assaulted; mat kR^ite= to me, owing to; [duH tyaje= impossible to cast off - lives]; praaNaan tyajati= lives, leaves; nuunam= definitely.

"While this bird is venturing in my concern the demon felled him in combat and he is leaving off his lives owing to me, definitely... [3-68-2]

ati khinnaH shariire asmin praaNo lakSmaNa vidyate |
tathaa svara vihiino ayam viklavam samudiikSate || 3-68-3

3. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; [asya= his]; asmin shariire= in this, body; praaNaH ati khinnaH vidyate= lives, are very feeblish, they appear - obviously; tathaa hi= it is natural, isn't it; ayam= he is; svara vi hiinaH= his voice, very, dull; vi klavam= highly anguish [in his looks]; samudiikSate [sam ut iikshat]= he is being seen by us - he appears.

"Obviously, lives in his body are very feeble, oh, Lakshmana, it is natural, isn't it, and he looks highly anguished with a dulled voice..." Thus on saying to Lakshmana, Rama then spoke to Jataayu. [3-68-3]

jaTaayo yadi shaknoSi vaakyam vyaaharitum punaH |
siitaam aakhyaahi bhadram te vadham aakhyaahi ca aatmanaH || 3-68-4

4. jaTaayoH= oh, Jataayu; punaH vaakyam vyaaharitum shaknoSi yadi= again [further,] sentence, to speak, you are able to, if; te bhadram= to you, let safe betide; siitaam aakhyaahi= about Seetha, relate; aatmanaH vadham aakhyaahi ca= your, about murder, you relate, too.

"Oh, Jataayu, if you are in fine fettle to further reiterate words, relate about Seetha, let safe betide you, and recount how you are murdered, too... [3-68-4]

kim nimitto jahaara aaryaam raavaNaH tasya kim mayaa |
aparaadham tu yam dR^iSTvaa raavaNena hR^itaa priyaa || 3-68-5

5. raavaNaH= Ravana; kim nimittaH= for what, reason; aaryaam jahaara= noblewoman, he abducted; maya tasya kim aparaadham tu= by me, towards him [in his respect,] what, wrong is committed; yam dR^iSTvaa= which, keeping in view; priyaa raavaNena hR^itaa= my ladylove, by Ravana, is stolen.

"What is the reason for Ravana in stealing that noblewoman, and even what is the wrong I have committed in his respect, keeping which in view that Ravana stole my ladylove... [3-68-5]

katham tat candra sa.nkaasham mukham aasiit manoharam |
siitayaa kaani ca uktaani tasmin kaale dvijottama || 3-68-6

6. dvijottama= oh, bird, the best; tasmin kale= in that, time - of abduction; candra sankaasham= moon, similar; mano haram= heart-stealing one [face]; tat mukham= that, face - of Seetha; katham aasiit= how, it was - when abducted; siitayaa= of Seetha; kaani uktaani= what are [words,] uttered.

"How was that moon similar heart-stealing face of hers at that time of abduction, oh, best bird, and even what are the words she uttered when being abducted... [3-68-6]

katham viiryaH katham ruupaH kim karmaa sa ca raakSasaH |
kva ca asya bhavanam taata bruuhi me paripR^icChataH || 3-68-7

7. saH raakSasaH= he, that demon; katham viiryaH= what is, his stamina; katham ruupaH= what is, his form; kim karma= what are, his actions [strategies]; asya bhavanam kva ca= his, residence [stronghold,] where is it, also; taata= oh, sire; paripR^icChataH= the enquirer [eager to know, inquisitively]; me bruuhi= to me, you tell.

"What is his stamina of that demon? What is his form? And what are his strategies? And where is his stronghold? Oh, sire, tell me while I ask you inquisitively..." Rama urged Jataayu thus for information. [3-68-7]

tam udviikSya saH dharmaatmaa vilapantam anaathavat |
vaacaa viklavayaa raamam idam vacanam abraviit || 3-68-8

8. dharmaatmaa saH= virtue souled [warm-hearted,] he that Jataayu; anaathavat vilapantam= orphan-like, one who is waling; tam udviikSya= him [at Rama,] seeing up [rolling up his eyes]; viklavayaa vaacaa= with a fluttery, voice; raamam idam vacanam abraviit= to Rama, this, sentence, said.

Then that warm-hearted Jataayu with his eyes rolling upwards saw Rama and with a fluttery voice said this sentence to Rama who is wailing like an orphan. [3-68-8]

saa hR^itaa raakSasendreNa raavaNena duraatmanaa |
maayaam aasthaaya vipulaam vaata dur.hdina sa.nkulaam || 3-68-9

9. saa= she is; dur aatmanaa= by evil minded [flagitious] one; raakSasa indreNa raavaNena= demons, chief, by Ravana; vaata= windstorm; dur dina= bad, day [cloud cover]; sankulaam= tumultuous one [on creating]; vipulaam maayaam aasthaaya= immense, maya [illusionistic devices,] resorting to; hR^itaa= is abducted.

"Resorting to his illusionistic devices like creating an immense and tumultuous windstorm and cloud-cover, the flagitious chief of demons Ravana abducted Seetha... [3-68-9]

Annex: 'he created such illusion only to render me unsteady in my flight combat... and for his escape in the dark of the day...'

pariklaa.ntasya me taata pakSau chittvaa nishaacaraH |
siitaam aadaaya vaidehiim prayaato dakSiNaa mukhaH || 3-68-10

10. taata= oh, dear boy; nishaacaraH= night-walker; pari klaantasya= over, tired; me pakSau chittvaa= my, two wings, on hacking; vaidehiim siitaam aadaaya= the princess from Videha, Seetha, on taking; dakSiNaa mukhaH= south, faced [southward; pra yaataH= went away.

"That night walker hacked both my wings when I was overtired, and went southward taking the princess of Videha, Seetha, along with him... [3-68-10]

uparudhyanti me praaNaa dR^iSTir bhramati raaghava |
pashyaami vR^ikSaan sauvarNaan ushiira kR^ita muurdhajaan || 3-68-11

11. Raaghava= oh, Raghava; me praaNaa uparudhyanti= my, lives, are being obstructed - stifling; dR^iSTiH bhramati= sight, is spinning; ushiira kR^ita muurdhajaan= cuscus grass, made, as their head-hair - treetops; sauvarNaan vR^ikSaan pashyaami= golden, trees, I am seeing.

"My sight is spinning and my lives are stifled, oh, Raghava, I am now seeing golden trees with cuscus grass as their treetops... [3-68-11]

The cuscus grass is the aromatic fibrous root of an Indian grass, Vetiveria zizanaoides, used for making fans, screens, etc., Urdu kaskas. This odd combination of trees of gold, instead of wood, and grass instead of leaves, is an omen of death.

yena yaati muhuurtena siitaam aadaaya raavaNaH |
vipranaSTam dhanam kSipram tat svaami pratipadyate || 3-68-12
vindo naama muhuurto asau sa ca kaakutstha na abudhat |

12, 13a. kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha; raavaNaH= Ravana; yena muhuurtena= by which - in which, spell of time [of the day]; siitaam aadaaya yaati== Seetha, on taking away, while going - has gone; asau vindaH naama muhuurtaH= that one is, Vinda, named, spell of time; vi pra naSTam dhanam= very, utterly, lost, riches - even if riches are completely lost in that spell; tat svaamii == its, [original] possessor; kSipram= very quickly; prati padyate= return, possesses - repossesses; saH ca= he that Ravana, even; na abudhat= not, aware [unmindful of it.]

"In which spell of time Ravana has gone taking away Seetha, that spell is named as Vinda... if any riches are lost during that spell, the original possessor of those riches will repossess them very quickly... oh, Kakutstha, he that Ravana is unmindful of that fact and stole Seetha only to loose her... [3-68-12, 13a]

The daytime has fifteen spells of time that have their own effects on humans. The fifteen are: raudra× sveta× maitra× ca tath˜ s˜rabha÷a× sm®ta× | s˜vitro vaiþvadeva× ca g˜ndharva kutapa× tath˜ | rauhiõa× tilaka caiva vijato nai®iti× tath˜ | þambaro v˜ruõa× ca eva bhaga× pañca daþa sm®ta× || and the Vijaya said above is also called as 'Vinda,' the eleventh spell of the day. bindo n˜ma bindu gulika× | tasmin samaye ˜rabdham k˜ryam kartu× viparŸtem bhavati iti s¨citam | tath˜ ca - utpala parimale gau¹Ÿ prakaraõe - manvarka digdantiras˜bdhi netr˜ s¨ryasya v˜ra ˜di viÿ˜ muh¨rt˜× | gargamarendr˜di munŸdr˜dib®ndai× te nindit˜× karmasu bindasañjñ˜× || - iti - dk Any action initiated in this spell of the day entails adverse effects, in so far as that aim and action of the initiator. Ravana, though an eminent astrologer, and though he is said to have written an astrological treatise called raavaNa samhita, did not care about it.

tvat priyaam jaanakiim hR^itvaa raavaNo raakshaseshvara |
jhaSavat baDisham gR^ihya kSipram eva vinashyati || 3-68-13

13b, c. raakshasa iishvaraH raavaNaH= demons, chief, Ravana; tvat priyaam jaanakiim hR^itvaa= your, ladylove, Janaki, on stealing; baDisham gR^ihya jhaSa vat= baited hook, on catching [ on swallowing,] fish, as with; kSipram eva vinashyati= shortly, only, utterly ruins himself.

"On stealing your ladylove Janaki, that chief of demons, Ravana, will ruin himself, as with a fish which swallows a baited fishhook... [3-68-13b, c]

na ca tvayaa vyathaa kaaryaa janakasya sutaam prati |
vaidehyaa ra.msyase kSipram hatvaa tam raNamuur.hdhani || 3-68-14

14. tvayaa= by you; janakasya sutaam prati= king Janaka's, daughter, towards; vyathaa na kaaryaa= anguishing, not, to be done; raNa muurdhani= in war, in vanguard of; tam kSipram= hatvaa= him [Ravana,] in no time, on killing; vaidehyaa ramsyase= with Vaidehi, you will delight.

"Impractical is your anguishing for the daughter of Janaka, as you will delight yourself with Vaidehi in no time, on killing that Ravana in the vanguard of a war..." Thus saying Jataayu paused for a while. [3-68-14]

asa.mmuuDhasya gR^idhrasya raamam prati anubhaaSataH |
aasyaat susraava rudhiram mriyamaaNasya sa amiSam || 3-68-15

15. raamam prati anubhaaSataH= to Rama, towards, who is speaking on; a +sam muuDhasya= not, together with, mindlessness [mind not yet inert, with an alert mind]; mriyamaaNasya= who is about to die; gR^idhrasya= of eagle; aasyaat= from mouth; sa amiSam= with, flesh [shreds]; rudhiram= blood; su sraava= freely flowed.

Though Jataayu is speaking on to Rama with an alert mind, blood freely flowed from his mouth with shreds of flesh as death verged on him, even then he struggled to say. [3-68-15]

putro vishravasaH saakSaat bhraataa vaishravaNasya ca |
iti uktvaa durlabhaan praaNaan mumoca patageshvaraH || 3-68-16

16. [That demon is]; vishravasaH putraH= of Vishravasa, son; vaishravaNasya saakSaat bhraataa= of Vaishravana [Kubera,] manifestly [literally,] brother; iti uktvaa= thus, on saying; pataga iishvaraH= birds, lord of; dur labhaan= impossible, to get [unobtainable for oneself]; praaNaan= lives; mumoca= released.

"That demon is the son of Vishravasa... literally... the brother of Kubera..." on saying thus, that lord of birds released his lives, which are unobtainable for oneself. [3-68-16]

Information about Ravana is given here in the first stanza of the verse, in a half-way-through manner. And the character of Jataayu itself is evanished by a jump cut of the couplet, only to be filled by his brother Sampaati in the later parts of Kishkindha Kanda. In between these two stanzas of one verse, where one brother says one stanza, the other by another, the episodes of Kishkindha come to take part. The second foot just contains the name of Lanka where Ravana dwells. But it is not said here for dramatic effect and for the flow of epic through its own course. Further, Jataayu is not 'dead' but he released his lives. And he is safeguarding his lives so far, only to tell Rama. For this Skanda Puraana says that Seetha blesses Jataayu to live until Rama comes to him, and listens form Jataayu. But she did not stipulate as to how much Rama has to listen or how much Jataayu has to report. devŸ m˜Õ pr˜ha× r˜jendra y˜vat sambh˜ÿaõam mama | bhavata× t˜vat ˜san me pr˜õ˜ iti ˜ha j˜nakŸ || Maheshvara Tiirtha. So, the bird called life flew away for bird Jataayu...

bruuhi bruuhi iti raamasya bruvaaNasya kR^itaa.njaleH |
tyaktvaa shariiram gR^idhrasya jagmuH praaNaa vihaayasam || 3-68-17

17. kR^itaanjaleH raamasya= one with palm-fold, of Rama [before= very eyes of Rama]; bruuhi bruuhi iti bruvaaNasya= tell, tell, thus, one who is still speaking; gR^idhrasya praaNaaH= eagle's, lives; shariiram tyaktvaa= body, on leaving; vihaayasam= to sky - into thin air; jagmuH= went away.

But the lives of Jataayu departing from his body went into thin air before the very eyes of Rama who is still speaking to him with folded-palms, "tell... tell more..." [3-68-17]

sa nikSipya shiro bhuumau prasaarya caraNau tadaa |
vikSipya ca shariiram svam papaata dharaNii tale || 3-68-18

18. saH= he [Jataayu]; tadaa= then; shiraH bhuumau nikSipya= head, on ground, placing [flopped down]; caraNau prasaarya= feet - legs, on sprawling; svam shariiram dharaNii tale= his own, body, on earth's, surface; vi kSipya= jerkily, writhing; papaata= collapsed.

Jataayu flopped his head on earth, sprawled his feet on ground, and then his body collapsed onto the surface of earth writhing jerkily. [3-68-18]

tam gR^idhram prekSya taamra akSam gata asum acalopamam |
raamaH su bahubhiH duhkhaiH diinaH saumitrim abraviit || 3-68-19

19. su bahubhiH duhkhaiH= with - very, many, sorrows [mishaps]; diinaH= desolate one [worsened one]; raamaH= Rama; taamra akSam= reddened, eyed one [eyes bloodshot- Jataayu]; gata asum= gone, lives; acala upamam= mountain, similar; tam gR^idhram prekSya= him, eagle, on seeing; saumitrim [idam ]abraviit= to Soumitri, [this way] said.

He who is worsened by very many mishaps that Rama, on seeing the mountainous eagle whose eyes are bloodshot and whose lives have gone, said this way to Soumitri... [3-68-19]

bahuuni rakSasaam vaase varSaaNi vasataa sukham |
anena daNDakaaraNye vishiirNam iha pakSiNaa || 3-68-20

20. rakSasaam vase= for demons, a habitat; daNDakaaraNye= in Dandaka forest; sukham bahuuni varSaaNi vasataa= happily [fearlessly,] many, for years together, while living; anena pakSiNaa= by this, bird; [ellipt. mat kR^ite= because of me]; vishiirNam= wilted [to death.]

"This bird which for years together lived fearlessly in Dandaka forest, a habitat of demons, that bird wilted to death, because of me... [3-68-20]

aneka vaarSiko yaH tu cira kaala samutthitaH |
so ayam adya hataH shete kaalo hi dur.hatikramaH || 3-68-21

21. an eka= not, one [many]; vaarSikaH= years [of age, though having, longevity]; yaH= which - Jataayu; cira kaala samutthitaH= for a long, time, strived actively; saH ayam adya= such as he was, he is, now; hataH shete= killed, prostrating; [ellipt. mat kR^ite= because of me]; kaalaH hi= time, indeed; dur ati kramaH= impossible, to over, step [infringe.]

"He who has longevity over many years, who actively strived for a long for rectitude, he is now killed and prostrating before the Time, because of me... alas... it is indeed impossible to infringe the Time... [3-68-21]

pashya lakSmaNa gR^idhro ayam upakaarii hataH ca me |
siitaam abhyavapanno hi raavaNena baliiyasaa || 3-68-22

22. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; siitaam= to Seetha; abhyavapannaH [abhi ava pannaH]= who went [dashed] to rescue; me upakaarii= to me, who rendered help; ayam gR^idhraH= this, eagle; [ellipt. mat kR^ite= because of me]; baliiyasaa raavaNena hataH= brute-forced, by Ravana, is slain; pashya= you see.

"Lakshmana, this eagle which has dashed to rescue Seetha in order to render help to me is slain by that brute-forced Ravana, only because of me, you see... [3-68-22]

gR^idhra raajyam parityajya pitR^i paitaamaham mahat |
mama hetoH ayam praaNaan mumoca patageshvaraH || 3-68-23

23. ayam patageshvaraH= this, birds, lord; pitR^i paitaamaham= of father, forefathers; mahat gR^idhra raajyam= great, eagle's, empire; parityajya= on abandoning; mama hetoH= for my, sake - on my account; praaNaan mumoca= lives, released [abandoned.]

"On abandoning great empire of eagles belonging to his father and forefathers this lord of bird has now abandoned his lives too, only for my sake... [3-68-23]

sarvatra khalu dR^ishyante saadhavo dharma caariNaH |
shuuraaH sharaNyaaH saumitre tiryak yoni gateSu api || 3-68-24

24. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; shuuraaH= valiant ones; sharaNyaaH= shelterers; dharma caariNaH= probity, followers of; saadhavaH= principled ones; sarvatra= everywhere [universally]; tiryak yoni gateSu api= in avian and bestial, uterine, having gone in, even in; dR^ishyante khalu= are noticeable, really.

"Universally noticeable are the protective, prepotent, principled ones that are the followers of probity, oh, Soumitri, even though their births are avian or bestial... [3-68-24]

siitaa haraNaja.m duHkham na me saumya tathaa gatam |
yathaa vinaasho gR^idhrasya mat kR^ite ca para.ntapa || 3-68-25

25. parantapa= oh, enemy-inflamer; saumya= oh, gentle one - Lakshmana; gR^idhrasya vinaashaH= in perish, of eagle - compared to the perish of eagle; mat kR^ite= by me, done [because of me]; ca= too [that too]; yathaa= as to how; me= to me; siitaa haraNa jam duHkham= Seetha, by abduction, caused, anguish; tathaa gatam= thus, obtained [or, tathaa vidham= that, kind of - that much]; na= it is not.

"To me, oh, enemy-inflamer, oh, gentle Lakshmana, anguish caused by Seetha's abduction is not that much, when compared with the anguish caused by the perish of this eagle, that too, because of me... [3-68-25]

raajaa dasharathaH shriimaan yathaa mama mayaa yashaaH |
puujaniiyaH ca maanyaH ca tathaa ayam patageshvaraH || 3-68-26

26. mahaayashaaH= highly renowned [Dasharatha]; shriimaan raajaa dasharathaH= celebrated, king, Dasharatha; mama= to me; yathaa= as to how - he is; puujaniiyaH= venerable; maanyaH ca= honourable, also; tathaa= likewise; ayam patageshvaraH= this, birds', lord.

"As to how the celebrated and highly renowned king Dasharatha is venerable and honourable for me, likewise this lord of birds is also a venerable and honourable one to me... [3-68-26]

saumitre hara kaaSThaani nir.hmathiSyaami paavakam |
gR^idhra raajam didhakSaami mat kR^ite nidhanam gatam || 3-68-27

27. saumitre kaaSThaani hara= oh, Soumitri, firewood, get; paavakam nirmathiSyaami= fire, churn out [produce by friction]; mat kR^ite= me, because of; nidhanam gatam= expiry, went into [expired]; gR^idhra raajam didhakSaami= eagle's, lord, I wish to incinerate - cremate.

"Oh, Soumitri, get the firewood and I will produce fire by friction of two sticks, as I wish to cremate this lord of birds who expired because of me... [3-68-27]

The fire produced in ritual acts is called araNi where a small concavity is made on one stick, and a pointed end to the other, and this pointed end is rubbed in churning mode in the concavity of the other stick, and then both the dry wood-sticks give out a small fire, which then is taken on cotton, to lit a huge pyre.

naatham pataga lokasya citaam aaropayaami aham |
imam dhakSyaami saumitre hatam raudreNa rakSasaa || 3-68-28

28. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; aham= I; raudreNa rakSasaa hatam= by feral, demon, killed; imam= this one; pataga lokasya naatham= birds, of realm, lord of; citaam aaropayaami dhakSyaami= onto pyre, mounting, I will incinerate.

"Oh, Soumitri, I will mount this lord of realm of birds onto the pyre and cremate him who is killed by a feral demon..." Thus saying to Lakshmana, Rama said this to dead eagle Jataayu. [3-68-28]

yaa gatiH yaj~na shiilaanaam aahita agneH ca yaa gatiH |
a para aavartinaam yaa ca yaa ca bhuumi pradaayinaam || 3-68-29
mayaa tvam samanuj~naato gacCha lokaan anuttamaan |
gR^idhra raaja mahaa sattva sa.nskR^itaH ca mayaa vraja || 3-68-30

29, 30. mahaa sattva gR^idhra raja= oh, great, mighty, eagle, king; mayaa= by me; sam anuj~naataH= aptly, consented to; tvam= you; yaj~na shiilaanaam for Vedic-rituals, virtuosos [where virtuoso is a person with a special knowledge of or taste for works of art or virtu, and where virtu is the usu. moral worth inherent in a person or thing]; yaa gatiH= which, worlds, [destined]; a +para aavartinaam= not, return, comers [to sanyasi-s, loners, anchorites in forests, or, those that do not retreat in combats]; yaa ca= which, is also - the course / worlds; bhuumi pradaayinaam yaa ca= to land, donors, which, also - is the course / worlds; aahita agneH [= to those who practices amid five Ritual-fires; yaa gatiH= which, is also - the course / worlds; that course / to those worlds; gacCha= you go; mayaa sanskR^itaH= by me, ritually cremated; an+uttamaan lokaan vraja= to un, excelled, worlds, you go.

"Oh, greatly mighty king of eagles, by me cremated ritually and by me aptly consented to, you depart to the unexcelled heavenly worlds... you depart to those worlds that are destined for the virtuosos of Vedic-rituals, and to those worlds that are destined for the practisers of ascesis amid Five-Ritual-fires, and to those that are destined for un-retreating combatants, and to those worlds that destined for the donors of lands..." So said Rama to the departed Jataayu. [3-68-29, 30]

 

Comment: [Font size can be enhanced under View menu] 'When a Vedic-ritual is performed the resultant factor is undoubtedly puNya 'merit' for those, yaj~naaH shiilam sadvR^ittam yeSaam te and the worlds yaa gatiH gamyata iti gatiH - lokaH. And this is different to that of practising ascesis amid Five-Fires. ahita agne, ahitaaH paristhaapitaaH agnayaH yaH pancaagnayoH yasya saH... 'But animals or birds have no faculty to perform those rituals and they have their own course of lifecycle after their demise. Then where is the question of a bird going to heaven, which heaven is scheduled to some specialists...' is the objection. But Jataayu acquired all those 'merits' when he combated without any retreat a paraa vartinaam and he is getting a short cut without undergoing too many other kinds of births, and he is given mukti 'emancipation' from lifecycles, for his action on behalf of a godlike Rama is justifiable and befitting to get a final release, by word of Rama by me cremated ritually and by me aptly consented to... where He alone can transcend the manmade rules.

'Then the cremation, that too ritualistic one, is unavailable for birds and animals, how then can Rama perform funerals for birds, or get them performed for monkeys, as in the case of Vali...' For this it is said, 'that's why Rama had to cremate Jataayu and further said by me cremated ritually and by me aptly consented to... as sort of special sanction of mukti, because the animality has no authority in scriptures or its rites. Taking some action, endeavouring to protect dharma, or obstructing a dharma, itself is superior to mere reverencing a god, or performing a daily rot of yaj~na, yaaga-s,, etc., which in itself is a subjective performance. Here Jataayu did not attack Ravana keeping Rama or Seetha in view, but attacked Ravana only to play his part in stalling a dharma, which is not that easy, like purchasing some temple tickets to perform some ritual, for and on behalf of ticket holders and their families. For this it is said in nR^simha puraaNa says that mat k®te nidhan yasm˜t tvay˜ pr˜pt˜ tam dvijottama | tasm˜t mama pras˜dena viÿõu lokam av˜pyasi || 'because of me you attained your demise, thereby you get the realms of Vishnu...' where 'because of me' is to be taken not as an individual godhood, but as dharma, 'because of dharma...' itself. Hence the special sanctions to Jataayu, where such sanctions are absent in the case of Vali, as he followed the course of a dharma and there are many scripts that say Rama gave this emancipation to Jataayu, in chorus uv˜ca gaccha bhadram te mama viÿõo paramam padam - ˜dhy˜tma r˜m˜yana - r˜ghavasya pras˜dena sa g®dhra× paramam padam - padma pur˜õa - sugrivo hanum˜n ®kÿo gajo grdhrio vaõik patha - tilaka -teÿu bhagavad aÕþeÿu anur˜giõa× kosala nagara janapad˜× te api tan manas˜× sats˜lokyat˜m ˜pu× || viÿnu pur˜õa

'Has this Rama got no other work than weeping for his beloved ones and patiently performing obsequies to all lowborn, lowly subjects like dead monkey, birds, or even each individual demonic soldiers... they are all shuudra-s' is haunted feeling to some. For this it is said na þ¨dr˜ bhagavat bhakt˜ vipr˜ bh˜gavat˜ sm®t˜ | te þ¨dr˜ ye hi a bhakt˜ jan˜rdane || 'one who is devotee of Vishnu cannot be called a shuudra... he is to be called vipra, Bhaagavata... but a non-devotee, may he be in any caste, he is a shuudra...' And shuudra is upa lakshaNa to birds or animals, thereby even animals and birds are on an even footing, if it comes to paying deference to god, and god alone is capable to decree emancipation to every or any being. 'Again it is said that Rama is god, but yet he weeps... is it not self-contradictory...' Not so, when a neighbour weeps for the hardships of his neighbour, won't the neighbourly god weep...' that too on incarnating as a human... vyasaneÿu manuÿy˜õ˜m bh®þam bhavati du×khita× 'when humans are in difficulties, He wails much...' but waits much also, till those humans can correct or come over their problems on their own, keeping a little faith on Him...' Here also, the sobbing of Rama is comparatively nothing when compared to the sobbing for Seetha, because the action of Jataayu is not that sob-ful, in encountering a dharma... thus Valmiki is aware of 'good' sobbing and 'bad' sobbing in this sob-stuff, called Ramayana. And for this Dharmaakuutam says: anena mahad anujñay˜ uttam˜ gati× bhavati it s¨citam | tath˜ ca adharvaõŸ þruti× - yam yam lokam manas˜ saÕvibh˜ti viþuddha sattva× k˜mayate y˜þca k˜m˜n | tam tam lokam jayate t˜m ca k˜m˜an tasm˜t ˜tmajñam hi arcayet bh¨ti k˜ma× - bh˜ÿyam - ukta lakÿaõam sarv˜tmanam ˜tmatvena pratipanna× | tasya sarva ˜tmatv˜t eva sarv˜ av˜pti lakÿaõam phalam ˜ha - - - ˜tmajñam ˜tmajñatena viþuddha anta×karaõam hi arcet p¨jayet - ata× p¨j˜rha eva asau |

evam uktvaa citaam diiptaam aaropya patageshvaram |
dadaaha raamo dharmaatmaa sva bandhum iva duHkhitaH || 3-68-31

31. dharmaatmaa raamaH= ethical-souled, Rama; evam uktvaa= that way, on saying; patageshvaram citaam aaropya= bird's, lord, onto pyre, on mounting; duHkhitaH= sorrowfully; sva bandhum iva= his own, relative, as with; diiptaam== in flaring fire; dadaaha= incinerated.

On saying that way, that ethical-souled Rama mounted that lord of birds onto the pyre and he sorrowfully incinerated that eagle in a flaring fire of pyre, as he would do in respect of his own deceased relative. [3-68-31]

raamo atha saha saumitriH vanam yaatvaa sa viiryavaan |
sthuulaan hatvaa mahaa rohiin anu tastaara tam dvijam || 3-68-32

32. atha= then; viiryavaan raamaH= resolute one, Rama; saha saumitriH= with, Soumitri; vanam yaatvaa= to forest, on going; sthuulaan mahaa rohiin hatvaa= robust-bodied, big, Rohi [or, Kesari animals,] on killing - hunted; tam dvijam= for him, the bird; saH= he; anutastaara= spread sacred grass - to place offerings.

Then that resolute Rama on going into forest along with Soumitri hunted a robust-bodied, big Rohi animal, or, Kesari animal, and then he spread sacred grass on ground to place that offering to the deceased soul of that bird. [3-68-32]

rohi maa.msaani ca uddhR^itya peshii kR^itvaa mahaayashaaH |
shakunaaya dadau raamo ramye harita shaadvale || 3-68-33

33. mahaayashaaH= highly renowned one - for his observance of religious ceremonies; raamaH= Rama; rohi maamsaani= Rohi animal's, meat; uddhR^itya= pulling out; peshii kR^itvaa= to gobbets, on lumping it; ramye harita shaadvale= on pleasant, greenish, on pastures; shakunaaya dadau= for the bird [Jataayu,] gave [as offering.]

On drawing up the flesh of that Rohi animal and lumping it to gobbets, that highly observant Rama placed those gobbets on pleasant greenish pasturelands as obsequial offerings in respect of that bird Jataayu. [3-68-33]

yat tat pretasya mar.htyasya kathayanti dvijaatayaH |
tat svarga gamanam pitryam kSipram raamo jajaapa ha || 3-68-34

34. tat yat= that, which; dvijaatayaH= Brahmans; pretasya martyasya= departed, mortal's [soul]; svarga gamanam= to heaven, going [leading to]; kathayanti= [Brahmans] say; tat pitryam= that [chanting of,] in ritual for paternal, manes; kSipram raamaH jajaapa ha= immediately, Rama, chanted, indeed.

Rama immediately chanted Vedic hymns that are employed in such funerals of one's own paternal people, as Brahmans say that those hymns are employable in such rites as they lead the soul of the departed to heaven. [3-68-34]

Rama chants two Vedic passages yaamya suukta, naaraayaNa suukta - aapastamba sutra-s as they are usually recited by Brahmans in such funeral rites. Here it is 'so imperfectly conducted, because it is for an ineligible bird, that too by an unrelated highborn Kshatriya Rama, reciting unconcerned Vedic hymns...' is the objection. Jataayu is beyond any caste or creed by way his devotion to duty and by his self-sacrifice while on duty. Hence, he is beyond eligibility or opposite of it. Funerals are to be conducted by one's own sons or nearest relatives. If none of the relatives of the dead is present to cremate, they are to be undertaken by the king of that kingdom. When Rama blessed the soul of Jataayu to go to highest realms, which are far beyond the Veda-s of mortals, it is a sacrosanct act to chant those hymns... on human level; hence, Rama's action is clearly pro-Vedic. And in Vaishnavaite tenets everything culminates into one - Vishnu. 'the adherents of Vishnu, may it be an animal, like Gajendra, the elephant, or humans, like Shabari et al., or a bird, like Jataayu, by Him, by Vishnu alone, they are led to the Ultimate course of the realm of Vishnu...'

tato godaavariim gatvaa nadiim nara vara aatmajau |
udakam cakratuH tasmai gR^idhra raajaaya tau ubhau || 3-68-35

35. tataH= then; ubhau tau= both, of them; nara vara aatmajau= among men, notable one, sons of - Dasharatha's sons; godaavariim nadiim gatvaa= to Godavari, to river, on going; tasmai gR^idhra raajaaya= for him, to eagle's, for king; udakam cakratuH= water [oblations] they did [offered.]=

Then both the sons of that notable man, namely Dasharatha, on going to River Godavari they have oblated waters for that king of eagles, Jataayu. [3-68-35]

shaastra dR^iSTena vidhinaa jale gR^idhaaya raaghavau |
snaatvaa tau gR^idhra raajaaya udakam cakruH tadaa || 3-68-36

36. tadaa= then; tau= both of them; raaghavau= both Raghava-s; shaastra dR^iSTena vidhinaa= from scriptures, viewpoint, by custom; gR^idhaaya= for eagle; jale snaatvaa= in waters, bathed - funeral baths, cleansing ceremony; gR^idhra raajaaya udakam cakruH= for eagle's, king, waters, made [offered.]

Both of the Raghava-s took funeral baths in the waters of River Godavari and then made water oblations to the king of eagles. [3-68-36]

sa gR^idhra raajaH kR^itavaan yashaskaram
su duSkaram karma raNe nipaatitaH |
maharSi kalpena ca sa.nskR^itaH tadaa
jagaama puNyaam gatim aatmanaH shubhaam || 3-68-37

37. raNe= in combat [with Ravana]; su duS karam= highly, not, possible; yashas karam= credit, worthy; karma kR^itavaan= deed, having performed; nipaatitaH= one who felled down; saH gR^idhra rajah= he, that eagle, king; tadaa= then; maharSi kalpena ca= by sublime-sage, one who is equal to [by such Rama]; sanskR^itaH= consecrated; puNyaam shubhaam= merited, auspicious; aatmanaH= of his own; gatim jagaama= to [heavenly] realms, went away.

That king of eagle Jataayu, who has performed a creditworthy deed of stalling and combating Ravana, but who is felled by that Ravana, went away to the merited and auspicious heavenly realms of his own, as and when consecrated by sublime sage like Rama. [3-68-37]

kR^itodakau tau api pakshi sattame
sthiraam ca buddhim praNidhaaya jagmutuH |
praveshya siitaa adhigamane tato mano
vanam surendrau iva viSNu vaasavau || 3-68-38

38. tau api= those two, even; kR^ ita udakau= having performed, water oblations; pakshi sattame= regarding bird, best one; sthiraam buddhim praNidhaaya= firmed up [assertively,] thought, on keeping [giving thought to Jataayu's information]; tataH= then; siitaa adhigamane= Seetha, to get at [in searching for]; manaH praveshya= mind, entering [mindset to]; sura indrau= gods', chiefs; viSNu vaasavau iva= Vishnu, Indra, like; [ellipt. dakshiNaam ] vanam jagmutuH= to [southern] woods, went.

Even those two, Rama and Lakshmana, on performing water oblations in respect of that best bird Jataayu, and on assertively giving thought to the information given by Jataayu, they like the chiefs of gods, namely Vishnu and Indra, went to southerly woods when their mind is set to search for Seetha. [3-68-38]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe aSTa SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 68th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 69

Introduction

Kabandha captures Rama and Lakshmana while they are searching forests for Seetha. In the meantime, a demoness named Ayomukhi wanted to romance with Lakshmana, but Lakshmana cuts her ear and nose and chases away. The episode of Kabandha has a turning point in the epic.

kR^itvaa evam udakam tasmai prasthitau raaghavau tadaa |
avekSantau vane siitaam jagmatuH pashcimaam disham || 3-69-1

1. evam= in this way; raaghavau= Raghava-s; tasmai udakam kR^itvaa= to him - to Jataayu, water [oblations,] on making [on offering]; prasthitau= [again] started; tadaa= then; pashcimaam disham= westerly, direction [south-westward]; vane= in forest; siitaam avekSantau= for Seetha, looking for; jagmatuH= proceeded.

In this way, Raghava-s on offering water oblations to Jataayu went southwestward in the forest and proceeded looking around for Seetha. [3-69-1]

They firstly have to go westward in order to go south as said by Jataayu, and as continued in next verse onwards.

taam disham dakSiNaam gatvaa shara caapa asi dhaariNau |
aviprahatam aikSvaakau panthaanam pratipedatuH || 3-69-2

2. shara caapa asi dhaariNau= arrows, bows, swords, handling [wielding ones]; aikSvaakau= two Ikshvaku-s; taam disham dakSiNaam= in that, direction, southern; gatvaa= on going; a +vi+ pra+ hatam= not, verily, regularly, beaten [off the beaten track]; panthaanam= a pathway; pratipedatuH= came about.

On going in southwest direction, both the Ikshvaku-s wielding bows, arrows, and swords, have come about a pathway which is an off the beaten track. [3-69-2]

gulmaiH vR^ikSaiH ca bahubhiH lataabhiH ca praveSTitam |
aavR^itam sarvato durgam gahanam ghora darshanam || 3-69-3

3. bahubhiH= with numerous; gulmaiH vR^ikSaiH ca [panthaa]= with hedgerows, trees, also [that pathway]; lataabhiH ca= with climber plants; pra veSTitam= thickly wrapped; sarvataH aavR^itam= all over, penned in; dur gam= impossible, to tread [blocked]; gahanam= jammed; ghora darshanam= horrid, in appearance - such a pathways they have seen.

That pathway is thickly wrapped in and penned up with numerous trees, climber plants, and hedgerows from all over, thus that is jammed, blocked and horrid in its appearance. [3-69-3]

vyatikramya tu vegena gR^ihiitvaa dakSiNaam disham |
su bhiimam tan mahaaaraNyam vyatiyaatau mahaabalau || 3-69-4

4. mahaabalau= spryly energetic twosome [bothers]; gR^ihiitvaa dakSiNaam disham= on taking up, southern, direction; su bhiimam tat mahaa araNyam= highly horrendous, that, thick, forest; vegena= speedily; vyatikramya [vi ati kram= verily, over, crossed] tu= crossed over, but; vyatiyaatau [vi ati yaatau= really, ahead, moved]= crossed over.

On taking up the southern direction, and on crossing over that highly horrendous and thick of the forest, both those spryly energetic brothers moved ahead, speedily. [3-69-4]

tataH param janasthaanaat tri krosham gamya raaghavau |
krau.nca araNyam vivishatuH gahanam tau mahaujasau || 3-69-5

5. tataH param= there, after; mahaa ojasau tau raaghavau= highly, vigorous, those two, Raghava-s; janasthaanaat= from Janasthaana; tri krosham= three, krosa-s; gamya= on going; gahanam kraunca araNyam vivishatuH= impassable, Kraunca, forest, entered.

Thereafter, both the highly vigorous Raghava-s have entered the impassable Kraunca forest, on going three krosa-s from Janasthaana. [3-69-5]

The Ancient Indian measures for distance, as per Kautilya's Artha Shaastra, a republication of Penguin are: 1 angula = 3/4 of present day inch; 4 angula-s = dharnugraha [bow grip]= 3 in; 8 angula-s = 1 dhanurmuSTi [fist with thumb raised]= 6 in; 12 angula-s = 1 vitasta [span-distance of stretched out palm between the tips of a person's thumb and little finger]= 9 in; 4 vitasta-s = 1 aratni / hasta [cubit]= 18 in; 4 aratni-s = 1 danDa / dhanus [bow]= 6 ft; 10 danDa-s = 1 rajju = 60 ft; 2 rajju-s = 1 paridesha = 120 ft; 2000 dhanus-s = 1 krosa / goruTa = 4000 yards or 2 1/4 miles, nearly 3.66 km; 4 krosa-s = 1 yojana = 9 miles, nearly 15 km; and this being so, the British revenue measured a yojana as a 5 mile distance and Chambers and Oxfords has this 5 mile figure in their dictionaries, while traditionally a yojana is said as a distance of 10 miles.

naanaa megha ghana prakhyam prahR^iSTam iva sarvataH |
naanaa varNaiH shubhaiH puSpaiH mR^iga pakSi gaNaiH yutam || 3-69-6
didR^ikSamaaNau vaidehiim tat vanam tau vicikyatuH |
tatra tatra avatiSThantau siitaa haraNa duHkhitau || 3-69-7

6-7. siitaa haraNa duHkhitau= by Seetha's, stealing, disquieted ones; tau= those two [brothers]; vaidehiim= for Vaidehi; didR^ikSamaaNau= agog to find; tatra tatra= there, there; ava tiSThantau= back, standing [temporizing]; naanaa megha ghana prakhyam= many, black-cloud, congeries, known to be [evocative of]; sarvataH= everywhere; pra hR^iSTam iva= highly, rejoiced, as though - forest, it is happy for being a secluded forest; naanaa varNaiH shubhaiH= numerous, colourful, auspicious ones; puSpaiH= with flowers; pakSi gaNaiH= with birds, flights of; mR^iga= animals; yutam= having [inclusive of]; tat vanam= that, forest; vi cikyatuH= intently, explored.

Those two brothers who are disquieted by the abduction of Seetha are now agog to find her, and they intently explored that forest temporising there and there. That forest is evocative of a congeries of many a black-cloud, and it embodies numerous flowers on many a flowered tree, numerous flights of birds flitting over them, and numerous animals sprawling under them, and with them that forest is as though highly rejoiced everywhere. [3-69-6, 7]

tataH puurveNa tau gatvaa tri krosam bhraataru tadaa |
krau.ncaaraNyam atikramya maata.nga aashrama a.ntaraa || 3-69-8
dR^iSTaa tu tad vanam ghoram bahu bhiima mR^iga dvijam |
naanaa vR^iksha samaakiirNam sarvam gahana paadapam || 3-69-9
dadR^ishaaH te girau tatra dariim Dasharatha aatmajau |
paataala sama gambhiiraam tamasaa nitya sa.mvR^itaam || 3-69-10

8, 9, 10. tadaa= then; bhraataru= both brothers; tau= those two; dasharratha aatmajau= Dasharatha's sons; tataH= therefrom; puurveNa= eastward; tri krosam= three, krosha-s [route]; gatvaa= on going; kraunca araNyam atikramya= Kraunca, forest, on passing over; maatanga aashrama antaraa= Matanga, hermitage, in between; ghoram= horrendous; bahu= numerous; bhiima mR^iga dvijam= gigantic, predators, vulturine birds [sprawling]; naanaa vR^iksha sam aakiirNam= with various, trees, overspread; gahana paadapam= impassable, by its [thicketed] trees; sarvam= everywhere; tat vanam= that, forest; dR^iSTaa= on seeing [on scrutinising]; tatra= there; girau= in a mountain; paataala sama= infernal region, equal to; gambhiiraam= abyssal; tamasaa nitya samvR^itaam= by gloom, ever, enshrouded; dariim= at a cave; dadR^ishaaH te= saw, they.

Then, both the brothers on passing over that Kraunca forest and on going from there eastwardly on a three-krosha route, those sons of Dasharatha have seen a horrendous forest in between Kraunca forest and Matanga hermitage, which is overspread with various thicketed and impassable trees, and over-sprawled by numerous gigantic predators and vulturine birds, and on scrutinising such a forest everywhere, there they saw a cave in a mountain, which is abyssal, equal to infernal region, and ever enshrouded by gloom. [3-69-8. 9, 10]

aasaadya ca naravyaaghrau daryaaH tasyaa aviduurataH |
dadarsha tu mahaaruupaam rakshasiim vikR^ita aananaam || 3-69-11

11. naravyaaghrau= manly-tigers; aasaadya= on getting at; tasyaaH daryaaH= of that, cave; a +vi+ duurataH= not, very, far from it [nearby]; mahaa ruupaam= with massive, in shape; vi kR^ita aananaam= anti, made, faced [misshapen faced]; rakshasiim= at a demoness; dadarsha= they have seen.

On getting at that cave those manly-tigers have seen a demoness nearby that cave, who is massive in shape and misshapen in her face. [3-69-11]

bhayadaam alpa sattvaanaam bhiibhatsaam raudra darshanaam |
la.mbodariim tiikshNa da.mSTraam karaaliim paruSa tvacam || 3-69-12
bhakshayantiim mR^igaan bhiimaan vikaTaam mukta muurdhajaam |
avaikshataam tu tau tatra bhraatarau raama lakshmaNau || 3-69-13

12-13. tataH= then; bhraatarau tau raama lakshmaNau= brothers, those, Rama, Lakshmana; alpa sattvaanaam bhaya daam= to less, courageous ones [dunderheaded dullards,] horror, giver [inducer]; bhiibhatsaam= traumatic [in her acts]; raudra darshanaam= truculent, in appearance; lamba udariim= long, stomach [paunchy, pot-bellied]; tiikshNa damSTraam= pierce, fanged; karaaliim= huge [overblown, i.e., of a woman's beauty etc., past its prime, an oldie]; paruSa tvacam= thick, skinned [pachydermatous]; bhiimaan mR^igaan bhakshayantiim= massive, beasts, she who is going on eating; vi kaTaam= disfigured, waisted [lumpy-bumpy in body shape]; mukta muurdha jam= release, head, born [head hair shaggy]; such a demoness; tatra= there; avaikshataam= they have seen.

Both the brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, have seen a demoness there, who is an inducer of horror to the dunderheaded dullards, traumatic in her acts and truculent in her appearance, pot-bellied, pierce-fanged, overblown, pachydermatous, head hair shaggy, body shape lumpy-bumpy, and she is going on eating massive beasts. [3-69-12, 13]

saa samaasaadya tau viirau vrajantam bhraatuH agrataH |
ehi ra.msyaavahe iti uktvaa samaala.mbata lakshmaNam || 3-69-14

14. saa= she; viirau tau= valorous duo, them; samaasaadya= on coming nigh of; ehi ramsyaavahe= come, let us romance; iti uktvaa= thus, on saying; bhraatuH agrataH vrajantam= [elder] brother, ahead of, who is going; lakshmaNam= onto Lakshmana; sam aalambata= well, clung - to him.

Drawing nigh of those valorous brothers who are journeying on their way, that demoness actually clung onto Lakshmana who is going ahead of his elder brother, saying, "come... let's romance..." [3-69-14]

uvaaca ca enam vacanam saumitrim upaguhya saa |
aham tu ayomukhii naama laabhaH te tvam asi priyaH || 3-69-15
naatha parvata durgeSu nadiinaam pulineSu ca |
aayuH ciram idam viira tvam mayaa saha ra.msyase || 3-69-16

15-16. saa= she; saumitrim= Soumitri is; upa guhya= nearly, concealed [on completely closeting him in her embrace]; enam= to him; vacanam uvaaca ca= sentence, told, also; aham tu ayomukhii naama= I am, on my part, Ayomukhi, named one; te laabhaH= by you, I am gained [won]; tvam priyaH asi= you [alone,] [my] lover, you are; viira= oh, hero; naatha= oh, [my] husband; tvam maya saha= you, me, along with; idam aayuH ciram= this, life, long [till the end of this life]; parvata durgeSu= on mountain, tops; nadiinaam= in rivers; pulineSu ca= in sandy isles / banks, also; ramsyase= you romance.

Closeting Soumitri in her embrace she told him this sentence, "I am Ayomukhi, by my name... you won me by your heroic personality, by that way, none can win me over... thus, you alone are my lover... oh, hero, oh, my husband... you will romance with me on mountaintops, in rivers, and on sandy isles, till the end of this life..." So is the love prattle of that demoness Ayomukhi. [3-69-15, 16]

evam uktaH tu kupitaH khaDagam uddhR^itya lakshmaNaH |
karNa naasa stanam tasyaa nicakartaa arisuudanaH || 3-69-17

17. evam uktaH tu= that way, when he is said to; arisuudanaH= enemy-suppressor; lakshmaNaH= Lakshmana; kupitaH= he became furious; khaDagam ud dhR^itya= sword, on upraising; tasyaaH= her; karNa naasa stanam= one ear, nose, one breast; nicakartaa= sheared off.

When said that way that enemy-suppressor Lakshmana became furious, and upraising his sword he sheared off her nose, one ear, and one of her breasts. [3-69-17]

karNa naase nikR^itte tu visvaram vinanaada saa |
yathaa aagatam pradudraava raakshasii ghora darshanaa || 3-69-18

18. ghora darshanaa saa raakshasii= hideous, in mien, she, that demoness; karNa naase nikR^itte= ear, nose, when cut off; vi svaram= with high, voice; vi nanaada= highly, yelled; yathaa aagatam= as is, arrival [rushed at]; pra dudraava= verily, ran back [rushed off.]

When her nose and ear are cut off that demoness of hideous mien yelled highly in a high voice, and she rushed off as she had rushed in at Lakshmana. [3-69-18]

tasyaam gataayaam gahanam vrajantau vanam ojasaa |
aasedatuH ari mitra ghnau bhraatarau raama lakshmaNau || 3-69-19

19. tasyaam gataayaam= of her, when she fled; vrajantau bhraatarau= who are travelling, brothers; ari mitra ghnau= enemy's, friends, eliminators of; raama lakshmaNau= Rama, Lakshmana; ojasaa= by spiritedness; gahanam vanam aasedatuH= dense [area of that,] forest, arrived in - entered into.

When she fled those two brothers who are the eliminators of the friends of their enemies, have travelled further into the forest and entered a dense area of that forest, with their spiritedness as their guiding force. [3-69-19]

lakSmaNaH tu mahaatejaaH sattvavaan shiilavaan shuciH |
abraviit praa.njaliH vaakyam bhraataram diipta tejasam || 3-69-20

20. mahaa tejaaH= highly-fulgent one; sattvavaan shiilavaan shuciH= one with preparedness, properness, pureness; such; lakSmaNaH tu= Lakshmana, on his part; praanjaliH= with palm-fold [prayfully]; diipta tejasam= [one with am- radiantly fulgorous [anima]; bhraataram= to brother Rama; vaakyam abraviit= sentence, said.

Though Lakshmana is the one with preparedness, properness, and pureness and thus a highly fulgent one by his persona, he prayfully said this sentence to his brother Rama whose anima is radiantly fulgorous. [3-69-20]

spa.ndante me dR^iDham baahuH udvignam iva me manaH |
praayashaH ca api aniSTaani nimittaani upalakSaye || 3-69-21

21. me baahuH dR^iDham spandante= my, [left] arm, strongly, shuddering; me manaH udvignam iva= my, heart, distraught, as though; praayashaH ca api= manifoldly, also, even; an +iSTaani nimittaani= un, desirable, forebodings; upalakSaye= bidding fair.

"My left arm is strongly shuddering and my heart is as though distraught... and even undesirable forebodings are also bidding fair... [3-69-21]

tasmaat sajjii bhava aarya tvam kuruSva vacanam hitam |
mama eva hi nimittaani sadyaH sha.msanti sa.mbhramam || 3-69-22

22. aarya= oh, exalted brother; tasmaat= thereby; tvam sajjii bhaava= you, at ready, you be; hitam vacanam kuruSva= expedient ones, my words, you make happen - mind my words; nimittaani= forebodings; sadyaH= immediately ensuing; sambhramam= [some] hazard; mama shamsanti iva hi= to me, portending, as if, indeed.

"Oh, exalted brother, thereby you be at the ready by paying attention to my expedient words... these forebodings are indeed portending to me as if some hazard is immediately ensuing... [3-69-22]

eSa va.njulako naama pakSii parama daaruNaH |
aavayoH vijayam yuddhe sha.msan iva vinar.hdati || 3-69-23

23. parama daaruNaH= eerily, dreadful one; vanjulakaH naama= Vanjulaka, known as; eSa pakSii= this, bird; yuddhe= in [any given] conflict; aavayoH= to us; vijayam= triumph; shamsan iva= presaging, as though; vi nardati= loudly, ululating.

"This eerily dreadful bird known to be Vanjulaka is loudly ululating as though presaging our triumph in any given conflict that may ensue..." So said Lakshmana to Rama. [3-69-23]

tayoH anveSatoH evam sarvam tat vanam ojasaa |
sa.mjaj~ne vipulaH shabdaH prabha.njan iva tat vanam || 3-69-24

24. tayoH= by them; evam= that way; sarvam tat vanam= in entirety, that, forest; ojasaa= steadfastly; anveSatoH= when they are searching [for Seetha]; tat vanam= that, forest; pra bhanjan iva= to completely, shatter down, as though; vipulaH shabdaH= broad [boisterous,] brouhaha; sam jaj~ne= they clearly, noticed.

When those two brothers are searching entire forest for Seetha in that way, they heard a boisterous brouhaha emanated as though to completely shatter down that forest. [3-69-24]

sa.mveSTitam iva atyartham gahanam maatarishvanaa |
vanasya tasya shabdo abhuut divam aapuurayan iva || 3-69-25

25. gahanam [gaganam]= forest [sky]; ati artham= too, much [unbearable] ; maatarishvanaa= by wind [storm]; samveSTitam iva= muffle up, as though; tasya vanasya shabdaH= that, forest's, sound [cacophony]; vanam [divam]= forest [sky]; [ati artham= unbearably;] aapuurayan iva abhuut= filling up, as though, became [appeared to be.]

As though an unbearable windstorm muffles up the forest, that forest's cacophony appeared to be unbearably filling up that forest.

Or

As though an unbearable windstorm muffles up the sky, that forest's cacophony appeared to be unbearably filling up that forest. [3-69-25]

tam shabdam kaa.nkSamaaNaH tu raamaH khaDgii saha anujaH |
dadarsha su mahaa kaayam raakSasam vipula urasam || 3-69-26

26. tam shabdam= that, noise; kaankSamaaNaH tu= desiring [to know its source,] buit; saha anujaH= with, younger brother; raamaH= Rama; khaDgii= wielding sword; [kakshe= in a section of forest - a brushwood]; su mahaa kaayam= gigantically, giant, bodied one; raakSasam= demon; vipula urasam= gigantesque, chested onel dadarsha= has seen.

But desiring to know the source of that noise that sword-wielder Rama has seen a gigantically giant-bodied and gigantesque-chested demon in a section of brushwood along with his younger brother Lakshmana. [3-69-26]

aasedatuH ca tat rakshaH tau ubhau pramukhe sthitam |
vivR^iddham a-shiro griivam kaba.ndham udare mukham || 3-69-27

27. tataH= then; tau ubhau= they, both; tatra= there; sthitam= frontally, situated; tat rakshaH= that, demon; pramukhe vi vR^iddham= with overly, grown [body]; a+shiraH griivam= without, head, neck - who has no neck, no head; udare mukham= in paunch, who has mouth; kabandham= at Kabandha; aasedatuH= reached - they had to drew nigh of hum because he is waylaying.

Then they both had to drew nigh of a waylaying demon Kabandha, who is situated frontally with an overgrown body, which is neckless, ergo headless, ergo mouth in paunch. [3-69-27]

romabhirnishcitaistiikSNairmahaagirimivocChritam - yadvaa -
romabhiH nicitaiH tiikSNaiH mahaagirim iva ucChritam |
niila megha nibham raudram megha stanita niHsvanam || 3-69-28

28. nicitaiH tiikSNaiH romabhiH= with thickset, horripilate, hairs; ucChritam mahaagirim iva= peaking, huge mountain, as with - who is like; niila megha nibham= dark, cloudlike, in gleam; raudram= diabolical; megha stanita [stana antara stanayitnu]= in cloud's, heart [that which is contained in the heart of a cloud, namely the thunder, suchlike]; niH svanam= out, sounding.

That diabolical demon is peaking like a huge mountain, his hair is horripilate and thickset, and his gleam is like a dark cloud, and his sounding is like a thunder. [3-69-28]

agni jvaala nikaashena lalaaTasthena diipyataa |
mahaapakSeNa pi.ngena vipulena aayatena ca || 3-69-29
ekena urasi ghoreNa nayanena aashu darshinaa |
mahaa da.nSTra upapannam tam lelihaanam mahaa mukham || 3-69-30

29. agni jvaala nikaashena= inferno, tongue of, similar to; lalaaTasthena= situated on forehead; diipyataa= blazing [eye]; mahaa pakSeNa [pakshmeNa]= large, with [winglike] eyelids; pingena vipulena aayatena ca= ochry, broad [beaming,] wide [angled,] also; aashu darshinaa= sharp, sighted; ghoreNa= incisive [sight]; urasi= in chest; ekena= only one; nayanena= with eye; mahaa danSTra upapannam= great [spearhead like,] fangs; lelihaanam= licking [with tongue]; mahaa mukham= with giant, mouth; tam= at him - that demon; [tau ubhau= they, both; aasedatuH= drew nigh of.]

Only one ochry eye blazing like the tongue of an inferno is there on his forehead, which forehead situated on his chest. That single eye with incisive and sharp-sight is broad beaming and wide angling, on which there are winglike eyelids. That monster is now licking his giant mouth that is stuffed with spearhead like fangs, as he has just finished a gobble, and the brothers had to drew nigh of such a demon. [3-69-29, 30]

bhakSaya.ntam mahaa ghoraan R^ikSa simha mR^iga dvipaan |
ghorau bhujau vikurvaaNam ubhau yojanam aayatau || 3-69-31

31. mahaa ghoraan= highly, brutal; R^ikSa simha mR^iga dvipaan= bears, lions, predators, elephants; bhakSayantam= one who is eating; yojanam aayatau= yojana [distance,] long [stretchable for a yojana]; ghorau ubhau bhujau= with deadly, both, shoulders [arms up to shoulders]; vi kurvaaNam= who is out, making [outstretching his arms]; they neared such a demon.

He is eating the highly brutal bears, lions, predators, and elephants, and he is outstretching both of his deadly arms, each of which is stretchable to a yojana distance, and the bothers neared such a demon. [3-69-31]

karaabhyaam vividhaan gR^ihya R^ikshaan pakSi gaNaan mR^igaan |
aakarSantam vikarSantam anekaan mR^iga yuuthapaan || 3-69-32
sthitam aavR^itya panthaanam tayoH bhraatroH prapannayoH |

33, 34a. R^ikshaan= bears; vividhaan= divers; pakSi gaNaan= bird, flights of; mR^igaan= animals; an ekaan= not, one [numerous]; mR^iga yuuthapaan= animals, [choicest in those and those] herds; karaabhyaam gR^ihya= by both hands, on gripping; aa karSantam= in, pulling [catching in]; vi karSantam= without, pulling [hauling, or dropping them off]; prapannayoH tayoH bhraatroH= [two brothers] who chanced there, of both of those, of brothers; panthaanam aavR^itya sthitam= pathway, besieging staying [waylaying]; those two brothers reached.

That demon stayed waylaying the pathway of both the brothers who chanced there, while he is catching bears, divers flights of birds, and numerous choicest animals of those and those herds, gripping them with both of his long-reaching hands and hauling towards his mouth at his paunch, or dropping them off if they are unpalatable, and the brothers reached nearby of such a demon. [3-69-32, 33a]

atha tam samatikramya krosha maatram dadarshatuH || 3-69-33
mahaantam daaruNam bhiimam kaba.ndham bhuja sa.mvR^itam |
kaba.ndham iva sa.msthaanat ati ghora pradashanam || 3-69-34

33b, 34. atha= then; sam ati kramya= well, over, treading [travelling over]; krosha maatram= krosha [2 1/4 miles,] just [before]; mahaantam= colossal bodied; daaruNam= heinous; bhiimam= hideous; bhuja samvR^itam= by shoulders [and arms,] enclosed [fenced]; samsthaanat= by his physique itself; kabandham iva= a trunk, torso, like; ati ghora pradashanam= very, deadly, in appearance; tam= him; kabandham= at Kabandha; dadarshatuH= they saw.

On travelling just a krosha distance, then they have seen Kabandha, whose body is colossal, and who is heinous and hideous, and who is like living trunk fenced by its shoulders and arms, and who by his physique is very deadly in appearance. [3-69-33b, 34]

Earlier it is said that they saw Kabandha in brushwood and now they are seeing him alone at a distance of 2 1/4 miles away from them. Their seeing him is continuous and thereby the height of Kabandha is established and he can be seen from a distance, as with a hillock. Their pathway is this only and it is waylaid by this demon.

sa mahaa baahuH atyartham prasaarya vipulau bhujau |
jagraaha sahitau eva raaghavau piiDayan balaat || 3-69-35

35. mahaa baahuH saH= overlong, armed, he - that Kabandha; vipulau bhujau= broad, shouldered [arms]; atyartham prasaarya= overlong, outstretching; sahitau eva raaghavau= [keeping them in his fists] side by side, thus, Raghava-s; balaat piiDayan jagraaha= by might, by wringing, snatched them.

He that overlong-armed Kabandha outstretching his overlong arms snatched both of the Raghava-s, keeping them side-by-side in his fists, and wringing them with his might. [3-69-35]

Though both the arms of the demon came to these brothers apart and aside, he snatched them and kept his closed fists together, in which they are wrung, so that he can examine them clearly with his single eye. This also gave a chance for the conversation between the brothers. Otherwise, if one arm goes one way and the other in another way, there will be a gap of 2 yojana-s, as each arm can stretch to a yojana distance.

khaDginau dR^iDha dhanvaanau tigma tejau mahaa bhujau |
bhraatarau vivasham praaptau kR^iSyamaaNau mahaa balau || 3-69-36

36. khaDginau= twosome with swords [though grapplers of]; dR^iDha dhanvaanau= having firm [unerring,] bows [though brandishers of]; tigma tejau= having outblazing, pneuma; mahaa bhujau= great [outstanding,] armed one [dextrous ones]; mahaa balau= great, mighty ones; bhraatarau= both brothers; kR^iSyamaaNau= while dragged; vi vasham= without, control [on themselves, yielded to demon]; praaptau= they obtained.

Though they are the grapplers with swords and brandishers of unerring bows, and though outblazing is their pneuma and outstanding is their dexterity, both of those great mighty brothers lost control and had to yield themselves to that demon when he captured and dragged them. [3-69-36]

tatra dhairyaat ca shuuraaH tu raaghavo na eva vivyadhe |
baalyaat anaashrayatvaat ca eva lakshmaNaH tu ativivyadhe || 3-69-37
uvaaca ca viSaNNam san raaghavam raaghava anujaH |

37, 38a. tatra= in that [situation]; shuuraaH raaghavaH= valiant, Rama; dhairyaat na eva vi vyadhe= by courage, not, that way, verily, anguished; lakshmaNaH tu= Lakshmana, on his part; baalyaat= by boyishness [callowly]; an+ aashrayatvaat ca= un, sheltered - by such a state, also; ati vi vyadhe= very, much, anguished; raaghava anujaH= Raghava's, later born - younger brother - Lakshmana; viSaNNam san= dejectedness, he is in; raaghavam uvaaca= to Raghava, said.

In that situation, that valiant Rama, the legatee of Raghava-s, is not verily anguished owing to his courage, but Lakshmana is very much anguished, as if he is callow and in an unsheltered state, and he that younger brother of Raghava, namely Lakshmana, also dejectedly said this to Rama, the legatee of Raghava-s. [3-69-37, 38a]

The expression of 'unsheltered one' of Lakshmana is found as a self-sympathetic and unbefitting to him in a crisis. But, when read with the following dialogue of Lakshmana it is correct. He wanted to edge over Jataayu in self-sacrifice for the sake of brotherhood. And the boyish callowness is to tell that Lakshmana has not recollected for a while, as to how they have handled Viradha, in the opening chapters of this canto. His overalled thinking is that his brother should be safe, at the cost of his own self, if that comes to that.

pashya maam vivasham viira raakshasasya vasham gatam || 3-69-38
mayaa ekana tu niryuktaH parimucyasva raaghava |

38b-39a. viira= oh, valiant brother; vi vasham= one without, inner-self-control; raakshasasya vasham gatam= demon's, control, gone into; maam pashya= me, you see; Raaghava= oh, Raghava; ekana mayaa tu= by one, me, but; nir yuktaH= without, having; pari mucyasva= completely, release yourself [by me left, I will leave you, or, you leave me to get yourself released.]

"Oh, valiant brother, see me, who am out of control on my inner-self, and gone into the control of the demon... oh, Raghava, you leave me and get yourself released from the grip of the demon... [3-69-38b, 39a]

maam hi bhuuta balim dattvaa palaasva yathaa sukham || 3-69-39
adhiga.ntaa asi vaidehiim acireNa iti me matiH |

39b, 40a. maam= me; bhuuta balim dattvaa hi= to [this] quiddity, as offering, on offering, indeed; yathaa sukham= as per, your pleasure; palaayasva= seek safety; vaidehiim= at Vaidehi; a+ cireNa= not, long after [shortly]; adhigantaa asi= reach out, you will; iti me matiH= this, my, belief.

"Indeed offer me as an offering to this quiddity, and you seek safety at your pleasure... and you will reach Vaidehi shortly... this is my belief... [3-69-39b, 40a]

prati labhya ca kaakutstha pitR^I paitaamaham mahiim || 3-69-40
tatra maam raama raajyasthaH smartum ar.hhasi sarvadaa |

40b, 41. kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha; raama= oh, Rama; pitR^i paitaamaham mahiim= father's, forefather's, [father] land [kingdom]; prati labhya ca= in turn, on gaining, also; tatra raajyasthaH= there, established in kingdom [enthroned]; sarvadaa= always; maam smartum arhasi= me, to think of, apt of you.

"Oh, Kakutstha, on regaining the kingdom of our father and forefathers, and when enthroned, oh, Rama, it will be apt of you to reminisce me always..." So said Lakshmana to Rama. [3-69-40b, 41a]

lakshmaNena evam uktaH tu raamaH saumitrim abraviit || 3-69-41
maa sma traasam vR^ithaa viira na hi tvaa dR^ik viSiidati |

41b, 42a. lakshmaNena evam uktaH= by Lakshmana, that way, said; raamaH saumitrim abraviit= Rama, to Soumitri, said; viira= oh, brave one; vR^ithaa= futilely; traasam maa sma= fretful, let not, you be - don't fear; tvaa dR^ik= your, sort [of a person]; na viSiidati hi= not, gets dismayed, indeed.

But when Lakshmana said that way, Rama said to Soumitri, "Fret not thyself, futilely... oh, brave one, your king of persons will not get dismayed, futilely... [3-69-41b, 42a]

etasmin antare kruuro bhraatarau raama lakshmaNau || 3-69-42
tau uvaaca mahaabaahuH kabandho daanava uttamaH |

42a, 43b. etasmin antare= in this, meantime; kruuraH daanava uttamaH mahaa baahuH kabandhaH= ruthless, demon, best [fiercest one,] long-armed, Kabandha; bhraatarau tau raama lakshmaNau= to brothers, to them, to Rama, Lakshmana; [ghana nirghoSaH= having thunderous voice]; uvaaca= said [asked after.]

In the meantime, that ruthless, log-armed, fiercest demon Kabandha thunderously asked those brothers, Rama and Lakshmana. [3-69-42b, 43a]

kau yuvaam vR^iSabha skandhau mahaa khaDga dhanur dharau || 3-69-43
ghoram desham imam praaptau daivena mama caakshuSau |

43b, 44a. vR^iSabha skandhau= bullish [nape of neck - like that of bull,] shouldered; mahaa= broad / long; khaDga dhanuH dharau= sword, bow, handling [brandishing]; ghoram imam desham praaptau= deadly, province, this one, who came across; yuvaam kau= you two are, who; daivena mama caakshuSau= for god's sake, by my, eyes front; [Chaukambha Version: bhakshau anuttamau= food, unexcelled - most dainty morsel; Eastern Version: bhakshaa upasthitau= as food, staying before; as readymade food.]

"Who are you two? Your shoulders are akin to the bull-humps, and you are shouldering longbows and brandishing broad swords, how have you come about this province? For god's sake, I come across my most dainty morsel... [3-69-43b, 44a]

The last compound has different compositions in different mms. It is taken here, as 'dainty morsel' as the 'eyes' is ill fitting in the compound, as this demon has only one eye.

vadatam kaaryam iha vaam kim artham ca aagatau yuvaam || 3-69-44
imam desham anupraaptau kSudhaa aartasya iha tiSThataH |

44b, 45a. iha vaam [kim,] kaaryam= here, to you, [what,] business; vadatam= that may be said; yuvaam kim artham aagatau= you, for what, reason, arrived; kSudhaa aartasya= by hunger [ravenously,] painful; iha tiSThataH= here, sitting; for me; imam desham anupraaptau= to this, province, you chanced.

"What business you have here, and for which reason you have come here... you chanced for me who am sitting here and painfully ravenous... [3-69-44b, 45a]

sa baaNa caapa khaDgau ca tiikSNa shR^i.ngau iva R^iSabhau || 3-69-45
mama tuurNam upasa.mpraaptau durlabham jiivitam vaam |

45b, 46a. sa baaNa caapa khaDgau ca= with, arrows, bows, swords, also; tiikSNa shR^ingau R^iSabhau iva= sharp, horned, bulls like[you are like bulls with sharp horns]; mama= my; upa sam praaptau= to nigh, well, on reaching; vaam jiivitam= to you, life; tuurNam dur labham= readily, [became] un, gainful.

"Though you are with arrows, bows and swords, and though you are like bulls with sharp horns ready to gore... but they are all a waste, as your life has readily become ungainful on reaching nigh of my sight and arms..." So said Kabandha, in his arrogant tone. [3-69-45b, 46a]

tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa kaba.ndhasya duraatmanaH || 3-69-46
uvaaca lakSmaNam raamo mukhena parishuSyataa |

46b, 47a. duraatmanaH tasya kabandhasya= vile-souled one, of that, Kabandha's; tat vacanam shrutvaa= his, that, sentence, on hearing; raamaH parishuSyataa mukhena= Rama, with a drying, face; lakSmaNam uvaaca= to Lakshmana, said [this.]

On hearing that sentence of that vile-souled Kabandha, Rama said this to Lakshmana with a wilted face. [3-69-46b, 47a]

kR^icChraat kR^icChrataram praapya daaruNam satya vikrama || 3-69-47
vyasanam jiivita antaaya praaptam apraapya taam priyaam |

47b, 48a. satya vikrama= oh, truth-valiant Lakshmana; kR^icChraat= catastrophe after; kR^icChra taram= catastrophe, worse; praapya= having obtained; priyaam taam =ladylove, her; a +praapya= without, come across; jiivita antaaya= for life, ending; daaruNam= disastrous; vyasanam= despair; praaptam= came off.

"Oh, truth-valiant Lakshmana, now coming to pass is a worst catastrophe, after a worse catastrophe, after a catastrophe...namely, the expiration at the hands of this demon presently, and the expropriation of Seetha previously, and the expulsion from kingship, still previously... nonetheless, without coming across that ladylove, this disastrous despair of ending our lives is coming about... [3-69-47b, 48a]

kaalasya sumahat viiryam sarva bhuuteSu lakSmaNa || 3-69-48
tvaam ca maam ca naravyaaghra vyasanaiH pashya mohitau |

48b, 49a. naravyaaghra= oh, manly-tiger; lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; sarva bhuuteSu= among all, beings; kaalasya viiryam su mahat= Time's, efficacy, is pre, ponderant; vyasanaiH= by tangles [of life]; mohitau= who are entangled; tvaam ca= yourself, too; maam ca= myself, also; pashya= see [at ourselves.

"Oh, Lakshmana, the efficacy of Time is preponderant and proportional among all beings... oh, manly-tiger, why generalisation... see, as to how yourself and even myself are entangled in the tangles of life, even though we assert ourselves to be brave and best... [3-69-48b, 49a]

na hi bhaaro asti daivasya sarva bhuteSu lakSmaNa || 3-69-49
shuuraaH ca balava.ntaH ca kR^ita astraaH ca raNa aajire |
kaala abhipannaaH siidanti yathaa vaaluka setavaH || 3-69-50

49b, 50. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; [kaalasya] daivasya= [Time] for God; sarva bhuteSu= on all [each and every,] beings [to show its impact]; bhaaraH= encumbrance; na asti= not, there [unencumbered]; shuuraaH ca= brave ones, also; balavantaH ca= brawny one, also; raNa aajire= on battle, fields; kR^ita astraaH ca= those that have perfected, their missilery; kaala abhi pannaaH= Time, nigh, on chancing; siidanti= they founder; vaaluka setavaH yathaa= sand, levee, as with.

Oh, Lakshmana, to show its impact on each and every being Time, or God is unencumbered and unremitting... may he be a brave one or a brawny one... or, may they be those that have perfected their missilery... when Time chances their nigh, they have to founder... as with a sandy levee... [3-69-49b, 50]

The use of word God for Time is to say that time is a created phenomenon, and to say Absolute is beyond time and nature as said na vR^iksha kaalaa prakR^itbhiH yasmaat prapancam parivartae ayam... shvetaashvatara upanishat 6-6.

iti bruvaaNo dR^iDha satya vikramo
mahaayashaa daasharathiH prataapavaan |
avekSya saumitrim udagra vikramam
sthiraam tadaa svaam matim aatmanaa akarot || 3-69-51

51. dR^iDha satya vikramaH= firmly, factually, valorous Rama; mahaayashaa= [by which he earned] great renown; prataapavaan= indomitable one [for he is]; daasharathiH= Dasharatha's son; iti bruvaaNaH= thus, telling; udagra vikramam= uprisen [recalcitrantly] vengeful; saumitrim avekSya= at Soumitri, on looking over; tadaa svaam= then, his own; sthiraam matim= steadied, thinking; aatmanaa akarot= by himself, has done [he readied himself.]

Rama being the son of Dasharatha is an indomitable one, besides, a firmly and factually valorous one, by which he earned a great renown, and he on telling thus, and on looking over that recalcitrantly vengeful Soumitri, then Rama readied himself by his own steadied thinking. [3-69-51]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe eko na saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 69th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 70

Introduction

Kabandha's overlong arms are cut off when he wanted to devour Rama and Lakshmana as godsend dainty morsels. Then Kabandha wishes to know who these two are and when Lakshmana informs him of Rama, that demon feels elated for his accursed state is over at the hands of Rama

tau tu tatra sthitau dR^iSTvaa bhraatarau raama lakSmaNau |
baahu paasha parikSiptau kabandho vaakyam abraviit || 3-70-1

1. baahu paasha pari kSiptau= arms, [hangman's] halter, completely stowed by; tatra sthitau= therein [within the grip,] staying [enduring]; bhraatarau= at brothers; tau raama lakSmaNau= them, at Rama, Lakshmana; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing [prying]; kabandhaH vaakyam abraviit= Kabandha, sentence, said.

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]

tiSThataH kim nu maam dR^iSTvaa kSudhaa aartam kSatriya R^iSabhau |
aahaara artham tu sandiSTau daivena gata cetasau || 3-70-2

2. kSatriya R^iSabhau= oh, Kshatriya, best ones among; kSudhaa aartam= by hunger, anguished [miserably famished]; maam dR^iSTvaa= me, on seeing; kim nu tiSThataH= what for, really, you stay [cool]; gata cetasau= gone, your lives [you are almost dead]; daivena aahaara artham tu sandiSTau= by god, food [my gobbets,] for purpose of, only, you are sent.

"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]

tat shrutvaa lakSmaNo vaakyam praapta kaalam hitam tadaa |
uvaaca aartim samaapanno vikrame kR^ita nishcayaH || 3-70-3

3. lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; tat shrutvaa= that, one hearing; tadaa aartim sam aapannaH= then [who is by now,] anguish, possessed by; vikrame kR^ita nishcayaH= in valour [to wreck revenge on demon,] making, determination; praapta kaalam= chanced, time [expedient]; hitam vaakyam uvaaca= advisable, words, said [to Rama.]

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]

tvaam ca maam ca puraa tuurNam aadatte raakSasa adhamaH |
tasmaat asibhyaam asya aashu baahuu chindaavahe guruu || 3-70-4

4. raakSasa adhamaH= demon, scurrilous; tuurNam= quickly; tvaam ca= you, also; maam ca= me, also; puraa= prior to; aadatte= can take in / hauled us in; tasmaat= therefore; asya= his; guruu baahuu= lengthy, arms; asibhyaam= with two [of our] swords; aashu= swiftly; chindaavahe= we hack off.

"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]

bhiSaNo ayam mahaakaayo raakshaso bhuja vikramaH |
lokam hi ati jitam kR^itvaa hi avaam hantum iha icChati || 3-70-5

5. bhiSaNaH= gruesome one; mahaakaayaH= gargantuan bodied; bhuja vikramaH= by arms, triumphing one; ayam raakshasaH= such, a demon; lokam ati jitam kR^itvaa= world [his province,] completely, conquered [devastating,] on making; iha avaam hantum icChati hi= now, us, to finish off, wishes, indeed.

"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]

nishcheSTaanaam vadho raajan kutstito jagatii pateH |
kratu madhya upaniitaanaam pashuunaam iva raaghava || 3-70-6

6. raajan raaghava= oh, king, Raghava; niH cheSTaanaam= without, gesticulations [motionless, those that are non-aggressive]; vadhaH= [their] killing; kratu madhya= Vedic-ritual, in the midst of; upa niitaanaam pashuunaam iva= to nigh, led in, animal, like [tantamount to]; jagatii pateH kutstitaH= for world's, lords [kings,] despicable.

"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]

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...'

etat sa.mjalpitam shrutvaa tayoH kruddhaH tu raakshasaH |
vidaarya aasyam tato raudram tau bhakshayitum aarabhat || 3-70-7

7. kruddhaH raakshasaH tu= infuriated, demon, on his part; tataH= then; tayoH= their; sam jalpitam= together, talked [conversation]; etat shrutvaa= all that, on hearing; raudram aasyam vidaarya= ferocious, mouth, broke open - opening wide; tau bhakshayitum aarabhat= both, to wolf down, started to.

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]

tataH tau desha kaalaj~nau khaDgaabhyaam eva raaghavau |
acChindataam susa.mhR^iSTau baahuu tasya a.msa deshataH || 3-70-8

8. tataH= then; su sam hR^iSTau= very, highly, gladdened; desha kaalaj~nau= place, time knowers of [brothers with circumspection]; tau raaghavau= those, Raghava-s; khaDgaabhyaam eva= with two swords, only; tasya baahuu= his, arms; amsa deshataH= shoulder joint, from the place of; acChindataam= mutilated.

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]

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.

dakSiNo dakSiNam baahum asaktam asinaa tataH |
cicCheda raamo vegena savyam viiraH tu lakSmaNaH || 3-70-9

9. tataH= then; dakSiNaH raamaH= dextrous, Rama; a+ saktam= not, restrained; vegena= with speed; dakSiNam baahum= right, arm; asinaa cicCheda= with sword, hacked off; viiraH lakSmaNaH tu= valiant one, Lakshmana, on his part; savyam [baahum cicCheda]= left [arm, hewed down.]

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]

sa papaata mahaabaahuH chinna baahuH mahaa svanaH |
kham ca gaam ca dishaH caiva naadayan jalado yathaa || 3-70-10

10. mahaabaahuH= overlong-armed; saH= he, Kabandha; chinna baahuH= with mangled, arms; mahaa svanaH= with cacophonous, voice; jala daH yathaa= rain, giver [black-thunderous-cloud,] as with; kham ca= sky, also; gaam ca= earth, also; [dasha] dishaH caiva= [ten] points of horizons, also, thus; naadayan= reverberating; papaata= he, fell down.

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]

sa nikR^ittau bhujau dR^iSTvaa shoNita ogha pariplutaH |
diinaH papracCha tau viirau kau yuvaam iti daanavaH || 3-70-11

11. saH daanavaH= he, that demon; nikR^ittau bhujau= at his dissevered, shoulders; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; shoNita ogha pari plutaH= blood, gushes, with over, flowing; diinaH= self-piteously; yuvaam kau= you two, who; iti= thus; tau viirau papracCha= those, two bold ones, has asked.

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]

iti tasya bruvaaNasya lakSmaNaH shubha lakSaNaH |
shasha.msa tasya kaakutstham kaba.ndhasya mahaabalaH || 3-70-12

12. tasya iti bruvaaNasya= his, this way, who is speaking [asking]; shubha lakSaNaH= one with prosperous, characteristics; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; mahaabalaH [mahaatmaanaH]= great-mighty [or, great souled]; tasya kabandhasya= to him, to Kabandha; kaakutstham shashamsa= about Kakutstha Rama, informed.

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]

ayam ikSvaaku daayaado raamo naama janaiH shrutaH |
tasya eva avarajam viddhi bhraataram maam ca lakSmaNam || 3-70-13

13. ayam= he is; raamaH naama= Rama, by name; janaiH shrutaH= by people, heard [known]; ikSvaaku daayaadaH= Ikshvaaku's, legatee; maam tasya avarajam bhraataram =me, his, later born [younger,] as brother; lakSmaNam [naama naamataH]= as Lakshmana [named one by my name]; viddhi= you know.

"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]

maatraa pratihato raajye raamaH pravaajito vanam |
mayaa saha carati eSa bhaaryayaa ca mahat vanam || 3-70-14

14. eSa= this one; raamaH= Rama; maatraa= by mother; prati hataH= counter, vailed; raajye= from kingdom; vanam pra vaajitaH= to forest, bluntly, sent to; mayaa saha= me, along with; bhaaryayaa ca= with his wife, also; mahat vanam carati= great, forest, he moves about.

"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]

asya deva prabhaavasya vasato vijane vane |
rakSasaa apahR^itaa bhaaryaa yaam icChantau iha aagatau || 3-70-15

15. vi jane vane= without, people, in forest; vasataH= while living; deva prabhaavasya= god [like that of,] in his leverage; asya bhaaryaa rakSasaa apahR^itaa= his, wife, by demon, abducted; yaam icChantau iha aagatau= whom, wishing [to retrieve,] to here, [we] came.

"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]

tvam tu ko vaa kim artham vaa kabandha sadR^isho vane |
aasyena urasi diiptena bhagna jangho viceSTase || 3-70-16

16. tvam tu= you, but; kaH vaa= who, or; kabandha sadR^ishaH= trunk, alike; urasi diiptena aasyena= in chest, infernal, with mouth; bhagna janghaH= broken, calves [legs, legless]; vane= in forest; kim artham vaa= for what, reason, or; vi ceSTase= sprawling.

"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]

evam uktaH kaba.ndhaH tu lakSmaNena uttaram vacaH |
uvaaca parama priitaH tat indra vacanam smaran || 3-70-17

17. lakSmaNena evam uktaH= by Lakshmana, that way, when spoken; kabandhaH tu= Kabandha, on his part; tat indra vacanam smaran= that, Indra's, words, on memorising; parama priitaH= highly, delighted; uttaram vacaH uvaaca= in reply, words, spoke.

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]

svaagatam vaam naravyaaghrau diSTyaa pashyaami vaam aham |
diSTyaa ca imau nikR^ittau me yuvaabhyaam baahu bandhanau || 3-70-18

18. naravyaaghrau= oh, manly-tigers; vaam svaagatam [su aagatam]= to you, well, come; aham vaam diSTyaa pashyaami= I am, you, providentially, seeing you [instead, you are a revelation to me];; diSTyaa= providentially; yuvaabhyaam= by you two; me imau= my, these; baahu bandhanau= arms, shackles of [or, bondage]; nikR^ittau= sheared.

"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]

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.

viruupam yat ca me ruupam praaptam hi avinayaat yathaa |
tat me shR^iNu naravyaaghra tattvataH sha.msataH tava || 3-70-19

19. naravyaaghra= oh, manly tiger; me= my; vi ruupam= dis, figure; yat ruupam=mine, which, form - is there; that; yathaa= as to how; a+ vinayaat= by dis, respect; praaptam= chanced on me; tava= to you; tattvataH shamsataH= actually, while being narrated; tat me shR^iNu= that, from me, you listen.

"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]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 70th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 71

Introduction

Kabandha requests Rama to incinerate him, so that he would get his divine form and then would be able to give some clues in regaining Seetha. He admits that the present hideous state has chanced only because of his arrogant behaviour, thereby a sort of repentance has occurred in him. A course of conversations occurs among these two, as each is distrustful of the other

puraa raama mahaabaaho mahaabala paraakrama |
ruupam aasiit mama aci.ntyam triSu lokeSu vishrutam || 3-71-1
yathaa suuryasya somasya shakrasya ca yathaa vapuH |

1, 2a. mahaabaaho= oh, great dextrous one; mahaa bala paraakrama raama= oh great, daring, dashing, Rama; puraa= at one time - my form was; suuryasya= sun's; somasya= of moon's; yathaa= how it was - physiques of those gods; shakrasya ca= Indra's [physique,] also; vapuH= body; yathaa= as to how it is; [tathaa= in that way]; mama ruupam= my, form - was there; which is; a +cintyam= unbelievable; triSu lokeSu vishrutam= in three, world, renowned; aasiit= was there.

"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]

so aham ruupam idam kR^itvaa loka vitraasanam mahat || 3-71-2
R^iSiin vana gataan raama traasayaami tataH tataH |

2b, 3a. raama= oh, Rama; saH aham= such as, I was [with an admirable body]; loka vitraasanam= for world, utterly scaring; mahat idam ruupam kR^itvaa= horrendous, this sort of, form, on making [on disguising]; tataH tataH= there, there; vana gataan= forest, gone in - forest moving; R^iSiin= sages; traasayaami= I was scaring,.

"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]

tataH sthuulashiraa naama maharSiH kopito mayaa || 3-71-3
sa.ncinvan vividham vanyam ruupeNa anena dharSitaH |

3b, 4a. tataH= then - on one day; vividham vanyam sancinvan= divers, forest produce, on who is collecting; sthuulashiraa naama maharSiH= Sthuulashariira, named, great sage; anena ruupeNa dharSitaH= by this, [ugly] form, [by me] scared; and; mayaa kopitaH= by me, he is exasperated.

"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]

tena aham uktaH prekSya evam ghora shaapa abhidhaayinaa || 3-71-4
etat eva nR^isha.nsam te ruupam astu vigarhitam |

4b, 5a. prekSya= on seeing [me]; ghora shaapa abhidhaayinaa= deadly, curse, enforcer of; tena aham evam uktaH= by him, I am, this way, said - cursed; te= to you; nR^ishansam= diabolic; vi garhitam= verily, despicable; etat= this; ruupam eva astu= [present] form, alone, will be [you will abide in.]

"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]

sa mayaa yaacitaH kruddhaH shaapasya anto bhavet iti || 3-71-5
abhishaapa kR^itasya iti tena idam bhaaSitam vacaH |

5b-6a. kruddhaH saH= enraged, he; abhishaapa kR^itasya= by blasphemy, committed - wrong of mine; shaapasya antaH bhavet iti [cet]= curse's, end, [whether] there is [or not,] thus; iti mayaa yaacitaH= thus, by me, when begged; tena idam vacaH bhaaSitam= by him, this, word, is spoken.

"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]

yadaa Chittvaa bhujau raamaH tvaam dahet vijane vane || 3-71-6
tadaa tvam praapsyase ruupam svam eva vipulam shubham |

6b-7a. raamaH= Rama; bhujau Chittvaa= shoulders, on chopping off; tvaam yadaa vijane vane dahet= you, when, in uninhibited, forest, incinerates; tadaa= then; tvam= you; svam eva= your own, only; vipulam shubham ruupam praapsyase= grand, auspicious form, will be regained

" '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]

shriyaa viraajitam putram danoH tvam viddhi lakSmaNa || 3-71-7
indra kopaat idam ruupam praaptam evam raNa aajire |

7b, 8a. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; danoH= of Danu; shriyaa viraajitam= with splendidness, who shone forth - most handsome; putram= as the son of - Danu; tvam viddhi= you, know thus; indra kopaat= Indra, by ire of; raNa aajire= in battle, field; evam= in this way; idam ruupam= this, form; praaptam= chanced.

"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]

The cause of curse is said so far and now the effect is narrated, and tŸvrataratapa×praty˜hitapit˜mahavaralabh˜þastravadhyabh˜vadarpitena may˜ raõe vikramya pradharÿita þakra× - so says dk about it.

aham hi tapasaa ugreNa pitaamaham atoSayam || 3-71-8
diirgham aayuH sa me praadaat tato maam vibhramo aspR^ishat |

8b, 9a. aham ugreNa tapasaa= I have, by ascesis, severe; pitaamaham atoSayam= Grandparent Brahma, gladdened; saH me= he, to me; diirgham aayuH praadaat= long, life, granted; tataH maam vibhramaH aspR^ishat= then, to me, headstrongness [a kind of recalcitrance,] touched off [in my mind.]

"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]

diirgham aayuH mayaa praaptam kim me shakraH kariSyati || 3-71-9
iti evam buddhim aasthaaya raNe shakram adharSayam |

9b, 10a. mayaa diirgham aayuH praaptam= by me, long, life, acquired; shakraH me kim kariSyati= Indra, to me, what, can do; iti evam= thus, that kind of; buddhim aasthaaya= certitude, relying upon; raNe shakram adharSayam= in a bout, with Indra, I jousted with.

" '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]

tasya baahu pramuktena vajreNa shata parvaNaa || 3-71-10
sakthinii ca shiraH caiva shariire sa.mpraveshitam |

10b, 11a. tasya baahu pramuktena= his, hand, launched; vajreNa shata parvaNaa= by Thunderbolt, of hundred cutting edges; sakthinii ca= thighs, also; shiraH caiva= head, also thus; shariire sam praveshitam= into body, to verily, enter [rammed in.]

"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]

sa mayaa yaacyamaanaH san na aanayat yama saadanam || 3-71-11
pitaamaha vacaH satyam tat asti iti mama abraviit |

11b, 12a. saH= he, Indra; mayaa yaacyamaanaH san= by me, begged, even though; yama saadanam na aanayat= to Yama's, residence [world,] not, led [not led me to hell - spared lives]; tat pitaamaha vacaH satyam astu= that [word of,] Grandparent's, word, true, let come; iti= thus; mama abraviit= to me, said.

"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]

anaahaaraH katham shakto bhagna sakthi shiro mukhaH || 3-71-12
vajreNa abhihataH kaalam su diirgham api jiivitum |

12b, 13a. vajreNa abhihataH= by Thunderbolt, hit down [thus, by its impact]; bhagna= broken [disarranged]; sakthi shiraH mukhaH= thighs, head, mouth; an+ aahaaraH= without, food; su diirgham kaalam= for very, long, time; jiivitum api= to live, at least; katham shaktaH= how, I am capable.

" '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]

sa evam uktaH me shakro baahuu yojanam aayatau || 3-71-13
tadaa ca aasyam ca me kukSau tiikSNa da.nSTram akalpayat |

13b, 14a. saH evam uktaH= he, Indra, this way, said to [by me]; shakraH me= Indra, for me; yojanam aayatau baahuu= yojana, long, arms; tadaa ca= that way, also; tiikSNa danSTram aasyam ca= rapier, fanged, mouth, also; me kukSau akalpayat= in paunch, he devised.

"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]

so aham bhujaabhyaam diirghaabhyaam sa.mkR^iSya asmin vane caraan || 3-71-14
si.mha dvipi mR^iga vyaaghraan bhakSayaami sama.ntataH |

14b, 15a. saH aham= such as, I am; diirghaabhyaam bhujaabhyaam= with overlong ones, both arms; asmin vane= in this, forest; samantataH caraan= all over, moving; simha dvipi mR^iga vyaaghraan= lions, elephants, animals, tigers; samkR^iSya= hauling in; bhakSayaami= I am eating.

"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]

sa tu maam abraviit indro yadaa raamaH sa lakSmaNaH || 3-71-15
Chetsyate samare baahuu tadaa svargam gamiSyasi |

15b, 16a. saH indraH tu= he, that Indra, on his part; maam abraviit= to me, said; yadaa sa lakSmaNaH raamaH= as and when, with, Lakshmana, Rama; samare baahuu Chetsyate= in conflict, arms, hacks off; tadaa svargam gamiSyasi= then, to heaven, you can go.

"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]

anena vapuSaa taata vane asmin raajasattama || 3-71-16
yat yat pashyaami sarvasya grahaNam saadhu rocaye |

16b, 17a. raja sattama= oh, king, the powerful; taata= oh, sire; asmin vane= in this, forest; anena vapuSaa= with this, body; yat yat pashyaami= what, what [whatever,] I am seeing; sarvasya grahaNam saadhu rocaye= them all, grabbing, meetly, I feel.

"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]

avashyam grahaNam raamo manye aham samupaiSyati || 3-71-17
imaam buddhim puraskR^itya deha nyaasa kR^ita shramaH |

17b, 18a. raamaH= Rama; avashyam grahaNam samupaiSyati [sam up eS]= certainly, into captivity, comes nigh of; thus; aham manye= I, believed; imaam buddhim puras kR^itya= this kind of, determination, confiding in; deha nyaasa= body, to dislodge; kR^ita shramaH= made, toil [ I became a toiler.]

"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]

sa tvam raamo asi bhadram te na aham anyena raaghava || 3-71-18
shakyo hantum yathaa tattvam evam uktam maharSiNaa |

18b, 19a. raaghava= oh, Raghava; tvam saH raamaH asi= you, that, Rama, you are; te bhadram= safe betides you; maharSiNaa tattvam= by sage, fact [gravamen]; evam= this way; yathaa uktam= as to how, said; thereby; aham anyena hantum shakyaH na= I am, by other [person,] to be killed [mangle,] capable, not.

"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]

aham hi mati saacivyam kariSyaami nara R^iSabha || 3-71-19
mitram caiva upadekSyaami yuvaabhyaam sa.mskR^ito agninaa |

19b, 20a. nara R^iSabha= oh, man, bullish [impetuous]; aham= I; [yadi cet= if, it were to be]; agninaa samskR^itaH= by Fire, beatified by incineration; yuvaabhyaam= to you two; mati saacivyam= by mind, ministerial help [advice]; kariSyaami= I will do [give]; mitram caiva upadekSyaami= friend, also thus, I will [further] advise.

"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]

evam uktaH tu dharmaatmaa danunaa tena raaghavaH || 3-71-20
idam jagaada vacanam lakSmaNasya upashR^iNvataH |

20b, 21a. tena danunaa= by him, by Danu [Danu's son]; evam uktaH= thus, who is said - Rama; dharmaatmaa raaghavaH= duty-mined, Raghava; lakSmaNasya upa shR^iNvataH= of Lakshmana's, nearby, hearing [while Lakshmana is hearing]; idam vacanam jagaada= this, word, said [to Kabandha]

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]

This Kabandha and his lineage is an enigma and variously said at various places, just by deflection of one or two words. This being the riddle of grammarians, we are supposed to know that he is a demon blessed for gandharva-hood, and then accursed to demon-hood, and then becomes a gandharva again and goes to heaven, at the blessing of Rama. The last compound in second stanza differs with that of other mms, in wording, but not in its meaning.

raavaNena hR^itaa siitaa mama bhaaryaa yashasvinii || 3-71-21
niSkraa.ntasya janasthaanaat saha bhraatraa yathaa sukham |

21b, 22a. janasthaanaat= from Janasthaana; saha bhraatraa= with, brother; niSkraantasya= one who exited - when I exited; mama bhaaryaa yashasvinii siitaa= my, wife, illustrious, Seetha; raavaNena yathaa sukham hR^itaa= by Ravana, as per, convenience [conveniently,] stolen.

"Ravana conveniently stole my illustrious wife when myself and my brother exited from Janasthaana... [3-71-21b, 22a]

naama maatram tu jaanaami na ruupam tasya rakSasaH || 3-71-22
nivaasam vaa prabhaavam vaa vayam tasya na vidmahe |

22b, 23a. tasya rakSasaH= that, of demon; naama maatram tu jaanaami= name, only, but, I know; ruupam na= [his] form, not - I don't know; tasya= his; nivaasam vaa= residence [stronghold,] either; prabhaavam vaa= staying power, or; vayam na vidmahe= we, of his, not, in the know of [unaware of.]

"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]

It appears that Rama is dealing with this Kabandha with a half-belief, because he is rehashing the same good old parroting. Here there is a mutual distrust. 'What if this demon when reduced to ashes cannot say anything... like Viraadha...' is the distrust in Rama, and 'what if I am going to say the name of Sugreeva now itself, before they incinerate me, and on knowing the name of Sugreeva, what if this Rama departs quickly to Sugreeva, without burning me...' is the mistrust of Kabandha. The averral of Rama to Kabandha is unclear so far, and in order to put his case straight Rama has to rehash, so he is going over again. The same is the case with Sugreeva. He blatantly lies to Rama that he does not know Ravana, in Kishkindha Kanda. And if insisted Sugreeva, or to that matter of fact Seetha, both are ready with their self-assertive dialogue: kaH na aparaadhyati 'who errs not...'

shoka aartaanaam anaathaanaam evam viparidhaavataam || 3-71-23
kaaruNyam sadR^isham kartum upakaare ca vartataam |

23b, 24a. shoka aartaanaam= by agony, anguished - we are; a+ naathaanaam= un, sheltered ones; evam= this way; vi pari dhaavataam= verily, all over, running [we are running helter-skelter]; upakaare vartataam ca= in helpfulness [in your restitution,] [we who will be] following [comply with]; kaaruNyam= mercifulness; sadR^isham kartum [arhasi]= this type of [befitting,] to do, [apt of you to show mercy on us.]

"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]

kaaSThaani aaniiya bhagnaani kaale shuSkaaNi ku.njaraiH || 3-71-24
dhakSyaamaH tvaam vayam viira shvabhre mahati kalpite |

24b, 25a. viira= oh, brave Kabandha; kaale kunjaraiH bhagnaani= at times, by elephants, rent; shuSkaaNi kaaSThaani aaniiya= dried up, firewood, on brining in; kalpite mahati shvabhre= on arranging [digging,] large, in trench; vayam tvaam dhakSyaamaH= we, you, will incinerate.

"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]

sa tvam siitaam samaacakSva yena vaa yatra vaa hR^itaa || 3-71-25
kuru kalyaaNam atyartham yadi jaanaasi tattvataH |

25b, 26a. saH tvam= such as, you are; tattvataH jaanaasi yadi= actually, you know, if; siitaam= about Seetha; yena vaa= by whom, or; yatra vaa= to where, or; hR^itaa= stolen; samaacakSva= inform clearly; ati artham= very much - most; kalyaaNam kuru= gracious deed, you do.

"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]

evam uktaH tu raameNa vaakyam danuH anuttamam || 3-71-26
provaaca kushalo vaktum vaktaaram api raaghavam |

26b-27a. raameNa= by Rama; evam uktaH= thus, who is spoken - Kabandha; vaktum kushalaH danuH= in articulation, expert, Kabandha of Danu; vaktaaram raaghavam= to enunciator, to Raghava; anuttamam vaakyam= unexcelled [expedient words,] words; provaaca= replied.

When he is said thus that expert articulator Kabandha replied Rama, who is also an expert enunciator, with expedient words. [3-71-26b, 27a]

divyam asti na me j~naanam na abhijaanaami maithiliim || 3-71-27
yaH taam j~naasyati tam vakSye dagdhaH svam ruupam aasthitaH |

27b, 28a. me divyam j~naanam na asti= to me, divine, knowledge, not, is there; na abhijaanaami maithiliim= not, I can identify, Maithili; dagdhaH= when I am burnt down; svam ruupam aasthitaH= [my] own, form, on assuming; yaH= he; taam= her; j~naasyati= will know [will find out]; tam= him; vakSye= I tell of.

"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]

yo abhijaanaati tad rakshaH tad vakshye raama tat param || 3-71-28
adagdhasya hi vij~naatum shaktiH asti na me prabho |
raakSasam tam mahaaviiryam siitaa yena hR^itaa tava || 3-71-29

28b, 29. prabho= oh, lord; raama= Rama; yena= by whom; tava siitaa hR^itaa= your, Seetha, is stolen; tam mahaa viiryam raakSasam= about that, great mighty, demon; vij~naatum= to know; a+ dagdhasya= when not, incinerated - with an unburnt body; me shaktiH na asti= ability, is not, there; tat param hi= there, after, indeed - after incineration; yaH abhijaanaati tat rakshaH= who, can familiarise, that [incineration,] demon; tat vakshye that, I speak about.

"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]

vij~naanam hi mahat bhraSTam shaapa doSeNa raaghava |
svakR^itena mayaa praaptam ruupam loka vigarhitam || 3-71-30

30. raaghava= oh, Raghava; shaapa doSeNa= by curse's, blemish; [mama= my]; vij~naanam= acumen; mahat bhraSTam hi= utterly, distorted, isn't it; mayaa sva kR^itena= by me, by my own, deeds - my own antics towards sages and Indra; loka vigarhitam= world, despicable; ruupam praaptam= form, bechanced.

"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]

kim tu yaavat na yaati astam savitaa shraanta vaahanaH |
taavat maam avaTe kSiptvaa daha raama yathaa vidhi || 3-71-31

31. raama= oh, Rama; kim tu= but; savitaa= Sun; shraanta vaahanaH= one with fatigued, vehicle [here, horses]; astam= to dusk; yaavat na yaati= soon before, not, goes; taavat= sooner than; maam avaTe kSiptvaa= me, in trench, on tossing; yathaa vidhi daha= as per, custom, burn.

"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]

Now Rama started to believe Kabandha because the simile used by him refers to the dusking Sun with fatigued horses. Though Kabandha is always telling that 'I have no knowledge... I lost my discernment...' etc., half told is the fact that there is someone out there to help Rama. Hence, the believability is bechanced. Sun's horses will never be fatigued, but fatigued is this Kabandha in this grotesque physique, as a vehicle predestined to communicate some information to Rama. And when a dusking Sun is indicated, another dawning Sun is also indicated, in his freshness. So also, Kabandha is about to resurrect after this incineration, as a vehicular messenger for Rama.

dagdhaH tvayaa aham avaTe nyaayena raghuna.ndana |
vakSyaami tam mahaaviira yaH tam vetsyati raakSasam || 3-71-32

32. mahaa viira= oh, great valiant Rama; raghunandana= oh, legatee of Raghu; aham tvayaa= I, by you; nyaayena= justifiably [scripturally]; avaTe dagdhaH= in trench, when burnt; yaH= who; tam raakSasam vetsyati= about that, demon, knows [quite fathoms]; tam= about him; vakSyaami= I [for sure] tell of.

"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]

tena sakhyam ca kartavyam nyaayya vR^ittena raaghava |
kalpayiSyati te priitaH saahaayyam laghu vikramaH || 3-71-33

33. raaghava= oh, Raghava; nyaayya vR^ittena= with amicable, comportment; tena sakhyam ca kartavyam= with him, friendship, also, made [effectuated]; laghu vikramaH= that quick-paced, valiant [valiantly alacritous Sugreeva]; priitaH= gladdened; te saahaayyam kalpayiSyati= to you, succour, evolves.

"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]

na hi tasya asti avij~naatam triSu lokeSu raaghava |
sarvaan parivR^ito lokaan puraa vai kaaraNa antare || 3-71-34

34. raaghava= oh, Raghava; triSu lokeSu= in three, worlds; tasya= to him; a+ vij~naatam= not, familiar; na asti hi= not, is there, indeed; puraa= once; kaaraNa antare= on cause, different [causa sine qua non]; sarvaan lokaan pari vR^itaH vai= all, worlds, circum, navigated, remarkably.

"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]

Even now Kabandha is not naming Sugreeva, only for fear of loosing Rama, without burning the half dead Kabandha. Kabandha knows that humans do not burn or bury the undead, and Rama may now leave this dying Kabandha to his natural death, and go away. But Rama is already acquainted with the dying ceremonies of demons, where they die only after a physically dead, perforce, by consigning them to fire or burying them alive, as in the case of Viraadha. Hence this stingy maiming and baiting of Kabandha is continued, to burn him down, perforce.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe eka saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 71st chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 72

Introduction

When Rama incinerates Kabandha he resurrects as a celestial being and detailing about Sugreeva he urges Rama to befriend him. He informs Rama that Sugreeva is also in a similar condition and he needs some one to rely upon, in order to overcome his problems, and thus Kabandha asks Rama to help Sugreeva, and get help as requital from Sugreeva

evam uktau tu tau viirau kabandhena nara iishvarau |
giri pradaram aasaadya paavakam visasarjatuH || 3-72-1

1. kabandhena= by Kabandha; evam uktau= that way, those two who are said; nara iishvarau= people's, lords; tau viirau= those, brave men; giri pradaram aasaadya= mountain, cleft, on getting at [throwing the body of Kabandha in it]; paavakam visasarjatuH= fire [firewood,] bestrewn [embedded it.]

When Kabandha said that way, both those brave men and lords of people, on throwing the body of Kabandha into a mountain cleft and then embedded it with firewood. [3-72-1]

lakSmaNaH tu mahaa ulkaabhiH jvalitaabhiH samantataH |
citaam aadiipayaamaasa saa prajajvaala sarvataH || 3-72-2

2. lakSmaNaH tu= Lakshmana, on his part; jvalitaabhiH= with blazing; mahaa ulkaabhiH= with highly, sparkling torches; samantataH= all over; citaam= pyre; aadiipayaamaasa= started to torch; saa= that - pyre; sarvataH= on all sides; prajajvaala [pra ja jvaaala]= suddenly, blazingly, blazed.

On his part Lakshmana started to torch that pyre with highly sparkling torches from all over, and even that pyre too suddenly blazed with blazes from all over. [3-72-2]

tat shariiram kabandhasya ghR^ita piNDa upamam mahat |
medasaa pacyamaanasya mandam dahati paavakaH || 3-72-3

3. medasaa= [full] with fat; pacyamaanasya= while being cooked - being burnt in fire; kabandhasya= Kabandha's; mahat= massy; ghR^ita piNDa upamam= ghee, gob, in simile; tat shariiram= that, body; paavakaH mandam dahati= fire, tardily, burnt it [stewed the body.]

That massy body of Kabandha is full with fat and while it is being cooked, it is in simile with a massy gob of ghee. But the Fire had to stew that body tardily, though that stewed meat is Fire's favourite dish, because of that body's massiveness. [3-72-3]

sa vidhuuya citaam aashu vidhuumo agnir iva utthitaH |
araje vaasasii bibhrat maalaam divyaam mahaabalaH || 3-72-4

4. mahaabalaH= highly, dynamic; saH= he [Kabandha]; a+ raje= un, tarnished [lily-white]; vaasasii= vestments; divyaam maalaam= angelic, garlands; bibhrat= attired in; citaam vidhuuya= pyre, on shoving off; aashu= in a trice; vi dhuumaH agniH iva utthitaH= without, fumes, fire, alike [looks like,] zoomed.

In a trice that highly dynamic Kabandha zoomed up shoving off that pyre, and he is now attired in lily-white vestments and angelic garlands, and appeared like a fumeless fire. [3-72-4]

tataH citaayaa vegena bhaasvaro viraja a.mbaraH |
utpapaata aashu sa.mhR^iSTaH sarva pratya.nga bhuuSaNaH || 3-72-5

5. tataH= then; bhaasvaraH= irradiant Kabandha; vi+raja ambaraH= with not, sullied, clothing; samhR^iSTaH= highly gladdened; sarva prati anga bhuuSaNaH= on all, every, limb, with fineries; aashu vegena= with quick, speed; citaayaa ut papaata= from pyre, up, jumped [onto sky.]

Then highly gladdened Kabandha jumped up onto sky from the pyre, and there he is irradiant with unsullied clothing, and fineries decorated on every limb. [3-72-5]

vimaane bhaasvare tiSThan ha.msa yukte yashas kare |
prabhayaa ca mahaatejaa disho dasha viraajayan || 3-72-6
so antarikSa gato vaakyam kabandho raamam abraviit |

6, 7a. saH kabandhaH he, that Kabandha; antarikSa gataH= to firmament, on going; hamsa yukte= with swans, yoked; yashas kare= renown, endowing; bhaasvare= dazzling; vimaane tiSThan= in aircraft, seated; mahaatejaa= with great glimmer [his own appearance]; prabhayaa ca= glitter also [additional self-refulgence, added now by the sacred incineration by Rama, or by the glitter of heavenly aircraft]; dasha dishaH= ten, quarters; viraajayan= beaming forth; raamam vaakyam abraviit= to Rama, sentence, said.

On going to firmament Kabandha is now seated in a dazzling celestial aircraft yoked with swans, which endows renown because it takes the occupants to the realms of Brahma, and sitting in that celestial aircraft he said this sentence to Rama, while his own great glimmer and glitter beamed forth in all ten quarters. [3-72-6, 7]

shR^iNu raaghava tattvena yathaa siimaam avaapsyasi || 3-72-7
raama SaD yuktayo loke yaabhiH sarvam vimR^ishyate |
parimR^iSTo dasha antena dasha aabhaagena sevyate || 3-72-8

7b, 8. raaghava= oh, Raghava; siimaam= Seetha; yathaa avaapsyasi= how, you will regain; tattvena shR^iNu= in essence, listen; raama= oh, Rama; yaabhiH= by which [analyses]; sarvam =everything; vimR^ishyate= will be analysed; SaT yuktayaH= six, ideations; loke= in world [available]; dasha antenna= spell, at end [at nemesis]; parimR^iSTaH= on who is touched down [with such nemesis]; dasha aabhaagena= spell, one deprived of [under the spell of nemesis]; sevyate= adorable.

"Oh, Raghava, how you will regain Seetha, that you listen from me in its essence... oh, Rama, by which and which analyses everything will be analysed, six of such ideations are available in this world... and when a person is touched down by a spell of nemeses, he shall adore one who is equally in such spell of nemesis... [3-72-7b, 8]

The six ideations employed by kings in kingship are 1] sandhi a covenant with adverse kings; 2] vigraha continuing hostilities; 3] yaana waging war; 4] aasana sit out for proper time; 5] dvaidhii bhaava creating factions and vicissitudes in enemy groups; 6] samaashraya taking shelter under a coequal.

dasha aabhaaga gato hiinaH tvam raama saha lakSmaNaH |
yat kR^ite vyasanam praaptam tvayaa daara pradharSaNam || 3-72-9

9. raama= oh, Rama; saha lakSmaNaH= with, Lakshmana; tvam= you are; dasha aabhaaga gataH= spell, of nemesis, went into; hiinaH= underprivileged [of kingdom, kingly comforts]; yat kR^ite= by which, doing [reason, that spell has done this]; tvayaa= by you; daara= wife; pradharSaNam= dishonouring [in the form of abducting]; vyasanam praaptam= dire straits, obtained.

"Oh, Rama, you along with Lakshmana went into a spell of nemesis, and thus you have become an underprivileged one, and that spell alone has obtained you this dire straits, in the form of abducting your wife... [3-72-9]

tat avashyam tvayaa kaaryaH sa suhR^it suhR^idaam vara |
akR^itvaa na hi te siddhim aham pashyaami cintayan || 3-72-10

10. suhR^idaam vara= among kind-hearted ones, the best; tat= thereby; saH= such a soul [in similar dire straits]; tvayaa= by you; avashyam= certainly; suhR^it kaaryaH= friendship, is to be done [befriended]; a+ kR^itvaa= without, doing [if unbefriended]; te= your; siddhim= accomplishment; aham cintayan= I, on thinking; na pashyaami hi= not, perceiving, indeed.

"Oh, best among kind-hearted ones, thereby you have to certainly befriend such a soul in similar dire straits... however deeply I may think, I am not able to perceive your accomplishment if you do not befriended with such a soul... [3-72-10]

shruuyataam raama vakSyaami sugriivo naama vaanaraH |
bhraatraa nirastaH kruddhena vaalinaa shakra suununaa || 3-72-11

11. raama vakSyaami shruuyataam= oh, Rama, I tell, that may be listened; shakra suununaa= by Indra's, son; bhraatraa kruddhena= by brother, furiously [vengefully]; vaalinaa nirastaH= by Vali, reneged; sugriivaH naama vaanaraH= Sugreeva, named, vanara [is there.]

"Oh, Rama, listen what I tell... a vanara is there by name Sugreeva, who is vengefully reneged by his brother Vali, the son of Indra... [3-72-11]

R^iSyamuuke giri vare pa.mpaa paryanta shobhite |
nivasati aatmavaan viiraH caturbhiH saha vaanaraiH || 3-72-12

12. aatmavaan= self-respecting one - Sugreeva; viiraH= valiant one; pampaa pari anta shobhite= Pampa Lake, over, end [fringes,] lambent; R^iSyamuuke= in Mt. Rishyamuka; giri vare= mountain, best; caturbhiH vaanaraiH saha= with four, [other] vanara-s, along with nivasati= is living.

"That self-respectful valiant Sugreeva is living on the Mt. Rishyamuka, a best mountain available in the lambent fringes of Pampa Lake, along with four other vanara-s. [3-72-12]

vaanarendro mahaaviiryaH tejovaan amita prabhaH |
satya sa.ndho viniitaH ca dhR^itimaan matimaan mahaan || 3-72-13

13. vaanarendraH= among vanara-s, masterful; mahaaviiryaH= highly mettlesome; tejovaan= self-resplendent; a mita prabhaH= ill, limitable, in self-irradiance; satya sandhah= truth bound; viniitaH ca= culture-bound, also; dhR^itimaan= taskmaster; matimaan= mastermind; mahaan= master-hand.

"He that Sugreeva is a masterful one among vanara-s, highly mettlesome, self-resplendent, and illimitable is his self-radiance... and he is also truth-bound and culture-bound... a mastermind, master-hand and a taskmaster... [3-72-13]

dakshaH pragalbho dyutimaan mahaa bala paraakramaH |
bhraataa vivaasito viira raajya heto mahaatmanaa || 3-72-14

14. dakshaH= capable [adventurer]; pragalbhaH= courageous [exploiter]; dyutimaan= coruscating [in personality]; viira= brave one; mahaa bala paraakramaH= incomparably intrepid, incursive - such Sugreeva; raajya hetuH= kingdom, for reason of; mahaatmanaa= by great souled [self-conceited, Vali]; bhraataa= by [such] brother; vi vaasitaH= he is banished.

"He is a capable adventurer, a courageous exploiter and incomparable one in intrepidity and a brave one in incursions, and his personality will be coruscating ever and anon, for he is the son of Sun-god... but he is banished by his self-conceited brother owing to the reasons of kingdom... [3-72-14]

sa te sahaayo mitram ca siitaayaaH parimaargaNe |
bhaviSyati hi te raama maa ca shoke manaH kR^idhaaH || 3-72-15

15. raama= oh, Rama; saH te mitram ca= he, to you, associate, also; siitaayaaH parimaargaNe sahaayaH= of Seetha, in searching, aid; hite bhaviSyati= [in your] wellbeing, he conducts himself; shoke manaH maa kR^idhaaH= in agony, heart, do not, do [yield.]

"Oh, Rama, he will be your associate and an aid in searching for Seetha, and he conducts himself in your wellbeing, hence let not your heart yield to agony... [3-72-15]

bhavitavyam hi yat ca api na tat shakyam iha anyathaa |
kartum ikshvaaku shaarduula kaalo hi durrakramaH ||3-72-16

16. ikshvaaku shaarduula= oh, Ikshvaaku, tigerly; yat ca api= what, also, even; iha bhavitavyam hi= now / here in mortal world, ineluctable, indeed; tat anyathaa kartum= that, otherwise, to do [to be countermanded]; na shakyam= not, possible; kaalaH dur ati kramaH= Time, impossible, to over, step [countervail against]; hi= isn't it.

"Oh, tigerly Ikshvaaku, further nothing can be countermanded in this world which is indeed ineluctable, and it is impossible to countervail against Time, isn't it... [3-72-16]

gacCha shiighram ito viira sugriivam tam mahaabalam |
vayasyam tam kuru kSipram ito gatvaa adya raaghava || 3-72-17
adrohaaya samaagamya diipyamaane vibhaavasau |

17, 18a. viira= oh, bold one - Rama; itaH= from here; shiighram= quickly; mahaabalam tam sugriivam gacCha= to him, great, mighty, Sugreeva, you go; Raaghava= oh, Raghava; adya itaH kSipram gatvaa= now, from here, promptly, on going; samaagamya= on fraternising with him; a + drohaaya= un, friendliness - for genuineness; vibhaavasau diipyamaane= fire, while it is blazing; tam vayasyam kuru= him, as a friend, you make.

"Oh, bold one, you go straight from here to that great mighty Sugreeva, and oh, Raghava, on going from here now and promptly you fraternise with Sugreeva... and to not to bode any ill of unfriendliness among you two, you make him a friend before blazing Fire, making that Fire as an Attestor of your friendship... [3-72-17, 18a]

na ca te so avamantavyaH sugriivo vaanara adhipaH || 3-72-18
kR^itaj~naH kaama ruupii ca sahaaya arthii ca viiryavaan |

18b, 19a. vaanara adhipaH= monkeys, lord of; [other mms vaanaraH api san= even if he is a monkey]; saH sugriivaH= he, Sugreeva; te= by you; na ava mantavyaH= not, to be disregarded; kR^itaj~naH= faithful one; kaama ruupii ca= by wish, guise-changer [wizard], also; sahaaya arthii ca= of help, seeker, also; viiryavaan= valiant one.

"You shall not look down on that lord of monkeys taking him as a lowly simian, why because that Sugreeva is a valiant one, a guise changing wizard and presently he is in the need of a bolsterer, and if you render help he will be obligated to you for ever... [3-72-18b, 19]

shaktau hi adya yuvaam kartum kaaryam tasya cikiirSitam || 3-72-19
kR^itaartho vaa akR^itaartho vaa tava kR^ityam kariSyati |

19b, 20a. yuvaam= you two; adya= now; tasya= his [of Sugreeva]; cikiirSitam kaaryam= desired, task; kartum= to effectuate; shaktau hi= capable enough, indeed; kR^ita arthaH vaa= achieved, his purpose, whether - Sugreeva is; a+ kR^ita arthaH vaa= not, achieved, his purpose, or not; tava kR^ityam kariSyati= your, task, he effectuates.

"Now you two are capable enough to effectuate the desired task of Sugreeva, isn't it... whether his own purpose is achieved through you or not, he will effectuate your task... [3-72-19b, 20a]

sa R^ikSarajasaH putraH pa.mpaam aTati shankitaH || 3-72-20
bhaaskarasya aurasaH putro vaalinaa kR^ita kilbiSaH |

20b, 21a. R^ikSarajasaH putraH= Riksharaja, son of; bhaaskarasya aurasaH putraH= Sun's, direct, son; saH= he, that Sugreeva; vaalinaa= by Vali; kR^ita kilbiSaH= made, sinned [trespassed against]; shankitaH= wary of [Vali's onslaughts]; pampaam aTati= around Pampa, he is wandering.

"Sugreeva is the son of Riksharaja, and the direct son of the Sun, but Vali trespassed against him. Wary of Vali's onslaughts Sugreeva is wandering around Pampa... [3-72-20b, 21a]

sa.mnidhaaya aayudham kSipram R^iSyamuuka aalayam kapim || 3-72-21
kuru raaghava satyena vayasyam vana caariNam |

21b-22a. raaghava= oh, Raghava; aayudham= weapon; samnidhaaya= readying / keeping aside / taking oath on it; vana caariNam= in forest, wanderer; R^iSyamuuka aalayam= Mt. Rishyamuka, residing [taking shelter on]; kapim= with monkey - Sugreeva; satyena= candidly; kSipram= right away; vayasyam= as a friend; kuru= you make.

"Oh, Raghava, right away and candidly you make that monkey Sugreeva, a wanderer in the forest, sheltering himself on Mt. Rishyamuka, as a friend of yours taking an oath on your weapon besides the Fire-witness... [3-72-21b, 22a]

The compound aayudham sam ni dhaaya can mean in the three possible ways as said above. Any one, or three meanings can be obtained, as intensifiers.

sa hi sthaanaani sar.hvaaNi kaar.htsnyena kapi ku.njaraH || 3-72-22
nara maa.msa ashinaam loke naipuNyaat adhigacChati |

22b, 23a. kapi kunjaraH= monkey, elephantine - straightforward one among monkeys; saH= he that Sugreeva; loke= in world; nara maamsa ashinaam= of human, flesh, eaters [anthropophagite demons]; sarvaaNi sthaanaani= all of, strongholds; kaartsnyena= in entirety; naipuNyaat= with his expertise; adhi gacChati hi= conversant with, indeed.

"With his expertise that straightforward monkey Sugreeva is indeed conversant with all of the strongholds of anthropophagite demons in the world in their entirety... [3-72-22b, 23a]

na tasya aviditam loke ki.ncit asti hi raaghava || 3-72-23
yaavat suuryaH pratapati sahasraa.mshuH arindama |

23b, 24a. arindama= oh, enemy-subjugator; raaghava= oh, Raghava; sahasra amshuH suuryaH= thousand, rayed, sun; yaavat=as long as; pra tapati= verily, burns - manifestly irradiates; [taavat= so long]; loke= in world; tasya= to him - sun; a+ viditam= not, familiar; kincit= in the least; na asti= not, is there; hi= isn't it.

"Oh, enemy-subjugator Rama, as far as the thousand rayed sun manifestly irradiates the world, oh, Raghava, thus far, nothing in the least is unfamiliar to him, isn't it... [3-72-23b, 24a]

sa nadiiH vipulaan shailaan giri dur.hgaaNi ka.ndaraan || 3-72-24
anviSya vaanaraiH saardham patniim te adhigamiSyati |

24b, 25a. saH vaanaraiH saardham= he that Sugreeva, with vanara-s, purposefully; vipulaan= extensive; nadiiH= rivers; shailaan= [extensive] mountains; giri durgaaNi kandaraan= mountains, cliffs, caves; anviSya= on raking over; te patniim adhigamiSyati= your, wife, he comes to know.

"He makes the monkeys to purposefully rake over the expansive rivers, extensive mountains and their impassable cliffs and caves in locating your wife... [3-72-24b, 25a]

vaanaraan ca mahaakaayaan preSayiSyati raaghava || 3-72-25
disho vicetum taam siitaam tvat viyogena shocayatiim |
anveSyati varaarohaam maithiliim raavaNa aalaye || 3-72-26

25b, 26. raaghava= oh, Raghava; tvat= by your; viyogena= parting; shocayatiim= made to agony [agonised]; taam siitaam= that, Seetha; vicetum= to search; mahaakaayaan= giant bodied; vaanaraan ca= monkeys, also; dishaH preSayiSyati= to [all] directions, he expedites; raavaNa aalaye= in Ravana's, residence; varaarohaam= for comely lady; maithiliim anveSyati= Maithili, quests for.

"Oh, Raghava, he expedites giant bodied monkeys in all directions to search for her, who is agonised by your parting, and he quests after the residence of Ravana for that comely lady Maithili... [3-72-25b, 26]

sa meru shR^i.nga agra gataam ani.nditaam
pravishya paataala tale api vaa aashritaam |
plava.ngamaanaam R^iSabhaH tava priyaam
nihatya rakSaamsi punaH pradaasyati || 3-72-27

27. plavangamaanaam= among fly-jumpers; R^iSabhaH= bullish [defiant one]; saH= he [Sugreeva]; a+ ninditaam= un, reprovable one - Seetha; tava priyaam= your, ladylove; meru shR^inga agra gataam= Mt. Meru's, peak's, top, gone onto [located]; paataala tale aashritaam= nadir of earth, on planes, abiding; vaa api= or else; pravishya= on entering; nihatya rakSaamsi= annihilating, demons; punaH pradaasyati= again he will, bestow [Seetha to you.]

"Whether that unreprovable ladylove of yours, Seetha, is located on the tops of Mt. Meru's peaks, or abiding on the planes of nadir of the earth, he that defiant one among fly-jumpers, Sugreeva, on entering there and annihilating the demons, he again bestows Seetha to you..." So Kabandha continued his advise to Rama regarding Sugreeva.  [3-72-27]

.

The Suggestion of Kabandha - right or wrong

[Font size can be enhanced under View menu]

Kabandha's suggestion that 'a bewailer shall befriend another bewailer...' is apparently a meaningless suggestion, keeping mythical imports aside, for a while. Though Kabandha is unaware about Ravana and his activities, he is aware of Vali and Sugreeva, according to his present narration. He should have advised Rama to befriend Vali, who is in power and a powerful one too, instead of Sugreeva. It is not so, is the reply from the viewpoint of dharma. This Kabandha has suffered his best in taking wrong routes and just now, he resurrected after making many amends, and he is supposed to advise Rama to go on a right path and to a right personality as Vali is already established as a pursuer of wrong path. But Vali when talking to Rama at his death time says that 'I would have brought Maithili in a single day, I would have roped Ravana and brought him like an animal tide with roe around its neck...' etc. But they are all his expressions at death-time-wisdom. He did not care for Tara's advices nor bothered to talk to Rama, as to why Sugreeva is instigated upon him. This being so, when immortal wisdom has dawned on Kabandha, he cannot ask Rama to tread a wrong path to get his task done. This is what the viewpoint of Dharmaakuutam. Though untranslated verbatim the above is the gist of the following.

k˜rya siddi artham samprati bh˜tru m˜tra sah˜yyasya durdaþa ˜rambaham pr˜ptasya r˜mabhadrasya d®ÿ÷a balena daiva balena ca upeta durdaþ˜y˜× sam˜pti pr˜ptena sugrŸveõa sandhi k˜rama eva samucitam iti kabandhena uktam | tat anupapannam | yato valŸ sugrŸv˜t adhika bala× - sakala v˜nara sen˜ pari v®ta× - sva r˜jye supratiÿ÷ito - r˜ma k®ta prati upak˜ra nirapekÿo - r˜vaõa nigraha catura bhuja vŸrya upapatteh ca | m˜m eva yadi p¨rvam tvam etad artham acodaya× | maithilim aham eka ˜hn˜ tava ca ˜nŸtav˜n bhave× || 1-17-49 | r˜kÿasam ca dur˜tm˜n˜m tava bh˜rya apah˜riõam | kaõ÷he baddhv˜ pradady˜m te anihatam r˜vaõam raõe || 3-17-50 - iti jŸva gr˜ham g®hŸtv˜ raõe v˜ tan nihatya - - et˜d®þa s˜marthyam avagamane sva k˜rya s˜dhaka× ca | ata eva v˜linam apah˜ya at˜d®þa× sugrŸva× katham upadiÿ÷a iti cet na | satya api s˜mardhye d®ptav˜n - r˜vaõa mitratv˜t r˜jya sthitatv˜t - r˜ma k®ta upak˜ra nirapekÿatv˜t ca r˜ma pr˜thito v˜lŸ sakhyam na angŸkury˜d eva | ˜sanna m®tun˜ v˜lin˜ sakhya karaõam niÿphalam ca || - - - satyapi s˜mardhye sŸt˜m ˜nŸya d˜sy˜mi iti et˜d®þa buddhe× þikÿaõa anantara bhavitvena sakhya asakhy˜y˜m asambhav˜t | sva par˜krameõa vin˜ anyena s˜dhita artha angŸkaraõasya kÿatriy˜õ˜m adharmyatv˜t |

This is to say that dharma is far beyond mere politics, whether monarchical or otherwise. To uphold that dharma, one has to undergo certain painful processes, that may be you, or we, or may they be godlike or godsend Rama or Lakshmana.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe dvi saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 72nd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

Chapter [Sarga] 73

Introduction

Kabandha extols Pampa Lake and details Rama about the course to be adopted to proceed to Mt. Rishyamuka to befriend Sugreeva. He details about Matanga hermitage and implores upon Rama to visit an anchoress name Shabari, who is waiting for ages to have a glimpse of Rama.

darshayitvaa raamaaya siitaayaaH praimaargane |
vaakyam anvartham arthaj~naH kaba.ndhaH punaH abraviit || 3-73-1

1. artha j~naH= meaning, knower of [context-sensitive]; kabandhaH= Kabandha; siitaayaaH praimaargane= in Seetha's, questing; [maargam= way out]; darshayitvaa = having shown; anvartham vaakyam =having right concept, sentence - advice; raamaaya= to Rama; punaH abraviit = further, spoke.

On showing a concept for questing after Seetha that context-sensitive Kabandha further spoke this sentence which is inclusive of right concept to Rama. [3-73-1]

eSa raama shivaH pa.nthaa yatra ete puSpitaa drumaaH |
pratiiciim disham aashritya prakaashante mano ramaaH || 3-73-2
ja.mbuu priyaala panasaaH plakSa nyagrodha ti.ndukaaH |
ashvatthaaH karNikaaraaH ca cuutaaH ca anye ca paadapaaH || 3-73-3
dhanvanaa naaga vR^ikshaa tilakaa naktamaalakaaH |
niila ashoka kada.mbaaH ca karaviiraaH ca puSpitaaH || 3-73-4
agnimukhaa ashokaaH ca suraktaaH paribhadrakaaH |

2, 3, 4, 5a. raama= oh, Rama; yatra= where; pratiiciim disham aashritya= west, ward, have recourse to; manaH ramaaH= heart, pleasing; puSpitaaH drumaaH= blossomed, trees; jambuu= rose-apple; priyaala= Priyaala; panasaaH= Jackfruit; plakSa= Plaksha, nyagrodha= banyan; tindukaaH= Tinduka; ashvatthaaH=papal; karNikaaraaH ca= Karnikara, also; cuutaaH ca= Mango, also; anye ca= others, also; paadapaaH= trees; dhanvanaa= Dhanva trees; naaga vR^ikshaa= Naaga, trees; tilakaa= Tilaka trees; naktamaalakaaH= Naktamaala trees; niila ashoka= blue Ashoka trees; kadambaaH ca= Kadamba trees, also; puSpitaaH karaviiraaH ca = [fully] flowered, Karaviira trees, even; agnimukhaa= Agnimukha trees; ashokaaH ca= Ashoka trees, also; suraktaaH = red-sandalwood trees; paribhadrakaaH= Neem trees [Azadirachta indica]; ete prakaashante= all these [where these trees, are] shining forth; eSa= that [alone]; shivaH panthaa= optimistic, course.

"Oh, Rama, have a recourse to westward, and where the trees of Rose-apple, Priyaala, Jackfruit, Plaksha, Banyan, Tinduka, Pipal, Karnikara, Mango, and others... and even trees like Dhanva, Naaga, Tilaka, Naktamaala, blue Ashoka, Kadamba, Karaviira, Agnimukha, Ashoka, red-sandalwood trees and Neem trees will be heart-pleasingly shining forth in full blossom, that alone is an optimistic course for you. [3-73-2, 3, 4, 5a]

The botanical terms for some of these trees are given to some of the above in the first chapter of Kishkindha.

taan aaruhya athavaa bhuumau paatayitvaa ca taan balaat || 3-73-5
phalaani amR^ita kalpaani bhakSayitvaa gamiSyathaH |

5b, 6a. taan aaruhya= them [those trees,] on shinning up; athavaa= or else; taan balaat bhuumau paatayitvaa ca = them, by force, onto ground, pelting down [the fruits, by pelting stones at them, not rain,] even; amR^ita kalpaani= ambrosia, similar; phalaani= fruits; bhakSayitvaa= on devouring; gamiSyathaH= move forward [pelt along.]

"On shinning up those trees, or else, even on forcefully pelting those fruits down onto ground, then you may pelt over, devouring those ambrosial fruits... [3-73-5b, 6a]

tat atikramya kaakutstha vanam puSita paadapam || 3-73-6
na.ndana pratimam tu anyat kuravaH uttaraa iva |

6b, 7a. kaakutstha = oh, Kakutstha; puSita paadapam= with blossomy, trees; tat vanam atikramya= that, forest, [parkland,] on crossing over; nandana pratimam tu = Nandana [heavenly gardens,] a replica of, on its part; uttaraa kuravaH iva = northern, Kuru province, like; anyat= another [parkland is there.]

"On crossing over that parkland, oh, Kakutstha, another parkland with blossomy flowers is there, which replicates the heavenly Nandana gardens, and a replica of North-Kuru, an all-endowing province... [3-73-6b, 7a]

sarva kaala phalaa yatra paadapaa madhura sravaaH || 3-73-7
sarve ca R^itavaH tatra vane caitrarathe yathaa |

7b, 8a. yatra= wherein; sarva kaala phalaa= all, of seasons', fruits having; paadapaa= with such - trees; madhura sravaaH= nectar, transudes; where such trees are there; tatra vane= there, in parkland; sarve R^itavaH= all, seasons; caitrarathe yathaa= in Caitraratha [Kubera's grdens,] as with.

"Wherein the trees fruit all-season fruits that transude nectar, why fruits alone, in that parkland all seasons are coeval, as they will be in Caitraratha, the celestial gardens of Kubera... [3-73-7b, 8a]

phala bhaara nataaH tatra mahaa viTapa dhaariNaH || 3-73-8
shobante sarvataH tatra megha parvata sa.mnibhaaH |

8b, 9a. tatra= in there; phala bhaara nataaH= fruit, by weight, crouched down; megha= [like] clouds; parvata= [like] mountains; sannibhaaH= similar in shine; mahaa viTapa dhaariNaH= enormous, branches, bearing [trees]; tatra sarvataH= there, everywhere; shobante = shine forth.

"In there, the trees bear enormous branches which will be crouching under the weight of their own fruits, and everywhere such trees will be shining forth like shiny clouds and shining mountains... [3-73-8b, 9a]

taan aaruhya athavaa bhuumau paataitvaa yathaa sukham || 3-73-9
phalaani amR^ita kalpaani lakshamaNaH te pradaasyati |

9b, 10a. lakshamaNaH= let Lakshmana; taan aaruhya= them, on climbing up; athavaa= or else; yathaa sukham= as per, convenience; bhuumau paataitvaa= onto ground, on pelting down [fruits]; amR^ita kalpaani phalaani = ambrosia, similar to, fruits; te pra daasyati= to you, verily, give [present.]

"Let Lakshmana present those ambrosial fruits to you either by climbing up those trees to pluck them, or else by pelting them to ground, according to his convenience... [3-73-9b-10a]

ca~Nkrama.ntau varaan shailaan shailaat shailam vanaat vanam || 3-73-10
tataH puSkariNiim viirau pa.mpaam naama gamiSyathaH |

10b, 11a. viirau= oh, valorous two; shailaat shailam= from mountain, to mountain; vanaat vanam= forest, to forest; ca~Nkramantau= while peregrinating; varaan= finest; shailaan= mountains [deshaan= provinces ]; tataH= then; pampaam naama= Pampa, named one [called as]; puSkariNiim= at [auspicious] lotus-lake; gamiSyathaH= you will trek to.

"Peregrinating finest places by trekking from mountain to mountain, from forest to forest, oh, valorous ones, you will trek to an auspicious lotus-lake, called Pampa... [3-73-10b, 11a]

asharkaraam avibhra.mshaam sama tiirtham ashaivalaam || 3-73-11
raama sa.mjaata vaaluukaam kamala utpala shobhitaam |

11b, 12a. raama= oh, Rama; a+ sharkaraam= not, pebbly; a+ vi +bhramshaam= not, very, slippery; sama tiirtham= equal, quaysides; a +shaivalaam= not, [duck] weedy; samjaata= born [formed, emersed]; vaaluukaam= sandbanks; kamala utpala shobhitaam= red-lotuses, blue-lotuses, beautified with - is that Pampa Lake.

"It is un-pebbly, un-slippery, un-weedy thereabouts, oh, Rama, equal are its quaysides and emersed are its sandbanks, red and blue lotuses beautify that Pampa Lake... [3-73-11b, 12a]

tatra ha.msaaH plavaaH krau~NcaaH kuraraaH caiva raaghava || 3-73-12
valgu svaraa nikuujanti pa.mpaa salila gocaraaH |

12b-13a. raaghava= oh, Raghava; tatra= there; pampaa salila gocaraaH= Pampa, water, dwelling in; hamsaaH= swans; plavaaH= cranes; krau~NcaaH= Kraunca; kuraraaH= fish-hawks; caiva= also thus; valgu svaraa= tunefully, voicing; nikuujanti= peeping.

"There the indwellers of Pampa Lake's waters, oh, Raghava, namely the swans, cranes, Kraunca-s and fish-hawks will be letting out peeps in tuneful voice... [3-73-12a, 13b]

na udvijante naraan dR^iSTvaa vadhasya akovidaaH shubhaaH || 3-73-13
ghR^ita piNDa upamaan sthuulaan taan dvijaan bhakSayiSyathaH |

13b, 14a. vadhasya= of killing - about hunting; a+ kovidaaH= not, experts - artless to avoid hunting; shubhaaH= best - birds; naraan dR^iSTvaa= people, on seeing; na udvijante= un, flustered; ghR^ita piNDa upamaan = ghee, gobs, in simile; sthuulaan taan dvijaan= burly, them, birds; bhakSayiSyathaH= you may savour.

"Thereabout birds will be unflustered on seeing humans, because they are artless to avoid hunting, because none kills them, and you may savour them because those birds will be best and burley, similar to ghee-gobs... [3-73-13b, 14a]

Comment: A word about Rama's vegetarianism or otherwise is incorporated at endnote.

rohitaan vakra tuNDaan ca nala miinaan ca raaghava || 3-73-14
pa.mpaayaam iSubhiH matsyaan tatra raama varaan hataan |
nistvakpakSaanayasataptaanakR^ishaannaikakaNTakaan - yadvaa -
niH tvak pakSaan ayasa taptaan akR^ishaan na aneka kaNTakaan || 3-73-15
tava bhaktyaa samaayukto lakSmaNaH sa.mpradaasyati |
bhR^isham taan khaadato matsyaan pa.mpaayaaH puSpa sa.ncaye || 3-73-16

14b, 15, 16a. raaghava= oh, Raghava; raama= oh, Rama; tatra pampaayaam= therein, in Pampa Lake; iSubhiH hataan= with arrow, on skewering; varaan= best ones; niH tvak pakSaan= without, skin [scales,] wings [fins, descaling and de- finning]; ayasa taptaan= with iron rod, on broiling; a+ kR^ishaan ca= not, scraggy, also; na aneka kaNTakaan= not, many, with thorns [with fish-bones]; matsyaan = fishes; rohitaan= red-carps [cyprinus carpio]; vakra tuNDaan= blunt, snouted [small eatable porpoises]; nala miinaan ca= a sort of sprat, also; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; bhaktyaa samaayuktaH = reverence, along with - reverentially; tava= to you; sampradaasyati = will offer.

"Oh, Rama in that Pampa Lake there are best fishes, red-carps, and blunt-snouted small porpoises, and a sort of sprats, which are neither scraggy, nor with many fish-bones. Lakshmana will reverentially offer them to you on skewering them with arrow, and on broiling them on iron rod of arrow after descaling and de-finning them. [3-73-14b, 15, 16a]

padma gandhi shivam vaari sukha shiitam anaamayam |
uddhR^itya sa tadaa akliSTam ruupya sphaTika sannibham || 3-73-17
atha puSkara parNena lakSmaNaH paayayiSyati |

16b, 18a. bhR^isham= many [stomachful, to satiety]; taan matsyaan= those, fishes; khaadataH= while eating; puSpa sancaye= [one in the] flowers', bunches of; padma gandhi= lotus, scented; shivam= pellucid; sukha shiitam= comfortably, cool; anaamayam= without disease [uncontaminated]; sa tadaa akliSTam= that, that way, unadulterated [pristine water]; ruupya sphaTika sannibham= silver, crystal, in shine; pampaayaaH vaari= Pampa Lake's, water; atha lakSmaNaH= then, Lakshmana; puSkara parNena= with lotus, leaf; uddhR^itya= on lifting up; paayayiSyati= [to you] he offers.

"While you eat those fishes to satiety, Lakshmana will offer you the water of Pampa Lake, which will be in the bunches of flowers of that lake, and which will be lotus-scented, pellucid, comfortably cool, shiny like silver and crystal, uncontaminated and that way pristine, by lifting it up that water with lotus leaf, making that leaf a stoup-like basin... [3-73-16b, 17, 18a]

sthuulaan giri guhaa shayyaan vaanaraan vana caariNaH || 3-73-18
saaya aahne vicaran raama darshayiSyati lakshmaNaH |
apaam lobhaata upaavR^ittaan vR^iSabhaan iva nardataH || 3-73-19
ruupa anvitaan ca pa.mpaayaam drakSyasi tvam narottama |

18b, 19, 20a. narottama= oh, man, the best; raama= oh, Rama; sthuulaan= solid [fleshy]; giri guhaa shayyaan= mountain, caves, as their bunk beds; vana caariNaH= forest, movers in; apaam lobhaata upa avR^ittaan= for water, greedy; nearby [lake] coming; vR^iSabhaan iva nardataH= bulls, like, bellowing; ruupa anvitaan ca= [best] shape, having, also; vicaran= moving about; vaanaraan [or, varaahaan]= Vaanara-s, [or, wild boars]; pampaayaam= at Pampa; saaya aahne= evening, of day; lakshmaNa darshayiSyati= Lakshmana, will show you; tvam drakSyasi = you, will see.

"Oh, best one among men Rama, at Pampa you will see best shaped Vanara-s who have their bunk bed in mountain caves, and who will be coming nearby the lake, greedy as they are for water, and those forest movers will be moving about in evening time of the day, bellowing like bulls... oh, Rama, Lakshmana will show them to you... [3-73-18b, 19, 20a]

saaya ahne vicaran raama viTapiin maalya dhaariNaH || 3-73-20
shiva udakam ca pa.mpaayaam dR^iSTvaa shokam vihaasyasi |

20b, 21a. raama= oh, Rama; saaya ahne= in evening, of day; vicaran= while roving; maalya dhaariNaH viTapiin = garlands, wearing, trees - trees around which flowers will be like garlands; pampaayaam shiva udakam ca= in Pampa Lake, serenely, water, also; dR^iSTvaa= [should you] see; shokam vihaasyasi= dolour, you will discard.

"While roving in the evenings, oh, Rama, should you see the serenely water of Pampa, with her trees garlanded with their own blooms and twigs, you will discard your own dolour... [3-73-20b, 21a]

The word viTapin was originally an adjective of vR^iksha, viTapi VR^iksha, meaning a tree having twigs. In the course of time the sense of vR^iksha was appropriated [by viTapin ] to itself and the use of vR^iksha along with it fell out. There is no more conjecture. Pt. Satya Vrat in 'Ramayana - A Linguistic Study' and here twigs are upa lakshaNa for blooms and then, 'trees garlanded with its own blooms and twigs...'

su manobhiH citaan tatra tilakaan nakta maalakaan || 3-73-21
utpalaani ca phullaani pa.nkajaani ca raaghava |

21b, 22a. raaghava= oh, Raghava; tatra= there; su manobhiH= highly, delightful; citaan= wide-ranging; tilakaan= Tilaka trees [that bear vermilion flowers]; nakta maalakaan= Naktamaala trees [Galedupa arborea]; phullaani= [fully] bloomed; utpalaani ca= blue lotuses, also; pankajaani ca= red lotuses, also; [pashyasi= you will see.]

"Oh, Raghava, there you will see highly delightful and wide-ranging trees like Tilaka and Naktamaala, and fully bloomed red and blue lotuses, as well... [3-73-21b, 22a]

na taani kashcit maalyaani tatra aaropayitaa naraH || 3-73-22
na ca vai mlaanataam yaanti na ca shiir.hyanti raaghava |

22b, 23a. raaghava= oh, Raghava; tatra= there; taani= them [flowers]; maalyaani= as garlands; aaropayitaa= put on [inwreathe]; naraH kashcit na = human, someone, none is there; mlaanataam na yaanti ca= drying, not, they go, also; na ca shiiryanti vai= not, also, drop down, indeed.

"Oh, Raghava, there is none someone to inwreathe the garlands of those flowers, and indeed, they neither dry up, nor drop down... [3-73-22b, 23a]

mata.nga shiSyaaH tatra aasan R^iSayaH susamaahitaH || 3-73-23
teSaam bhaara abhitaptaanaam vanyam aaharataam guroH |
ye prapetuH mahiim tuurNam shariiraat sveda bindavaH || 3-73-24
taani maalyaani jaataani muniinaam tapasaa tadaa |
sveda bindu samutthaani na vinashyanti raaghava || 3-73-25

23b, 24, 25. tatra= there; su samaahitaH= self-collected ones; Matanga= sage Matanga's; shiSyaaH = disciples; R^iSayaH= sages; aasan= [erst] were there; guroH= for their mentor; vanyam= forest produce [for rituals]; aaharataam= while bringing; bhaara= by weight [of ritual paraphernalia ]; abhi taptaanaam= much, wearied; teSaam= from their [the student sages who carried articles]; shariiraat= from bodies; ye= which; sveda bindavaH= [strings of] sweat, drops; tuurNam= quickly; mahiim= to earth [earthbound]; prapetuH= fell down; taani= they all [sweat drops]; tadaa = then; muniinaam= by sages'; tapasaa= by merit of ascesis; maalyaani jaataani= as strings of flowers, reoccurred; raaghava= oh Raghava; sveda bindu= from sweat, drops; samutthaani= [because those flowers] emerged from; na vi nashyanti= not, really, perish.

"Erst there were self-collected sages, the disciples of Sage Matanga, and at one time while they were bringing the forest produce as ritual paraphernalia, they were much wearied by its weight and they were sweating... and all of those earthbound strings of sweat-drops that quickly dropped from their bodies were wafted by air onto trees, and on them they reoccurred as strings of flowers, by the merit of the ascesis of those sages... oh, Raghava, since those flowers have emerged from sweat-drops, they are imperishable, indeed... [3-73-23b, 24, 25]

The above wafting of sweat drops onto trees is as per Govindaraja. In another way, the sweat drops fell onto ground and from them trees grew up, and they flowered unwithered flowers - Then as they laboured through the dell / From limb and brow the heat-drops fell: / Thence sprang and bloomed those wondrous trees: - R.T.H. Griffith

teSaam gataanaam adya api dR^ishyate paricaariNii |
shramaNii shabarii naama kaakutstha cira jiivinii || 3-73-26

26. kaakutstha= Oh, Kakutstha Rama; teSaam= those sage; gataanaam= who have already gone [passed through the pearly gates]; paricaariNii= their maidservant [other mms : saha caariNii= she who undertook ascesis with them]; cira jiivinii= long, lived one; shabarii naama= Shabari, by name; shramaNii = anchoress; adya api dR^ishyate= today, even, can be seen.

"Oh, Rama of Kakutstha, albeit the passing of those sages through the pearly gates, their maidservant, a long-lived one and an anchoress, named Shabari, can be seen there, even today... [3-73-26]

tvaam tu dharme sthitaa nityam sarva bhuuta namaskR^itam |
dR^iSTvaa deva upamam raama svarga lokam gamiSyati || 3-73-27

27. raama= oh, Rama; nityam dharme sthitaa= always, in probity, stands by; sarva bhuuta namaskR^itam= for all, beings [one and all,] revered one [you, Rama]; deva upamam= god, referent; tvaam tu dR^iSTvaa= you, but, on seeing [on attending to]; svarga lokam gamiSyati= heaven, sphere of, she departs to.

"Oh, Rama, she who always stands by probity will depart to the sphere of heaven, on attending to you, for you are the referent to god, and a reverent for one and all... [3-73-27]

tataH tat raama pa.mpaayaaH tiiram aashritya pashcimam |
aashrama sthaanam atulam guhyam kaakutstha pashyasi || 3-73-28

28. kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha; raama= oh, Rama; tataH= thereafter; pampaayaaH tat pashcimam tiiram= Pampa's, that, western, bank; aashritya= taking course; a + tulam= un, equalled; guhyam= arcane; aashrama sthaanam pashyasi= hermitage, place of, you will see.

"Oh, Rama, thereafter on your taking course to that western bank of Pampa Lake, oh, Kakutstha, there you will see the unequalled and arcane place of hermitage of sage Matanga... [3-73-28]

na tatra aakramitum naagaaH shaknuvanti tad aashrame |
R^iSeH tasya mata.ngasya vidhaanaat tat ca kaananam || 3-73-29

29. tatra= in there; naagaaH= elephants; tat aashrame= that, in hermitage; aakramitum= to trespass on [run amuck]; na shaknuvanti= [rendered] not, capable; tat kaananam= that, woodland; tasya matangasya R^iSeH= by his, Matanga, sage's; vidhaanaat= owing to method - arranged by that sage.

"Sage Matanga so methodised that woodland, where even the elephants are rendered incapable to trespass in that hermitage of sage Matanga disturbing its serenity... [3-73-29]

maata.nga vanam iti eva vishrutam raghuna.ndana |
tasmin na.ndana sa.mkaashe deva araNya upame vane || 3-73-30
naanaa vihaga sa.nkiirNe ra.msyase raama nirvR^itaH |

30, 31a. raghu nandana= oh, Raghu's legatee; nandana samkaashe= Nandana gardens, similar to; naanaa vihaga sankiirNe= divers, birds, overspread with; deva araNya upame = godly, forest, in simile, is [that] forest; maatanga vanam= Matanga, woodland; iti eva vishrutam= thus, that way, renowned; tasmin vane= in that, forest; nirvR^itaH= on obtaining rejoice; raama= oh, Rama; ramsyase = you will take delight.

"Oh, the legatee of Raghu, that woodland which in simile is like a godly forest, similar to the heavenly Nandana gardens, overspread with divers birds is renowned as 'Matanga woodland', and oh, Rama, you will take delight rejoicingly in that woodland... [3-73-30, 31a]

R^iSyamuukaH tu pa.mpaayaaH purastaat puSpita drumaH || 3-73-31
su duHkha aarohaNaH ca eva shishu naaga abhirakSitaH |
udaaro brahmaNaa caiva puurva kaale vinirmitaH || 3-73-32

31b, 32. pampaayaaH purastaat= Pampa's, in front of; puSpita drumaH= blossomy, trees; su duHkha= very, arduous; aarohaNaH ca eva= to climb, also, thus; shishu naaga= by baby, elephants; abhirakSitaH= well-protected; udaaraH= a bountiful - mountain; brahmaNaa= by Brahma; puurva kale= in earlier, times [formerly]; vi nirmitaH= purposefully, crafted; R^iSyamuukaH tu= Mt. Rishyamuka, on its part - it is there.

"In front of Pampa there is a bountiful but an unclimbable mountain is there with trees in full blossom, which is well-protected by baby elephants, and which in earlier times was purposefully created by Brahma, and that alone is Mt. Rishyamuka... [3-73-31b, 32]

It is difficult to climb this mountain hence Hanuma airlifted Rama and Lakshmana to Sugreeva. Brahma purposefully crafted it, as the only shelter to Sugreeva. Its flowers are ever blossomy and fruited to feed Sugreeva and the other four monkeys in exile. Baby elephants are enough to keep guard for that mountain, then why tell about the capacity of full grown ruttish elephants. This prearrangement is owing to the presage of Brahma.

shayaanaH puruSo raama tasya shailasya muur.hdhani |
yat svapne labhate vittam tat prabuddho adhigacChati || 3-73-33

33. raama= oh, Rama; tasya shailasya muurdhani= its, mountain's, on heights; shayaanaH puruSaH = while sleeping, a man; svapne yat vittam labhate = in dream, which, riches, he gains; tat= that much [money]; pra buddhaH= verily, knowing [himself, on waking up]; adhigacChati= he gains.

"And should a man sleep on the heights of that mountain, and should he dream of gaining some riches in that sleep, he gains that much when he wakes up... [3-73-33]

yaH tu enam viSama aacaaraH paapa karmaa adhirohati |
tatra eva praharanti enam suptam aadaaya raakSasaaH || 3-73-34

34. viSama aacaaraH= diabolic, deportment [one with]; paapa karma= devilish, in his comportment; yaH tu= who, but; enam adhirohati= on that, climbs; suptam enam aadaaya= while sleeping, him, on capturing; raakSasaaH= demons; tatra eva= there, itself; pra haranti=, utterly, rough him up [to death.]

"But he who is diabolic in his deportment and devilish in comportment, climbs that and hopes to sleep soundly, demons capture him while he is in sleep, and rough him up to death, there itself... [3-73-34]

tatra api shishu naagaanaam aakra.ndaH shruuyate mahaan |
kriiDataam raama pa.mpaayaam mata.nga aashrama vaasinaam || 3-73-35

35. raama= oh, Rama; tatra api= there, even [on Mt. Rishyamuka]; pampaayaam = at Pampa Lake; kriiDataam= amusing themselves; matanga aashrama vaasinaam= in Matanga, hermitage, indwellers; shishu naagaanaam= of baby, elephants; mahaan aakrandaH= blaring, trumpet-blasts; shruuyate= audible.

"Oh, Rama, there the blaring trumpet-blasts of baby elephants that amuse themselves at Lake Pampa, and of those that are the indwellers of Matanga hermitage, even there on Mt. Rishyamuka are audible... [3-73-35]

siktaa rudhira dhaaraabhiH sa.mhatya parama dvipaaH |
pracaranti pR^ithak kiirNaa megha varNaaH tarasvinaH || 3-73-36

36. megha varNaaH= [black-] cloud, coloured; tarasvinaH= mighty ones; parama dvipaaH= massy, elephants; sam hatya= together, hitting [hitting head-on]; rudhira dhaaraabhiH siktaa = [dripping,] blood, streams, dampened with; pR^ithak kiirNaa= separately, dispersing; pracaranti= move about.

"The mighty and massy dark-cloud coloured elephants will be hitting head-on, and with dripping blood streams on their jumbo heads and temples, they disperse and move about separately, only to come together for yet another round of head-to-head collision... [3-73-36]

te tatra piitvaa paaniiyam vimalam caaru shobhanam |
atyanta sukha sa.msparsham sarva gandha samanvitam || 3-73-37
nivR^ittaaH samvigaahante vanaani vana gocaraaH |

37, 38a. tatra= there [at Pampa]; vana gocaraaH= forest, rangers [elephants]; te= those [elephants]; vi malam= un, soiled [daintily clean]; caaru shobhanam= neatly, clear; atyanta sukha sam sparsham = more so, comfortable [springlike,] for touch; sarva gandha samanvitam = all, scents, inclusive of; paaniiyam piitvaa = drinkables [water,] on drinking; nivR^ittaaH= quenched; vanaani= into forests; samvigaahante= collectively re-entering.

"There the elephants are quenched on drinking water of Pampa Lake, that is daintily clean, and neatly clear, springlike for touch, and in which all scents of flowers of that lake are included, and then they will be collectively re-entering the forests, for they are forest ranging elephants... [3-73-37, 38a]

R^ikshaam ca dvipinaH caiva niila komalaka prabhaan || 3-73-38
ruruun apetaa apajayaan dR^iSTvaa shokam prahaasyasi |

38b, 39a. R^ikshaam ca= bears, also; dvipinaH= tigers; caiva= also thus; niila komalaka prabhaan= blue, sapphire, in shine; ruruun= Ruru [a species of deer, say gnus with black stripes]; apetaa apajayaan= unknown, defeat [triumphant, exultant]; dR^iSTvaa shokam prahaasyasi= on seeing [there,] distress, you will discard.

"On your seeing the bears, also thus the tigers and even the exultant sapphire-blue Rurus with black stripes there, you will discard your distress... [3-73-38b, 39a]

raama tasya tu shailasya mahatii shobhate guhaa || 3-73-39
shilaa pidhaanaa kaakutstha duHkham ca asyaaH praveshanam |

39b, 40a. kaakutstha raama = oh, Kakutstha Rama; tasya shailasya= its, of mountain's; shilaa pidhaanaa= by boulder stone, lidded; mahatii guhaa shobhate= cavernous, cave, outshines; asyaaH praveshanam duHkham ca= in it, entering, problematic, also.

"But oh, Rama, a cavernous cave lidded with a boulder stone outshines on that mountain, and oh, Kakutstha, problematic is an entry into it... [3-73-39b, 40a]

tasyaa guhaayaaH praak dvaare mahaan shiita udako hradaH || 3-73-40
bahu muula phalo ramyo naanaa naga samaakulaH |

40b, 41a. tasyaa guhaayaaH= on its, right; praak dvaare= eastern, opening; shiita udakaH = with cool, water; bahu muula phalaH [anvita]= numerous, tubers, fruits [fraught with]; ramyaH= delightful [lake]; naanaa naga samaakulaH= divers, tees, fringed with; mahaan hradaH= a great, lake - is there.

"On its right at its eastern opening a delightful lake with highly coolant waters is there, fringed with divers trees and fraught with numerous tubers and fruits... [3-73-40b, 41a]

tasyaam vasati sugriivaH caturbhiH saha vaanaraiH || 3-73-41
kadaacit shikhare tasya parvatasya api tiSThate |

41b, 42a. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; caturbhiH saha vaanaraiH= four, along with, monkeys; tasyaam= in that [cave]; vasati = dwells; kadaacit= at times; tasya parvatasya= of that, mountain; shikhare = on peaks; api tiSThate= even, he will be there.

"Sugreeva dwells in that cave along with four other monkeys, and at times he will be available on the peaks of that mountain, even on its bluffs and cliffs, for he is a terrified monkey..." Thus Kabandha informed them. [3-73-41b, 42a]

kaba.ndhaH tu anushaasya evam tau ubhau raama lakSmaNau || 3-73-42
sragvii bhaaskara varNa aabhaH khe vyarocata viiryavaan |

42b, 43a. viiryavaan sragvii kabandhaH tu= impressive, [adorned with divine] garlands, Kabandha, on his part; tau raama lakSmaNau= to them, Rama, Lakshmana; ubhau= to both [brothers]; evam anushaasya= that way, on bidding; khe= [abiding] in sky; bhaaskara varNa aabhaH= with sun's, dazzle, grandeur of; yarocata= scintillated.

That impressive Kabandha adorned with divine garlands and abiding in sky scintillating with the grandeur of the dazzle of the sun has bidden both the brothers, Rama and Lakshmana thus, awaited a bid adieu from them. [3-73-42b, 43a]

tam tu kha stham mahaabhaagam kaba.ndham raama lakSmaNau || 3-73-43
prasthitau tvam vrajasva iti vaakyam uucatuH antike |

43b, 44a. prasthitau= who started off [on their peregrination]; raama lakSmaNau= Rama, Lakshmana; antike kha stham= in the vicinity of, in sky, staying [temporising]; mahaabhaagam tam kabandham= highly providential, to him, to Kabandha; tvam vrajasva= you, may go; iti vaakyam uucatuH = thus, sentence, said.

Rama and Lakshmana who started off on their peregrination said this sentence to that highly providential Kabandha, who is temporising in the sky in their vicinity, thus as "you may proceed..." [3-73-43b, 44a]

gamyataam kaarya siddhi artham iti tau abraviit ca saH || 3-73-44
supriitau tau anuj~naapya kaba.ndhaH prasthitaH tadaa || 3-73-45

44b, 45. tadaa= then; prasthitaH saH kabandhaH ca= ready to exit, he, Kabandha, also; supriitau tau anuj~naapya= highly gladdened, from two [of them,] getting orders [for departure]; kaarya siddhi artham= task, achievement, for purpose of; gamyataam= proceed; iti tau abraviit ca= thus, to them two, said, further.

On getting the orders for departure from those two brothers who are highly gladdened at the information given by Kabandha, he that Kabandha who is ready to exit, he further said to them thus, "proceed for the purpose of achieving your task..." [3-73-44b, 45]

sa tat kaba.ndhaH pratipadya ruupam
vR^itaH shriyaa bhaaskara sarva dehaH |
nidarshayan raamam avekSya kha sthaH
sakhyam kuruSva iti tadaa abhyuvaaca || 3-73-46

46. saH kabandhaH= he, Kabandha; tat ruupam pratipadya= that, [divine] form, on redeeming; shriyaa vR^itaH= aureole, encircling; bhaasvara sarva dehaH= irradiance, whole, body [mien]; kha sthaH= in sky, staying [after moving further up and reappearing]; raamam avekSya= at Rama, on seeing; nidarshayan= pointing out [the side of Mt. Rishyamuka]; sakhyam kuruSva= friendship, you make [with Sugreeva]; iti tadaa abhyuvaaca= thus, then, reiterated.

Kabandha who redeemed his divine form has now got an aureole around him, and while irradiance is tamping whole of his mien, he moved further up on sky and reappeared. And staying in the sky he pointed out at the side of Mt. Rishyamuka, and then he reiterated, "you befriend Sugreeva..."and then he vanished. [3-73-46]

.

Vegetarianism of Rama

[Font size can be enhanced under View menu]

Lakshmana's killing, dressing of birds and fishes, and Rama's munching them - is a heatedly debated topic in web forums of all sorts. Some commentators of Ramayana have totally contrived the above expressions, to give a touch of vegetarianism. Even when Rama killed Rohi animals as offerings to dead Jataayu, there also it is contrived to mean as some roots or tubers. When Seetha says to Ravana who came in the guise of Brahman friar, that Rama will fetch much meat and I offer that on cooking aamiSam aadaati puSkalam This also is contrived as some tubers and fruits.

This pro-Jain, pro-Buddhist touch of vegetarianism is an enforced virtue on Vedic-ism. The only and real vegetarians of India are the Jains, and Jainism is a 'holier than thou...' sect of Vedic-ism, for their hymns and biija akshara-s are nothing but the derivatives of Vedic hymns. But these are a fed up lot with the then overtures of the practisers of Vedic-ism, and cleaved themselves from Vedic-ism to form Jainism, and even today they stick to their principles of non-violence, even towards the tiniest ant. Then came this Buddhism, a 'peaceable than thou...' sect of the Vedic-ism, for their jaataka katha-s and other teachings are nothing but the Vedic lore. This ism, though called a peaceable one, meaning 'unwarlike...' has conducted many wars and is splintered manifoldly, only because of the overtures of its practisers, allowed by their patronising kings. There used to be another sect caar vaaka-s an 'intellectual than thou...' sect, but they are termed as nihilists atheists, non-believers etc., and their literature is totally ruined as they used to colloid with theists, demanding to prove god, materialistically. These are highly sophisticated, well-versed in all Veda-s, debaters with utmost precision. These three ism are not called separate religions than Vedic-ism, but a vaidika mata-s where mata is not a religion, but a philosophy, viewpoint, a darshana.

Any religion, sect, or a following when patronised by the local sovereign, acquires bullhorns and snake fangs and starts to invade others, keeping themselves under the shade of their patronising king. So is this Buddhism, and it attained its 'warlike' tarnish by the swordsmanship of Ashoka, the Great. Besides spoiling its own original and peaceable tenets, Buddhism has equally spoiled the Vedic-ism, by the time of Ashoka itself. Even Ashoka has not converted himself to Buddhism overnight, but after a series of studies. He was a Buddhist before Kalinga war, but warred and massacred Kalinga, and a Buddhist and butchery - does not go hand in hand. By the way, Buddhists are no vegetarians, including Ashoka, but his edicts ask all others to not to eat meat.

Even today verifiable are the dietary habits in the provinces where the preachers of Buddhism have gone or not sent, or rendered useless, say Bengal. The usual route of Buddhists of Ashoka's period is from Patna to Orissa, and to Andhra. And Andhra was stronghold of Buddhists, once when aacaarya naagarjuna was there, who established a Buddhist University in Andhra, to which students from far Japan used to come. Even today, excavations are going on and Buddhist edicts are coming out, around Naagarjuna Sagar dam. The other route from Andhra is to Sri Lanka, down south. The details about the itinerary of these Buddhists preachers, better call them as door-to-door campaigners of Ashoka's, greatness than Buddhism, can be found in their legend, the third sangiitini, masterminded by the mentor of Ashoka, namely moggali puttastha vira, , someone like Gobbels of Hitler. And rampant was this pseudo-Buddhism in South India, much abetted by the then pseudo-Jainism, to where bhadra saalastha viira was sent on his way to mahaa taamra parNi dviipa present day Sri Lanka, headed by Ashoka's son Mahinda [Mahendra, and along with the sister of Ashoka,] besides, his duuta-s to the court Antiocus II Theos [grandson of Seleucus,] Ptolemy II Philadeliphus, King of Egypt; King Antigonus Gonatus of Macedon; King Alexander of Epirus... so on. Thus, they successfully propagated about Ashoka, rather than the tenets of pure Buddhism, and as a result, that Buddhism is corrupted, back home.

Though Buddha said at his last stage vaya dhamma sankara - appamadena sampadeta 'decay is an innate feature in all beings, acquire your salvation unfalteringly...' where appamaadena is a pramaadena 'without, carelessness...' But the later time overenthusiastic practisers decayed Buddhism carefully and unfalteringly in its homeland. In these times of Ashoka, the customs and habits of Vedic-ism merged into the then pseudo-Buddhism, and a commixture of Vedic-ism and pseudo-Buddhism resurfaced, and Vedic-ism became pseudomorphic Brahmanism. Along with it, the dietary habits have changed completely, and vegetarianism of Jainism has come to stay, and thereafter it just turned to egg-tarianism, and presently going on to hamburger-ism and pizza-ism.

This being so, the orthodox Hinduism lays taboo on meat eating in respect of Brahmans only, that too by reckoning the eras, the Indian yuga theory. In satya yuga no distinctions recorded, in treat yuga, dwaapara yuga-s of Ramayana and Bharata times, Brahmins are permitted only some non-veg items, called prokshita aahaara as can be seen in Rama-Vali conversation, and sage Agastya bans ram's meat, that too only for Brahmins, after Vaataapi-Ilvala episode. In kali yuga non-veg is completely banned for Brahmins, not by scriptures, but by the impact of the then despots of pseudo-Buddhism. The kali puruSa is entered through Duryodhana in dwaapara yuga of Maha Bharata time, but somehow world is saved by Krishna and Arjuna. Now we with a sarcastic affection call that kali has entered through Ashoka, and kali yuga is the period dating from Ashoka's despotic days. When a state of topsy-turviness occurs to Veda-s themselves in kali yuga , where Veda-s are breathing their last at present, there is nothing to speak of dietary habits of those eras.

There are many web pages saying or objecting that Rama is a practiser of a himsa not non-violence of Jains, but non-butchery of living beings. Valmiki never said that Rama is a Buddhist Monk or a vardhamaana, tiirthankara of Jainism, but depicted him as Hindu Kshatriya, and no taboo is prescribed to this warring class in eating meat or chicken. Yet the lamentation will be like this: "Lord Rama, a great, divine exemplar of dharma and virtue for Hindus, himself apparently doesn't care much for vegetarianism and ahimsa..." "[Rama:] 'I must to lonely wilds repair, abstain from flesh, and living there on roots, fruit, honey, hermit's food, pass twice seven years (14 yrs.) in solitude. To Bharata's hand the king will yield the regent power I thought to wield, and me, a hermit, will he send my days in Dandak wood to spend.' " -- Ramayana 2:20. [Griffith, Ralph T.H. The Ramayana of Valmiki: translated into English verse. Benares: E.J. Lazarus & Co., 1895. p.117]. It may please be noted that vegetarianism is different from non-violence and it belongs only to Jain tenets, and later to Gandhian principles, but not to Hindus or Buddhists. The meaning of the above verse is 'being a hermit I will abstain from food that inculcates raajasa, taamasa pravR^itti an aggressive, assaulting mood... where certain kinds of meat stuff cause an aggressive mood...' and Griffith had his own metrical exigencies to incorporate all the subtexts and underlined meanings in those iambics. It is unclear as to why hairs are counted on eggshells, without grasping the essence of the epic's idea of eliminating vice, where vice is Ravana and his diabolic activities. Rama's character may not be taken as a meek, weak, bleak backbencher, but take it as a blitzkrieg assaulter, aggressive invader, that too only on vice. If he were not to kill an edible animal how can he create a holocaustic extirpator of demons in the last episodes of the epic, or shall he start chanting on battlefield dhammam sharaNam gaccaami, sangam sharaNam gaccami that too, to Ravana - needs to be explored. Firstly let us ask ourselves whether we want a Ravana or a Rama, whether they eat meat, chicken 65, or biryaani, or Italian ice creams.

Whether Rama is a god or no god, he is the princely Kshatriya, and if a warrior Kshatriya subsists on tubers and fruits, and on other insipid food, we can imagine how grand his warfare would be. If Rama were to be a god, why God created a big fish that eats a small fish, why birds and animals of prey, and why a niSaada that kills a bird at the start of Ramayana. Hence, taking dietary habits as acquired habits, but not godsend or tabooed ordinances of scriptures, the meanings of these verses of Kabandha are not contrived to establish any vegetarianism. Incidentally, these are the advices of raw-flesh eating Kabandha and we do not see Rama feasting comfortably on birds, fish, or on Kentucky chicken, at Pampa.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe tri saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 73rd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

V

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 74

Introduction

Shabari is emancipated from mortality after her showing Matanga hermitage to Rama. Both the brothers approach Shabari as said by Kabandha and she adores them on their seeking her presence. She honours them as visitant guests and expresses her desire to depart to the spheres where her teachers are. Rama gives consent to it, on which she offers herself into fire and emerges as a divine angel, to ascend to heaven.

tau kabandhena tam maargam pampaayaa darshitam vane |
aatasthatuH disham gR^ihya pratiiciim nR^i vara aatmajau || 3-74-1

1. tau= both; nR^i vara aatmajau= king, best one, sons of; vane pratiiciim disham gR^ihya= in forest, west, side, on taking up; kabandhena darshitam= by Kabandha, shown; tam pampaayaa maargam= that, Pampa's, passage to; aatasthatuH= travelled on.

Both the sons of that best king Dasharatha, on taking up westerly path in that forest travelled on the passage to Pampa as shown by Kabandha. [3-74-1]

tau shaileSu aacita anekaan kSaudra kalpa phala drumaan |
viikSantau jagmatuH draSTum sugriivam raama lakSmaNau || 3-74-2

2. tau= those two; raama lakSmaNau= Rama, Lakshmana; shaileSu= on mountains; aacitan= studded [thicketed]; an ekaan= not, one [several]; kSaudra kalpa phala drumaan= nectar, similar, fruits having, at trees; viikSantau= while seeing; sugriivam draSTum jagmatuH= Sugreeva, to see, moved forward.

Those two, Rama and Lakshmana, while seeing several of the ticketed trees on mountains which have nectarous fruits on them moved forward to see Sugreeva. [3-74-2]

kR^itvaa ca shaila pR^iSThe tu tau vaasam raghu nandanau |
pa.mpaayaaH pashcimam tiiram raaghavau upatasthatuH || 3-74-3

3. tau = those two; raghu nandanau= Raghu's, legatees; raaghavau= Raghava-s; shaila pR^iSThe vaasam kR^itvaa= mountain, on top, sojourn, on making; pampaayaaH pashcimam tiiram= Pampa's, westward, bank's moorland; upatasthatuH= drew nigh of.

Those two legatees of Raghu on making a sojourn on the mountaintop, they the Raghava-s drew nigh of the moorland on the westward of Pampa Lake. [3-74-3]

tau puSkariNyaaH pa.mpaayaaH tiiram aasaadya pashcimam |
apashyataam tataH tatra shabaryaa ramyam aashramam || 3-74-4

4. tataH= then; tau= those two; pampaayaaH puSkariNyaaH = of Pampa, of lotus lake; pashcimam tiiram aasaadya= westward, moorland, on getting at; tatra shabaryaa ramyam aashramam = there, Shabari's, idyllic, hermitage; apashyataam= they have seen [spotted.]

Then on getting at the westward moorland of that lotus-lake Pampa, there those two have spotted the idyllic hermitage of Shabari. [3-74-4]

tau tam aashramam aasaadya drumaiH bahubhiH aavR^itam |
su ramyam abhiviikSantau shabariim abhyupeyatuH || 3-74-5

5. tau= those two; tam aashramam aasaadya= that, hermitage, on getting at; bahubhiH drumaiH aavR^itam= with several, trees, wreathed round; su ramyam= highly, picturesque [environ]; abhi viikSantau= on perusing; shabariim abhyupeyatuH [abhi upa eyuH]= of Shabari, came nigh.

On getting at that hermitage and on perusing at that picturesque environ that is wreathed round with several picturesque trees, those two came nigh of Shabari. [3-74-5]

tau dR^iSTvaa tu tadaa siddhaa samutthaaya kR^itaa.njaliH |
paadau jagraaha raamasya lakSmaNasya ca dhiimataH || 3-74-6

6. tadaa= then; siddhaa= sublimated [by yogic practices, Shabari]; tau dR^iSTvaa tu= them, on seeing, but; kR^ita anjaliH= making, palm-fold; samutthaaya= on getting up; raamasya= of Rama; dhiimataH lakSmaNasya ca= sagacious, of Lakshmana, even; paadau jagraaha= feet, taken [braced.]

On seeing them that sublimated yogi Shabari instinctively made palm-fold, got up imperatively, and then she braced the feet of Rama, and even that of sagacious Lakshmana, impressively. [3-74-6]

paadyam aacamaniiyam ca sarvam pradadaat yathaa vidhi |
taam uvaaca tato raamaH shramaNiim dharma sa.msthitaam || 3-74-7

7. paadyam aacamaniiyam ca= water for feet-wash, mouthwash, also; sarvam yathaa vidhi pradadaat= all [viands for the visitants,] as per, custom, she gave; tataH= then; dharma sam sthitaam= in duty [not virtue etc.,] well [unflinchingly,] one abiding in; taam shramaNiim= to her, that anchoress; raamaH uvaaca= Rama, spoke - asked after her.

She gave them water for feet-wash and mouthwash, and other viands customarily affordable to visitants, and then Rama asked after that anchoress who is unflinchingly abiding in her duty. [3-74-7]

kaccit te nirjitaa vighnaaH kaccit te var.hdhate tapaH |
kaccit te niyataH kopa aahaaraH ca tapodhane || 3-74-8

8. tapaH dhane= oh, [lady with] ascesis, as wealth; te vighnaaH= your, deterrents; nir jitaa= completely conquered [overcome]; kaccit= isn't it [somehow]; te tapaH vardhate kaccit= your, acetic practises, culminating, isn't it [someway]; te kopa= your, annoyance; aahaaraH ca= ailment, also; niyataH kaccit= regulated [adjusted,] isn't it [somewhat.]

"Oh, ascetically wealthy lady, perchance your deterrents in ascesis are completely overcome, somehow... your ascetic practises culminating, someway... your annoyances and ailments are adjusted, somewhat... isn't it! [3-74-8]

The word kaccit is a phatic expression like 'isn't it?' but without question mark, as a statement of reasoning out as in hai naa, hai kyaa.../ illeyaa.../ kadaa... But it had to be said here in a roundabout way. The detrimental factors for loosing balance of mind, as asked by Rama, are kaama, krodha, lobha: tri vidham narakasya idam dvaaram naashanam aatmanaH | kaamaH krodhaH tathaa lobhaH tasmaat etat trayam tyajet || 16-21 Gita. The Doors of Hell / Are threefold, whereby men to ruin pass,- / The door of Lust, the door of Wrath, the door / Of Avarice. Let a man shun those three! - Sir E. Arnold.

kaccit te niyamaaH praaptaaH kaccit te manasaH sukham |
kaccit te guru shushruuSaa saphalaa caaru bhaaSiNi || 3-74-9

9. caaru bhaaSiNi= oh, suave, speaker; te niyamaaH praaptaaH kaccit= your, commitments [to certain pledges, like caandraayaNaadi vrata-s,] achieved, anywise; te manasaH sukham kaccit= your, self, appeased, anyway; te guru shushruuSaa= your, mentors, subservience to, sa phalaa= with, fruit [brought to fruition]; kaccit= isn't it!

"Oh, suave speaker, mayhap your sacred commitments are achieved, anywise... appeased is your self, anyway... and your subservience to your mentors brought to fruition, perchance... isn't it!" Thus Rama enquired with Shabari. [3-74-9]

raameNa taapasii pR^iSThaa saa siddhaa siddha sammataa |
shasha.msa shabarii vR^iddhaa raamaaya prati avasthitaa || 3-74-10

10. raameNa pR^iSThaa= by Rama, she who is asked thus; siddha= sublimated yogin; siddha sammataa= to sublimated yogis, adherent to; taapasii= anchoress; vR^iddhaa= senescent lady; saa shabarii= she, that Shabari; prati avasthitaa= afore, remaining - en face Rama; raamaaya shashamsa= to Rama, she informed.

When Rama asked her in this way she that Shabari who is a senescent anchoress, sublimated yogin and an adherent to the sublimated yogis of higher rank, informed Rama remaining in his vis-à-vis. [3-74-10]

adya praaptaa tapaH siddhiH tava sa.mdarshanaat mayaa |
adya me saphalam janma guravaH ca supuujitaaH || 3-74-11

11. adya= just now / today; tava sam darshanaat= by your, pleasing appearance - manifestation; maya= by me; tapaH siddhiH praaptaa = ascesis, accomplishment, is achieved; adya= now only / today; me janma sa phalam = my, birth, with, fruit - fructified; guravaH ca su puujitaaH= to mentors [my subservience,] also, well, hallowed.

"Just now, on your pleasing manifestation before me my ascesis is accomplished, and now only my birth is fructified, and now only my subservience to my mentors is well hallowed... [3-74-11]

Annex: 'My dear boy, you are so late... having come too lately how is that you ask whether everything is sanctified or beatified long back and there is nothing for you to do... here I am too bored to stay in this withered body and I am longing to go to my gurus' place to serve them... not that they are in need of any maidservant, but I need much to be in their presence as a maidservant... whether you are god or no god... that is not my concern... my teachers told me to stay here until your arrival... and you have arrived now, so fructified is my teachers' saying... what is the result of subservience to teachers... release, deliverance, etc., thus my teachers said... so I got it just now... that way, what is it a commoner birthed on earth wishes... an emancipation from the cycle of births and deaths... so my teachers said... thus I got it just now... on envisioning you... I know that you are unknowable, thus said my teachers, but I have known you, because I have seen you... hence I am redeemed by my gurus... this is the resultant factor of my unswerving servitude to my teachers... by the way, my teachers used to say about it quoting from some sweta Upanishad... now I am unable to recollect it... Lakshmana, can you recite it for me...' Lakshmana: yasya deve par˜ bhakti× yath˜ deve tath˜ gurau | tasya ete kathit˜ hi arth˜× prak˜þante mah˜tm˜× |prak˜þante mah˜tmana iti | shvetaashvataropanishad 6-23 'for a noble soul who reposes devotion in god, and an equal devotion in his teacher, to such a noble soul all truths manifests themselves... to such a noble soul all truths manifests themselves...' Shabari: Yes, yes, so also I stand ennobled after envisaging you, just now...'

adya me saphalam taptam svargaH caiva bhaviSyati |
tvayi deva vare raama puujite puruSarSabha || 3-74-12

12. puruSarSabha= oh, best one among men; deva vare= gods, among best; tvayi puujite = in you [now,] when worshipped; raama= oh, Rama; adya me taptam saphalam = now, mine, whatever ascesis I practised, is fruited; svargaH caiva bhaviSyati= heaven, also thus, will be there.

"Oh, best one among men, now all my ascesis is fructified when I personally worshiped you, who are none other than the best god among gods, thus the heaven will also be there for me... [3-74-12]

Annex: 'thus my teachers were discussing about you when you were in Chitrakuta... but I have no knowledge about you or your Being... as said by my teachers you have come, thus my teachers' words came true... then you must be that 'Being' according to my feminine logic... and I could personally see you with theses hazy, foggy mortal eyes, which my teachers could not... am I to self-ascertain that I edge over my teachers, though I have not performed any rituals or ceremonies, which my decrepit and doddering teachers painfully did... not so, it is their way of knowing you and this my way of reaching you... they also said that there is a returnless sphere, apart from brahma loka, indra loka... 'abode of Brahma or paradise of Indra...' and when I was saying 'heaven to me...' I intended that returnless 'heaven...' to where my teachers have gone, as they did not wish to go to Indra's paradise to enjoy the dance programs of Rambha or Tilottama, as said by Gita 8-16: aabrahma bhuvana lokaaH punar aavartino arjuna | maam upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate || The worlds, Arjuna!- even Brahma's world- / Roll back again from Death to Life's unrest; / But they, O Kunti's Son! that reach to Me, / Taste birth no more. - Sir E. Arnold.

tava aham cakshuSaa saumya puutaa saumyena maanada |
gamiSyaamyakshayaa.nlokaa.nsvatprasaadaadarindama - yadvaa -
gamiSyaami akshayaan lokaan tvat prasaadaat ari.ndama || 3-74-13

13. saumya= oh, kind one; tava= by your; saumyena cakshuSaa= with kind, eyes; aham puutaa= I am, sanctified; maana da= respect, endower of; tvat prasaadaat= by your, beneficence; a+ kshayaan= un, diminishing [returnless]; lokaan= worlds; gamiSyaami= I wish to go; arin dama= oh, enemy, subjugator.

"Oh, kind one, your blessed sight has sanctified me... and oh, endower of respect, by your beneficence I wish to go to those returnless worlds because I have subjugated those enemies of yours, viz., ari SaD varga-s in me, and I think my prayer to you is justified because you are a subjugator of such enemies... [3-74-13]

Annex: 'Now that you have come I conclude you to be that "Absolute' and I repose the same faith and confidence in you which I have for my mentors... hence give me the worlds of no return, to where my preceptors went...' 'Or, tava saumyena cakshuSaa by your magnanimous visual acuity, gratis visualis, puutaa asmi I am depurated of all of my three fates, sancita, aagaami, praarabdha karma-s, hence, oh, enemy subjugator, subdue all enemies in me, ari SaD varga - kaama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, maastarya, even the present lobha, moha for a returnless world, and then tvat prasaadaat by your nirhetuka dayaa kaTaaksha prasaadaat, your unconditional salvation, salvas gratis, grant me those returnless worlds...' Govindaraja. Ravana's ten heads are identified with the above six negativities plus four more as - kama : lust; krodha : anger; lobha : greed; moha ; delusion; mada : pride; maatsarya : envy; manas : mind; buddhi : intellect; chitta : will; ahamkara : ego.

citrakuuTam tvayi praapte vimaanaiH atula prabhaiH |
itaH te divam aaruuDhaa yaan aham paryacaariSam || 3-74-14

14. aham yaan paryacaariSam= I, whom, I was in tendance of; te= those sages [disciples of Matanga]; tvayi citrakuuTam praapte= on your, Chitrakuta, arriving at; atula prabhaiH vimaanaiH= by unequalled, in refulgence, by divine aircrafts; itaH divam aaruuDhaa= from here, to welkin, lifted up.

"Divine aircrafts of unequalled refulgence have lifted those disciples of Sage Matanga in whose tendance I was, to welkin on your arriving at Chitrakuta... [3-74-14]

taiH ca aham uktaa dharma j~naiH mahaabhaagaiH maharSibhiH |
aagamiSyati te raamaH su puNyam imam aashramam || 3-74-15
sa te pratigrahiitavyaH saumitri sahito atithiH |
tam ca dR^iSTvaa varaan lokaan akSayaan tvam gamiSyasi || 3-74-16

15. dharma j~naiH= probity, knowers of; mahaabhaagaiH ca= highly providential ones, also; taiH maharSibhiH aham uktaa= by those, eminent-saints, I was, told; raamaH= Rama; te su puNyam= your, highly, blest; imam aashramam aagamiSyati= to this, hermitage, will come; saumitri sahitaH= Soumitri, along with; saH te atithiH= he is, your, guest; prati grahiitavyaH= he is to be cordially welcomed; tam dR^iSTvaa= him, on seeing; tvam varaan lokaan= you, to best, worlds; a+ kSayaan= un, diminishing [in merit]; gamiSyasi= will go.

"Those knowers of probity, highly providential, and eminent-saints have told me, 'Rama will come to this highly blest hermitage of yours along with Soumitri... and you have to cordially welcome them as your guests, and on your seeing him you will go to best worlds, where merit remains undiminished...' [3-74-15, 16]

This suggests that subservience to preceptors will generate the merit that causes deliverance to the student or servant by the active participation of the deliverer. The best world or sphere, or state attainable by soul-searching individuals is kaivalya whereas seeing that deliverer with one's own eyes bhagavad avalokana, is far beyond these worlds or states with nomenclature, and it is mukti, salvation from life cycles. Govindaraja

evam uktaa mahaabhaagaiH tadaa aham puruSarSabha |
mayaa tu vividham vanyam sa.mcitam puruSarSabha || 3-74-17
tava arthe puruSavyaaghra pampaayaaH tiira sa.mbhavam |

17. puruSarSabha= oh, man the best; mahaabhaagaiH aham evam uktaa = by highly providential sages thus, I, in this way, was told,; tadaa= then onwards;= puruSavyaaghra= oh, manly tiger; puruSarSabha= oh, best of the men; mayaa tu= by me, on my part; tava arthe= for your, sake; pampaayaaH tiira sambhavam= of Pampa Lake, moorlands, occurring on; vividham vanyam samcitam= various, forest [fruits and eatables,] are gleaned.

"Oh, best one among men Rama, thus I was told by those highly providential sages, oh, best one among men, oh, manly tiger, and I have gleaned various forest fruits and eatables that occur on the moorlands of Pampa Lake for your sake..." So said Shabari to Rama. [3-74-17]

Out of the three epithets for Rama, the twice-repeated epithet is puruSarSabha has two different meanings in vernacular translations. One is the usual intensifier puruSa R^iSabha 'bull among men...' where The Bull is the bull from the zodiacal sign or constellation Taurus to that of stock exchanges. And it is Latin bulla 'rounded object', in medieval Latin 'seal' or Latin bullire 'to bubble', from bulla 'bubble' etc., where Rama is the rounded off seal for kingship, and even known for his bubbly fermentation to deal with atrocities. The other is puruSa tilaka 'the vermilion mark one the forehead of mankind...' rather the husband of mankind, or the husbandman for mankind who cultivates good on the earth as a farmer, after weeding out the weeds called evils. The version of Gita Press has this as the 'flower of humanity...'

And then it is said in vernacular translations as a 'bullish man' is for his impetuousness and aggressiveness towards evil called Ravana, when he started from Ayodhya. The second is to tell that he is a yeoman, a man holding and cultivating a small landed estate, taking care of every weed or withering plant, as he has come to see Shabari, and Shabari like an old plant did not stir out. The third is puruSa vyaaghra 'manly tiger...' but this is actually 'man, the lion...' and if a lion sets out he will not take a back step until his pursuit is fulfilled. Thus Shabari is given the lines with three epithets to Rama, as she is already in the know of this Rama, and now on seeing him personally, some divine wisdom dawned and she is able to foresee what this man, rather this lion, is going to achieve at end point. We glean these meanings, one, or two, and we appeal to Sanskrit pundits to derive which epithet is used with which purpose, once again.

By the way, where is the scene of Rama eating fruits and eatables bitten and tasted by Shabari? Has this old woman not offered the fruits to the guests, or just said that they are available? We listen many stories and see many pictures telling that she gave many fruits after biting them with her own teeth to test the taste. All that is not in Valmiki Ramayana. This amplification is from Padma Purana. phal˜ni ca supakv˜ni m¨l˜ni madhur˜õi ca | svayam ˜s˜dya m˜dhuryam parŸkÿya paribhakÿya ca | paþc˜t niveday˜m˜sa r˜gh˜bhy˜m dh®ýhvrat˜ |

evam uktaH sa dharmaatmaa shabaryaa shabariim idam || 3-74-18
raaghavaH praaha vij~naane taam nityam abahiS.hkR^itaam |

18b, 19a. shabaryaa evam uktaH= by Shabari, that way, one who is= addressed - Rama; dharmaatmaa= graceful souled one; saH raaghavaH= he that, Raghava; nityam= ever vi j~naane= from clearly, knowing - from gnosis, from esoteric knowledge; a+ bahiSkR^itaam= not, debarred lady - Shabari; taam shabariim = to her, to such Shabari; idam pra aaha= this, clearly [enquiringly,] said.

When that graceful souled Rama is addressed thus by Shabari, he that Raghava enquiringly said this to that Shabari who is never ever debarred from esoteric knowledge and gnosis. [3-74-18b, 19a]

'though ignoble by birth...' is the assumed finishing line. There are many exclamations and arguments for and against this caste oriented banalities. So taking by those days we may find the characters of this Shabari, tribal king Guha, Dasharatha's minister Sumantra, and the like and then we may examine how much the so-called outcaste is cared for or sought after. They may be ineligible to perform ritual deeds but none is barred from esoteric knowledge.

danoH sakaashaat tattvena prabhaavam te mahaatmanaH || 3-74-19
shrutam pratyakSam icChaami sa.mdraSTum yadi manyase |

19b, 20a. mahaatmanaH danoH sakaashaat= great souled, son of Danu's, presence [from the wraith of]; tattvena shrutam= in nutshell, what is heard; te prabhaavam= your, [and your preceptors'] effectiveness; manyase yadi = you feel like, if; pratyakSam samdraSTum icChaami= personally, to clearly see, I wish.

"Your and your preceptors' effectiveness is heard in effect from the wraith of the great souled Danu's son, Kabandha, and if you feel showing it like I wish to clearly see it, personally..." Thus Rama asked her to show hermitage. [3-74-19b, 20a]

He is rather showing that hermitage to us in order to emphasise the path followed by the disciples of Matanga, whom this Shabari served that laboriously.

etat tu vacanam shrutvaa raama vaktraat viniHsR^itam || 3-74-20
shabarii darshayaamaasa tau ubhau tat vanam mahat |

20b, 21a. shabarii= Shabari; raama vaktraat viniHsR^itam= from Rama's, guttural, emerged from [worded gutturally]; etat vacanam shrutvaa= all that, but, sentence [wording,] on hearing; tau ubhau= to, both of them; mahat tat vanam darshayaamaasa= unique one, that, woodland, started to show.

On hearing those words voiced by Rama, Shabari started to show that unique woodland to both of them. [3-74-20]

pashya megha ghana prakhyam mR^iga pakSi samaakulam || 3-74-21
mata.nga vanam iti eva vishrutam raghuna.ndana |
iha te bhaavita aatmaano guravo me mahaadyute |
juhavaan cakrire niiDam ma.ntravat ma.ntra puujitam || 3-74-22

21b-22. raghunandana= oh, delight of Raghu-s lineage, Rama; megha ghana prakhyam = clouds, crammed, comparable; mR^iga pakSi samaakulam= animals, birds, compacted with; matanga vanam iti eva vishrutam = Matanga, woodland, that way, well known; pashya= you see; mahaa dyute= oh, highly, resplendent Rama; bhaavita aatmaanaH= contemplative, souls; me guravaH= my, teachers; iha= here; mantravat= hymn oriented; mantra puujitam= with hymns, worshipped; niiDam= nest, snuggery; te juhavaan cakrire= they, activities of fire [Ritual-fire oblations,] conducted.

"Oh, Rama the delight of Raghu's lineage... this one comparable to a crammed cloud that would be ever ready to yield much cherished cloudbursts, and compacted with animals and birds that are ever ready to enjoy seasonable rains, is that hermitage to which you have come, that way this woodland is well known as Matanga, meaning a cloud, or an elephant, or an elephantine cloud that showers blessings on all... and oh, highly resplendent Rama, you may see this nest, snuggery, where those contemplative souls, my teachers, used to conduct oblations into the Ritual-fires, orienting and worshipping them with Vedic hymns... [3-74-21b, 22]

There is another shade with a little different wording cakruH analam mantravat mantra kovidaaH meaning mantra kovidaaH experts in hymns; mantravat hymn oriented; analam Ritual-fire; juhaavaan oblations in fire; cakruH conducted, worshipped.

iyam pratyak sthalii vedii yatra te me susatkR^itaaH |
puSpa upahaaram kur.hvanti shramaat ud vepibhiH karaiH || 3-74-23

23. me= my [by me]; su satkR^itaaH= highly revered; te= by those [great sages]; yatra= where; shramaat= arduously; ut vepibhiH karaiH= with extremely, doddery, hands; puSpa upahaaram= flower, submittal [worshipped the Altar of Fire]; kurvanti= they used to do; such a; pratyak sthalii vedii= westerly, raised, altar; iyam this= [alone.]

"Where those great sages that are highly revered by me used to offer flowers with their extremely doddery hands in the worship the Altar of Fire, this alone is that Altar of Fire raised at western end... [3-74-23]

The Altar of Fire is the sanctum sanctorum of Vedic-ritual, like that of present day temples. It took some two hours for Rama to enter such a hermitage of Agastya, that too after Agastya's permission. Now a so-called low-caste woman is able to detail about it, naming by their technical names as pratyak stalii vedi, praacii sthalii vedi, puSpopahaaram, and she is detailing their acts of doddery worship, sympathetically. Hence, she should be in proximity at those places when her preceptors actually worshipped the fire offerings. That way, she is a bahiSkR^itaam - api samiipaat ' not, debarred lady, even, from the proximity' of Vedic-rituals. These Vedic time yanj~na-s were more secular than the present day commercial temple complexes, cf., ashva medha yaj~na in Bala Kanda. Nobody debars any in such Vedic ceremonies, but some are not expected to perform them personally, again cf., Vishvamitra-Trishanku episodes. If everybody becomes a Bishop, who will be remaining for appointment as pastoral staff? The Reverend Bishop is the Bishop, but staffers are many.

teSaam tapaH prabhaavena pashya adya api raghuuttama |
dyotayanti dishaH sarvaaH shriyaa vedyaH atula prabhaaH || 3-74-24

24. raghuuttama= oh, best one from Raghu-s; teSaam tapaH prabhaavena = by their [my teachers,] ascesis, by efficacy; a+ tula= not, comparable; prabhaaH= in irradiance; vedyaH= Altars of Fire; shriyaa= with solemnity; adya api= now, even; sarvaaH dishaH dyotayanti= all, directions, irradiating; pashya= you see.

"Oh, best one from Raghu-s, by the efficacy of the ascesis of my teachers these Altars of Fire are with incomparable irradiance, and even now they are irradiating all of the directions with solemnity... see them... [3-74-24]

ashaknuvadbhistairgantumupavaasashramaalasaiH - yadvaa -
ashak.hnuvadbhiH taiH gantum upavaasa shrama aalasaiH |
cintite abhyaagataan pashya sametaan sapta saagaraan || 3-74-25

25. upavaasa= by dieting; shrama= by straining; aalasaiH= enervated; gantum= to go [to sea baths]; a+ shaknuvadbhiH= not, capable were they; taiH cintite= by their, thought process; abhyaagataan= to close by [oceans] came; sametaan= in coalescence; sapta saagaraan= [all of] seven, seas; pashya= see [them.]

"Enervated by dieting and straining they were incapable to go for sea bathing, and just at their thought process all the seven seas came close by, in coalescence... see them... [3-74-25]

That is why Pampa Lake is held sacred. Instead of rivers going into sea, seas flowed back to form this lake for the sake of these old sages. Sea bathing is the best, river bathing is of medium merit, and bathing with well or vessel water is worst, in terms of holy baths.

kR^ita abhiSekaiH taiH nyastaa valkalaaH paadapeSu iha |
adya api na vishuSyanti pradeshe raghuna.ndana || 3-74-26

26. raghunandana= oh, Raghu's legatee; iha kR^ita abhiSekaiH= here, on performing, holy baths; taiH= by them [by sages]; pradeshe= in this place; paadapeSu = in tees - on trees; nyastaaH valkalaaH= kept [spread for drying,] jute-cloths; adya api= now, even; na vi shuSyanti= not, completely, dried.

"On performing holy baths those sages have spread their jute cloths on those trees with their own doddering hands here at this place and oh, Raghu's legatee, those cloths did not dry even now by the touch of their hands... [3-74-26]

deva kaaryaaNi kurvadbhiH yaani imaani kR^itaani vai |
puSpaiH kuvalayaiH saartham mlaanatvam na tu yaanti vai || 3-74-27

27. deva kaaryaaNi kurvadbhiH= for gods, rituals, while doing [while the sages were worshipping gods]; kuvalayaiH saartham puSpaiH= black-lotuses, along with, [other] flowers; yaani= which [garlands]; kR^itaani= were made [knotted together]; imaani= these - these are those garlands, and these are; mlaanatvam na yaanti vai= state of discolour, not, but, going in, indeed.

"Which garlands they have knotted together with black-lotuses and other flowers while they were worshiping gods, these are really those garlands, and indeed there is no discolouration to them... [3-74-27]

kR^itsnam vanam idam dR^iSTam shrotavyam ca shrutam tvayaa |
tat icChaami abhyanuj~naataa tyakshyaami etat kalevaram || 3-74-28

28. tvayaa= by you; kR^itsnam idam vanam dR^iSTam= in its entirety, this, woodland, is seen; shrotavyam ca shrutam= listenable, also, listened; tat= thereby; abhyanuj~naataa = to be a permittee [where you are my permitter]; etat= this one; kalevaram [kale aavaram= for aliveness, encasement, body of living being]= sheath, called body; tyakshyaami - tyaktum= to leave off; icChaami= I wish to.

"You have seen what is seeable and you have listened what is listenable of this woodland in its entirety... thereby I wish to become a permittee, where you alone are my permitter, as I wish to castaway this sheathe of soul, called my body... to make that soul to move nigh of my teachers feet... [3-74-28]

teSaam icChaami aham gantum samiipam bhaavita aatmanaam |
muniinaam aashramo yeSaam aham ca paricaariNii || 3-74-29

29. aashramaH= [this] hermitage; yeSaam muniinaam = of which, sages - belonged to which sages; aham ca [yeSaam] paricaariNii= I, also, [whose,] maidservant; bhaavita aatmanaam= to contemplative, souled ones; teSaam= to their; samiipam= proximity; aham gantum icChaami = I, to go to, yearn [soulfully.]

"Of which sages this hermitage is, and of which sages I am also a maidservant, I soulfully go the proximity of those contemplative souls..." Thus, she appealed to Rama. [3-74-29]

dharmiSTham tu vacaH shrutvaa raaghavaH saha lakSmaNaH |
praharsam atulam lebhe aashcaryam idam ca abraviit || 3-74-30

30. saha lakSmaNaH raaghavaH = along with, Lakshmana, Raghava; dharmiSTham vacaH shrutvaa= duty-congruent, [her] words, on hearing; aashcaryam idam [aashramam]= astonishing, is this [hermitage and its inmates]; [iti= thus]; abraviit= he said; atulam pra harsam lebhe= unique, high, rejoice, he obtained.

Rama on hearing those duty-congruous words of Shabari along with Lakshmana, obtained a uniquely high rejoice and he also said, "astonishing is this..." [3-74-30]

Annex: 'astonishing is this hermitage and its inmates... where the inmates praise their bygone masters, as said at gurum prakaashayet dhiimaan 'gurus are to be extolled by true and wise disciples...' and the masters made the environ blissfully livable, all this is without any maya or magic... so, fairness has its own place...'

taam uvaaca tato raamaH shabarii sa.mshrita vrataam |
arcito aham tvayaa bhadre gacCha kaamam yathaa sukham || 3-74-31

31. tataH= then; raamaH= Rama; samshrita vrataam= one firmed up, in faith [towards her masters]; taam shabarii [shabariim]= to her, to Shabari; uvaaca= spoke; bhadre= oh, saintly lady; aham tvayaa arcitaH= I am, by you, treated with deference; kaamam= as you please; yathaa sukham= as per, your solace, [where you solace yourself with]; gacCha= you may go.

Then Rama spoke to that Shabari who is firmed up in her faith towards her masters, "oh, saintly lady, you treated me with deference... thus may go to your cherished worlds, where you can solace yourself with your masters... [3-74-31]

iti evam uktaa jaTilaa ciira kR^iSNa ajina a.mbaraa |
anuj~naataa tu raameNa hutvaa aatmaanam huta ashane || 3-74-32
jvalat paavaka sa.mkaashaa svargam eva jagaama saa |

32, 33a. iti evam uktaa= thus, that way, said [by Rama]; jaTilaa= tufted hair wearing; ciira= jute-cloths; kR^iSNa ajina= deer, skin; ambaraa= having for dress; anuj~naataa raameNa= consented to, by Rama; aatmaanam= herself; huta ashane hutvaa= in char, eater [Ritual-fire,] offering as oblation; jvalat paavaka samkaashaa = flaring, fire, similar to; saa svargam eva jagaama = she, to heaven, alone, went to.

Thus that way said by Rama in consent, she who is wearing tufty-matted hair, jute-cloths, and deerskin as her clothing, she offered herself as an oblation into Ritual-fire, and then like a flaring fire, she went to heaven alone. [3-74-32, 33a]

divyam aabharaNa sa.myuktaa divya maalya anulepanaa || 3-74-33
divya a.mbara dharaa tatra babhuuva priya darshana |
viraajayantii tam desham vidyut saudaaminii yathaa || 3-74-34

33b, 34. divyam aabharaNa samyuktaa= angelic, ornaments, joined with [bejewelled]; divya maalya anulepanaa= angelical, with flowery tassels, cosmetics; divya ambara dharaa = angle's, wraparound, wearing; vidyut saudaaminii yathaa= electric [spark,] scintillations, as with; tam desham viraajayantii = that, province, scintillating; tatra priya darshana babhuuva= there, angel-like, for a sight, she became.

Now she appeared as an angle bejewelled with angelic ornaments, wearing angle's wraparound and angelical flowery tassels, and bedaubed with suchlike cosmetics, and as with the scintillations of electric sparks she scintillated that province. [3-74-33b, 34]

yatra te sukR^ita aatmaano viharanti maharSayaH |
tat puNyam shabarii sthaanam jagaama aatma samaadhinaa || 3-74-35

35. shabarii= Shabari; aatma samaadhinaa= soul, by meditative concentration [for she is a yogin]; su kR^ita aatmaanaH= good, done, souls [blest souls for their good deeds]; te maharSayaH= those, sublime sages; yatra viharanti= where, they saunter; tat puNyam sthaanam= to that, sanctum, locus; jagaama= [she] went to.

Shabari who is a perfect yogin with perfected meditative concentration, now went to that sanctum locus where the blest souls of those sublime sages, namely her masters, saunter. [3-74-35]

For this Dharmaakuutam says: tat udŸritam ati dharmiÿ÷ham vacanam ˜karõya harÿa nirbhara m˜naso r˜meõa samaujñ˜t˜ þavarŸ bhujagŸ iva jŸrõ˜m tvac˜m tanum hut˜þane nikÿipya divya m˜ly˜ ambara dhar˜ þiras˜ r˜mam praõamya guru jana maõýala k®tam puõya sthalam jag˜ma || dk She left her body as a female serpent does in its ecdysis. This metaphor of a snake shedding off skin is repeated time and again in Ramayana and here the commentator is using it. This is indicative of the thousand hooded serpent aadiseSa who guards Vishnu like a mosquito net. The fibre like sheath released by a snake will be beautiful for a look as it glitters with all the charms of a charming snake. The minute you finger it, of course when snake went a long way off, then that sheath splinters in hundreds of pieces. That is why this metaphor is used to suggest the world as viSNu maya, which remains beautiful and if touched shatters all misconceptions. Saint-singer Tyaagaraaya has a kR^iti on this pannagapu doma tera paikettavemayya… So Shabari is rid of that illusion, or maya…

.

The meaningfully meaningless caste system of India

[Font size can be enhanced under View menu]

At the outset let us say that there is no Hinduism as such but bhaaratiiya sanskR^iti is there, and that is not concentrated in an around Indus valley alone. So also there is no caste system in India, but it is to be called varNa, varga categorisation, class, social stratification etc. Oxford has this to say for the word caste - Spanish and Portuguese casta 'lineage, race, breed', fem. of casto 'pure, chaste' and we are still lingering ourselves to the unwitting misnomer of Portuguese. In Ch. 1 of Bala Kanda, we put this as - Brahman - teacher-class; Kshatriya - ruler-class; Vyshya - trader-class; Shudra - worker-class. And if the word 'class' is also a pungent word let us use this Latin word classis 'assembly...' a near relative of varNa, varga and which does not mean the colour of skin, but it is meant to be a group. Thus the groups or assemblages are classis of intelligentsia and classis of sovereignty and classis of commerce and classis of peasantry or smithery or its various branches. Unfortunately, this word is mixed up to mean nonsense, and it remained to mean only as 'casta' of Portuguese. If it were to mean bloodline, race, or caste, then to which bloodline Kshatriya-s belong, either to Solar dynasty or to Lunar dynasty. Likewise to which bloodline the many kinds of Brahmans, say Vaidic, Niyogi, Bhatt, Caturvedi, Dwivedi, Iyer, Iyyangar, Namboodri etc., belong. By the way, what is the caste of Parashu Rama, or Bhaargava Rama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu on earth and generally ascribed as a Brahman? His father is Jamadagni, said to be a Brahman, and his mother is Satyavati, the sister of Vishvamitra, a Kshatriya. Thus, the present day confusion and wrong terminology do not apply to Vedic times, because they believed in the 'seed-and-field syndrome' biija kshetra nyaaya and perhaps a phenomenon recently found may match it - ``when we look at the Y-chromosome DNA, we see a very different pattern. The lower castes are most similar to Asians, and the upper castes are more European than Asian... Further, when we look at the different components within the upper caste, the group with the greatest European similarity of all is the warrior class, the Kshatriya, who are still at the top of the Hindu castes, with the Brahmins... But the Brahmins, in terms of their Y-chromosomes, are a little bit more Asian - So the genetic results are consistent with historical accounts that women sometimes marry into higher caste, resulting in female gene flow between adjacent castes. In contrast, males seldom change castes, so Y chromosome'' so says geneticist Lynn Jorde of the University of Utah.

This discussion has its orientation in the word shramaNii prefixed to Shabari, which originally means a Hindu wandering friar, not to be confused with the monk of Buddhism. Many take her to be a tribal or lowborn woman, and puzzle about the availability of Vedic knowledge or yogic practise to her. It is pertinent to ask why lowborn people and women were not authorised to perform Vedic rituals. We may see the queens of Dasharatha have performed Ashvamedha ritual in Bala Kanda. So women are not barred. Then the classis laboris had a different kind of labour to undertake, than this relax -less labour of rituals. So, their manpower was used that way and the brainpower of these Vedic pundits was used this way. The difference belonged more to the occupational interests than congenital inheritance. The lateral thinking or the vertical thinking changed them, and it is now we have a counter-culture than that of Vedic times. We still see sons and daughter of film actors, industrialists, or politicians becoming father-like, but sons of washermen and shore-makers are turning out differently.

Though Shabari is given a direct charge-free flight to heaven but poor Shambuka, another shuudra, is eliminated by Rama. Shambuka is neither a poor, innocent, meekish shuudra. He had to be eliminated when he was practising haTha yoga 'meditating upside down...' only to conquer the world with his negative logic like Ravana. He is not even a Yogi, but a bhogi, enjoyer and one who started his mission with half-knowledge with para apakaara dharma. But Shabari is a yogin by her aatma samaadhi, that too a reverential lady by her steadfastness in what she believed sva dharma .

Regarding the accessibility of Vedas or Vedic knowledge to each and every body, the first question that arises is 'what for it is required by everyone?' If the answer is 'to know what Vedas say...' then the reply is, 'sun rises in east, cloud brings rain, so it is to be worshipped, and beyond it there are some forces to cause all this, so they are to be known, by which you obtain heaven... this Vedas say...' Therefore, this knowledge was unnecessary for the commoners in those days, because they were on heaven-like earth, so we presume by epics. And there are no such episodes where such questions were raised by some characters. Even Vali, a vanara was an adherer of Veda-s. This knowledge is now sought for because earth is turning into hell. But if Vedas are required for practising to purchase a direct ticket to heaven, the episode of Trishanku is there to tell us what sort of heaven we gain by short-cut methods. Even if they are taught to one and all and all sit chanting those hymns, since it appears to be an easy job to chant un-understandable hymns, gone is the agriculture, commerce, defence etc., to dogs.

Such a state of turmoil has occurred with the advent of Buddhism and its relative conversions. Then the Magadha and Maurya empires have utterly outdone the Kshatriya-s, by hiring mercenaries as their army. When the defence of a tradition itself is defeated then that tradition had to crumble, and in to that crumbling tradition, many outlandish traditions have intruded to intermingle, so says our known history. But when the question of - caste vs. Vedas - arises, there are many caste-less characters in Veda made eligible to learn Vedas, for e.g., Jaabaala Satyakaama, vide channdogya upaishad 4-4-1 to 4-4-5. Adi Shankara's commentary on Brahma sutra-s 34-38 refuses the right of practising Vedas by Shudra-s, but his maniiSaa pancakam salutes a caNDaala - caNDaalo astu sa tu dvijostu... 'may he be a Brahman or a Profaner, salute him [who has right knowledge about the Absolute...] This appears self-contradictory, but not so, because the ritual acts are prohibitive to women and shuudra-s, but not knowledge or personal excellence in it. Admittance of everyone in every sphere of activity is as good as admitting a nondescript into an operation theatre when heart transplantation is going on. Or, asking an airhostess to build a space shuttle because she has more flight hours on her record. Why all of them, some categories of Brahmans are not allowed in certain areas of rituals though conducted by Brahmans. Vedas say that it is a difficult path to follow them: uttiÿ÷ha j˜grata pr˜pya var˜n nibodhata | kÿurasya dh˜r˜ niþit˜ dur atyay˜ duram patha× tat kavayo vayanti || 1-3-14 ka÷hopaiþad 'Arise Awake, resort to best teachers to know 'That...' it is a walk on the razor's edge, difficult to follow, so the wise say...' then, why walk on a razor blade when air-conditioned roads of VB, Java, C , Oracle are there, like Vishvamitra who has taken many chapters to become Brahmin pundit, for no practical purpose. Vedic culture is different to Puranic culture, Puranic culture differs with epical, where examples are Lakshmana's boundary line to Seetha, and Shabari's tasting fruits before giving them to Rama, from Padma Purana, and everything or anything of that time is unavailable now, except these palm-leaf books and this pseudo-casteism. Anyway, let bygones be bygones, and let Veda or Vedic knowledge remain in a showcase of some archaeological museum, and let us revert to the story telling. So in conclusion it is to be said whether Shabari is the Spanish casto lady or Indian shramaNi she got what she wanted by her own sva dharma , and the portrayal of her divinity in the last but one verse is enough to tell whether she is lowborn human, or high-rising angle.

Though we may not elicit the caste, creed, or classis of Shabari, but she is an important Yogic character according the viewpoint of Yoga on Ramayana. In Yoga kunDalini 'the cosmic power in living being...' has a good part to play. It flows though the Sympathetic and Para-sympathetic ganglions though bio plexuses. If we take Ramayana as a humanoid epic, and the gist of the epic as its life force, that force has an upward movement via these ganglions. By the boons of Kaika this élan vital of Ramayana has moved from its serpentine coil reposing in muula aadhaara cakra sacro-coccygeal plexus, and reaches svaadhiSTaana cakra sacral plexus, when Bharata takes Rama's sandals to enthrone, and then it ascends and spends time in maNipuuraka cakra, the lumbar plexus, in the solacing laps of great saints and hermits like Atri, Anasuya, Agastya, and then it ascends and listens to the noise made by Kabandha at anaahata cakra cardiac plexus, where an aahata is 'un beaten...' a sound made without any external beating, the lub-dub beating of heart. That noise of heart will be unbearably noisy for cardiac patients. So is the thunderous voicing of Kabandha on his entry. This élan vital of Ramayana, which started with its primeval pureness, touches water and fire in earlier plexuses and now is ready to touch air at cardiac plexus. And air wants an egress and the story wants to go to the next plexus vi shuddha cakra 'very clean, pure, friendly and pleasant area...' laryngeal plexus, that of clean Pampa, pure vanara-s, friendly Sugreeva, Hanuma, and pleasant Rishyamuka. But where is outlet for that agonised 'airing of heart' of the epic? Frail Shabari is that slender duct-stem of a lotus, and through her, viz., on exiting her, the story enters into an area where the problems of the characters can be explained to other characters. Having spent some time there, then it enters aaj~naa cakra the ordering plexus in between brows. One does what his mind orders. Here that mind is Sugreeva and irrefutable are his orders. When vishuddha cakra is available at throat, svaadhiSTaana cakra is there at sacral place. The area from throat to sacrum is madhya kuuTa Vali's birth is from this place and Sugreeva's birth is from throat of their father turned mother. And what that is throated by Sugreeva is the activity of aaj~naa cakra and Seetha is found thereby... - after raamayaNa paramaartham by Dr. Ilapaavuluuri Panduranga Rao, a T.T.D publication.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe catuH saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 74th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 75

Introduction

Rama arrives at the auspicious Pampa Lake according to the suggestion of Kabandha. On seeing that pious environ of that lake Rama has a breather and he expects some good to happen now. On further beholding the ladylike Pampa Lake, his thoughts move to Seetha, and he is again dispirited. However, on overcoming that short spell of his anguish, he proceeds with Lakshmana to the nearby of the lake.

divam tu tasyaam yaataayaam shabaryaam svena tejasaa |
lakSmaNena saha bhraatraa cintayaamaasa raaghavaH || 3-75-1

1. tasyaam= of her; shabaryaam= of Shabari; svena tejasaa= by own, [divine] resplendence; divam yaataayaam= to heaven, while going; raaghavaH bhraatraa lakSmaNena saha= Raghava, brother, Lakshmana, along with; cintayaamaasa= started to cogitate.

While Shabari ascended to heaven with her own divine self-resplendence, Raghava who is with Lakshmana started to cogitate over the magnificence of Matanga disciples. [3-75-1]

ci.ntayitvaa tu dharmaatmaa prabhaavam tam mahaatmanaam |
hita kaariNam eka agram lakSmaNam raaghavo abraviit || 3-75-2

2. dharmaatmaa= noble-souled one; raaghavaH= Raghava; mahaa aatmanaam= of great-souled [disciples of Matanga]; prabhaavam cintayitvaa= efficacy, on thinking about; hita kaariNam= wellbeing, causer of [maintainer]; eka agram= single, minded one; tam= to him; lakSmaNam= to Lakshmana; abraviit= said.

That noble-souled Raghava on thinking about the efficacy of the disciples of Matanga, said to Lakshmana, who is the maintainer of Rama's well being, and who is thinking single-mindedly. [3-75-2]

Rama's thinking is that 'I happened to see a lady of unswerving loyalty to her teachers, by which adoration alone she is going to her desired worlds, and seeing such pious people will definitely yield good results from now on... hence some good shall betide us for we could have a glimpse of pious place and person puNya sthala, puNya purusa, puNya aatma sandarshana...' and Lakshmana thinking is 'this lady has served her teachers with such a devotion by which she is going to the heavens she desired, where placements in heavens will usually be determined by their relative merits... am I serving my brother, teacher, god, and the like... namely Rama, to have an iota of Shabari's merit... or, all the problems to Rama have chanced by my neglect of my duty...'

dR^iSTo mayaa aashramaH saumya bahu aashcaryaH kR^ita aatmanaam |
vishvasta mR^iga shaarduulo naanaa vihaga sevitaH || 3-75-3

3. saumya= oh, gentle Lakshmana; kR^ita aatmanaam= made, souls - of self-controlled sages; bahu aashcaryaH= highly, astounding; vishvasta mR^iga shaarduulaH= faithful [amicable,] deer, tigers having; naanaa vihaga sevitaH= by divers, birds, adored by; such a; aashramaH= hermitage; maya dR^iSTaH= by me, seen.

"I have seen a highly astounding hermitage of self-controlled sages, oh, gentle Lakshmana, in which the deer and tigers are at home, and which is adored by divers birds... [3-75-3]

saptaanaam ca samudraaNaam teSaam tiirtheSu lakSmaNa |
upaspR^iSTam ca vidhivat pitaraH ca api tarpitaaH || 3-75-4

4. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; teSaam saptaanaam samudraaNaam= of those, seven of the, seas; tiirtheSu= [in this] holy lake [Pampa]; upa spR^iSTam= closely, touched - we took a holy bath in this lake]; pitaraH ca api vidhivat tarpitaaH= manes, also, even, dutifully [holier,] we have oblated.

"Oh, Lakshmana, holy is our taking a bath in this holy Pampa Lake, for it is formed by the waters of seven seas, and even holier is our oblation of this holy waters to manes... [3-75-4]

praNaSTam ashubham yat naH kalyaaNam samupasthitam |
tena tu etat prahR^iSTam me mano lakSmaNa sa.mprati || 3-75-5
hR^idaye hi nara vyaaghra shubham aavir.hbhaviSyati |

5, 6a. yat naH= what [that was,] for us; a+ shubham= un, propitious; pra NaSTam= completely abated; lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; kalyaaNam= propitiousness; sam upa sthitam= verily, in fore, staying [standing en face]; tena= thereby; samprati= presently; etat= this one [heart of mine]; me manaH= my, heart; pra hR^iSTam= highly, gladdening; nara vyaaghra= oh, man, the lion; hR^idaye shubham aavirbhaviSyati hi= in heart, auspiciousness [hope,] issues forth [hatches,] indeed.

"What that was unpropitious for us is completely abated by our holy bath and holy oblations, oh, Lakshmana, propitiousness is standing en face us, thereby presently this heart of mine is highly gladdening... oh, lion-like man, indeed, heart alone hatches hope... [3-75-5, 6a]

tat aagacCha gamiSyaavaH pa.mpaam taam priya darshanaam || 3-75-6
R^iSyamuuko giriH yatra na ati duure prakaashate |
yasmin vasati dharmaatmaa sugriivo a.mshumataH sutaH || 3-75-7
nityam vaali bhayaat trastaH caturbhiH saha vaanaraiH |

6b, 7-8a. tat= thereby; dharmaatmaa= right minded one - Sugreeva; amshumataH sutaH sugriivaH= one who is having sunrays - sun's, son, Sugreeva; nityam vaali bhayaat trastaH= always, Vali, from fear of, who is frightened; caturbhiH saha vaanaraiH= with four, along with, vanara-s; yasmin= whereon; vasati= lives; such a mountain; R^iSyamuukaH giriH= Rishyamuka, mountain; yatra na ati duure prakaashate= where, not, very, far from, beaming forth; taam= to her; priya darshanaam= lovely, in its sight [spectacular]; pampaam= to Pampa Lake; gamiSyaavaH= we go; aagacCha= come on [Lakshmana.]

"Thereby, where Mt. Rishyamuka is beaming forth at its nearby, on which that right minded son of the Sun, Sugreeva, is living along with four other vanara-s, always frightened by the fear from Vali, we will go to her, to that spectacular Lake Pampa, come on, Lakshmana... [3-75-6b, 7, 8a]

aham tvare ca tam draSTum sugriivam vaanararSabham || 3-75-8
tat adhiinam hi me kaaryam siitaayaaH parimaargaNam |

8b, 9a. vaanararSabham= best one among vanara-s; tam sugriivam draSTum= him, Sugreeva, to see; aham tvare ca= I am, hasty, also; me kaaryam= my, work [enterprise]; namely; siitaayaaH parimaargaNam= Seetha's, searching; tat adhiinam hi= his, under the aegis of, isn't it.

"I am also hasty to see that best one among vanara-s, Sugreeva, for my enterprise called search for Seetha is under his aegis, isn't it... [3-75-8b, 9a]

iti bruvaaNam tam viiram saumitriH idam abraviit || 3-75-9
gacChaavaH tvaritam tatra mama api tvarate manaH |

9b, 10a. iti bruvaaNam= thus, speaking; tam viiram= to that, brave one [Rama]; saumitriH idam abraviit= Soumitri, said, this; mama manaH api tvarate= my, heart is, even, hastening; tvaritam tatra gacChaavaH= promptly, to there, let us go.

To that brave Rama who is speaking thus, Soumitri said this, " my heart too is hastening me, let us go there promptly..." [3-75-9b, 10a]

aashramaat tu tataH tasmaat niS.hkramya sa vishaam patiH || 3-75-10
aajagaama tataH pa.mpaam lakSmaNena sahaprabhuH |

10b, 11a. tataH= then; vishaam patiH= people's, lord; saH prabhuH= he, that lord [of nature]; tasmaat aashramaat niSkramya= from that, hermitage, on exiting; tataH= from there; lakSmaNena saha= Lakshmana, along with; pampaam aajagaama= to Pampa, came nigh of.

Then that Lord of People and Lord of Nature on exiting from that hermitage, he then came nigh of Lake Pampa along with Lakshmana. [3-75-10b, 11a]

samiikSamaaNaH puSpa aaDhyam sarvato vipula drumam || 3-75-11
koyaSTibhiH ca arjunakaiH shata patraiH ca kiirakaiH |
etaiH ca anyaiH ca bahubhiH naaditam tat vanam mahat || 3-75-12
sa raamo vividhaan vR^ikSaan saraa.msi vividhaani ca |
pashyan kaama abhisa.mtapto jagaama paramam hradam || 3-75-13

11b, 12, 13. saH= he [such as he is]; raamaH= Rama; tat mahat vanam= that, great [rosy,] woodland; sarvataH= everywhere; puSpa aaDhyam= with flowers, thickset; vipula drumam= outsized, trees having; vividhaan vR^ikSaan= divers, trees; samiikSamaaNaH= while scrutinising; koyaSTibhiH ca= with plover [birds,] and; arjunakaiH= with peacocks; shatapatraiH ca= waterfowls, also; kiirakaiH= with parrots; etaiH ca anyaiH ca= with these, also, with others, also [suchlike]; bahubhiH naaditam= in much ado, trilling; vividhaani saraamsi ca= different, lakes, also; pashyan= while seeing; kaama abhisamtaptaH= by Love-god, impassioned; paramam hradam jagaama= to best [lovely,] lake, went to.

Rama on scrutinising that rosy woodland in which everywhere there are outsized and diverse trees that are thickset with flowers, and different lakes loaded with the trilling birds like plovers, peacocks, waterfowls and suchlike, with which that woodland itself is trilling in much ado, became impassioned as he is instantly rendered thus by Love-god, and thus that Rama went towards that lovely Lake Pampa. [3-75-11b, 12, 13]

Vividly: The pronoun saH is continuously repeated word denoting 'such as he is...' when used as opening word in first foot, as used in next verse, until the first verse of next canto. This expression, 'such as he is' is to take us back to the olden days when Seetha was found missing and to remind us about his problems from then on. So the above verse is to be said like this: 'Rama who is so far accustomed to see only blood, wraiths, revenants, and souls is fed up and - such as he is, - he has seen a picturesque lake with a backdrop of pristine nature, and with the background music of trilling birds and rustling waters, then his innate need for visualising Seetha sprang up and he rushed towards lovely Lake of Pampa presuming her to be Lady Seetha...' but we usually take liberty to cut off other words and retain 'he' for pain of retyping.

sa taam aasaadya vai raamo duuraat paaniiya vaahiniim |
mata.nga sarasam naama hradam samavagaahata || 3-75-14

14. saH= such as he is; raamaH= Rama; paaniiya vaahiniim= water, containing - plethoric lake; taam= her - Pampa Lake; duuraat= from a distance; aasaadya= on getting at [by sight]; matanga sarasam= Matanga, Lake; naama hradam= named, lake; sam avagaahata= entered into.

Rama spotted Pampa Lake from a distance which is plethoric with water, but entered into a lake called Matanga Lake on his way to Pampa... [3-75-14]

From here the real confusion about the arrangement of verses occurs, which is ascribed to the wrong copying of copyists. No two versions agree on the placement of verses and some from the next canto Kishkindha are also brought in here. With the result parsing of verses also goes wrong. Yet, this goes on.

tatra jagmatuH avyagrau raaghavau hi samaahitau |
sa tu shoka samaaviSTo raamo dasharathaatmajaH || 3-75-15

15. tatra= to there; raaghavau= both Raghava-s; avyagrau= dispassionately; samaahitau= composedly; jagmatuH= they went [though they came there]; dasharathaatmajaH= Rama, Dasharatha's son; saH raamaH tu= he, that Rama, on his part; shoka samaaviSTaH= by anguish, he is ensorcelled.

Though both Raghava-s came there composedly and dispassionately, but Rama, the son of Dasharatha, is ensorcelled by anguish on seeing a ladylike lake Pampa. [3-75-15]

vivesha naliniim ramyaam pa.nkajaiH ca samaavR^itaam |
tilakaashokapu.mnaagabakuloddaalakaashiniim - yadvaa -
tilaka ashoka punnaaga bakula uddaala kaashiniim || 3-75-16

16. tilaka ashoka punnaaga= Tilaka, Ashoka, Punnaga; bakula uddaala= Bakula, Uddala trees; kaashiniim= beaming forth [on banks]; ramyaam naliniim= beautiful, lake; pankajaiH sam aa vR^itaam ca= with lotuses, hemmed in, also; vivesha= entered - entered the area of Pampa lake.

Rama entered the area of that beautiful lake which is beaming forth with lotuses hemming in from inside, and trees like Tilaka, Ashoka, Punnaga, Bakula, Uddala, are hemming it from outside. [3-75-16]

ramya upavana sa.mbaadhaam padma sa.mpiiDita udakaam |
sphaTika upama toya aaDhyaam shlakSNa vaaluka sa.mtataam || 3-75-17

17. ramya= delightful; upavana= fringe lands; sambaadhaam= huddled with; padma sampiiDita udakaam= by lotuses, squeezed, water; sphaTika upama toya aaDhyaam= crystal, in simile [crystalline,] water, plethoric; shlakSNa vaaluka samtataam= softish, sand, all over.

That lake is huddled with delightful fringe lands and lotuses squeeze it from within, and its water is plethoric and crystalline, and its sand is softish all over. [3-75-17]

matsya kacChapa sa.mbaadhaam tiirastha druma shobhitaam |
sakhiibhiH iva sa.myuktaam lataabhiH anuveSTitaam || 3-75-18

18. matsya= with fishes; kacChapa= tortoises; sambaadhaam= packed in; tiirastha druma shobhitaam= on the bank, trees, beautified with; lataabhiH anuveSTitaam= with climber plants, wraparound; samyuktaam sakhiibhiH iva= joined with [hugging,] ladylove, like.

That lake is beautified with packs of fishes and tortoises, and packs of trees on its banks, on which climber plants are wraparound like the ladyloves of those trees. [3-75-18]

kiMnaroragagandharvayakSharAkShasasevitAm -yadvaa - |
kinnara uraga gandharva yakSa raakSasa sevitaam |
naanaa druma lataa aakiirNaam shiita vaari nidhim shubhaam || 3-75-19

19. kinnara uraga gandharva yakSa raakshasa= by sylvan beings, reptilian beings, celestials, georgic beings, elfish being; sevitaam= adored by; naanaa= divers; druma lataa aakiirNaam= trees, tendrils, overcrowded with; shiita vaari nidhim shubhaam= coldish, water, trove, fair one.

And that is adored by the beings like sylvan, reptilian, celestial, georgic, and elfish beings, and it is overcrowded with trees and tendrils, and it is a trove for fairish and clodish water. [3-75-19]

padma saugandhikaiH taamraam shuklaam kumuda maNDalaiH |
niilaam kuvalaya ud ghaaTaiH bahu varNaam kuthaam iva || 3-75-20
aravinda utpalavatiim padma saugandhika aayutaam |
puSpita aamra vaNopetaam barhiNa ud ghuSTa naaditaam || 3-75-21

20, 21. padma sau gandhikaiH= lotuses, rich, in fragrance; taamraam shuklaam= reddish, whitish; kumuda maNDalaiH= lotus, clusters; niilaam kuvalaya= blackish, lotuses; ud ghaaTaiH= heaps of; bahu varNaam= divers, in colours; kuthaam iva= a cloth painted or twilled with variegated colours, used to decorate an elephant, picturesquely painted canvas; aravinda utpalavatiim= pinkish, lotuses having; padma saugandhika aayutaam= whitish lotuses, reddish lotuses, full with; puSpita aamra vana upetaam= flowered, mango, orchards, surrounded by; barhiNa= peacocks; ud ghuSTa naaditaam= up [highly,] screaming, sounded [much] by.

The lotuses of the lake are rich in their fragrance, and with the heaps of clusters of reddish, whitish, and blackish lotuses, and with such pinkish, whitish, and reddish lotuses the sheet of water is like a picturesquely painted canvas and it is surrounded by the orchards of flowered mango trees and sounded much by the screams of peacocks. [3-75-20, 21]

Two words used in the verses here udghaaTa a heap of things, which now became 'a public speech or lecture' and the other kuthaa detailed as above are said to be rare Sanskrit words in the book: 'Apart from kutha the verse quoted above contains one more word which unlike kutha is not noticed by Monier Williams in the sense in which it is used in Ramayana. This word is udghaaTa. It means a heap samuuha. This meaning of the word is very rare...' according to the book - Ramayana - A Linguistic Study, by Pt. Satya Vrata.

sa taam dR^iSTvaa tataH pa.mpaam raamaH saumitriNaa saha |
vilalaapa ca tejasvii kaamaat dasharathaatmajaH || 3-75-22

22. tataH taam pampaam dR^iSTvaa= then, at her, at Pampa, on seeing; saH raamaH saha saumitriNaa= he, that Rama, with, Soumitri; tejasvii dasharatha aatmajaH= self-refulgent, Dasharatha's son; vilalaapa ca kaamaat= whimpered over, also, owing to passion [passionate recollection of Seetha.]

Then Rama along with Lakshmana on seeing at that Pampa Lake, that self-refulgent son of Dasharatha whimpered over, owing to his passionate recollection of Seetha. [3-75-22]

tilakaiH biija puuraiH ca vaTaiH shukla drumaiH tathaa |
puSpitaiH karaviiraiH ca punnaagaiH ca su puSpitaiH || 3-75-23
maalatii ku.nda gulmaiH ca bhaNDiiraiH niculaiH tathaa |
ashokaiH sapta parNaiH ca ketakaiH atimuktakaiH || 3-75-24
anyaiH ca vividhaiH vR^ikSaiH pramadaa iva upashobhitaam |

23, 24. tilakaiH= with Tilaka trees; biija puuraiH= seeds full of [trees of citron fruit with many juicy seeds, Anaar, Daanimma]; ca= also; vaTaiH= banyan trees; shukla drumaiH= white, trees; tathaa= likewise; puSpitaiH= flowered; karaviiraiH ca punnaagaiH ca= red oleanders, also, Punnaaga [Rottelara tinctoria]; su puSpitaiH= well flowered; maalatii= Maalati [Jasminum grandiflorum]; kunda= Kunda [Jasminum multiflorum]; gulmaiH ca= with shrubs, also; bhaNDiiraiH= Madder [Rubia tinctorum] trees; niculaiH= Nicula [Eugenia acutangula]; tathaa= likewise; ashokaiH= Ashoka; sapta parNaiH= seven, leaved banana plants; ca= also; ketakaiH= Ketaki [Mogra, Mogili, Pandanus odora tissimus]; atimuktakaiH= Atimukta, Maadhavii Lata Gaertnera racemosa; anyaiH ca vividhaiH vR^ikSaiH= with other, also, divers, trees; pramadaa iva upa shobhitaam= pulchritudinous lady, like, shone forth, with such trees that lake is wraparound.]

That Pampa Lake is wraparound with the trees of Tilaka, Citron-fruits, Banyan, White-trees, likewise flowered are flowery trees like Red oleanders, Punnaaga, shrubs of Maalati and Kunda, likewise flowered are the trees of Madder, Nicula, Ashoka, and Seven-leaved banana plants, and plants of Mogra and climbers of Maadhavii Lata are also flowered, and with them she that Ladylike Pampa shone forth like a pulchritudinous lady. [3-75-23, 24]

From now until the end of first chapter of Kishkindha with a hundred couplets, we will be entering into the beauty of the nature. Poetics require romantic exaltation of nature, as usual, varNana aatmakam kavitvam. Rama as Mr. Green extols it with his own tongue. The commentators are very much enthused by this verbal picturing of Valmiki and they have rendered more complex and beautiful compounds for the same verses. Why commentators, Mahaakavi Kaalidas is tempted to rewrite Ramayana, but he refrained to do so, because he cannot possibly tell Ramayana in such a simple language of Valmiki. Hence, Kalidas gave it up and embarked on to write another master piece Raghu Vamsham, tradition says so. Let us touch Dharmaakuutam, which has many such complexly constructed compounds in Ch. 1 of Kishkindha, and one is brought here for this lady called Lake Pampa, for the reading pleasure our readers.

tdnNtrm! rm[IygNx)ilkakilkam! inkayinkamai-ramm! iÇ-uvnivjyae*tk…sumzrasnq»ar s»avhmdklk{Q inKva[m! AdæmxusMæmщrmr H»aral»¯tm<julmÃrIpu<jipÃirtid'œm{flivkist k…sumsmudyivlashassumnaehrai-rœ llnai- #v ltai->  

 

tadanataram ramaõŸyagandhaphalik˜kalik˜m nik˜yanik˜m˜bhir˜mam tribhuvanavijayodyata kusumaþar˜sana÷aðk˜rasaðk˜vahamadakalakaõ÷hanikv˜õam adabhramadhusambhramdbhramarajhaðk˜r˜ laðk®tamanjulamañjarŸpunjapiñjaritadiðmaõýalavikasitakusumasamudayavil˜sah˜samanohar˜bhir lalan˜bhi iva lat˜bhi×

of which lalanaa iva 'a beautiful lady like...' is our concern.

asyaaH tiire tu puurva uktaH parvato dhaatu maNDitaH || 3-75-25
R^ishyamuuka iti khyaataH citra puSpita paadapaH |

25b-26a. puurva uktaH= afore, said; dhaatu maNDitaH parvataH= with [colourful] ores, abounding, mountain; citra puSpita paadapaH= with amazingly, flowered, trees; R^ishyamuuka iti khyaataH= Rishyamuka, thus, renowned; asyaaH tiire tu [aasiit]= on its, bank, but [is there.]

The aforesaid mountain renowned as Rishyamuka which is abounding with colourful ores and amazingly flowered trees is there on the bank of Pampa Lake. [3-75-25b, 26a]

hareH R^ikSarajo naamnaH putraH tasya mahaatmanaH || 3-75-26
adhyaaste tu mahaaviiryaH sugriiva iti vishrutaH |

26b, 27b. R^ikSarajaH naamnaH= Risharaja, named; mahaatmanaH= great souled one; tasya hareH putraH= of that, monkey's, son; mahaaviiryaH= highly valiant; sugriiva iti vishrutaH= Sugreeva, thus, renowned; adhyaaste tu [tam]= presides over [that mountain.]

A noble soul by his name Risharaja was there and that monkey's son is the highly valiant Sugreeva, thus he is renowned, and he presides over that mountain. [3-75-26b, 27b]

sugriivam abhigacCha tvam vaanarendram nararSabha || 3-75-27
iti uvaaca punaH vaakyam lakSmaNam satya vikramam |
katham mayaa vinaa siitaam shakyam lakshmaNa jiivitum || 3-75-28

27b, 28. nararSabha= best one among men - Rama; tvam= you; vaanarendram= vanara-s', chief; sugriivam= to Sugreeva; abhigacCha= make a headway; punaH satya vikramam lakSmaNam= again [further,] to truth, valiant, to Lakshmana; vaakyam iti uvaaca= sentence, this way, said; lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; maya= by me; siitaam vinaa= Seetha, without; jiivitum= to live; katham= how; shakyam= possible.

That best one among men Rama, said this way, "oh, Lakshmana, you make a headway for that chief of monkeys, Sugreeva..." and further said this to Lakshmana whose valiance is truthfulness alone, "how can I possibly live without Seetha..." [3-75-27b, 28]

There is a filler foot in the above verses raajya bhraSTen diinena tasyaam aakskta cetasaa 'lorn of my kingdom, lorn is my heart to her, and a lorn one I am... how can then I possibly live...' In view of mishmashed editing of verses even the critical edition has no perfect order of verses, leave alone ancient copies.

iti evam uktvaa madana abhipiiDitaH
sa lakshmaNam vaakyam ananya cetanaH |
vivesha pa.mpaam nalinii mano ramaam
tam uttamam shokam udiirayaaNaH || 3-75-29

29. madana abhipiiDitaH= by Love-god, laying a stymie; saH= such as he is Rama; an+ anya cetanaH= not, otherwise, hearted - one who is thinking on Seetha alone - Rama; lakshmaNam= to Lakshmana; iti evam vaakyam uktvaa= thus, that way, sentence, on saying; shokam udiirayaaNaH= anguish, vocalising; manaH ramaam= which is a - heart, delighting one; uttamam nalinii= to superb, lotus lake; tam papaam vivesha= to her, into Pampa [area,] entered [neared.]

Such as he is whose thinking is applying itself to Seetha alone, and who is vocalising his anguish for her, to whom aa stymie is laid by the Love-god just at the appearance that lake, that Rama on saying that sentence in that way to Lakshmana neared that superb and heart delighting lotus Lake Pampa. [3-75-29]

krameNa gatvaa pravilokayan vanam
dadarsha pa.mpaam shubha darsha kaananaam |
aneka naanaa vidha pakSi sa.nkulaam
vivesha raamaH saha lakshmaNena || 3-75-30

30. raamaH saha lakshmaNena= Rama, with, Lakshmana; krameNa gatvaa= step by step, on going; vanam= forest; pra vi lokayan= intently, ardently, on seeing; shubha darsha kaananaam= picturesque, visuals, of forestry; an eka= not, one naanaa vidha= numerous, divers; pakSi= with birds; sankulaam= hurly-burly; vivesha= entered [the area of]; dadarsha pampaam= has seen, Pampa.

On going step by step, and on going on seeing ardently and intently at that forest which has picturesque visuals of forestry, and which is with hurly-burly birds, not one, but numerous and divers are they, and then Rama along with Lakshmana on entering the area of that lake, has seen that Lake Pampa. [3-75-30]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe pa.ncaH saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 75th, and conclusive chapter of Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection