The Rāmāyana, Volume 2. Āranya, Kishkindhā, and Sundara Kāndam
Part 1
Produced by James Simmons.
This file was produced from page images at the Internet Archive.
Transcriber's Note
This book was transcribed from scans of several different copies of the original found at the Internet Archive. The typesetters of the original book represented the letter a (with a macron above) as a (with circumflex above) when italicized, but this etext uses the macron throughout. Words in italics in this etext were italicized in the original book. I have corrected obvious misspellings but I've left variant spellings alone. Some words and names, like _yojana_ and _Garuda_, were spelled two different ways in the same text. I have spelled them consistently to avoid confusion.
THE RAMAYANA
Translated into English Prose from the original Sanskrit of Valmiki
ARANYA KANDAM.
EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY
MANMATHA NATH DUTT, M. A.
Rector, Keshub Academy.
printed by Girish Chandra Chackravarti, Deva Press, 65/2, Beadon Street. CALCUTTA. 1891
[All rights reserved.]
ARANYA KANDAM. .................................................... SECTION I. ...................................................... SECTION II. ..................................................... SECTION III. .................................................... SECTION IV. ..................................................... SECTION V. ...................................................... SECTI0N VI. ..................................................... SECTION VII. .................................................... SECTION VIII. ................................................... SECTION IX. ..................................................... SECTION X. ...................................................... SECTION XI. ..................................................... SECTION XII. .................................................... SECTION XIII. ................................................... SECTION XIV. .................................................... SECTION XV. ..................................................... SECTION XVI. .................................................... SECTION XVII. ................................................... SECTION XVIII. .................................................. SECTION XIX. .................................................... SECTION XX. ..................................................... SECTION XXI. .................................................... SECTION XXII. ................................................... SECTION XXIII. .................................................. SECTION XXIV. ................................................... SECTION XXV. .................................................... SECTION XXVI. ................................................... SECTION XXVII. .................................................. SECTION XXVIII. ................................................. SECTION XXIX. ................................................... SECTION XXX. .................................................... SECTION XXXI. ................................................... SECTION XXXII. .................................................. SECTION XXXIII. ................................................. SECTION XXXIV. .................................................. SECTION XXXV. ................................................... SECTION XXXVI. .................................................. SECTION XXXVII. ................................................. SECTION XXXVIII. ................................................ SECTION XXXIX. .................................................. SECTION XL. ..................................................... SECTION XLI. .................................................... SECTION XLII. ................................................... SECTION XLIII. .................................................. SECTION XLIV. ................................................... SECTION XLV. .................................................... SECTION XLVI. ................................................... SECTION XLVII. .................................................. SECTION XLVIII. ................................................. SECTION XLIX. ................................................... SECTION L. ...................................................... SECTION LI. ..................................................... SECTION LII. .................................................... SECTION LIII. ................................................... SECTION LIV. .................................................... SECTION LV. ..................................................... SECTION LVI. .................................................... SECTION LVI. .................................................... SECTION LVII. ................................................... SECTION LVIII. .................................................. SECTION LIX. .................................................... SECTION LX. ..................................................... SECTION LXI. .................................................... SECTION LXII. ................................................... SECTION LXIII. .................................................. SECTION LXIV. ................................................... SECTION LXV. .................................................... SECTION LXVI. ................................................... SECTION LXVII. .................................................. SECTION LXVIII. ................................................. SECTION LXIX. ................................................... SECTION LXX. .................................................... SECTION LXXI. ................................................... SECTION LXXII. .................................................. SECTION LXXIII. ................................................. SECTION LXXIV. .................................................. SECTION LXXV. ................................................... KISHKINDHA KANDAM. ................................................ SECTION I. ...................................................... SECTION II. ..................................................... SECTION III. .................................................... SECTION IV. ..................................................... SECTION V. ...................................................... SECTION VI. ..................................................... SECTION VII. .................................................... SECTION VIII. ................................................... SECTION IX. ..................................................... SECTION X. ...................................................... SECTION XI. ..................................................... SECTION XII. .................................................... SECTION XIII. ................................................... SECTION XIV. .................................................... SECTION XV. ..................................................... SECTION XVI. .................................................... SECTION XVII. ................................................... SECTION XVIII. .................................................. SECTION XIX. .................................................... SECTION XX. ..................................................... SECTION XXI. .................................................... SECTION XXII. ................................................... SECTION XXIII. .................................................. SECTION XXIV. ................................................... SECTION XXV. .................................................... SECTION XXVI. ................................................... SECTION XXVII. .................................................. SECTION XXVIII. ................................................. SECTION XXIX. ................................................... SECTION XXX. .................................................... SECTION XXXI. ................................................... SECTION XXXII. .................................................. SECTION XXXIII. ................................................. SECTION XXXIV. .................................................. SECTION XXXV. ................................................... SECTION XXXVI. .................................................. SECTION XXXVII. ................................................. SECTION XXXVIII. ................................................ SECTION XXXIX. .................................................. SECTION XL. ..................................................... SECTION XLI. .................................................... SECTION XLII. ................................................... SECTION XLIII. .................................................. SECTION XLIV. ................................................... SECTION XLV. .................................................... SECTION XLVI. ................................................... SECTION XLVII. .................................................. SECTION XLVIII. ................................................. SECTION XLIX. ................................................... SECTION L. ...................................................... SECTION LI. ..................................................... SECTION LII. .................................................... SECTION LIII. ................................................... SECTION LIV. .................................................... SECTION LV. ..................................................... SECTION LVI. .................................................... SECTION LVII. ................................................... SECTION LVIII. .................................................. SECTION LIX. .................................................... SECTION LX. ..................................................... SECTION LXI. .................................................... SECTION LXII. ................................................... SECTION LXIII. .................................................. SECTION LXIV. ................................................... SECTION LXV. .................................................... SECTION LXVI. ................................................... SECTION LXVII. .................................................. SUNDARA KANDAM. ................................................... SECTION I. ...................................................... SECTION II. ..................................................... SECTION III. .................................................... SECTION IV. ..................................................... SECTION V. ...................................................... SECTION VI. ..................................................... SECTION VII. .................................................... SECTION VIII. ................................................... SECTION IX. ..................................................... SECTION X. ...................................................... SECTION XI. ..................................................... SECTION XII. .................................................... SECTION XIII. ................................................... SECTION XIV. .................................................... SECTION XV. ..................................................... SECTION XVI. .................................................... SECTION XVII. ................................................... SECTION XVIII. .................................................. SECTION XIX. .................................................... SECTION XX. ..................................................... SECTION XXI. .................................................... SECTION XXII. ................................................... SECTION XXIII. .................................................. SECTION XXIV. ................................................... SECTION XXV. .................................................... SECTION XXVI. ................................................... SECTION XXVII. .................................................. SECTION XXVIII. ................................................. SECTION XXIX. ................................................... SECTION XXX. .................................................... SECTION XXXI. ................................................... SECTION XXXII. .................................................. SECTION XXXIII. ................................................. SECTION XXXIV. .................................................. SECTION XXXV. ................................................... SECTION XXXVI. .................................................. SECTION XXXVII. ................................................. SECTION XXXVIII. ................................................ SECTION XXXIX. .................................................. SECTION XL. ..................................................... SECTION XLI. .................................................... SECTION XLII. ................................................... SECTION XLIII. .................................................. SECTION XLIV. ................................................... SECTION XLV. .................................................... SECTION XLVI. ................................................... SECTION XLVII. .................................................. SECTION XLVIII. ................................................. SECTION XLIX. ................................................... SECTION L. ...................................................... SECTION LI. ..................................................... SECTION LII. .................................................... SECTION LIII. ................................................... SECTION LIV. .................................................... SECTION LV. ..................................................... SECTION LVI. .................................................... SECTION LVII. ................................................... SECTION LVIII. .................................................. SECTION LIX. .................................................... SECTION LX. ..................................................... SECTION LXI. .................................................... SECTION LXII. ................................................... SECTION LXIII. .................................................. SECTION LXIV. ................................................... SECTION LXV. .................................................... SECTION LXVI. ................................................... SECTION LXVII. ..................................................
ARANYA KANDAM.
SECTION I.
Entering the extensive forest of Dandaka, the irrepressible and self-composed Rama saw the collection of asylums belonging unto the ascetics, strewn with Kuca and bark, and environed by spiritual energy; incapable of being beheld; like the solar disc in the heavens,--the refuge of all creatures--with their ornamented yards; filled with a great many deer, and abounding in multitudes of birds; in which Apsaras always danced and which they held in respect; (asylums) beauteous with spacious rooms for fire-sacrifice, with sacrificial necessaries, deer-skins, Kuca, faggots, water-pitchers, fruits and roots; surrounded by mighty and sacred forest-trees; crowned with lucious fruits; honored with Vali[1] and Homa[2]; holy; resounding with the sounds of Vedic recitations; scattered with divers blossoms; and containing tanks filled with lotuses; with ancient ascetics living on fruits and roots, having their senses under control, wearing bark and black deer-skins, and possessing the splendour of the sun or fire; and adorned by great and holy sages living upon regulated fare. Beholding that collection of asylums belonging unto the ascetics, resembling the regions of Brahma, resonant with the voices of Vedic recitations; and grateful; with highly pious Brahmanas versed in the Vedas,--the exceedingly energetic and graceful Raghava entered the same, having first unstrung his mighty bow. Thereupon, seeing the righteous Rama resembling the moon risen, as well as Lakshmana and the illustrious Vaidehi, those Maharshis endeued with spiritual intuition, came forward (to meet the incomers); and, having uttered benedictions, those persons of rigid vows, received them. And those dwellers of the wood, struck with wonder, beheld Rama's tender grace and lovliness and elegance of dress. And struck with astonishment, those inhabitants of the woods of pre-eminent piety saw Vaidehi, Lakshmana and Rama, with winkless eyes. And those persons of exalted virtue, engaged in the welfare of all creatures, made Raghava, their guest, sit down in their thatched cottage. Then, having received Rama respectfully according to scriptural prescription, those virtuous ones of eminent piety, resembling fire, procured water (for Rama). And, experiencing great delight, those high-souled ones, uttering benedictions, procured wild fruits, flowers and roots; and, having assigned an asylum (unto Rama), those persons cognizant of righteousness, said with joined hands, "Possessed of high fame, thou, the protector of righteousness, art the refuge of these people. Thou shoudst be honored and worshipped, being their king, holding the rod, and their superior. O Raghava, it is because he that governs his subjects, is a fourth part of Indra himself, that the king, being bowed down unto by all, enjoys the choicest things. And we, being in thy dominions, ought to be protected by thee. Whether living in the city or in the woods, thou, lord of men, art our sovereign. We have renounced chastising others; and, O monarch, we have conquered our anger, and subdued our passions. Therefore, even as a child in its mother's womb (should be protected by her), should we be protected by thee." Having said this, they entertained Raghava, along with Lakshmana, with fruits and roots and flowers and diverse other edibles procurable in the woods. In the same way, other ascetics of accomplished purposes, living lives of integrity, duly pleased that lord, Rama, resembling Vaicyanara.
[1] Offerings to the spirits of air.--T.
[2] Burnt offerings, or oblations of clarified butter into the sacred fire, as an offering to the gods, accompanied with prayers or invocations.--T.
SECTION II.
Having received the homage of the ascetics, Rama about sun-rise, having greeted them all, entered into the forest. And Rama, followed by Lakshmana, 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. And, having in company with Sita arrived at that forest abounding in terrible beasts, Kakutstha saw a man-eater, resembling a mountain-summit, emitting tremendous roars, with hollow eyes, a huge face, frightful, having a deformed belly, disgusting, dreadful, Cyclopean, mis-shapen, of a horrible sight, clad in a tiger-skin, besmeared with fat, covered with blood, capable of frightening all creatures, with his mouth widely extended, like unto the Destroyer himself, and uttering loud shouts,--who stood piercing with his iron dart three lions, four tigers, two leopards, four Prishatas, and the huge tusked head of an elephant dripping fat. Having seen Rama and Lakshmana, as well as Sita the daughter of Mithila, he growing angry, rushed (against them), like the Destroyer himself rushing against creatures at the universal dissolution. Uttering a dreadful yell, and, as if making the earth tremble, he took Vaidehi on his waist, and, going a little distance, said, "O ye wearing bark and matted locks, O ye 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 ye wish to associate with a (single) woman? Ye wicked wretches, ye impious wights, who are ye that bring disgrace upon ascetics? I am a Rakshasa, Viradha 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 ye are." Hearing the wicked and vaunting speech of the impious Viradha, as he said this, Janaka's daughter, Sita, began to tremble from fear, like a plantain tree shaken by the wind. Seeing the graceful Sita on the waist of Viradha, Raghava with a blank countenance said unto Lakshmana, "O amiable one, behold the daughter of king Janaka, my wife of pure ways, an illustrious princess brought up in luxury--on Viradha's waist O Lakshmana, what had been wished for by Kaikeyi with reference to us, (hath taken place), and the dear boon (that she had asked) hath 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 unto her above all other creatures, had been banished to the woods, hath to-day her wishes crowned with success. O Sumitra's son, nothing can impart unto me greater anguish than the touching of Vaidehi by another-- which surpasses my father's demise and my having been deprived of the kingdom." As Kakutstha with his eyes flooded with tears was speaking thus, Lakshmana flying into a rage, spoke like unto a confined elephant: "Why dost thou, O Kakutstha, being the lord of all creatures and resembling Vasava himself,--and also backed by myself, thy servant,-- grieve like one forlorn? The earth shall drink the gore of this Rakshasa, Viradha, when deprived of life, after he hath been slain with a shaft by my angry self. That ire of mine which I had conceived against Bharata hankering after the kingdom, will I discharge on Viradha; even as the weilder of the thunder holt hurls his weapon at a hill. 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).
SECTION III.