ह्रियमाणौ तु काकुत्स्थौ दृष्ट्वा सीता रघूत्तमौ । उच्चैः स्वरेण चुक्रोश प्रगृह्य सुमहाभुजौ॥
Seeing those foremost of Raghus, the Kākutsthas, carried away, Sītā carried in a loud voice, raising up her arms. * *Another reading is Subhujābhujau-That one of elegant arms (raising) them up.
एष दाशरथी रामः सत्यवाञ्छीलवाञ्शुचिः। रक्षसा रौद्ररूपेण ह्रियते सहलक्ष्मणः॥
Rāma, the son of Dasaratha, the strong, the truthful and the pure, is, along with Laksmana, being carried away by you, Rākşasa of a terrible appearance.
मामृक्षा भक्षयिष्यन्ति सार्दुलद्वीपिनस्तथा। मां हरोत्सृज काकुत्स्थौ नमस्ते राक्षसोत्तम॥
Me bears will devour and tigers and panthers. Renouncing the Kākutsthas, do you carry me away. I bow to you, O best of Raksasas.
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा वैदेह्या रामलक्ष्मणौ। वेगं प्रचक्रतुर्वीरौ वधे तस्य दुरात्मनः॥
Hearing these words of Vaidehi, Rāma and Lakşmaņa bestirred themselves for compassing the death of that wicked one.
तस्य रौद्रस्य सौमित्रिः सव्यं बाहुं बभञ्ज ह। रामस्तु दक्षिणं बाहुं तरसा तस्य रक्षसः॥
And Sumitra's son broke his left arm; while Rāma at once broke the Rākşasa's right one.
स भग्नबाहुः संविग्नः पपाताशु विमूछितः। धरण्यां मेघसंकाशो वज्रभिन्न इवाचलः॥
On his arms being broken, the Raksasa resembling a mass of clouds, growing weak, sank down on the ground in a swoon, like a hill riven by the thunderbolt.
मुष्टिभिर्वाहुभिः पद्भिः सूदयन्तौ तु राक्षसम्। उद्यम्योद्यम्य चाप्येनं स्थण्डिले निष्पिपेषतुः॥
Thereupon, They assailed the Rākṣasa with their fists, arms and feet; and lifting him up once and again, and pressing him, they trod on him over the ground.
स विद्धो बहुभिर्बाणैः खङ्गाभ्यां च परिक्षतः। निष्पिष्टो बहुधा भूमौ न ममार स राक्षसः॥
Although he was sore pierced by full many an arrow and cut shortly by scimitars, and pressed down on the earth in various ways, yet the Rākşasa expired not.
तं प्रेक्ष्य रामः सुभृशमवध्यम च लोपमम्। भयेष्वभयदः श्रीमानिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ तपसा पुरुषव्याघ्र राक्षसोऽयं न शक्यते। शस्त्रेण युधि निर्जेतुं राक्षसं निखनावहे॥
Seeing him utterly incapable of being killed, and resembling a hill, that inspirer of hope in times of peril, the graceful (Rama), said, O foreinost of men, in consequence of his austerities, yon Rākşasa cannot be vanquished with weapons in conflict. Therefore, let us cast him into a pit.
कुञ्जरस्येव रौद्रस्य राक्षसस्यास्य लक्ष्मण। वनेऽस्मिन् सुमहच्छ्वभ्रं खन्यतां रौद्रवर्चसः॥
O Lakşmaņa, dig a capacious pit in this forest* for this Rākşhasa resembling an elephant, terrible, and of a grim presence. *The reading slightly varies in some texts.-T
इत्युक्त्वा लक्ष्मणं रामः प्रदरः खन्यतामिति । तस्थौ विराधमाक्रम्य कण्ठे पादेन वीर्यवान्॥
Having said this to Lakşmaņa,-Do you dig a pit, the powerful Rāma remained planting his foot on Virādha's throat.
तच्छ्रुत्वा राघवेणोक्तं राक्षस: प्रश्रितं वचः। इदं प्रोवाच काकुत्स्थं विराधः पुरुषर्षभम्॥
Having heard Rāghava's words, the Rākşasa Virādha, spoke gently to the descendant of Kākutstha, the best among the men.
हतोऽहं पुरुषव्याघ्र शक्रतुल्यबलेन वै। मया तु पूर्वं त्वं मोहान ज्ञातः पुरुषर्षभ॥
Slain am I, O chief of men, by you possessed of strength equal to that of Śakra. Through ignorance, O foremost of men, I could not before know you.
कौसल्या सुप्रजास्तात रामस्त्वं विदितो मया। वैदेही च महाभागा लक्ष्मणश्च महायसाः॥
Now I know you that are Rāma, the worthy Son of Kausalyā, my child; as well as the highly virtuous Vaidehi and the renowned Lakşmaņa.
अभिशापादहं घोरां प्रविष्टो राक्षसी तनुम्। तुम्बुरुर्नाम गन्धर्वः शप्तो वैश्रवणेन हि ॥
By virtue of a curse, I entered this dreadful Räkşasi form, I a Gandharva, having been cursed by Vaisravaņa.
प्रसाद्यमानश्च मया सोऽब्रवीन्मां महायशाः। यदा दाशरथी रामस्त्वां वधिष्यति संयुगे॥ तदा प्रकृतिमापन्नो भवान् स्वर्गं गमिष्यति।
Being propitiated by me, that greatly famous one said, 'When Rāma the son of Dasaratha, shall slay you in encounter, you, attaining your natural condition, shall repair to the celestial regions.'
अनुपस्थीयमानो मां स क्रुद्धो व्याजहार ह॥ इति वैश्रवणो राजा रम्भासक्तमुवाच ह।
Getting wroth, he cursed me, who had been absent; and thus did king Vaiśravaņa address me, who had conceived love for Rambhā.
तव प्रसादान्मुक्तोऽहमभिशापात् सुदारुणात्॥ भुवनं स्वं गमिष्यामि स्वस्ति वोऽस्तु परंतप।
Through your grace have I been freed from this fearful curse, I shall (now) repair to heaven. Hail, O repressor of foes!
इतो वसति धर्मात्मा सरभङ्गः प्रतापवान्॥ अध्यर्धयोजने तात महर्षिः सूर्यसंनिभः। तं क्षिप्रमभिगच्छ त्वं स ते श्रेयोऽभिधास्यति ॥ अवटे चापि मां राम निक्षिप्य कुशली व्रज। रक्षसां गतसत्वानामेष धर्मः सनातनः॥
Half a Yojana hence, my child, dwells the righteous and potent Maharși, Śarabharga, resembling the Sun. Seek him speedily: he will bring about your good. Casting me (into this pit) in the wood, do you, O Rama, peacefully go your way. Even this is the eternal usage of the Raksasas.
अवटे ये निधीयन्ते तेषां लोकाः सनातनाः। एवमुक्त्वा तु काकुत्स्थं विराधः शरपीडितः॥ बभूव स्वर्गसम्प्राप्तो न्यस्तदेहो महाबलः।
Those that die in the forest, attain eternal regions. Having said this to Kākutstha, the mighty Viradha, afflicted with arrows, having his body deposited (in the pit), attained heaven.
तच्छ्रुत्वा राघवो वाक्यं लक्ष्मणं व्यादिदेश ह॥ कुञ्जरस्येव रौद्रस्य राक्षसस्यास्य लक्ष्मण। वनेऽस्मिन्सुमहाश्वभ्रः खन्यतां रौद्रकर्मणः॥
Having heard that speech of Virādha, Rāghava ordered Laksmana, saying, O Laksmana, do you in this forest dig a capacious pit for this Rākṣasa resembling an elephant, dreadful, and of terrible acts.
इत्युक्त्वा लक्ष्मणं रामः प्रदरः खन्यतामिति। तस्थौ विराधमाक्रम्य कण्ठे पादेन वीर्यवान् ॥
Having said to Laksmana, “Dig a pit," Rāma possessed of prowess remained fixing his foot on Virādha's throat.
ततः खनित्रमादाय लक्ष्मणः श्वभ्रमुत्तमम्। अखनत् पार्श्वतस्तस्य विराधस्य महात्मनः॥
Then taking a hoe, Lakşmaņa dug a spacious pit by the side of the huge-bodied* Virādha. *Mahātmānam-lit.-high-souled. The poet may have applied the epithet in this sense in view of Virādha being really a Gandharva. I have, however, preferred the other sense, as being more in harmony with the character of Virādha as a Rākşasa; and have accordingly rendered the word, huge bodied.
तं मुक्तकण्ठमुत्क्षिप्य शङ्कुकर्णं महास्वनम्। विराधं प्राक्षिपच्छ्वभ्रे नदन्तं भैरवस्वनम्॥ तमाहवे दारुणमाशुविक्रमौ स्थिरावुभौ संयति रामलक्ष्मणौ। मुदान्वितौ चिक्षिपतुर्भयावह नदन्तमुत्क्षिप्य बलेन राक्षसम्॥
Then when his throat had been freed (Laks maņa) cast into the pit Virādha having ears resembling javelins, sending loud and dreadful sounds.
अवध्यतां प्रेक्ष्य महासुरस्य तौ शितेन शस्त्रेण तदा नरर्षभौ। समर्थ्य चात्यर्थविशारदावुभौ बिले विराधस्य वधं प्रचक्रतुः॥
Having vanquished him in fight, Rāma and Lakşmana possessed of activity and steady in fight, being exceedingly delighted, raising up the dreadful Räksasa by main force, cast him howling (into the pit). Reflecting that he was incapable of being slain (by sharpened weapons), those foremost of men, exceedingly well versed (in arms), compassed the death of that mighty Asura, Virādha, in the pit, after they had dug it.
स्वयं विराधेन हि मृत्युमात्मनः प्रसह्य रामेण यथार्थमीप्सितः। निवेदितः काननचारिणा स्वयं न मे वधः शस्त्रकृतो भवेदिति ॥
Virādha had himself sincerely wished for his death at the hands of Räma; and that ranger of the woods had accordingly told (Rāma),: My death cannot be effected by means of weapons.
तदेव रामेण निशम्य भाषितं कृता मतिस्तस्य बिलप्रवेशने। बिलं च तेनातिबलेन रक्षसा प्रवेश्यमानेन वनं विनादितम्॥
Having heard these words, Rāma decided upon casting him into a pit. And when the excessively strong Rākṣasa entered the cavity, he made the forest resound with his cries,
प्रहृष्टरूपाविव रामलक्ष्मणौ विराधमुर्त्यां प्रदरे निपात्य तम्। ननन्दतुर्वीतभयौ महावने शिलाभिरन्तर्दधतुश्च राक्षसम्॥ ततस्तु तौ काञ्चनचित्रकार्मुको निहत्य रक्षः परिगृह्य मैथिलीम्। विजह्रतुस्तौ मुदितौ महावने दिवि स्थितौ चन्द्रदिवाकराविव॥
Having thrown him into the hole in the earth, Rāma and Lakşmaņa, their fear being removed, and covered the Rākṣasa with rocks. And having slain the Rākşasa and taken Mithila's daughter, those ones having bows decked in gold, being delighted, rejoiced in that mighty forest, like the sun and the moon seated in the sky.