कृतातिथ्योऽथ रामस्तु सूर्यस्योदयनं प्रति। आमन्त्र्य स मुनीन् सर्वान् वनमेवान्वगाहत॥
Having received the homage of the ascetics, Rāma about sun-rise, having greeted them all, entered into the forest.
नानामृगगणाकीर्णमृक्षशार्दूलसेवितम्। ध्वस्तवृक्षलतागुल्मं दुर्दर्शसलिलाशयम्॥ निष्कूजमानशकुनि झिल्लिकागणनादितम्। लक्ष्मणानुचरो रामो वनमध्यं ददर्श ह॥
And Rāma, followed by Lakṣmaṇa, saw the heart of the forest abounding in various kinds of beasts, ranged by bears and tigers, with its trees and shrubs torn and trampled, its pools turbid, and its birds crying.
सीतया सह काकुत्स्थस्तस्मिन् घोरमृगायुते। ददर्श गिरिशृङ्गाभं पुरुषादं महास्वनम् ॥ गभीराक्षं महावक्त्रं विकटं विकटोदरम्। बीभत्सं विषमं दीर्घ विकृतं घोरदर्शनम्॥ वसानं चर्म वैयाघ्रं वसाट्टै रुधिरोक्षितम्। त्रासनं सर्वभूतानां व्यादितास्यमिदान्तकम्॥ त्रीन् सिंहाश्चतुरो व्याघ्रान् द्वौ वृकौ पृषतान् दश। सविषाणं वसादिग्धं गजस्य च शिरो महत्॥ अवसज्यायते शूले विनदन्तं महास्वनम्।
Having in company with Sītā arrived at that forest abounding in terrible beasts, Kākutstha saw a man-eater, resembling a mountainsummit, emitting tremendous roars, with hollow eyes, a huge face, frightful, having a deformed belly, disgusting, dreadful, cyclopean, misshapen, of a horrible sight, clad in a tigerskin, besmeared with fat, covered with blood, capable of frightening all creatures, with his mouth widely extended, like to the Destroyer himself, and uttering loud shouts,-who stood piercing with his iron dart three lions, four tigers, two leopards, ten Prşatas, and the huge tusked head of an elephant dripping fat.
स राम लक्ष्मणं चैव सीतां दृष्ट्वा च मैथिलीम्॥ अभ्यधावत् सुसंक्रुद्धः प्रजाः काल इवान्तकः। स कृत्वा भैरवं नादं चालयन्निव मेदिनीम्॥
Having seen Rāma and Laksmana as well as Sītā the daughter of Mithilā, he growing angry, rushed (against them), like the Destroyer himself rushing against creatures at the universal dissolution.
अङ्केनादाय वैदेहीमपक्रम्य तदाब्रवीत्। युवां जटाचीरधरौ सभायौं क्षीणजीवितौ॥ प्रविष्टौ दण्डकारण्यं शरचापासिपाणिनौ।
Uttering a dreadful yell, and, as if making the earth tremble, he took Vaidehi on his waist, and, going a little distance, said, “O you wearing bark and matted locks, O you of feeble strength, that accompanied by your (common) wife, have entered the forest of Dandaka, bearing bows and arrows and scimitars, why, being ascetics, do you wish to associate with a (single) woman?
कथं तापसयोर्वां च वासः प्रमदया सह॥ अधर्मचारिणौ पापौ कौ युवां मुनिदूषको। अहं वनमिदं दुर्गं विराधो नाम राक्षसः॥ चरामि सायुधो नित्यमृषिमांसानि भक्षयन्। इयं नारी वरारोहा मम भार्या भविष्यति॥ युवयोः पापयोश्चाहं पास्यामि रुधिरं मृधे।
You wicked wretches, you imf.ous wights, who are you that bring disgrace upon ascetics? I am a Rākṣasa, Virādha by name. This forest is my fastness. Accoutred in arms, I range (here), feeding on the flesh of ascetics. This transcendentally beauteous one shall be my wife. And in battle I shall drink your blood, wretches that you are.
तस्यैवं ब्रुवतो दुष्टं विराधस्य दुरात्मनः॥ श्रुत्वा सगर्वितं वाक्यं सम्भ्रान्ता जनकात्मजा। सीता प्रवेपितोद्वेगात् प्रवाते कदली यथा॥
Hearing the wicked and vaunting speech of the impious Virādha, as he said this, Janaka's daughter, Sītā, began to tremble from fear, like a plantain tree shaken by the wind.
तां दृष्ट्वा राघवः सीतां विराधाङ्कगतां शुभाम्। अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणं वाक्यं मुखेन परिशुष्यता ॥
Seeing the graceful Sītā on the waist of Virādha, Rāghava with a blank countenance said to Laksmana,
पश्य सौम्य नरेन्द्रस्य जनकस्यात्मसम्भवाम्। मम भार्यां शुभाचारां विराधाङ्के प्रवेशिताम् ॥
O amiable one, behold the daughter of king Janaka, my wife of pure ways, an illustrious princess brought up in luxury, on Virādha's waist.
अत्यन्तसुखसंवृद्धां राजपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम्। यदभिप्रेतमस्मासु प्रियं वरवृतं च यत्॥ कैकेयास्तु सुसंवृत्तं क्षिप्रमद्यैव लक्ष्मण। या न तुष्यति राज्येन पुत्रार्थं दीर्घदर्शिनी॥ ययाहं सर्वभूतानां प्रियः प्रस्थापितो वनम्। अद्येदानीं सकामा सा या माता मध्यमा मम॥
Lakşmaņa, what had been wished for by Kaikeyi with reference to us, (has taken place), and the dear boon (that she had asked) has born fruit. That far-sighted lady, my second mother, who had not been satisfied with having secured the kingdom in the interests of her son, and by whom I that was dear to her above all other creatures, had been banished to the woods, has to-day her wishes crowned with success.
परस्पर्शात् तु वैदेह्या न दुःखतरमस्ति मे। पितुर्विनाशात् सौमित्रे स्वराज्यहरणात् तथा॥
O Sumitra's son, nothing can impart to me greater anguish than the touching of Vaidehi by another, which surpasses my father's demise and my having been deprived of the kingdom.”'
इति ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे बाष्पशोकपरिप्लुतः। अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणः क्रुद्धो रुद्धो नाग इव श्वसन्॥
As Kākutstha with his eyes flooded with tears was speaking thus, Lakşmaņa flying into a rage, spoke like to a confined elephant:
अनाथ इव भूतानां नाथस्त्वं वासवोपमः। मया प्रेष्येण काकुत्स्थ किमर्थं परितप्यसे ॥
Why do you, O Kākutstha, being the lord of all creatures and resembling Väsava himself, and also backed by myself, your servant, grieve like one forlorn ?
शरेण निहतस्याद्य मया क्रुद्धेन रक्षसः। विराधस्य गतासोर्हि मही पास्यति शोणितम्॥
The earth shall drink the gore of this Rākşasa, Virādha, when deprived of life, after he has been slain with a shaft by my angry self.
राज्यकामो मम क्रोधो भरते यो बभूव ह। तं विराधे विमोक्ष्यामि वज्री व्रजमिवाचले॥
That ire of mine which I had conceived against Bharata hankering after the kingdom, will I discharge on Virādha; even as the wielder of the thunder-bolt hurls his weapon at a hi!l.
मम भुजबलवेगवेगितः पततु शरोऽस्य महान् महोरसि। व्यपनयतु तनोश्च जीवितं पततु ततश्च महीं विघूर्णितः।।
Let my mighty arrow acquiring velocity from the speed imparted to it through the energy of my arms, light on his huge breast, and force his life from forth his body; and let him whirling (at length) fall down to the earth.