Aranya Kanda · Sarga 11 of 76 · 94 verses
Ten Years Among the Hermitages; the Way to Agastya
Rama goes in front, lovely Sita in the middle, and Lakshmana, bow in hand, behind. Looking at many mountain plateaus, forests and lovely rivers, cranes and chakravakas on the sandbanks, lakes with lotuses and water-birds, herds of spotted deer, rutting horned beasts, buffaloes, boars and tree-breaking elephants, they go a long way. As the sun sinks they see a lovely lake a yojana across, crowded with lotuses, adorned with herds of elephants, full of cranes, swans, geese and water-birds. From that clear, lovely lake comes the sound of song and music, but no one can be seen. Curious, Rama and Lakshmana ask the sage Dharmabhrit: “Hearing this great wonder, great sage, we are all very curious. What is it?” The righteous sage explains: “This is the lake called Panchapsaras, which lasts for all time, made by the austerity of the sage Mandakarni. That great sage practised fierce austerity for ten thousand years in this lake, living on air. All the gods led by Agni were alarmed and said to one another: ‘This sage wants the place of one of us.’ To obstruct his austerity, all the gods sent five chief apsarases, bright as lightning. By those apsarases the sage, who had seen the high and low, was brought under the power of love, to serve the gods’ purpose. The five apsarases became his wives, and a house hidden within the lake was built for them. Living there happily, the five apsarases delight the sage, made young again by his yoga of austerity. This sound of music, with the lovely sound of song mixed with the jingling of ornaments, is theirs as they play.” Glorious Raghava and his brother accept this wonderful account from the perfected sage.
Talking so, he sees a circle of hermitages, strewn with kusha and bark, surrounded by the splendour of brahman. Entering with Vaidehi and Lakshmana, Kakutstha stays happily in that glorious circle of hermitages, honoured by the great seers, and goes in turn to the hermitages of the ascetics with whom the great master of weapons had stayed before: here ten months, there a year, here four months, there five or six, elsewhere more months, here a month and a half, here three months, there eight. As he lives contentedly in the hermitages of the sages, ten years pass. Having travelled round, righteous Raghava returns with Sita to Sutikshna’s hermitage, is honoured by the sages, and stays there some time. One day, sitting humbly with the great sage, Kakutstha says to Sutikshna: “Lord, I have always heard from storytellers that Agastya, best of sages, lives in this forest, but because the forest is so vast I do not know where. Where is the lovely hermitage of that wise great seer? I would go with my brother and Sita to salute the sage Agastya and win his favour. This great wish turns in my heart, that I might serve that best of sages myself.” Pleased, Sutikshna replies: “I too wanted to tell you this: go to Agastya with Sita and Lakshmana, Raghava. By good fortune you speak of it yourself. I will tell you where the great sage Agastya is. Go four yojanas south from this hermitage, dear one; there is the great, splendid hermitage of Agastya’s brother, in a region of forest mostly on high ground, lovely with groves of pippali, rich in flowers and fruit, echoing with birds, with lotus pools of clear water, full of swans and karandavas and adorned with chakravakas. Spend one night there, Rama, and at dawn go south along the side of the forest. Go one yojana and you will reach Agastya’s hermitage, in a lovely part of the forest adorned with many trees. Vaidehi and Lakshmana will enjoy themselves there with you. If you have decided to see that great sage Agastya, decide to go today, very wise one.”
Hearing the sage, Rama salutes him with his brother and sets out for Agastya with Sita, looking at wonderful forests, mountains like clouds, lakes and rivers along the way. Having gone happily by the path Sutikshna showed, he says, delighted, to Lakshmana: “This must surely be the hermitage of the brother of the sage Agastya, of holy deeds. Thousands of trees here along the path are bowed with fruit and flowers; and from this forest comes, carried by the wind, the sudden pungent smell of ripe pippali. Here and there heaps of firewood are seen, and darbha grass cut, bright as beryl. In the middle of the forest the tip of smoke from the hermitage fire is seen, like the peak of a black cloud. At lonely bathing places the twice-born, having bathed, make offerings of flowers they have gathered themselves. As I heard from Sutikshna, gentle one, this must be the hermitage of Agastya’s brother. His brother, of holy deeds, wishing the good of the worlds, restrained death by force and made this direction a refuge. Once, they say, two cruel brothers lived here together, Vatapi and Ilvala, great asuras, killers of brahmanas. Taking the form of a brahmana and speaking Sanskrit, the pitiless Ilvala would invite brahmanas to a shraddha. Making his brother, who had taken the form of a ram, into a dish, he fed those brahmanas by the rite of the shraddha. When the brahmanas had eaten, Ilvala would call in a loud voice, ‘Vatapi, come out!’ Hearing his brother, Vatapi, bleating like a ram, burst out, splitting the brahmanas’ bodies. So thousands of brahmanas were killed again and again by those flesh-eaters who could take any form they wished. Then the great seer Agastya, begged by the gods, ate that great asura at a shraddha. Saying ‘It is finished,’ Ilvala gave him water for his hands and said to his brother, ‘Come out!’ To him, the killer of brahmanas, wise Agastya, best of sages, said with a laugh: ‘How can a rakshasa come out, when I have digested him? Your brother in the form of a ram has gone to Yama’s house.’ Hearing of his brother’s death, the night-ranger angrily began to attack the sage, and as he rushed at the lord of brahmanas, he was burned to death by the sage’s eye, blazing like fire. This is the hermitage of his brother, adorned with ponds and forest, who out of compassion for brahmanas did this hard deed.”
As he talks with Saumitri, the sun sets and twilight comes. Having performed the western twilight worship with his brother according to rule, Rama enters the hermitage and salutes the seer. Well received by that sage, he spends the night there, eating roots and fruit. When the night has passed and the sun has risen, Raghava takes leave of Agastya’s brother: “I salute you, lord; I have spent the night happily. I take my leave; I go to see your elder brother, your teacher.” Told “Go,” the delight of the Raghus goes by the path described, looking at the forest: wild rice, jackfruit, sala, vanjula, tinisha, ciribilva, madhuka, bilva and tinduka trees, in flower, adorned with flowering creepers, hundreds of wild trees, broken by elephants’ trunks, graced by monkeys, echoing with hundreds of excited flocks of birds. Lotus-eyed Rama says to heroic Lakshmana following close behind: “From the way the trees have glossy leaves and the beasts and birds are tame, the hermitage of the perfected great seer is not far. The hermitage of the one known in the world by his own deeds as Agastya is seen, which removes the weariness of the weary, its forest full of thick smoke, hung with strings of bark garments, its herds of deer peaceful, echoing with many birds. He who, wishing the good of the worlds, restrained death by force and made the southern direction a refuge, by his holy deeds: this is his hermitage, by whose power this southern direction is only looked at by the rakshasas in fear and not enjoyed. Since the doer of holy deeds occupied this direction, the night-rangers have been without enmity and calm. By the lord’s name this southern direction is famous in the three worlds as ‘turning to the right’, unassailable by those of cruel deeds. The Vindhya, best of mountains, which kept blocking the path of the sun, keeping his instruction, does not grow. This is the glorious hermitage of the long-lived Agastya, famous in the world for his deeds, frequented by tame deer. Honoured by the world, good, always devoted to the welfare of the good, he will join us, who have come to him, to what is good. Here I will worship that great sage Agastya and spend the rest of the forest exile, gentle one. Here gods with gandharvas, siddhas and supreme seers, restrained in diet, always attend on Agastya. No liar can live here, nor anyone cruel, deceitful, pitiless or wicked; such is this sage. Here gods, yakshas and nagas with birds live, restrained in diet, wishing to worship dharma. Here great-souled siddhas and supreme seers, leaving their bodies, have gone to heaven in sun-bright celestial chariots with new bodies. Here the gods, worshipped by auspicious beings, grant the state of yakshas and immortality and kingdoms of many kinds. We have come to the hermitage, Saumitri; go in ahead and tell the seer that I have arrived with Sita.”
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अग्रतः प्रययौ रामः सीता मध्ये सुशोभना । पृष्ठतस्तु धनुष्पाणिर्लक्ष्मणोऽनुजगाम ह ॥ १ ॥
Rama went in front, lovely Sita in the middle, and Lakshmana, bow in hand, followed behind.
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Ten Years Among the Hermitages; the Way to Agastya 1 min read.
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तौ पश्यमानौ विविधान् शैलप्रस्थान् वनानि च । नदीश्च विविधा रम्या जग्मतुः सह सीतया ॥ २ ॥
Looking at many mountain plateaus and forests and lovely rivers of many kinds, the two went with Sita,
सारसांश्चक्रवाकांश्च नदीपुलिनचारिणः । सरांसि च सपद्मानि युतानि जलजैः खगैः ॥ ३ ॥
at cranes and chakravakas moving on the river sandbanks, and lakes with lotuses, full of water-born birds,
यूथबद्धांश्च पृषतान् मदोन्मत्तान् विषाणिनः । महिषांश्च वराहांश्च गजांश्च द्रुमवैरिणः ॥ ४ ॥
herds of spotted deer, rutting horned beasts, buffaloes and boars, and elephants, enemies of trees.
ते गत्वा दूरमध्वानं लम्बमाने दिवाकरे । ददृशुः सहिता रम्यं तटाकं योजनायुतम् ॥ ५ ॥
Having gone a long way, as the sun was sinking, they together saw a lovely lake, a yojana across,
पद्मपुष्करसम्बाधं गजयूथैरलंकृतम् । सारसैर्हंसकादम्बैः संकुलं जलजातिभिः ॥ ६ ॥
crowded with lotuses, adorned with herds of elephants, full of cranes, swans and geese, and of water-born creatures.
प्रसन्नसलिले रम्ये तस्मिन् सरसि शुश्रुवे । गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषो न तु कश्चन दृश्यते ॥ ७ ॥
In that lovely lake with clear water the sound of song and music was heard, but no one at all was seen.
ततः कौतूहलाद् रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महारथः । मुनिं धर्मभृतं नाम प्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे ॥ ८ ॥
Then, out of curiosity, Rama and Lakshmana the great chariot-warrior began to ask the sage named Dharmabhrit:
इदमत्यद्भुतं श्रुत्वा सर्वेषां नो महामुने । कौतूहलं महज्जातं किमिदं साधु कथ्यताम् ॥ ९ ॥
“Hearing this great wonder, great sage, great curiosity has arisen in all of us. What is this? Please tell us properly.”
तेनैवमुक्तो धर्मात्मा राघवेण मुनिस्तदा । प्रभावं सरसः क्षिप्रमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे ॥ १० ॥
Spoken to so by Raghava, the righteous sage then quickly began to tell of the power of the lake:
इदं पञ्चाप्सरो नाम तटाकं सार्वकालिकम् । निर्मितं तपसा राम मुनिना माण्डकर्णिना ॥ ११ ॥
“This is the lake named Panchapsaras, which lasts for all time, made by austerity, Rama, by the sage Mandakarni.
स हि तेपे तपस्तीव्रं माण्डकर्णिर्महामुनिः । दशवर्षसहस्राणि वायुभक्षो जलाशये ॥ १२ ॥
“For that great sage Mandakarni practised fierce austerity for ten thousand years in the lake, living on air.
ततः प्रव्यथिताः सर्वे देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः । अब्रुवन् वचनं सर्वे परस्परसमागताः ॥ १३ ॥
“Then all the gods, led by Agni, were troubled, and coming together, all said these words to one another:
अस्माकं कस्यचित् स्थानमेष प्रार्थयते मुनिः । इति संविग्नमनसः सर्वे तत्र दिवौकसः ॥ १४ ॥
“’This sage wants the place of one of us.’ So, with troubled minds, all the gods there
ततः कर्तुं तपोविघ्नं सर्वदेवैर्नियोजिताः । प्रधानाप्सरसः पञ्च विद्युच्चलितवर्चसः ॥ १५ ॥
“then, to make an obstacle to his austerity, appointed with all the gods five chief apsarases of brilliance flickering like lightning.
अप्सरोभिस्ततस्ताभिर्मुनिर्दृष्टपरावरः । नीतो मदनवश्यत्वं देवानां कार्यसिद्धये ॥ १६ ॥
“Then by those apsarases the sage, who had seen the high and the low, was brought under the power of love, for the accomplishment of the gods’ purpose.
ताश्चैवाप्सरसः पञ्च मुनेः पत्नीत्वमागताः । तटाके निर्मितं तासां तस्मिन्नन्तर्हितं गृहम् ॥ १७ ॥
“And those five apsarases became the sage’s wives; a house for them was made hidden in that lake.
तत्रैवाप्सरसः पञ्च निवसन्त्यो यथासुखम् । रमयन्ति तपोयोगान्मुनिं यौवनमास्थितम् ॥ १८ ॥
“Living right there as they please, the five apsarases delight the sage, who has become young through his yoga of austerity.
तासां संक्रीडमानानामेष वादित्रनिःस्वनः । श्रूयते भूषणोन्मिश्रो गीतशब्दो मनोहरः ॥ १९ ॥
“As they sport, this sound of music is heard, mixed with ornaments, and the charming sound of song.”
आश्चर्यमिति तस्यैतद् वचनं भावितात्मनः । राघवः प्रतिजग्राह सह भ्रात्रा महायशाः ॥ २० ॥
“A wonder!” Glorious Raghava, with his brother, accepted these words of that perfected one.
एवं कथयमानः स ददर्शाश्रममण्डलम् । कुशचीरपरिक्षिप्तं ब्राह्म्या लक्ष्म्या समावृतम् ॥ २१ ॥
Talking so, he saw a circle of hermitages, strewn with kusha and bark garments, surrounded by the splendour of brahman.
प्रविश्य सह वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च राघवः । तदा तस्मिन् स काकुत्स्थः श्रीमत्याश्रममण्डले ॥ २२ ॥
उषित्वा स सुखं तत्र पूज्यमानो महर्षिभिः । जगाम चाश्रमांस्तेषां पर्यायेण तपस्विनाम् ॥ २३ ॥
Entering it with Vaidehi and Lakshmana, Raghava Kakutstha then, having lived happily in that glorious circle of hermitages, honoured by great seers, went in turn to the hermitages of those ascetics
येषामुषितवान् पूर्वं सकाशे स महास्त्रवित् । क्वचित् परिदशान् मासानेकसंवत्सरं क्वचित् ॥ २४ ॥
near whom that great master of weapons had lived before: in one place for ten months, in another for a year,
क्वचिच्च चतुरो मासान् पञ्च षट् च परान् क्वचित् । अपरत्राधिकान् मासानध्यर्धमधिकं क्वचित् ॥ २५ ॥
in one place four months, in another five and six, elsewhere more months, in one place a month and a half more,
त्रीन् मासानष्टमासांश्च राघवो न्यवसत् सुखम् । तत्र संवसतस्तस्य मुनीनामाश्रमेषु वै ॥ २६ ॥
three months and eight months: Raghava lived happily. As he lived there in the hermitages of the sages,
रमतश्चानुकूल्येन ययुः संवत्सरा दश । परिसृत्य च धर्मज्ञो राघवः सह सीतया ॥ २७ ॥
delighting in their kindness, ten years passed. And having gone round, righteous Raghava, with Sita,
सुतीक्ष्णस्याश्रमपदं पुनरेवाजगाम ह । स तमाश्रममागम्य मुनिभिः परिपूजितः ॥ २८ ॥
came back again to the hermitage of Sutikshna. Coming to that hermitage, honoured by the sages,
तत्रापि न्यवसद् रामः किंचित् कालमरिंदमः । अथाश्रमस्थो विनयात् कदाचित् तं महामुनिम् ॥ २९ ॥
Rama, tamer of foes, lived there too for some time. Then once, staying at the hermitage, humbly,
उपासीनः स काकुत्स्थः सुतीक्ष्णमिदमब्रवीत् । अस्मिन्नरण्ये भगवन्नगस्त्यो मुनिसत्तमः ॥ ३० ॥
sitting near that great sage, Kakutstha said this to Sutikshna: “Lord, in this forest Agastya, best of sages,
वसतीति मया नित्यं कथाः कथयतां श्रुतम् । न तु जानामि तं देशं वनस्यास्य महत्तया ॥ ३१ ॥
“lives: so I have always heard from those telling stories. But I do not know that place, because of the vastness of this forest.
कुत्राश्रमपदं रम्यं महर्षेस्तस्य धीमतः । प्रसादार्थं भगवतः सानुजः सह सीतया ॥ ३२ ॥
“Where is the lovely hermitage of that wise great seer? To win the lord’s favour, with my younger brother and with Sita,
अगस्त्यमधिगच्छेयमभिवादयितुं मुनिम् । मनोरथो महानेष हृदि सम्परिवर्तते ॥ ३३ ॥
“I would go to the sage Agastya to salute him. This great wish turns in my heart,
यदहं तं मुनिवरं शुश्रूषेयमपि स्वयम् । इति रामस्य स मुनिः श्रुत्वा धर्मात्मनो वचः ॥ ३४ ॥
“that I myself might serve that best of sages.” Hearing these words of righteous Rama, the sage
सुतीक्ष्णः प्रत्युवाचेदं प्रीतो दशरथात्मजम् । अहमप्येतदेव त्वां वक्तुकामः सलक्ष्मणम् ॥ ३५ ॥
Sutikshna, pleased, replied this to the son of Dasharatha: “I too wished to say just this to you, with Lakshmana:
अगस्त्यमभिगच्छेति सीतया सह राघव । दिष्ट्या त्विदानीमर्थेऽस्मिन् स्वयमेव ब्रवीषि माम् ॥ ३६ ॥
“’Go to Agastya,’ with Sita, Raghava. By good fortune you yourself speak to me now about this matter.
अयमाख्यामि ते राम यत्रागस्त्यो महामुनिः । योजनान्याश्रमात् तात याहि चत्वारि वै ततः । दक्षिणेन महान् श्रीमानगस्त्यभ्रातुराश्रमः ॥ ३७ ॥
“I will tell you, Rama, where the great sage Agastya is. Go four yojanas from this hermitage, dear one; from there, to the south, is the great, glorious hermitage of Agastya’s brother,
स्थलीप्रायवनोद्देशे पिप्पलीवनशोभिते । बहुपुष्पफले रम्ये नानाविहगनादिते ॥ ३८ ॥
“in a forest region mostly of upland, adorned with groves of pippali, rich in flowers and fruit, lovely, echoing with many birds.
पद्मिन्यो विविधास्तत्र प्रसन्नसलिलाशयाः । हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णाश्चक्रवाकोपशोभिताः ॥ ३९ ॥
“There are lotus pools of many kinds with clear water, full of swans and karandavas, adorned with chakravakas.
तत्रैकां रजनीं व्युष्य प्रभाते राम गम्यताम् । दक्षिणां दिशमास्थाय वनखण्डस्य पार्श्वतः ॥ ४० ॥
“Spend one night there, Rama, and go at dawn, taking the southern direction along the side of the forest tract.
तत्रागस्त्याश्रमपदं गत्वा योजनमन्तरम् । रमणीये वनोद्देशे बहुपादपशोभिते ॥ ४१ ॥
“Going a yojana’s distance, you will reach Agastya’s hermitage in a lovely part of the forest adorned with many trees.
रंस्यते तत्र वैदेही लक्ष्मणश्च त्वया सह । स हि रम्यो वनोद्देशो बहुपादपसंयुतः ॥ ४२ ॥
“Vaidehi and Lakshmana will enjoy themselves there with you; for that is a lovely forest region, filled with many trees.
यदि बुद्धिः कृता द्रष्टुमगस्त्यं तं महामुनिम् । अद्यैव गमने बुद्धिं रोचयस्व महामते ॥ ४३ ॥
“If you have decided to see that great sage Agastya, set your mind on going this very day, very wise one.”
इति रामो मुनेः श्रुत्वा सह भ्रात्राभिवाद्य च । प्रतस्थेऽगस्त्यमुद्दिश्य सानुगः सह सीतया ॥ ४४ ॥
Having heard this from the sage, Rama, with his brother, saluted him and set out toward Agastya with his companions and Sita,
पश्यन् वनानि चित्राणि पर्वतांश्चाभ्रसंनिभान् । सरांसि सरितश्चैव पथि मार्गवशानुगान् ॥ ४५ ॥
looking at wonderful forests and mountains like clouds, at lakes and rivers that followed the course of the way.
सुतीक्ष्णेनोपदिष्टेन गत्वा तेन पथा सुखम् । इदं परमसंहृष्टो वाक्यं लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत् ॥ ४६ ॥
Having gone happily by that path shown by Sutikshna, supremely delighted, he said these words to Lakshmana:
एतदेवाश्रमपदं नूनं तस्य महात्मनः । अगस्त्यस्य मुनेर्भ्रातुर्दृश्यते पुण्यकर्मणः ॥ ४७ ॥
“This must surely be the hermitage of that great soul, the brother of the sage Agastya, of holy deeds, that is seen.
यथा हीमे वनस्यास्य ज्ञाताः पथि सहस्रशः । संनताः फलभारेण पुष्पभारेण च द्रुमाः ॥ ४८ ॥
“For in this forest these trees are known along the path by thousands, bowed down with the weight of fruit and the weight of flowers.
पिप्पलीनां च पक्वानां वनादस्मादुपागतः । गन्धोऽयं पवनोत्क्षिप्तः सहसा कटुकोदयः ॥ ४९ ॥
“And this smell of ripe pippalis has come from this forest, carried by the wind, suddenly pungent.
तत्र तत्र च दृश्यन्ते संक्षिप्ताः काष्ठसंचयाः । लूनाश्च परिदृश्यन्ते दर्भा वैदूर्यवर्चसः ॥ ५० ॥
“Here and there heaps of firewood are seen gathered, and darbha grass is seen cut, bright as beryl.
एतच्च वनमध्यस्थं कृष्णाभ्रशिखरोपमम् । पावकस्याश्रमस्थस्य धूमाग्रं सम्प्रदृश्यते ॥ ५१ ॥
“And this tip of smoke from the fire in the hermitage, in the middle of the forest, is seen like the peak of a black cloud.
विविक्तेषु च तीर्थेषु कृतस्नाना द्विजातयः । पुष्पोपहारं कुर्वन्ति कुसुमैः स्वयमर्जितैः ॥ ५२ ॥
“And at secluded bathing places the twice-born, having bathed, make offerings of flowers gathered by themselves.
ततः सुतीक्ष्णवचनं यथा सौम्य मया श्रुतम् । अगस्त्यस्याश्रमो भ्रातुर्नूनमेष भविष्यति ॥ ५३ ॥
“So, gentle one, as I heard Sutikshna’s words, this must surely be the hermitage of Agastya’s brother.
निगृह्य तरसा मृत्युं लोकानां हितकाम्यया । यस्य भ्रात्रा कृतेयं दिक्शरण्या पुण्यकर्मणा ॥ ५४ ॥
“By his brother, of holy deeds, who restrained death by force wishing the good of the worlds, this direction was made a refuge.
इहैकदा किल क्रूरो वातापिरपि चेल्वलः । भ्रातरौ सहितावास्तां ब्राह्मणघ्नौ महासुरौ ॥ ५५ ॥
“Here once, they say, cruel Vatapi and Ilvala, two brothers, lived together, great asuras, killers of brahmanas.
धारयन् ब्राह्मणं रूपमिल्वलः संस्कृतं वदन् । आमन्त्रयति विप्रान् स श्राद्धमुद्दिश्य निर्घृणः ॥ ५६ ॥
“Taking the form of a brahmana and speaking Sanskrit, the pitiless Ilvala would invite brahmanas for a shraddha.
भ्रातरं संस्कृतं कृत्वा ततस्तं मेषरूपिणम् । तान् द्विजान् भोजयामास श्राद्धदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥ ५७ ॥
“Then, having cooked his brother, who was in the form of a ram, he fed those twice-born by the rite seen for shraddhas.
ततो भुक्तवतां तेषां विप्राणामिल्वलोऽब्रवीत् । वातापे निष्क्रमस्वेति स्वरेण महता वदन् ॥ ५८ ॥
“Then, when those brahmanas had eaten, Ilvala said, speaking in a loud voice: ‘Vatapi, come out!’
ततो भ्रातुर्वचः श्रुत्वा वातापिर्मेषवन्नदन् । भित्त्वा भित्त्वा शरीराणि ब्राह्मणानां विनिष्पतत् ॥ ५९ ॥
“Then, hearing his brother’s words, Vatapi, bleating like a ram, burst out, splitting the bodies of the brahmanas.
ब्राह्मणानां सहस्राणि तैरेवं कामरूपिभिः । विनाशितानि संहत्य नित्यशः पिशिताशनैः ॥ ६० ॥
“Thousands of brahmanas were destroyed in this way, again and again, by those flesh-eaters who took any form at will.
अगस्त्येन तदा देवैः प्रार्थितेन महर्षिणा । अनुभूय किल श्राद्धे भक्षितः स महासुरः ॥ ६१ ॥
“Then the great seer Agastya, entreated by the gods, ate that great asura at a shraddha, they say.
ततः सम्पन्नमित्युक्त्वा दत्त्वा हस्तेऽवनेजनम् । भ्रातरं निष्क्रमस्वेति चेल्वलः समभाषत ॥ ६२ ॥
“Then, saying ‘It is finished,’ and giving water for washing the hands, Ilvala said to his brother, ‘Come out!’
स तदा भाषमाणं तु भ्रातरं विप्रघातिनम् । अब्रवीत् प्रहसन् धीमानगस्त्यो मुनिसत्तमः ॥ ६३ ॥
“To him, the killer of brahmanas, speaking so to his brother, wise Agastya, best of sages, said with a laugh:
कुतो निष्क्रमितुं शक्तिर्मया जीर्णस्य रक्षसः । भ्रातुस्तु मेषरूपस्य गतस्य यमसादनम् ॥ ६४ ॥
“’Where is the power to come out of a rakshasa digested by me, of your brother in the form of a ram, gone to Yama’s abode?’
अथ तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भ्रातुर्निधनसंश्रितम् । प्रधर्षयितुमारेभे मुनिं क्रोधान्निशाचरः ॥ ६५ ॥
“Then, hearing his words connected with his brother’s death, the night-ranger in anger began to attack the sage.
सोऽभ्यद्रवद् द्विजेन्द्रं तं मुनिना दीप्ततेजसा । चक्षुषानलकल्पेन निर्दग्धो निधनं गतः ॥ ६६ ॥
“He rushed at that lord of brahmanas, and, burned by the sage of blazing splendour with his eye like fire, met his death.
तस्यायमाश्रमो भ्रातुस्तटाकवनशोभितः । विप्रानुकम्पया येन कर्मेदं दुष्करं कृतम् ॥ ६७ ॥
“This is the hermitage of his brother, adorned with ponds and forest, by whom, out of compassion for brahmanas, this hard deed was done.”
एवं कथयमानस्य तस्य सौमित्रिणा सह । रामस्यास्तं गतः सूर्यः संध्याकालोऽभ्यवर्तत ॥ ६८ ॥
As he was telling this with Saumitri, the sun set for Rama and the time of twilight came on.
उपास्य पश्चिमां संध्यां सह भ्रात्रा यथाविधि । प्रविवेशाश्रमपदं तमृषिं चाभ्यवादयत् ॥ ६९ ॥
Having performed the western twilight worship with his brother according to rule, he entered the hermitage and saluted that seer.
सम्यक्प्रतिगृहीतस्तु मुनिना तेन राघवः । न्यवसत् तां निशामेकां प्राश्य मूलफलानि च ॥ ७० ॥
Raghava, properly received by that sage, stayed that one night, having eaten roots and fruits.
तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायामुदिते रविमण्डले । भ्रातरं तमगस्त्यस्य आमन्त्रयत राघवः ॥ ७१ ॥
When that night had passed and the disc of the sun had risen, Raghava took leave of that brother of Agastya:
अभिवादये त्वां भगवन् सुखमस्म्युषितो निशाम् । आमन्त्रये त्वां गच्छामि गुरुं ते द्रष्टुमग्रजम् ॥ ७२ ॥
“I salute you, lord; I have spent the night happily. I take leave of you; I go to see your elder, your teacher.”
गम्यतामिति तेनोक्तो जगाम रघुनन्दनः । यथोद्दिष्टेन मार्गेण वनं तच्चावलोकयन् ॥ ७३ ॥
Told “Go,” the delight of the Raghus went by the path described, looking at that forest:
नीवारान् पनसान् सालान् वञ्जुलांस्तिनिशांस्तथा । चिरिबिल्वान् मधूकांश्च बिल्वानथ च तिन्दुकान् ॥ ७४ ॥
wild rice, jackfruit and sala trees, vanjulas and tinishas, ciribilvas and madhukas, bilvas and tindukas,
पुष्पितान् पुष्पिताग्राभिर्लताभिरुपशोभितान् । ददर्श रामः शतशस्तत्र कान्तारपादपान् ॥ ७५ ॥
in flower, adorned with creepers with flowering tips: Rama saw hundreds of wild trees there,
हस्तिहस्तैर्विमृदितान् वानरैरुपशोभितान् । मत्तैः शकुनिसङ्घैश्च शतशः प्रतिनादितान् ॥ ७६ ॥
crushed by the trunks of elephants, adorned with monkeys, echoing by the hundred with excited flocks of birds.
ततोऽब्रवीत् समीपस्थं रामो राजीवलोचनः । पृष्ठतोऽनुगतं वीरं लक्ष्मणं लक्ष्मिवर्धनम् ॥ ७७ ॥
Then lotus-eyed Rama said to heroic Lakshmana, standing near, following behind, increaser of fortune:
स्निग्धपत्रा यथा वृक्षा यथा क्षान्ता मृगद्विजाः । आश्रमो नातिदूरस्थो महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः ॥ ७८ ॥
“As the trees have glossy leaves, as the beasts and birds are tame, the hermitage of the great seer of perfected self is not far.
अगस्त्य इति विख्यातो लोके स्वेनैव कर्मणा । आश्रमो दृश्यते तस्य परिश्रान्तश्रमापहः ॥ ७९ ॥
“Of him famed in the world by his own deeds as Agastya, the hermitage is seen, which removes the weariness of the weary,
प्राज्यधूमाकुलवनश्चीरमालापरिष्कृतः । प्रशान्तमृगयूथश्च नानाशकुनिनादितः ॥ ८० ॥
“its forest full of abundant smoke, adorned with strings of bark garments, its herds of deer peaceful, echoing with many birds.
निगृह्य तरसा मृत्युं लोकानां हितकाम्यया । दक्षिणा दिक् कृता येन शरण्या पुण्यकर्मणा ॥ ८१ ॥
“He who, wishing the good of the worlds, restrained death by force, and by whom, by holy deeds, the southern direction was made a refuge:
तस्येदमाश्रमपदं प्रभावाद् यस्य राक्षसैः । दिगियं दक्षिणा त्रासाद् दृश्यते नोपभुज्यते ॥ ८२ ॥
“this is the hermitage of him by whose power this southern direction is only looked at by the rakshasas out of fear, and not enjoyed.
यदाप्रभृति चाक्रान्ता दिगियं पुण्यकर्मणा । तदाप्रभृति निर्वैराः प्रशान्ता रजनीचराः ॥ ८३ ॥
“Since this direction was occupied by the doer of holy deeds, from then on the night-rangers have been without enmity and calm.
नाम्ना चेयं भगवतो दक्षिणा दिक्प्रदक्षिणा । प्रथिता त्रिषु लोकेषु दुर्धर्षा क्रूरकर्मभिः ॥ ८४ ॥
“And by the lord’s name this southern direction is famed in the three worlds as ‘turning rightward’, unassailable by those of cruel deeds.
मार्गं निरोद्धुं सततं भास्करस्याचलोत्तमः । संदेशं पालयंस्तस्य विन्ध्यशैलो न वर्धते ॥ ८५ ॥
“The best of mountains, which kept blocking the path of the sun, the Vindhya, keeping his instruction, does not grow.
अयं दीर्घायुषस्तस्य लोके विश्रुतकर्मणः । अगस्त्यस्याश्रमः श्रीमान् विनीतमृगसेवितः ॥ ८६ ॥
“This is the glorious hermitage of that long-lived Agastya, famed in the world for his deeds, frequented by tame deer.
एष लोकार्चितः साधुर्हिते नित्यं रतः सताम् । अस्मानधिगतानेष श्रेयसा योजयिष्यति ॥ ८७ ॥
“Honoured by the world, good, always devoted to the welfare of the good, he will join us, who have come, with what is good.
आराधयिष्याम्यत्राहमगस्त्यं तं महामुनिम् । शेषं च वनवासस्य सौम्य वत्स्याम्यहं प्रभो ॥ ८८ ॥
“Here I will worship that great sage Agastya, and I will live out the rest of the forest exile, gentle one, lord.
अत्र देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । अगस्त्यं नियताहाराः सततं पर्युपासते ॥ ८९ ॥
“Here gods with gandharvas, siddhas and supreme seers, restrained in diet, always attend upon Agastya.
नात्र जीवेन्मृषावादी क्रूरो वा यदि वा शठः । नृशंसः पापवृत्तो वा मुनिरेष तथाविधः ॥ ९० ॥
“Here no liar could live, nor a cruel or a deceitful one, a pitiless one or one of wicked conduct: such is this sage.
अत्र देवाश्च यक्षाश्च नागाश्च पतगैः सह । वसन्ति नियताहारा धर्ममाराधयिष्णवः ॥ ९१ ॥
“Here gods and yakshas and nagas with birds live, restrained in diet, wishing to worship dharma.
अत्र सिद्धा महात्मानो विमानैः सूर्यसंनिभैः । त्यक्त्वा देहान् नवैर्देहैः स्वर्याताः परमर्षयः ॥ ९२ ॥
“Here great-souled siddhas and supreme seers, leaving their bodies, have gone to heaven with new bodies in celestial chariots like the sun.
यक्षत्वममरत्वं च राज्यानि विविधानि च । अत्र देवाः प्रयच्छन्ति भूतैराराधिताः शुभैः ॥ ९३ ॥
“Here the gods, worshipped by auspicious beings, grant the state of yakshas, immortality and kingdoms of many kinds.
आगताः स्माश्रमपदं सौमित्रे प्रविशाग्रतः । निवेदयेह मां प्राप्तमृषये सह सीतया ॥ ९४ ॥
“We have come to the hermitage, Saumitri; go in ahead. Announce here to the seer that I have arrived with Sita.”