Aranya Kanda · Sarga 5 of 76 · 43 verses
Indra and Sharabhanga
Having killed the rakshasa Viradha of terrible strength, mighty Rama embraces and comforts Sita and says to his brother Lakshmana of blazing splendour: “This forest is harsh and hard to pass, and we are not used to forest life. Let us go quickly to Sharabhanga, rich in austerity.” Raghava goes to Sharabhanga’s hermitage, and near that godlike sage, perfected by austerity, he sees a great wonder: the lord of the gods, shining in his body with the splendour of the sun and fire, standing in an excellent chariot in the sky, not touching the earth, followed by the gods, wearing shining ornaments and spotless clothes, honoured by many great souls like himself. His chariot, yoked with green horses, stands in the sky, like the young sun. He sees a spotless umbrella like a thick white cloud, like the moon’s disc, adorned with bright garlands, and two splendid yak-tail fans with golden handles being waved over the god’s head by two beautiful women. Gandharvas, immortals, siddhas and many supreme seers praise the god in the sky with excellent hymns, as Vasava talks with Sharabhanga. Seeing Shatakratu there, Rama points out the wonderful chariot to his brother: “Look, Lakshmana, at this wonderful chariot in the sky, radiant and splendid, blazing like the sun. These green horses in the sky must be those we heard of long ago, the horses of Shakra, the much-invoked. And these young men standing on every side, a hundred and a hundred, tiger among men, with earrings and swords in their hands, broad-chested, with arms like iron bars, all in red garments, unapproachable like tigers, necklaces like fire on their chests: they have the form of twenty-five-year-olds, Saumitri, for that, they say, is always the age of the gods. Wait here a moment with Vaidehi, Lakshmana, until I find out clearly who this radiant one in the chariot is.” Saying “Stay here,” Kakutstha goes toward Sharabhanga’s hermitage.
Seeing Rama approach, Shachi’s husband takes leave of Sharabhanga and says to the gods: “Rama is coming here. Before he speaks to me, lead me away; he should not see me now. I will see him soon, when he has conquered and achieved his purpose; for he has a great work to do, very hard for others.” The thunderbolt-wielder, tamer of foes, takes leave of the ascetic, honours him, and goes to heaven in his horse-drawn chariot. When the thousand-eyed one has gone, Raghava with his companions approaches Sharabhanga, who is sitting at his fire-offering. Rama, Sita and Lakshmana clasp his feet and, given leave, welcomed and invited, sit down. Raghava asks about Shakra’s visit, and Sharabhanga tells him everything: “This boon-giver wishes to take me to Brahma’s world, Rama, which I have won by fierce austerity, hard for the undisciplined to reach. But knowing, tiger among men, that you were not far away, I would not go to Brahma’s world without seeing you, my dear guest. Having met you, righteous great soul, I will go to heaven, and beyond. I have won imperishable, auspicious worlds, tiger among men, the worlds of Brahma and the vault of heaven; accept them from me.” Raghava, learned in all the shastras, answers: “I will win all the worlds myself, great sage. I only want a dwelling place pointed out to me here in the forest.” Spoken to so by Raghava, strong as Shakra, very wise Sharabhanga says: “Here in the forest lives a righteous, self-controlled sage of great splendour named Sutikshna; he will arrange what is good for you. Go to the ascetic Sutikshna in a pure place, a lovely part of the forest; he will arrange your dwelling. Follow this Mandakini upstream, Rama, the river carrying little rafts of flowers; then you will reach it. That is the way, tiger among men. But watch me for a moment, dear one, while I give up my limbs like a snake its old skin.” Then, kindling a fire and offering ghee with mantras, Sharabhanga of great splendour enters the fire. The fire burns the great soul’s body hair and hair, his old skin, bones, flesh and blood. He becomes a youth, bright as fire, and rising from the pyre, Sharabhanga shines. Passing beyond the worlds of fire-keepers, of great-souled seers and of the gods, he ascends to Brahma’s world. The best of brahmanas, of holy deeds, sees the Grandfather with his attendants in that world, and the Grandfather, seeing that brahmana, rejoices and says, “Welcome.”
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हत्वा तु तं भीमबलं विराधं राक्षसं वने । ततः सीतां परिष्वज्य समाश्वास्य च वीर्यवान् ॥ १ ॥
अब्रवीद् भ्रातरं रामो लक्ष्मणं दीप्ततेजसम् । कष्टं वनमिदं दुर्गं न च स्मो वनगोचराः ॥ २ ॥
Having killed that rakshasa Viradha of terrible strength in the forest, mighty Rama then embraced and comforted Sita, and said to his brother Lakshmana of blazing splendour: “This forest is harsh and hard to pass, and we are not forest-dwellers.
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Indra and Sharabhanga 1 min read.
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अभिगच्छामहे शीघ्रं शरभङ्गं तपोधनम् । आश्रमं शरभङ्गस्य राघवोऽभिजगाम ह ॥ ३ ॥
“Let us go quickly to Sharabhanga, rich in austerity.” Raghava went to Sharabhanga’s hermitage.
तस्य देवप्रभावस्य तपसा भावितात्मनः । समीपे शरभङ्गस्य ददर्श महदद्भुतम् ॥ ४ ॥
Near that Sharabhanga, of godlike power, his self perfected by austerity, he saw a great wonder:
विभ्राजमानं वपुषा सूर्यवैश्वानरप्रभम् । रथप्रवरमारूढमाकाशे विबुधानुगम् ॥ ५ ॥
असंस्पृशन्तं वसुधां ददर्श विबुधेश्वरम् । सम्प्रभाभरणं देवं विरजोऽम्बरधारिणम् ॥ ६ ॥
shining in body, with the radiance of the sun and fire, mounted on an excellent chariot in the sky, followed by the gods, not touching the earth, he saw the lord of the gods, a god with shining ornaments, wearing spotless clothes,
तद्विधैरेव बहुभिः पूज्यमानं महात्मभिः । हरितैर्वाजिभिर्युक्तमन्तरिक्षगतं रथम् ॥ ७ ॥
honoured by many great souls like himself. And not far from him he saw the chariot, yoked with green horses, standing in the sky,
ददर्शादूरतस्तस्य तरुणादित्यसंनिभम् । पाण्डुराभ्रघनप्रख्यं चन्द्रमण्डलसंनिभम् ॥ ८ ॥
like the young sun; and he saw a spotless umbrella like a thick white cloud, like the disc of the moon,
अपश्यद् विमलं छत्रं चित्रमाल्योपशोभितम् । चामरव्यजने चाग्र्ये रुक्मदण्डे महाधने ॥ ९ ॥
गृहीते वरनारीभ्यां धूयमाने च मूर्धनि । गन्धर्वामरसिद्धाश्च बहवः परमर्षयः ॥ १० ॥
adorned with bright garlands; and two excellent yak-tail fans with golden handles, very costly, held by two fine women and waved over his head. Gandharvas, immortals and siddhas, and many supreme seers,
अन्तरिक्षगतं देवं गीर्भिरग्र्या भिरैडयन् । सह सम्भाषमाणे तु शरभङ्गेन वासवे ॥ ११ ॥
praised the god standing in the sky with excellent words. As Vasava was talking with Sharabhanga,
दृष्ट्वा शतक्रतुं तत्र रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत् । रामोऽथ रथमुद्दिश्य भ्रातुर्दर्शयताद्भुतम् ॥ १२ ॥
seeing Shatakratu there, Rama said to Lakshmana; then Rama, pointing to the chariot, showing his brother the wonder:
अर्चिष्मन्तं श्रिया जुष्टमद्भुतं पश्य लक्ष्मण । प्रतपन्तमिवादित्यमन्तरिक्षगतं रथम् ॥ १३ ॥
“See, Lakshmana, the radiant chariot, full of splendour, wonderful, standing in the sky, blazing like the sun.
ये हयाः पुरुहूतस्य पुरा शक्रस्य नः श्रुताः । अन्तरिक्षगता दिव्यास्त इमे हरयो ध्रुवम् ॥ १४ ॥
“The horses of Shakra, the much-invoked, of whom we heard long ago, the divine ones in the sky: these are surely those green horses.
इमे च पुरुषव्याघ्र ये तिष्ठन्त्यभितो दिशम् । शतं शतं कुण्डलिनो युवानः खड्गपाणयः ॥ १५ ॥
विस्तीर्णविपुलोरस्काः परिघायतबाहवः । शोणांशुवसनाः सर्वे व्याघ्रा इव दुरासदाः ॥ १६ ॥
“And these, tiger among men, who stand on every side, a hundred and a hundred, young men with earrings and swords in hand, with wide and broad chests, with arms long as iron bars, all wearing red garments, unapproachable like tigers,
उरोदेशेषु सर्वेषां हारा ज्वलनसंनिभाः । रूपं बिभ्रति सौमित्रे पञ्चविंशतिवार्षिकम् ॥ १७ ॥
“with necklaces like fire on all their chests: they bear the form of twenty-five-year-olds, Saumitri.
एतद्धि किल देवानां वयो भवति नित्यदा । यथेमे पुरुषव्याघ्रा दृश्यन्ते प्रियदर्शनाः ॥ १८ ॥
“For this, they say, is always the age of the gods, as these tigers among men, lovely to see, appear.
इहैव सह वैदेह्या मुहूर्तं तिष्ठ लक्ष्मण । यावज्जानाम्यहं व्यक्तं क एष द्युतिमान् रथे ॥ १९ ॥
“Stay right here a moment with Vaidehi, Lakshmana, until I find out clearly who this radiant one in the chariot is.”
तमेवमुक्त्वा सौमित्रिमिहैव स्थीयतामिति । अभिचक्राम काकुत्स्थः शरभङ्गाश्रमं प्रति ॥ २० ॥
Having said to Saumitri, “Stay right here,” Kakutstha went toward Sharabhanga’s hermitage.
ततः समभिगच्छन्तं प्रेक्ष्य रामं शचीपतिः । शरभङ्गमनुज्ञाप्य विबुधानिदमब्रवीत् ॥ २१ ॥
Then, seeing Rama approaching, Shachi’s husband, taking leave of Sharabhanga, said this to the gods:
इहोपयात्यसौ रामो यावन्मां नाभिभाषते । निष्ठां नयत तावत् तु ततो माद्रष्टुमर्हति ॥ २२ ॥
“This Rama is coming here. Before he speaks to me, take me to the end; he should not see me now.
जितवन्तं कृतार्थं हि तदाहमचिरादिमम् । कर्म ह्यनेन कर्तव्यं महदन्यैः सुदुष्करम् ॥ २३ ॥
“When he has conquered and achieved his purpose, I will see him before long; for a great work is to be done by him, very hard for others.”
अथ वज्री तमामन्त्र्य मानयित्वा च तापसम् । रथेन हययुक्तेन ययौ दिवमरिंदमः ॥ २४ ॥
Then the thunderbolt-wielder, tamer of foes, taking leave of the ascetic and honouring him, went to heaven in his chariot yoked with horses.
प्रयाते तु सहस्राक्षे राघवः सपरिच्छदः । अग्निहोत्रमुपासीनं शरभङ्गमुपागमत् ॥ २५ ॥
When the thousand-eyed one had gone, Raghava with his companions approached Sharabhanga, who was sitting at his fire-offering.
तस्य पादौ च संगृह्य रामः सीता च लक्ष्मणः । निषेदुस्तदनुज्ञाता लब्धवासा निमन्त्रिताः ॥ २६ ॥
Clasping his feet, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana sat down with his permission, having been given lodging and invited.
ततः शक्रोपयानं तु पर्यपृच्छत राघवः । शरभङ्गश्च तत् सर्वं राघवाय न्यवेदयत् ॥ २७ ॥
Then Raghava asked about Shakra’s visit, and Sharabhanga told all of it to Raghava:
मामेष वरदो राम ब्रह्मलोकं निनीषति । जितमुग्रेण तपसा दुष्प्रापमकृतात्मभिः ॥ २८ ॥
“This boon-giver wishes to lead me to Brahma’s world, Rama, won by fierce austerity, hard to reach for those of unperfected self.
अहं ज्ञात्वा नरव्याघ्र वर्तमानमदूरतः । ब्रह्मलोकं न गच्छामि त्वामदृष्ट्वा प्रियातिथिम् ॥ २९ ॥
“But knowing that you were not far away, tiger among men, I do not go to Brahma’s world without seeing you, my dear guest.
त्वयाहं पुरुषव्याघ्र धार्मिकेण महात्मना । समागम्य गमिष्यामि त्रिदिवं चावरं परम् ॥ ३० ॥
“Having met you, tiger among men, righteous great soul, I will go to heaven and to the higher and the highest.
अक्षया नरशार्दूल जिता लोका मया शुभाः । ब्राह्म्याश्च नाकपृष्ठ्याश्च प्रतिगृह्णीष्व मामकान् ॥ ३१ ॥
“Imperishable, auspicious worlds have been won by me, tiger among men, those of Brahma and of the vault of heaven. Accept mine.”
एवमुक्तो नरव्याघ्रः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः । ऋषिणा शरभङ्गेन राघवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ३२ ॥
Spoken to so by the seer Sharabhanga, Raghava, tiger among men, learned in all the shastras, said:
अहमेवाहरिष्यामि सर्वाल्ँ लोकान् महामुने । आवासं त्वहमिच्छामि प्रदिष्टमिह कानने ॥ ३३ ॥
“I myself will win all the worlds, great sage. But I wish for a dwelling place to be pointed out here in the forest.”
राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तु शक्रतुल्यबलेन वै । शरभङ्गो महाप्राज्ञः पुनरेवाब्रवीद् वचः ॥ ३४ ॥
Spoken to so by Raghava, of strength equal to Shakra’s, the very wise Sharabhanga spoke again:
इह राम महातेजाः सुतीक्ष्णो नाम धार्मिकः । वसत्यरण्ये नियतः स ते श्रेयो विधास्यति ॥ ३५ ॥
“Here in the forest, Rama, lives a righteous, self-controlled one of great splendour named Sutikshna; he will arrange what is good for you.
सुतीक्ष्णमभिगच्छ त्वं शुचौ देशे तपस्विनम् । रमणीये वनोद्देशे स ते वासं विधास्यति ॥ ३६ ॥
“Go to the ascetic Sutikshna in a pure place, in a lovely part of the forest; he will arrange your dwelling.
इमां मन्दाकिनीं राम प्रतिस्रोतामनुव्रज । नदीं पुष्पोडुपवहां ततस्तत्र गमिष्यसि ॥ ३७ ॥
“Follow this Mandakini upstream, Rama, the river carrying rafts of flowers; then you will go there.
एष पन्था नरव्याघ्र मुहूर्तं पश्य तात माम् । यावज्जहामि गात्राणि जीर्णां त्वचमिवोरगः ॥ ३८ ॥
“This is the path, tiger among men. But watch me a moment, dear one, while I leave my limbs, as a snake its old skin.”
ततोऽग्निं स समाधाय हुत्वा चाज्येन मन्त्रवत् । शरभङ्गो महातेजाः प्रविवेश हुताशनम् ॥ ३९ ॥
Then, having kindled the fire and offered ghee with mantras, Sharabhanga of great splendour entered the fire.
तस्य रोमाणि केशांश्च तदा वह्निर्महात्मनः । जीर्णां त्वचं तदस्थीनि यच्च मांसं च शोणितम् ॥ ४० ॥
Then the fire burned the great soul’s body hair and hair, his old skin, and his bones, and what flesh and blood there was.
स च पावकसंकाशः कुमारः समपद्यत । उत्थायाग्निचयात् तस्माच्छरभङ्गो व्यरोचत ॥ ४१ ॥
And he became a youth like fire; rising from that pyre, Sharabhanga shone.
स लोकानाहिताग्नीनामृषीणां च महात्मनाम् । देवानां च व्यतिक्रम्य ब्रह्मलोकं व्यरोहत ॥ ४२ ॥
Passing beyond the worlds of those who keep sacred fires, and of great-souled seers, and of the gods, he ascended to Brahma’s world.
स पुण्यकर्मा भुवने द्विजर्षभः पितामहं सानुचरं ददर्श ह । पितामहश्चापि समीक्ष्य तं द्विजं ननन्द सुस्वागतमित्युवाच ह ॥ ४३ ॥
That best of brahmanas, of holy deeds, saw in that world the Grandfather with his attendants; and the Grandfather, seeing that brahmana, rejoiced and said, “Welcome.”