Aranya Kanda · Sarga 69 of 76 · 51 verses
Ayomukhi and Kabandha
Having offered water to him, the two Raghavas set out, looking for Sita in the forest, and go toward the west. Having gone in that southern direction, carrying arrows, bows and swords, the two Ikshvakus take an untrodden path, wrapped in bushes, trees and many creepers, closed in on every side, impassable, dense, terrible to see. Passing swiftly through that very terrible great forest, keeping to the south, the two mighty ones go three kroshas beyond Janasthana and enter the dense Krauncha forest, like a mass of many clouds, as if joyful all round, with lovely flowers of many colours and flocks of beasts and birds. Longing to see Vaidehi, they search that forest, stopping here and there, grieved by Sita’s abduction. Then, going three kroshas east, past the Krauncha forest, between it and Matanga’s hermitage, seeing that terrible forest full of fearsome beasts and birds, thick with many kinds of trees, the sons of Dasharatha see on a mountain there a cave, deep as the underworld, always wrapped in darkness. Coming near it, the two tigers among men see a huge rakshasi with a deformed face, frightening to the weak, loathsome, terrible to see, pot-bellied, sharp-fanged, gaping, rough-skinned, eating terrible beasts, monstrous, her hair loose. Reaching the two heroes as Lakshmana walks ahead of his brother, she says, “Come, let us make love,” and seizes Lakshmana. Embracing Saumitri, she says: “I am named Ayomukhi; I am your prize, and you are my darling. Lord, in mountain strongholds and on river sandbanks, for a long life, hero, you will make love with me.” Told this, Lakshmana, angry, draws his sword and cuts off her ears, nose and breasts, slayer of enemies. With her ears and nose cut off, she howls discordantly, and the terrible-looking rakshasi runs back the way she came.
When she has gone, the two brothers, slayers of enemies, Rama and Lakshmana, go on vigorously through the dense forest. Lakshmana of great splendour, strong, of good character and pure, joins his palms and says to his brother of blazing splendour: “My arm throbs hard and my mind is uneasy, and I notice mostly bad omens. So be ready, noble one; do as I say. My own omens tell of sudden danger. But this very terrible bird named vanjulaka cries as if to announce our victory in battle.” As they search the whole forest vigorously, a great noise arises, as if shattering the forest; the noise of that forest, as if the dense wood were wrapped round by the wind, seems to fill it. Waiting for that noise, Rama with his younger brother, sword in hand, sees a huge-bodied, broad-chested rakshasa. The two come upon that rakshasa standing in front of them: huge, without head or neck, a headless trunk with its mouth in its belly, rising like a great mountain with sharp, pointed hairs, like a dark-blue cloud, fierce, with a voice like thunder; with one terrible, far-seeing eye in his chest, blazing like a flame of fire, tawny, wide and long, with great eyelashes; with great fangs and a huge, licking mouth, eating very terrible bears, lions, beasts and birds, stretching out his two terrible arms a yojana long, seizing with his hands bears, flocks of birds and beasts of many kinds, pulling and dragging many leaders of herds, standing blocking the path of the two brothers as they approach. Going on a krosha, they see that great, terrible, fearful Kabandha, surrounded by his arms, terrible to see like a headless trunk in form. The mighty-armed one, stretching out his huge arms, seizes the two Raghavas together, crushing them by force. Swords in hand, with firm bows, of sharp splendour, mighty-armed, the two very mighty brothers, being dragged, become helpless. There, by his courage, the hero Raghava is not shaken at all; but Lakshmana, from youthfulness and lack of a firm hold, is shaken. Dejected, Raghava’s younger brother says to Raghava: “See me, helpless, hero, fallen into the rakshasa’s power. Released by me alone, free yourself, Raghava; give me as an offering to the spirit and flee at your ease. I think you will find Vaidehi before long. And having regained the earth of your fathers and grandfathers, Kakutstha, you should always remember me there when you rule, Rama.” Told this by Lakshmana, Rama says to Saumitri: “Do not be afraid for nothing, hero; one like you does not despair.” Meanwhile cruel, mighty-armed Kabandha, best of danavas, says to the brothers Rama and Lakshmana: “Who are you two, with shoulders like bulls, carrying great swords and bows, come to this terrible place, within my sight by fate? Tell me your business here, and why you have come, to this place where I stand tormented by hunger, with arrows, bows and swords, like bulls with sharp horns, come to me quickly. Your lives are hard to keep.” Hearing the words of wicked Kabandha, Rama, his mouth drying, says to Lakshmana: “Having come from hardship to greater hardship, true in valour, we have met a terrible calamity, to end our lives, without finding our beloved. Great is the power of Time over all beings, Lakshmana. See you and me, tiger among men, bewildered by calamities. There is no burden too heavy for fate among all beings, Lakshmana. The brave and strong, skilled in weapons on the battlefield, overcome by Time, sink like dams of sand.” Saying this, glorious son of Dasharatha, firm in true valour, powerful, of lofty valour, looking at Saumitri, makes his own mind steady.
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कृत्वैवमुदकं तस्मै प्रस्थितौ राघवौ तदा । अवेक्षन्तौ वने सीतां जग्मतुः पश्चिमां दिशम् ॥ १ ॥
Having thus offered water to him, the two Raghavas set out then; looking for Sita in the forest, they went toward the western direction.
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Ayomukhi and Kabandha 1 min read.
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तां दिशं दक्षिणां गत्वा शरचापासिधारिणौ । अविप्रहतमैक्ष्वाकौ पन्थानं प्रतिपेदतुः ॥ २ ॥
Having gone to that southern direction, bearing arrows, bows and swords, the two Ikshvakus took an untrodden path,
गुल्मैर्वृक्षैश्च बहुभिर्लताभिश्च प्रवेष्टितम् । आवृतं सर्वतो दुर्गं गहनं घोरदर्शनम् ॥ ३ ॥
wrapped in bushes and many trees and creepers, covered on every side, hard to pass, dense, terrible to see.
व्यतिक्रम्य तु वेगेन गृहीत्वा दक्षिणां दिशम् । सुभीमं तन्महारण्यं व्यतियातौ महाबलौ ॥ ४ ॥
Passing with speed, taking the southern direction, the two very mighty ones passed through that very terrible great forest.
ततः परं जनस्थानात् त्रिकोशं गम्य राघवौ । क्रौञ्चारण्यं विविशतुर्गहनं तौ महौजसौ ॥ ५ ॥
Then, having gone three kroshas beyond Janasthana, the two Raghavas of great vigour entered the dense Krauncha forest,
नानामेघघनप्रख्यं प्रहृष्टमिव सर्वतः । नानावर्णैः शुभैः पुष्पैर्मृगपक्षिगणैर्युतम् ॥ ६ ॥
like a mass of many clouds, as if joyful on every side, with auspicious flowers of many colours, joined with flocks of beasts and birds.
दिदृक्षमाणौ वैदेहीं तद् वनं तौ विचिक्यतुः । तत्र तत्रावतिष्ठन्तौ सीताहरणदुःखितौ ॥ ७ ॥
Wishing to see Vaidehi, the two searched that forest, stopping here and there, grieved by Sita’s abduction.
ततः पूर्वेण तौ गत्वा त्रिक्रोशं भ्रातरौ तदा । क्रौञ्चारण्यमतिक्रम्य मतङ्गाश्रममन्तरे ॥ ८ ॥
Then, having gone three kroshas to the east, the two brothers then, passing the Krauncha forest, between it and Matanga’s hermitage,
दृष्ट्वा तु तद् वनं घोरं बहुभीममृगद्विजम् । नानावृक्षसमाकीर्णं सर्वं गहनपादपम् ॥ ९ ॥
seeing that terrible forest, with many fearsome beasts and birds, crowded with many kinds of trees, all with dense trees,
ददृशाते गिरौ तत्र दरीं दशरथात्मजौ । पातालसमगम्भीरां तमसा नित्यसंवृताम् ॥ १० ॥
the two sons of Dasharatha saw on a mountain there a cave, deep as the underworld, always covered with darkness.
आसाद्य च नरव्याघ्रौ दर्यास्तस्याविदूरतः । ददर्शतुर्महारूपां राक्षसीं विकृताननाम् ॥ ११ ॥
Coming near that cave, not far from it, the two tigers among men saw a rakshasi of great form with a deformed face,
भयदामल्पसत्त्वानां बीभत्सां रौद्रदर्शनाम् । लम्बोदरीं तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रां करालीं परुषत्वचम् ॥ १२ ॥
bringing fear to the weak, loathsome, terrible to see, pot-bellied, sharp-fanged, gaping, rough-skinned,
भक्षयन्तीं मृगान् भीमान् विकटां मुक्तमूर्धजाम् । अवैक्षतां तु तौ तत्र भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ १३ ॥
eating terrible beasts, monstrous, with loosened hair: there the two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, saw her.
सा समासाद्य तौ वीरौ व्रजन्तं भ्रातुरग्रतः । एहि रंस्यावहेत्युक्त्वा समालम्भत लक्ष्मणम् ॥ १४ ॥
She, coming upon those two heroes, as Lakshmana went ahead of his brother, saying, “Come, let us make love,” seized Lakshmana.
उवाच चैनं वचनं सौमित्रिमुपगुह्य च । अहं त्वयोमुखी नाम लाभस्ते त्वमसि प्रियः ॥ १५ ॥
And embracing Saumitri, she said these words to him: “I am named Ayomukhi; you are my gain, you are my darling.
नाथ पर्वतदुर्गेषु नदीनां पुलिनेषु च । आयुश्चिरमिदं वीर त्वं मया सह रंस्यसे ॥ १६ ॥
“Lord, in mountain strongholds and on the sandbanks of rivers, for this long life, hero, you will make love with me.”
एवमुक्तस्तु कुपितः खड्गमुद्धृत्य लक्ष्मणः । कर्णनासस्तनं तस्या निचकर्तारिसूदनः ॥ १७ ॥
Spoken to so, Lakshmana, angry, drawing his sword, the slayer of enemies cut off her ears, nose and breasts.
कर्णनासे निकृत्ते तु विस्वरं विननाद सा । यथागतं प्रदुद्राव राक्षसी घोरदर्शना ॥ १८ ॥
With her ears and nose cut off, she howled with a discordant cry; the rakshasi of terrible appearance ran away as she had come.
तस्यां गतायां गहनं व्रजन्तौ वनमोजसा । आसेदतुरमित्रघ्नौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ १९ ॥
When she had gone, going vigorously through the dense forest, the two brothers, slayers of enemies, Rama and Lakshmana, came on.
लक्ष्मणस्तु महातेजाः सत्त्ववाञ्छीलवाञ्छुचिः । अब्रवीत् प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं भ्रातरं दीप्ततेजसम् ॥ २० ॥
Lakshmana of great splendour, strong, of good character, pure, with joined palms, said these words to his brother of blazing splendour:
स्पन्दते मे दृढं बाहुरुद्विग्नमिव मे मनः । प्रायशश्चाप्यनिष्टानि निमित्तान्युपलक्षये ॥ २१ ॥
“My arm throbs hard, and my mind is as if troubled; and for the most part I notice undesirable omens.
तस्मात् सज्जीभवार्य त्वं कुरुष्व वचनं मम । ममैव हि निमित्तानि सद्यः शंसन्ति सम्भ्रमम् ॥ २२ ॥
“So get ready, noble one; do what I say. For my own omens at once announce alarm.
एष वञ्जुलको नाम पक्षी परमदारुणः । आवयोर्विजयं युद्धे शंसन्निव विनर्दति ॥ २३ ॥
“This very terrible bird named vanjulaka cries out as if announcing our victory in battle.”
तयोरन्वेषतोरेवं सर्वं तद् वनमोजसा । संजज्ञे विपुलः शब्दः प्रभञ्जन्निव तद् वनम् ॥ २४ ॥
As the two were searching that whole forest vigorously, a vast noise arose, as if shattering that forest.
संवेष्टितमिवात्यर्थं गहनं मातरिश्वना । वनस्य तस्य शब्दोऽभूद् वनमापूरयन्निव ॥ २५ ॥
As if the dense wood were wrapped round excessively by the wind, the noise of that forest arose, as if filling the forest.
तं शब्दं कांक्षमाणस्तु रामः खड्गी सहानुजः । ददर्श सुमहाकायं राक्षसं विपुलोरसम् ॥ २६ ॥
Waiting for that noise, Rama with his younger brother, sword in hand, saw a very huge-bodied rakshasa with a broad chest.
आसेदतुश्च तद्रक्षस्तावुभौ प्रमुखे स्थितम् । विवृद्धमशिरोग्रीवं कबन्धमुदरेमुखम् ॥ २७ ॥
And the two came upon that rakshasa standing in front, grown huge, without head or neck, Kabandha, with his mouth in his belly,
रोमभिर्निशितैस्तीक्ष्णैर्महागिरिमिवोच्छ्रितम् । नीलमेघनिभं रौद्रं मेघस्तनितनिःस्वनम् ॥ २८ ॥
risen like a great mountain with sharpened, pointed hairs, like a dark-blue cloud, fierce, with a voice like the thunder of clouds,
अग्निज्वालानिकाशेन ललाटस्थेन दीप्यता । महापक्षेण पिङ्गेन विपुलेनायतेन च ॥ २९ ॥
with a blazing eye, like a flame of fire, set in his forehead, with great eyelashes, tawny, wide and long,
एकेनोरसि घोरेण नयनेन सुदर्शिना । महादंष्ट्रोपपन्नं तं लेलिहानं महामुखम् ॥ ३० ॥
with one terrible, far-seeing eye in his chest, endowed with great fangs, with a huge licking mouth,
भक्षयन्तं महाघोरानृक्षसिंहमृगद्विजान् । घोरौ भुजौ विकुर्वाणमुभौ योजनमायतौ ॥ ३१ ॥
eating very terrible bears, lions, beasts and birds, stretching out his two terrible arms, each a yojana long,
कराभ्यां विविधान् गृह्य ऋक्षान् पक्षिगणान् मृगान् । आकर्षन्तं विकर्षन्तमनेकान् मृगयूथपान् ॥ ३२ ॥
seizing with his hands bears of many kinds, flocks of birds and beasts, pulling and dragging many leaders of herds of beasts,
स्थितमावृत्य पन्थानं तयोर्भ्रात्रोः प्रपन्नयोः । अथ तं समतिक्रम्य क्रोशमात्रं ददर्शतुः ॥ ३३ ॥
standing, blocking the path of the two brothers as they approached. Then, going on a krosha, they saw him,
महान्तं दारुणं भीमं कबन्धं भुजसंवृतम् । कबन्धमिव संस्थानादतिघोरप्रदर्शनम् ॥ ३४ ॥
great, cruel, terrible, Kabandha, surrounded by his arms, like a headless trunk in his form, most terrible to see.
स महाबाहुरत्यर्थं प्रसार्य विपुलौ भुजौ । जग्राह सहितावेव राघवौ पीडयन् बलात् ॥ ३५ ॥
That mighty-armed one, stretching out his huge arms greatly, seized the two Raghavas together, crushing them by force.
खड्गिनौ दृढधन्वानौ तिग्मतेजौ महाभुजौ । भ्रातरौ विवशं प्राप्तौ कृष्यमाणौ महाबलौ ॥ ३६ ॥
Swords in hand, with firm bows, of sharp splendour, mighty-armed, the two very mighty brothers, being dragged, became helpless.
तत्र धैर्याच्च शूरस्तु राघवो नैव विव्यथे । बाल्यादनाश्रयाच्चैव लक्ष्मणस्त्वभिविव्यथे ॥ ३७ ॥
There, through courage, the hero Raghava was not shaken at all; but Lakshmana, from boyishness and lack of support, was shaken.
उवाच च विषण्णः सन् राघवं राघवानुजः । पश्य मां विवशं वीर राक्षसस्य वशंगतम् ॥ ३८ ॥
And Raghava’s younger brother, dejected, said to Raghava: “See me, hero, helpless, fallen into the power of the rakshasa.
मयैकेन तु निर्युक्तः परिमुच्यस्व राघव । मां हि भूतबलिं दत्त्वा पलायस्व यथासुखम् ॥ ३९ ॥
“Released by me alone, free yourself, Raghava. Giving me as an offering to the spirit, flee as you please.
अधिगन्तासि वैदेहीमचिरेणेति मे मतिः । प्रतिलभ्य च काकुत्स्थ पितृपैतामहीं महीम् ॥ ४० ॥
“You will find Vaidehi before long; this is my belief. And having regained the earth of your fathers and grandfathers, Kakutstha,
तत्र मां राम राज्यस्थः स्मर्तुमर्हसि सर्वदा । लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु रामः सौमित्रिमब्रवीत् ॥ ४१ ॥
“there, Rama, established in the kingdom, you should always remember me.” Spoken to so by Lakshmana, Rama said to Saumitri:
मा स्म त्रासं वृथा वीर नहि त्वादृग् विषीदति । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे क्रूरो भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ ४२ ॥
“Do not be afraid for nothing, hero; one like you does not despair.” Meanwhile the cruel one, to the two brothers Rama and Lakshmana,
तावुवाच महाबाहुः कबन्धो दानवोत्तमः । कौ युवां वृषभस्कन्धौ महाखड्गधनुर्धरौ ॥ ४३ ॥
the mighty-armed Kabandha, best of danavas, said to them: “Who are you two, with shoulders like bulls, carrying great swords and bows,
घोरं देशमिमं प्राप्तौ दैवेन मम चाक्षुषौ । वदतं कार्यमिह वां किमर्थं चागतौ युवाम् ॥ ४४ ॥
“come to this terrible place, within range of my eyes by fate? Tell me your business here, and why you two have come.
इमं देशमनुप्राप्तौ क्षुधार्तस्येह तिष्ठतः । सबाणचापखड्गौ च तीक्ष्णशृङ्गाविवर्षभौ ॥ ४५ ॥
“Having come to this place, where I stand tormented by hunger, with arrows, bows and swords, like bulls with sharp horns,
मां तूर्णमनुसम्प्राप्तौ दुर्लभं जीवितं हि वाम् । तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा कबन्धस्य दुरात्मनः ॥ ४६ ॥
“having come quickly to me, your lives are hard to keep.” Hearing those words of that wicked Kabandha,
उवाच लक्ष्मणं रामो मुखेन परिशुष्यता । कृच्छ्रात् कृच्छ्रतरं प्राप्य दारुणं सत्यविक्रम ॥ ४७ ॥
Rama said to Lakshmana, his mouth drying: “Having come from hardship to greater hardship, terrible, true in valour,
व्यसनं जीवितान्ताय प्राप्तमप्राप्य तां प्रियाम् । कालस्य सुमहद् वीर्यं सर्वभूतेषु लक्ष्मण ॥ ४८ ॥
“a calamity for the end of our lives has come, without finding that beloved. Very great is the power of Time over all beings, Lakshmana.
त्वां च मां च नरव्याघ्र व्यसनैः पश्य मोहितौ । नहि भारोऽस्ति दैवस्य सर्वभूतेषु लक्ष्मण ॥ ४९ ॥
“See you and me, tiger among men, bewildered by calamities. There is no burden for fate among all beings, Lakshmana.
शूराश्च बलवन्तश्च कृतास्त्राश्च रणाजिरे । कालाभिपन्नाः सीदन्ति यथा वालुकसेतवः ॥ ५० ॥
“Heroes and the strong, skilled in weapons on the battlefield, overcome by Time, sink like dams of sand.”
इति ब्रुवाणो दृढसत्यविक्रमो महायशा दाशरथिः प्रतापवान् । अवेक्ष्य सौमित्रिमुदग्रविक्रमः स्थिरां तदा स्वां मतिमात्मनाकरोत् ॥ ५१ ॥
Saying this, the glorious son of Dasharatha, firm in true valour, powerful, of lofty valour, looking at Saumitri, then made his own mind steady by himself.