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Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 2
In this Sarga, Rāma along with Lakshmaṇa and Seetā, enters the dreadful Daṇḍaka Araṇya. Then he sees a huge Rākshasa of disgusting and terrible shape, with lions, tigers and other animals pierced onto his iron trident, making loud noises.
In a split second, the Rākshasa pounces on them and snatches Seetā onto his lap. He yells at the brothers, 'Who are you, you sinners? You are roaming with a woman, though you are dressed as Tapasvis! I will now drink your blood! Do you know who I am? I am a Rākshasa! My name is Virādha!'
Rāma was stunned by this sudden development of the seeming loss of Seetā, as he was already under the shock of the loss of the kingdom and his father. Lakshmaṇa tells him not to worry and that he, all by himself, with his arrow, can relieve Virādha of his life and make him fall to the ground.
3.2.1 க்ருதாதித்யோऽத ராமஸ்து
ஸூர்யஸ்யோதயநம் ப்ரதி ॥
ஆம்நத்ற்ய ஸ முநீந்ஸர்வாந்
வநமேவாந்வகாஹத ॥
kṛtātithyō'tha rāmastu
sūryasyōdayanaṃ prati ॥
āmnat ya sa munīnsarvān
vanamēvānvagāhata ॥
Then, the well honored Rāma,
well before it was dawn,
took leave of all the Munis
and proceeded into the Vana.
3.2.2-3 நாநாம்ருககணாகீர்ணம்
ருக்ஷஸார்தூல ஸேவிதம் ।
த்வஸ்தவ்ருக்ஷலதாகுல்மம்
துர்தர்ஸஸலிலாஸயம் ॥
நிஷ்கூஜநாநாஸகுநி
ஜில்லிகாகணநாதிதம் ।
லக்ஷ்மணாநுகதோ ராமோ
வநமத்யம் ததர்ஸ ஹ ॥
nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ
ṛkṣaṡārdūla sēvitam ।
dhvastavṛkṣalatāgulmaṃ
durdarṡasalilāṡayam ॥
niṣkūjanānāṡakuni
jhillikāgaṇanāditam ।
lakṣmaṇānugatō rāmō
vanamadhyaṃ dadarṡa ha ॥
Rāma, along with his follower, Lakshmaṇa,
then saw the interior of the Vana, which was
ruled by many kinds of beasts, bears and tigers,
full of decayed shrubs, vines and trees and unsightly ponds,
echoing with the shrill cries of birds
and with the chirping of swarms of crickets.
3.2.4 ஸீதயா ஸஹ காகுத்ஸ்த:
தஸ்மிந் கோரம்ருகாயுதே ।
ததர்ஸ கிரிஸ்ருங்காபம்
புருஷாதம் மஹாஸ்வநம் ॥
sītayā saha kākutsthaḥ
tasmin ghōramṛgāyutē ।
dadarṡa giriṡṛṅgābhaṃ
puruṣādaṃ mahāsvanam ॥
Kakutstha, along with Seetā,
then saw, among those terrible beasts,
a loud-voiced, man-eating Rākshasa,
who was huge like the crest of a mountain.
3.2.5 கபீராக்ஷம் மஹாவக்த்ரம்
விகடம் விஷமோதரம் ।
பீபத்ஸம் விஷமம் தீர்கம்
விக்ருதம் கோரதர்ஸநம் ॥
gabhīrākṣaṃ mahāvaktraṃ
vikaṭaṃ viṣamōdaram ।
bībhatsaṃ viṣamaṃ dīrghaṃ
vikṛtaṃ ghōradarṡanam ॥
His eyes were sunken. His face was large.
His form was awful. His stomach was disgusting.
He appearance was revolting
with disproportionate limbs,
ugly and horrid-looking.
3.2.6 வஸாநம் சர்ம வையாக்ரம்
வஸார்த்ரம் ருதிரோக்ஷிதம் ।
த்ராஸநம் ஸர்வபூதாநாம்
வ்யாதிதாஸ்யமிவாந்தகம் ॥
vasānaṃ carma vaiyāghraṃ
vasārdraṃ rudhirōkṣitam ।
trāsanaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ
vyāditāsyamivāntakam ॥
He was clad in the skin of a tiger.
He was greasy with lard on him
and blood dripping all over him.
His mouth was wide open.
He was terrifying to all beings, like Yama.
3.2.7-8a த்ரீந்ஸிம்ஹாந்ஸ்சதுரோ வ்யாக்ராந்
த்வௌ வ்ருகௌ ப்ருஷதாந்தஸ ।
ஸவிஷாணம் வஸாதிக்தம்
கஜஸ்ய ச ஸிரோ மஹத் ।
அவஸஜ்யாயஸே ஸூலே
விநதந்தம் மஹாஸ்வநம் ॥
trīnsimhānṡcaturō vyāghrān
dvau vṛkau pṛṣatāndaṡa ।
saviṣāṇaṃ vasādigdhaṃ
gajasya ca ṡirō mahat ।
avasajyāyasē ṡūlē
vinadantaṃ mahāsvanam ॥
He was making loud noises holding
three lions, four tigers, two wolves,
ten spotted deer, and the mighty head of
an elephant with its tusks, smeared with lard,
on the ends of a rusty iron trident.
3.2.8b-9a ஸ ராமம் லக்ஷ்மணம் சைவ
ஸீதாம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா ச மைதிலீம் ।
அப்யதாவத்ஸுஸங்க்ருத்த:
ப்ரஜா: கால இவாந்தக: ॥
sa rāmaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ caiva
sītāṃ dṛṣṭvā ca maithilīm ।
abhyadhāvatsusaṅkṛddhaḥ
prajāḥ kāla ivāntakaḥ ॥
When he saw Rāma, Lakshmaṇa and Seetā,
the princess of Mithilā,
he dashed towards them in all fury,
as Yama would on populace.
3.2.9b-10a ஸ க்ருத்வா பைரவம் நாதம்
சாலயந்நிவ மேதிநீம் ।
அங்கேநாதாய வைதேஹீம்
அபக்ரம்ய ததோऽப்ரவீத் ॥
sa kṛtvā bhairavaṃ nādaṃ
cālayanniva mēdinīm ।
aṅkēnādāya vaidēhīm
apakramya tatō'bravīt ॥
With a shuddering yell that seemed to shake the earth,
he grabbed Vaidēhi onto his lap, and moved aside saying:
3.2.10b-11a யுவாம் ஜடாசீரதரௌ
ஸபார்யௌ க்ஷீணஜீவிதௌ ।
ப்ரவிஷ்டௌ தண்டகாரண்யம்
ஸரசாபாஸிதாரிணௌ ॥
yuvāṃ jaṭācīradharau
sabhāryau kṣīṇajīvitau ।
praviṣṭau daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ
ṡaracāpāsidhāriṇau ॥
Hey you both, you with your wife,
with your matted locks and robes of bark,
wielding arrows and bow!
Your days are now numbered and hence
you entered this Daṇḍaka Araṇya!
3.2.11b-12a கதம் தாபஸயோர்வாம் ச
வாஸ: ப்ரமதயா ஸஹ ।
அதர்மசாரிணௌ பாபௌ
கௌ யுவாம் முநிதூஷகௌ ॥
kathaṃ tāpasayōrvāṃ ca
vāsaḥ pramadayā saha ।
adharmacāriṇau pāpau
kau yuvāṃ munidūṣakau ॥
How is it that you, Tapasvis, are living with a woman?
Who are you, sinners, fouling the rules of Munis?
3.2.12b-13a அஹம் வநமிதம் துர்கம்
விராதோ நாம ராக்ஷஸ: ।
சராமி ஸாயுதோ நித்யம்
ருஷிமாம்ஸாநி பக்ஷயந் ॥
ahaṃ vanamidaṃ durgaṃ
virādhō nāma rākṣasaḥ ।
carāmi sāyudhō nityam
ṛṣimāṃsāni bhakṣayan ॥
I am a Rākshasa by name Virādha.
I roam, armed, in this impenetrable Vana,
feeding upon the flesh of the Ṛshis.
3.2.13b-14a இயம் நாரீ வராரோஹா
மம பார்யா பவிஷ்யதி ।
யுவயோ: பாபயோஸ்சாஹம்
பாஸ்யாமி ருதிரம் ம்ருதே ॥
iyaṃ nārī varārōhā
mama bhāryā bhaviṣyati ।
yuvayōḥ pāpayōṡcāhaṃ
pāsyāmi rudhiraṃ mṛdhē ॥
This woman of wonderful Kaṭee shall be my wife.
And I shall drink the blood of you both, sinners, in fight! Kaṭee is the flowing curvy area of a woman, waist down till the upper thighs including the hips, whose shapeliness adds to her figure.
As there is no equivalent word in English, we will use the Sanskrit word Kaṭee, hereafter.
3.2.14b-15a தஸ்யைவம் ப்ருவதோ துஷ்டம்
விராதஸ்ய துராத்மந: ।
ஸ்ருத்வா ஸகர்விதம் வாக்யம்
ஸம்ப்ராந்தா ஜநகாத்மஜா ॥
tasyaivaṃ bruvatō duṣṭaṃ
virādhasya durātmanaḥ ।
ṡrutvā sagarvitaṃ vākyaṃ
sambhrāntā janakātmajā ॥
The daughter of Janaka was agitated
hearing that deriding blabber of the
wicked and evil Virādha.
3.2.15b-16 ஸீதா ப்ரவேபிதோத்வேகாத்
ப்ரவாதே கதலீ யதா ।
தாம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா ராகவ: ஸீதாம்
விராதாங்ககதாம் ஸுபாம் ।
அப்ரவீல்லக்ஷ்மணம் வாக்யம்
முகேந பரிஸுஷ்யதா ॥
sītā pravēpitōtvēgāt
pravātē kadalī yathā ।
tāṃ dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ sītāṃ
virādhāṅkagatāṃ ṡubhām ।
abravīllakṣmaṇaṃ vākyaṃ
mukhēna pariṡuṣyatā ॥
Seetā trembled with fear, like
a banana plant in heavy winds.
Seeing Seetā, the auspicious one, on the lap of Virādha,
Rāghava, with face parched, said to Lakshmaṇa:
3.2.17-18a பஸ்ய ஸௌம்ய நரேந்த்ரஸ்ய
ஜநகஸ்யாத்மஸம்பவாம் ।
மம பார்யாம் ஸுபாசாராம்
விராதாங்கே ப்ரவேஸிதாம் ॥
அத்யந்தஸுகஸம்வ்ருத்தாம்
ராஜபுத்ரீம் யஸஸ்விநீம் ।
paṡya saumya narēndrasya
janakasyātmasambhavām ।
mama bhāryāṃ ṡubhācārāṃ
virādhāṅkē pravēṡitām ॥
atyantasukhasaṃvṛddhāṃ
rājaputrīṃ yaṡasvinīm ।
Look, O gentle one, how the renowned princess,
the daughter of Janaka, the lord of the people,
who was raised in utmost comfort and became my wife,
and whose conduct is auspicious
is now dragged onto the lap of Virādha! Rāma experienced loss after loss and those losses created emptiness, making him emotionally unstable.
He is barred from the kingdom that had been part of his being since childhood. The loss of it created a void, a professional emptiness, of great magnitude in him.
To understand the gravity of this loss, let us draw a parallel from the contemporary times. Think of someone who had sincerely aspired to become a doctor, had completed years of study passing in high colors and completed residency making every senior doctor marvel at him for his extraordinary skills and aptitude for medicine.
Now imagine that when it came to the time of convocation, which would qualify him for practicing medicine, he, instead of receiving a degree, received an order barring him from practicing medicine and to be never near a hospital or medical facility, for no fault of his.
First, anyone who knows him, would, undoubtedly, get enraged for the unfairness. Patients, who knew him, feel sad that he will not be there for them anymore.
But more importantly think of what happens to that medical graduate emotionally from that point on. A vital part of his being is now cut off. A void is created. A professional emptiness takes over. It would feel as if he is living only half his life or a quarter of what he truly is. It takes an unspeakable amount of emotional toll on him. That is the situation that Rāma is in now.
Now, on top of the professional emptiness, assume that the medical graduate also lost his father and got distanced from all his kith and kin, friends and people who held him in high esteem and wish him well. That would be like cutting off another vital part of his being. It creates another void, social emptiness, on top of the professional emptiness. That is the situation of Rāma is in now.
This is too much for anyone to take. It is an emotional toll that no one would wish even for one's worst enemy.
The only thing that is meaningful in his life now, is the presence of Seetā, his dear and loving wife and the presence of his brother who zealously guards him. Rāma has no more emotional capacity left to take on any more losses, any more emptiness. He is in such a state that he would simply collapse under even a hint of loss to either Seetā or Lakshmaṇa.
And that is why he was taken over by shock, even before he could become enraged, when Virādha snatches Seetā.
As you would see later in this Kanda, Rāvaṇa, fully aware of the strength of Rāma, tries to weaken him by abducting Seetā, essentially hitting at his emotional vulnerability.
3.2.18b-19a யதபிப்ரேதமஸ்மாஸு
ப்ரியம் வரவ்ருதம் ச யத் ॥
கைகேய்யாஸ்து ஸுஸம்வ்ருத்தம்
க்ஷிப்ரமத்யைவ லக்ஷ்மண ।
yadabhiprētamasmāsu
priyaṃ varavṛtaṃ ca yat ॥
kaikēyyāstu susaṃvṛttaṃ
kṣipramadyaiva lakṣmaṇa ।
It took no time, O Lakshmaṇa, for
what Kaikēyee had hoped would happen to us
and what she asked as her favorite boon,
to become real.
3.2.19b-20 யா ந துஷ்யதி ராஜ்யேந
புத்ரார்தே தீர்கதர்ஸிநீ ॥
யயாऽஹம் ஸர்வபூதாநாம்
ப்ரிய: ப்ரஸ்தாபிதோ வநம் ।
அத்யேதாநீம் ஸகாமா ஸா
யா மாதா மத்யமா மம ॥
yā na tuṣyati rājyēna
putrārthē dīrghadarṡinī ॥
yayā'haṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ
priyaḥ prasthāpitō vanam ।
adyēdānīṃ sakāmā sā
yā mātā madhyamā mama ॥
She, who is one among my mothers,
who was not content with getting the kingdom for her son,
and who had the foresight to send me,
the beloved of all creatures, away to the Vana in exile,
has her wish fulfilled now.
3.2.21 பரஸ்பர்ஸாத்து வைதேஹ்யா:
ந து:கதரமஸ்திமே ।
பிதுர்விநாஸாத்ஸௌமித்ரே
ஸ்வராஜ்யஹரணாத்ததா ॥
parasparṡāttu vaidēhyāḥ
na duḥkhataramastimē ।
piturvināṡātsaumitrē
svarājyaharaṇāttathā ॥
What could be of greater grief to me
than to have my kingdom taken away,
to have my father destroyed
and to have my wife touched by another man!
3.2.22 இதி ப்ருவதி காகுத்ஸ்தே
பாஷ்பஸோகபரிப்லுதே ।
அப்ரவீல்லக்ஷ்மண: க்ருத்தோ
ருத்தோ நாக இவ ஸ்வஸந் ॥
iti bruvati kākutsthē
bāṣpaṡōkapariplutē ।
abravīllakṣmaṇaḥ kruddhō
ruddhō nāga iva ṡvasan ॥
When Kakutstha said this,
Lakshmaṇa was filled with grief and tears.
Enraged and hissing like a
serpent that was blocked, he said:
3.2.23 அநாத இவ பூதாநாம்
நாதஸ்த்வம் வாஸவோபம: ।
மயா ப்ரேஷ்யேண காகுத்ஸ்த
கிமர்தம் பரிதப்யஸே ॥
anātha iva bhūtānāṃ
nāthastvaṃ vāsavōpamaḥ ।
mayā prēṣyēṇa kākutstha
kimarthaṃ paritapyasē ॥
O Kākutstha, You, who are
comparable to Indra, are the lord all beings.
And you have me at your service.
Why do you wail, like a forlorn creature?
3.2.24 ஸரேண நிஹதஸ்யாத்ய
மயா க்ருத்தேந ரக்ஷஸ: ।
விராதஸ்ய கதாஸோர்ஹி
மஹீ பாஸ்யதி ஸோணிதம் ॥
ṡarēṇa nihatasyādya
mayā kruddhēna rakṣasaḥ ।
virādhasya gatāsōrhi
mahī pāsyati ṡōṇitam ॥
I am so enraged that this Rākshasa
will now to lose his life, struck by my arrow.
The earth will now drink the blood of Virādha.
3.2.25 ராஜ்யகாமே மம க்ரோதோ
பரதே யோ பபூவ ஹ ।
தம் விராதே ப்ரமோக்ஷ்யாமி
வஜ்ரீ வஜ்ரமிவாசலே ॥
rājyakāmē mama krōdhō
bharatē yō babhūva ha ।
taṃ virādhē pramōkṣyāmi
vajrī vajramivācalē ॥
I shall release my outrage,
which arose at Bharata for wanting the kingdom,
at Virādha, as Indra releases Vajra at the mountain.
3.2.26 மம புஜபலவேகவேகித:
பதது ஸரோऽஸ்ய மஹாந்மஹோரஸி ।
வ்யபநயது தநோஸ்ச ஜீவிதம்
பதது ததஸ்ஸமஹீம் விகூர்ணித: ॥
mama bhujabalavēgavēgitaḥ
patatu ṡarō'sya mahānmahōrasi ।
vyapanayatu tanōṡca jīvitaṃ
patatu tatassamahīṃ vighūrṇitaḥ ॥
Speeded up by the swift strength of my arms,
this mighty arrow will strike his mighty chest
driving the life out of his body.
Then he will fall on to the ground tumbling.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அரண்யகாண்டே த்விதீயஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
araṇyakāṇḍē dvitīyassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the second Sarga
in Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.