Sources

The headless arms

Valmiki · Aranya Kanda
3.69.5–3.73.46 (CrEd 3.65.5–3.69.36)

Searching the forest for Sita, Rama and Lakshmana are seized by Kabandha, a headless giant with his mouth in his belly, and cut off his arms. He tells them of the curse that gave him this form and asks to be burned; rising from the pyre in his own shining form, he tells Rama to make Sugriva his friend and points the way to Pampa.

Sanskrit · English·Translation: Raam Leela

Show

Part 1

The arms

Valmiki 3.69.5–3.70.19 (CrEd 3.65.5–3.66.15)

॥ 3.69.5–6 ॥

CrEd 3.65.5–6

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

ततः परं जनस्थानात् त्रिक्रोशं गम्य राघवौ ।
क्रौञ्चारण्यं विविशतुर् गहनं तौ महौजसौ ।
नानामेघघनप्रख्यं प्रहृष्टम् इव सर्वतः ।
नानावर्णैः शुभैः पुष्पैर् मृगपक्षिगणैर् युतम् ॥

tataḥ paraṃ janasthānāt trikrośaṃ gamya rāghavau
krauñcāraṇyaṃ viviśatur gahanaṃ tau mahaujasau
nānāmeghaghanaprakhyaṃ prahṛṣṭam iva sarvataḥ
nānāvarṇaiḥ śubhaiḥ puṣpair mṛgapakṣigaṇair yutam

English

Then, beyond Janasthana,
three kroshas on, the Raghavas
entered the Krauncha forest,
dense, those two of mighty strength:
like massed clouds of many kinds,
as if rejoicing on every side,
with lovely flowers of many hues,
with herds of deer and flocks of birds.

॥ 3.69.21–23 ॥

CrEd 3.65.9–11

condensed from 3.69.21–23

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

स्पन्दते मे दृढं बाहुर् उद्विग्नम् इव मे मनः … तस्मात् सज्जीभवार्य त्वं … एष वञ्चुलको नाम पक्षी परमदारुणः आवयोर् विजयं युद्धे शंसन्न् इव विनर्दति ॥

spandate me dṛḍhaṃ bāhur udvignam iva me manaḥ … tasmāt sajjībhavārya tvaṃ … eṣa vañculako nāma pakṣī paramadāruṇaḥ āvayor vijayaṃ yuddhe śaṃsann iva vinardati

English

My arm throbs hard;
my mind is as if shaken.
So make ready, Arya.
This bird, the vanchulaka,
most dreadful of birds,
our victory in battle,
as though foretelling, cries aloud.

॥ 3.69.24–25 ॥

CrEd 3.65.12–13

silent moment

॥ 3.69.27–30a ॥

CrEd 3.65.15–17

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

आसेदतुस् ततस् तत्र ताव् उभौ प्रमुखे स्थितम् ।
विवृद्धम् अशिरोग्रीवं कबन्धम् उदरे मुखम् ।
रोमभिर् निचितैस् तीक्ष्णैर् महागिरिम् इवोच्छ्रितम् ।
नीलमेघनिभं रौद्रं मेघस्तनितनिःस्वनम् ।
महापक्ष्मेण पिङ्गेन विपुलेनायतेन च ।
एकेनोरसि घोरेण नयनेनाशुदर्शिना ॥

āsedatus tatas tatra tāv ubhau pramukhe sthitam
vivṛddham aśirogrīvaṃ kabandham udare mukham
romabhir nicitais tīkṣṇair mahāgirim ivocchritam
nīlameghanibhaṃ raudraṃ meghastanitaniḥsvanam
mahāpakṣmeṇa piṅgena vipulenāyatena ca
ekenorasi ghoreṇa nayanenāśudarśinā

English

Then there the two came upon him,
standing before them, the pair of them:
huge, without head or neck,
a trunk, the mouth in his belly,
thick with sharp bristles,
rising like a great mountain,
dark as a blue cloud, fearsome,
loud as the thunder of clouds;
with great lashes, tawny,
broad and long,
one terrible eye in his chest,
an eye of swift sight.

॥ 3.69.35–36 ॥

CrEd 3.65.22–23

silent moment

॥ 3.69.43b–44a ॥

CrEd 3.65.24cd–25ab

Kabandha

Sanskrit

कौ युवां वृषभस्कन्धौ महाखड्गधनुर्धरौ घोरं देशम् इमं प्राप्तौ मम भक्षाव् उपस्थितौ ॥

kau yuvāṃ vṛṣabhaskandhau mahākhaḍgadhanurdharau ghoraṃ deśam imaṃ prāptau mama bhakṣāv upasthitau

English

Who are you two, bull-shouldered,
bearing great swords and bows?
You have come to this dread country,
and stand before me as my food.

॥ 3.69.47a ॥

CrEd 3.65.27cd

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

उवाच लक्ष्मणं रामो मुखेन परिशुष्यता ॥

uvāca lakṣmaṇaṃ rāmo mukhena pariśuṣyatā

English

Rama spoke to Lakshmana
with a mouth gone dry.

॥ 3.69.49b–50 ॥

CrEd 3.65.29ef–30

Rama

Sanskrit

नातिभारोऽस्ति दैवस्य सर्वभूतेषु लक्ष्मण शूराश् च बलवन्तश् च कृतास्त्राश् च रणाजिरे कालाभिपन्नाः सीदन्ति यथा वालुकसेतवः ॥

nātibhāro 'sti daivasya sarvabhūteṣu lakṣmaṇa śūrāś ca balavantaś ca kṛtāstrāś ca raṇājire kālābhipannāḥ sīdanti yathā vālukasetavaḥ

English

No burden is too great for fate
among all beings, Lakshmana.
The brave and the strong,
the masters of weapons on the field,
seized by time, sink down
like dams of sand.

॥ 3.69.51 ॥

CrEd 3.65.31

silent moment

॥ 3.70.4 ॥

CrEd 3.66.4

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

त्वां च मां च पुरा तूर्णम् आदत्ते राक्षसाधमः तस्माद् असिभ्याम् अस्याशु बाहू छिन्दावहे गुरू ॥

tvāṃ ca māṃ ca purā tūrṇam ādatte rākṣasādhamaḥ tasmād asibhyām asyāśu bāhū chindāvahe gurū

English

You and me, before long, swiftly,
this vilest rakshasa will seize;
so with our swords, at once,
let us cut off his heavy arms.

॥ 3.70.8–9 ॥

CrEd 3.66.5–6

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

ततस् तौ देशकालज्ञौ खड्गाभ्याम् एव राघवौ ।
अच्छिन्दतां सुसंहृष्टौ बाहू तस्यांसदेशयोः ।
दक्षिणो दक्षिणं बाहुम् असक्तम् असिना ततः ।
चिच्छेद रामो वेगेन सव्यं वीरस् तु लक्ष्मणः ॥

tatas tau deśakālajñau khaḍgābhyām eva rāghavau
acchindatāṃ susaṃhṛṣṭau bāhū tasyāṃsadeśayoḥ
dakṣiṇo dakṣiṇaṃ bāhum asaktam asinā tataḥ
ciccheda rāmo vegena savyaṃ vīras tu lakṣmaṇaḥ

English

Then the two Raghavas, knowing place and time,
with their swords alone,
exultant, cut off his arms,
there, at the shoulders.
Rama, on the right, the right arm,
without pause, with his sword,
struck off with force; the left,
heroic Lakshmana.

॥ 3.70.10 ॥

CrEd 3.66.7

silent moment

॥ 3.70.11 ॥

CrEd 3.66.8

Kabandha

Sanskrit

कौ युवाम् ॥

kau yuvām

English

Who are you two?

॥ 3.70.13, 15 ॥

CrEd 3.66.10–11

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

अयम् इक्ष्वाकुदायादो रामो नाम जनैः श्रुतः अस्यैवावरजं विद्धि भ्रातरं मां च लक्ष्मणम् अस्य देवप्रभावस्य वसतो विजने वने रक्षसापहृता भार्या याम् इच्छन्ताव् इहागतौ ॥

ayam ikṣvākudāyādo rāmo nāma janaiḥ śrutaḥ asyaivāvarajaṃ viddhi bhrātaraṃ māṃ ca lakṣmaṇam asya devaprabhāvasya vasato vijane vane rakṣasāpahṛtā bhāryā yām icchantāv ihāgatau

English

This is the Ikshvakus’ heir,
Rama by name, famed among men;
know me as his younger brother,
his brother, Lakshmana.
Of him, of godlike power,
as he dwelt in the lonely forest,
the wife was seized by a rakshasa;
seeking her, we have come here.

॥ 3.70.17 ॥

CrEd 3.66.13

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एवम् उक्तः कबन्धस् तु लक्ष्मणेनोत्तरं वचः ।
उवाच परमप्रीतस् तद् इन्द्रवचनं स्मरन् ॥

evam uktaḥ kabandhas tu lakṣmaṇenottaraṃ vacaḥ
uvāca paramaprītas tad indravacanaṃ smaran

English

So spoken to by Lakshmana,
Kabandha, words in reply
spoke, greatly pleased,
remembering that word of Indra.

॥ 3.70.18 ॥

CrEd 3.66.14

Kabandha

Sanskrit

स्वागतं वां नरव्याघ्रौ दिष्ट्या पश्यामि चाप्य् अहम् दिष्ट्या चेमौ निकृत्तौ मे युवाभ्यां बाहुबन्धनौ ॥

svāgataṃ vāṃ naravyāghrau diṣṭyā paśyāmi cāpy aham diṣṭyā cemau nikṛttau me yuvābhyāṃ bāhubandhanau

English

Welcome, you two tigers among men!
By fortune I behold you;
by fortune, too, you have cut off
these arms of mine, my bonds.

॥ 3.70.19 ॥

CrEd 3.66.15

Kabandha

Sanskrit

विरूपं यच् च मे रूपं प्राप्तं ह्य् अविनयाद् यथा तन् मे शृणु नरव्याघ्र तत्त्वतः शंसतस् तव ॥

virūpaṃ yac ca me rūpaṃ prāptaṃ hy avinayād yathā tan me śṛṇu naravyāghra tattvataḥ śaṃsatas tava

English

This misshapen form of mine,
how insolence brought it on me,
hear it from me, tiger among men,
as I tell it to you in truth.

॥ 3.70.19 ॥

CrEd 3.66.15

silent moment

Part 2

The curse

Valmiki 3.71.1–31 (CrEd 3.67.1–28)

॥ 3.71.1–2a ॥

CrEd 3.67.1

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

पुरा राम महाबाहो महाबलपराक्रम ।
रूपम् आसीन् ममाचिन्त्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् ।
यथा सोमस्य शक्रस्य सूर्यस्य च यथा वपुः ॥

purā rāma mahābāho mahābalaparākrama
rūpam āsīn mamācintyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam
yathā somasya śakrasya sūryasya ca yathā vapuḥ

English

Long ago, Rama, mighty-armed,
of great strength and valour,
my form was past all thought,
famed in the three worlds,
like the body of the Moon, of Shakra,
like the body of the Sun.

॥ 3.71.2b–5a ॥

CrEd 3.67.2–4

Kabandha

Sanskrit

सोऽहं रूपम् इदं कृत्वा लोकवित्रासनं महत् ऋषीन् वनगतान् राम त्रासयामि ततस् ततः ततः स्थूलशिरा नाम महर्षिः कोपितो मया संचिन्वन् विविधं वन्यं रूपेणानेन धर्षितः तेनाहम् उक्तः प्रेक्ष्यैवं घोरशापाभिधायिना एतद् एव नृशंसं ते रूपम् अस्तु विगर्हितम् ॥

so 'haṃ rūpam idaṃ kṛtvā lokavitrāsanaṃ mahat ṛṣīn vanagatān rāma trāsayāmi tatas tataḥ tataḥ sthūlaśirā nāma maharṣiḥ kopito mayā saṃcinvan vividhaṃ vanyaṃ rūpeṇānena dharṣitaḥ tenāham uktaḥ prekṣyaivaṃ ghoraśāpābhidhāyinā etad eva nṛśaṃsaṃ te rūpam astu vigarhitam

English

And I, putting on this form,
vast, a terror to the world,
frightened the forest sages, Rama,
here and there, wherever they were.
Then a sage named Sthulashiras,
a great sage, I angered:
as he gathered forest food of every kind,
in this form I assailed him.
Seeing me so, he spoke to me,
he who pronounced a dreadful curse:
‘This very form, cruel,
let it be yours, and despised.’

॥ 3.71.5b–7a ॥

CrEd 3.67.5–6

Kabandha

Sanskrit

स मया याचितः क्रुद्धः शापस्यान्तो भवेद् इति अभिशापकृतस्येति तेनेदं भाषितं वचः यदा छित्त्वा भुजौ रामस् त्वां दहेद् विजने वने तदा त्वं प्राप्स्यसे रूपं स्वम् एव विपुलं शुभम् ॥

sa mayā yācitaḥ kruddhaḥ śāpasyānto bhaved iti abhiśāpakṛtasyeti tenedaṃ bhāṣitaṃ vacaḥ yadā chittvā bhujau rāmas tvāṃ dahed vijane vane tadā tvaṃ prāpsyase rūpaṃ svam eva vipulaṃ śubham

English

I begged him, angry as he was,
that the curse might have an end;
of the end of the curse’s work
he spoke these words:
‘When Rama, cutting off your arms,
burns you in the lonely forest,
then you will win back your form,
your own, vast and fair.’

॥ 3.71.6b–7a ॥

CrEd 3.67.6

silent moment

॥ 3.71.10b–11a, 13b–14a ॥

CrEd 3.67.10, 13

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

तस्य बाहुप्रमुक्तेन वज्रेण शतपर्वणा ।
सक्थिनी च शिरश् चैव शरीरे संप्रवेशितम् ।
एवम् उक्तस् तु मे शक्रो बाहू योजनम् आयतौ ।
प्रादाद् आस्यं च मे कुक्षौ तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रम् अकल्पयत् ॥

tasya bāhupramuktena vajreṇa śataparvaṇā
sakthinī ca śiraś caiva śarīre saṃpraveśitam
evam uktas tu me śakro bāhū yojanam āyatau
prādād āsyaṃ ca me kukṣau tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭram akalpayat

English

By the thunderbolt from his arm,
the hundred-jointed bolt,
my thighs and my head
were driven into my body.
At these words of mine, Shakra
gave me arms a league long,
and in my belly set a mouth;
with sharp teeth he shaped it.

॥ 3.71.7b, 15b–16a ॥

CrEd 3.67.7ab, 15

condensed from 3.71.7b, 15b–16a

Kabandha

Sanskrit

श्रिया विराजितं पुत्रं दनोस् त्वं विद्धि लक्ष्मण … स तु माम् अब्रवीद् इन्द्रो यदा रामः सलक्ष्मणः छेत्स्यते समरे बाहू तदा स्वर्गं गमिष्यसि ॥

śriyā virājitaṃ putraṃ danos tvaṃ viddhi lakṣmaṇa … sa tu mām abravīd indro yadā rāmaḥ salakṣmaṇaḥ chetsyate samare bāhū tadā svargaṃ gamiṣyasi

English

Shining with splendour, Danu’s son:
so know me, Lakshmana.
And Indra said to me: ‘When Rama,
with Lakshmana beside him,
cuts off your arms in battle,
then to heaven you will go.’

॥ 3.71.18b–19a ॥

CrEd 3.67.16

Kabandha

Sanskrit

स त्वं रामोऽसि भद्रं ते नाहम् अन्येन राघव शक्यो हन्तुं यथातत्त्वम् एवम् उक्तं महर्षिणा ॥

sa tvaṃ rāmo 'si bhadraṃ te nāham anyena rāghava śakyo hantuṃ yathātattvam evam uktaṃ maharṣiṇā

English

You are that Rama; blessings on you.
By no one else, Raghava,
could I be slain: so, in truth,
the great sage said.

॥ 3.71.18b–19a ॥

CrEd 3.67.16

silent moment

॥ 3.71.19b–20a ॥

CrEd 3.67.17

Kabandha

Sanskrit

अहं हि मतिसाचिव्यं करिष्यामि नरर्षभ मित्रं चैवोपदेक्ष्यामि युवाभ्यां संस्कृतोऽग्निना ॥

ahaṃ hi matisācivyaṃ kariṣyāmi nararṣabha mitraṃ caivopadekṣyāmi yuvābhyāṃ saṃskṛto 'gninā

English

For I will aid you with counsel,
O bull among men,
and show you both a friend,
once the fire has hallowed me.

॥ 3.71.20b–21a ॥

CrEd 3.67.18

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एवम् उक्तस् तु धर्मात्मा दनुना तेन राघवः ।
इदं जगाद वचनं लक्ष्मणस्योपशृण्वतः ॥

evam uktas tu dharmātmā danunā tena rāghavaḥ
idaṃ jagāda vacanaṃ lakṣmaṇasyopaśṛṇvataḥ

English

So spoken to by Danu,
Raghava, righteous-souled,
uttered these words,
with Lakshmana listening.

॥ 3.71.21b–23a ॥

CrEd 3.67.19–20

condensed from 3.71.21b–23a

Rama

Sanskrit

रावणेन हृता सीता मम भार्या यशस्विनी … नाममात्रं तु जानामि न रूपं तस्य रक्षसः निवासं वा प्रभावं वा वयं तस्य न विद्महे ॥

rāvaṇena hṛtā sītā mama bhāryā yaśasvinī … nāmamātraṃ tu jānāmi na rūpaṃ tasya rakṣasaḥ nivāsaṃ vā prabhāvaṃ vā vayaṃ tasya na vidmahe

English

Ravana has carried off Sita,
my wife, the glorious one.
I know his name alone,
not the form of that rakshasa;
his dwelling or his power
we do not know.

॥ 3.71.24b–25 ॥

CrEd 3.67.22–23ab

Rama

Sanskrit

काष्ठान्य् आनीय शुष्काणि काले भग्नानि कुञ्जरैः धक्ष्यामस् त्वां वयं वीर श्वभ्रे महति कल्पिते स त्वं सीतां समाचक्ष्व येन वा यत्र वा हृता ॥

kāṣṭhāny ānīya śuṣkāṇi kāle bhagnāni kuñjaraiḥ dhakṣyāmas tvāṃ vayaṃ vīra śvabhre mahati kalpite sa tvaṃ sītāṃ samācakṣva yena vā yatra vā hṛtā

English

Bringing dry wood,
broken by elephants in their season,
we will burn you, hero,
in a great pit made ready.
So tell us of Sita:
by whom she was taken, or where.

॥ 3.71.24b–25a ॥

CrEd 3.67.22

silent moment

॥ 3.71.31a ॥

CrEd 3.67.28ab

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

किं तु यावन् न यात्य् अस्तं सविता श्रान्तवाहनः ॥

kiṃ tu yāvan na yāty astaṃ savitā śrāntavāhanaḥ

English

But before he goes to his setting,
the sun, his horses weary,

॥ 3.71.27b–28a ॥

CrEd 3.67.25

Kabandha

Sanskrit

दिव्यम् अस्ति न मे ज्ञानं नाभिजानामि मैथिलीम् यस् तां ज्ञास्यति तं वक्ष्ये दग्धः स्वं रूपम् आस्थितः ॥

divyam asti na me jñānaṃ nābhijānāmi maithilīm yas tāṃ jñāsyati taṃ vakṣye dagdhaḥ svaṃ rūpam āsthitaḥ

English

No divine knowledge is mine;
I do not know Maithili.
Who will know her, him I will name,
burned, and in my own form again.

॥ 3.71.31 ॥

CrEd 3.67.28

Kabandha

Sanskrit

किं तु यावन् न यात्य् अस्तं सविता श्रान्तवाहनः तावन् माम् अवटे क्षिप्त्वा दह राम यथाविधि ॥

kiṃ tu yāvan na yāty astaṃ savitā śrāntavāhanaḥ tāvan mām avaṭe kṣiptvā daha rāma yathāvidhi

English

But before he goes to his setting,
the sun, his horses weary,
cast me into a pit, Rama,
and burn me by the rite.

॥ 3.71.31 ॥

CrEd 3.67.28

silent moment

Part 3

The fire

Valmiki 3.72.1–3.73.46 (CrEd 3.68.1–3.69.36)

॥ 3.72.1b–2 ॥

CrEd 3.68.1cd–2

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

गिरिप्रदरम् आसाद्य पावकं विससर्जतुः ।
लक्ष्मणस् तु महोल्काभिर् ज्वलिताभिः समन्ततः ।
चिताम् आदीपयाम् आस सा प्रजज्वाल सर्वतः ॥

giripradaram āsādya pāvakaṃ visasarjatuḥ
lakṣmaṇas tu maholkābhir jvalitābhiḥ samantataḥ
citām ādīpayām āsa sā prajajvāla sarvataḥ

English

Coming to a cleft in the hills,
the two let loose the fire.
And Lakshmana, with great torches,
blazing, all around,
set the pyre alight;
it flamed up on every side.

॥ 3.72.3 ॥

CrEd 3.68.3

silent moment

॥ 3.72.4 ॥

CrEd 3.68.4

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

स विधूय चिताम् आशु विधूमोऽग्निर् इवोत्थितः ।
अरजे वाससी विभ्रन् मालां दिव्यां महाबलः ॥

sa vidhūya citām āśu vidhūmo 'gnir ivotthitaḥ
araje vāsasī vibhran mālāṃ divyāṃ mahābalaḥ

English

Shaking off the pyre, at once
he rose like smokeless fire,
wearing two spotless garments
and a heavenly garland, the mighty one.

॥ 3.72.5–6 ॥

CrEd 3.68.5–6

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

ततश् चिताया वेगेन भास्वरो विरजाम्बरः ।
उत्पपाताशु संहृष्टः सर्वप्रत्यङ्गभूषणः ।
विमाने भास्वरे तिष्ठन् हंसयुक्ते यशस्करे ।
प्रभया च महातेजा दिशो दश विराजयन् ॥

tataś citāyā vegena bhāsvaro virajāmbaraḥ
utpapātāśu saṃhṛṣṭaḥ sarvapratyaṅgabhūṣaṇaḥ
vimāne bhāsvare tiṣṭhan haṃsayukte yaśaskare
prabhayā ca mahātejā diśo daśa virājayan

English

Then from the pyre, with speed,
radiant, in dustless robes,
he sprang up at once, rejoicing,
every limb adorned;
standing in a shining chariot,
glorious, yoked with swans,
he, of great splendour, with his radiance
lit the ten directions.

॥ 3.72.7b ॥

CrEd 3.68.7cd

Kabandha

Sanskrit

शृणु राघव तत्त्वेन यथा सीमाम् अवाप्स्यसि ॥

śṛṇu rāghava tattvena yathā sīmām avāpsyasi

English

Hear it truly, Raghava:
how you will reach the end.

॥ 3.72.8b–10 ॥

CrEd 3.68.8cd–10

condensed from 3.72.8b–10

Kabandha

Sanskrit

परिमृष्टो दशान्तेन दशाभागेन सेव्यते दशाभागगतो हीनस् त्वं राम सहलक्ष्मणः … तद् अवश्यं त्वया कार्यः स सुहृत् सुहृदां वर अकृत्वा न हि ते सिद्धिम् अहं पश्यामि चिन्तयन् ॥

parimṛṣṭo daśāntena daśābhāgena sevyate daśābhāgagato hīnas tvaṃ rāma sahalakṣmaṇaḥ … tad avaśyaṃ tvayā kāryaḥ sa suhṛt suhṛdāṃ vara akṛtvā na hi te siddhim ahaṃ paśyāmi cintayan

English

One touched by the end of good days
is served by one whose days are bad.
Fallen on bad days, brought low,
are you, Rama, and Lakshmana with you.
So you must surely make him
your friend, O best of friends;
for without it, no success for you
do I see, ponder as I may.

॥ 3.72.19a ॥

CrEd 3.68.14cd

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

कृतज्ञः कामरूपी च सहायार्थी च वीर्यवान् ॥

kṛtajñaḥ kāmarūpī ca sahāyārthī ca vīryavān

English

Grateful, changing form at will,
seeking an ally, and strong.

॥ 3.72.11–12 ॥

CrEd 3.68.11–12

Kabandha

Sanskrit

श्रूयतां राम वक्ष्यामि सुग्रीवो नाम वानरः भ्रात्रा निरस्तः क्रुद्धेन वालिना शक्रसूनुना ऋष्यमूके गिरिवरे पम्पापर्यन्तशोभिते निवसत्य् आत्मवान् वीरश् चतुर्भिः सह वानरैः ॥

śrūyatāṃ rāma vakṣyāmi sugrīvo nāma vānaraḥ bhrātrā nirastaḥ kruddhena vālinā śakrasūnunā ṛṣyamūke girivare pampāparyantaśobhite nivasaty ātmavān vīraś caturbhiḥ saha vānaraiḥ

English

Hear, Rama, I will tell you:
there is a monkey, Sugriva by name,
cast out by his brother in anger,
by Vali, Shakra’s son.
On Rishyamuka, best of mountains,
its borders bright with Pampa,
he dwells, self-possessed and brave,
with four monkeys at his side.

॥ 3.72.17b–18a ॥

CrEd 3.68.13

Kabandha

Sanskrit

वयस्यं तं कुरु क्षिप्रम् इतो गत्वाद्य राघव अद्रोहाय समागम्य दीप्यमाने विभावसौ ॥

vayasyaṃ taṃ kuru kṣipram ito gatvādya rāghava adrohāya samāgamya dīpyamāne vibhāvasau

English

Make him your friend, and quickly,
going from here today, Raghava;
meet, and pledge no betrayal,
before a blazing fire.

॥ 3.72.21a, 23b–24a ॥

CrEd 3.68.16c, 19

condensed from 3.72.21a, 23b–24a

Kabandha

Sanskrit

भास्करस्यौरसः पुत्रः … न तस्याविदितं लोके किं चिद् अस्ति हि राघव यावत् सूर्यः प्रतपति सहस्रांशुर् अरिंदम ॥

bhāskarasyaurasaḥ putraḥ … na tasyāviditaṃ loke kiṃ cid asti hi rāghava yāvat sūryaḥ pratapati sahasrāṃśur ariṃdama

English

The Sun’s own son is he.
Not unknown to him in the world
is anything, Raghava,
as far as the sun burns,
thousand-rayed, O tamer of foes.

॥ 3.72.27 ॥

CrEd 3.68.22

Kabandha

Sanskrit

स मेरुशृङ्गाग्रगताम् अनिन्दितां प्रविश्य पातालतलेऽपि वाश्रिताम् प्लवंगमानां प्रवरस् तव प्रियां निहत्य रक्षांसि पुनः प्रदास्यति ॥

sa meruśṛṅgāgragatām aninditāṃ praviśya pātālatale 'pi vāśritām plavaṃgamānāṃ pravaras tava priyāṃ nihatya rakṣāṃsi punaḥ pradāsyati

English

Be she on the summit of Meru’s peak, the blameless one,
or lodged in Patala’s depths, he will go in;
the best of monkeys will slay the rakshasas
and give your beloved back to you.

॥ 3.73.2 ॥

CrEd 3.69.2cd

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एष राम शिवः पन्था यत्रैते पुष्पिता द्रुमाः ।
प्रतीचीं दिशम् आश्रित्य प्रकाशन्ते मनोरमाः ॥

eṣa rāma śivaḥ panthā yatraite puṣpitā drumāḥ
pratīcīṃ diśam āśritya prakāśante manoramāḥ

English

This is the auspicious road, Rama,
where these trees in flower,
turned toward the western quarter,
shine, delighting the mind.

॥ 3.73.2, 10b–11a ॥

CrEd 3.69.2, 5

condensed from 3.73.2, 10b–11a

Kabandha

Sanskrit

एष राम शिवः पन्था यत्रैते पुष्पिता द्रुमाः … चङ्क्रमन्तौ वरान् देशाञ् शैलाच् छैलं वनाद् वनम् ततः पुष्करिणीं वीरौ पम्पां नाम गमिष्यथः ॥

eṣa rāma śivaḥ panthā yatraite puṣpitā drumāḥ … caṅkramantau varān deśāñ śailāc chailaṃ vanād vanam tataḥ puṣkariṇīṃ vīrau pampāṃ nāma gamiṣyathaḥ

English

This is the auspicious road, Rama,
where these trees are in flower.
Wandering through goodly lands,
from hill to hill, from wood to wood,
you two heroes will come at last
to the lotus lake called Pampa.

॥ 3.73.26–27 ॥

CrEd 3.69.19–20

Kabandha

Sanskrit

तेषाम् अद्यापि तत्रैव दृश्यते परिचारिणी श्रमणी शबरी नाम काकुत्स्थ चिरजीविनी त्वां तु धर्मे स्थिता नित्यं सर्वभूतनमस्कृतम् दृष्ट्वा देवोपमं राम स्वर्गलोकं गमिष्यति ॥

teṣām adyāpi tatraiva dṛśyate paricāriṇī śramaṇī śabarī nāma kākutstha cirajīvinī tvāṃ tu dharme sthitā nityaṃ sarvabhūtanamaskṛtam dṛṣṭvā devopamaṃ rāma svargalokaṃ gamiṣyati

English

Of them, even now, there is seen
the one who served them,
an ascetic named Shabari, Kakutstha,
long-lived;
ever firm in dharma, she, seeing you,
honoured by all beings,
godlike, Rama,
will go to the world of heaven.

॥ 3.73.42b–43a ॥

CrEd 3.69.33

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

कबन्धस् त्व् अनुशास्यैवं ताव् उभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ।
स्रग्वी भास्करवर्णाभः खे व्यरोचत वीर्यवान् ॥

kabandhas tv anuśāsyaivaṃ tāv ubhau rāmalakṣmaṇau
sragvī bhāskaravarṇābhaḥ khe vyarocata vīryavān

English

Kabandha, having so instructed
the two, Rama and Lakshmana,
garlanded, sun-coloured,
shone in the sky, the mighty one.

॥ 3.73.43b–44a ॥

CrEd 3.69.34

silent moment

॥ 3.73.44b, 46 ॥

CrEd 3.69.35ab, 36d

condensed from 3.73.44b, 46

Kabandha

Sanskrit

गम्यतां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थम् … सख्यं कुरुष्वेति ॥

gamyatāṃ kāryasiddhyartham … sakhyaṃ kuruṣveti

English

Go, for your task’s success.
Make friendship.

॥ 3.73.45, 46 ॥

CrEd 3.69.35cd–36

silent moment