तौ तु तत्र स्थितौ दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। बाहुपाशपरिक्षिप्तौ कबन्धो वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Beholding both the brothers, Rāma and Laks maņa, clasping each other with their arms, the headless demon spoke:
तिष्ठतः किं नु मां दृष्ट्वा क्षुधार्तं क्षत्रियर्षभौ। आहारार्थं तु संदिष्टौ दैवेन हतचेतनौ॥
O two best of Ksatryas, are you waiting here beholding me hungry? O you having lost your sense, you have been chosen by Destiny as my food.
तच्छ्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणो वाक्यं प्राप्तकालं हितं तदा। उवाचार्तिसमापनो विक्रमे कृतनिश्चयः॥
Hearing those words Laksmana, sore, distressed and determined to display his valour, addressed Rāma with words worthy of being said on that occasion.
त्वं च मां च पुरा तूर्णमादत्ते राक्षसाधमः। तस्मादसिभ्यामस्याशु बाहू छिन्दावहे गुरू ॥
This vile Rākṣasa shall seize both of us; let us sunder soon its two huge arms with our daggers.
भीषणोऽयं महाकायो राक्षसो भुजविक्रमः। लोकं ह्यतिजितं कृत्वा ह्यावां हन्तुमिहेच्छति॥
This grim-visaged Raksasas, of huge proportions, gifted only with the strength of arms, defeating all other persons, has addressed itself at last to destroy us.
निश्चेष्टानां वधो राजन् कुत्सितो जगतीपतेः। क्रतुमध्योपनीतानां पशूनामिव राघव॥
It is odious for the Kșatriyas to make away with those who cannot defend themselves like to animals brought for sacrifice.* The purport is : Lakṣmaṇa wanted to chop off the arms of Kabandha and not to put an end to its life as it was not capable of fighting, being a headless demon. And it is not proper for the Ks atryas to destroy those who cannot fight.
एतत् संजल्पितं श्रुत्वा तयोः क्रुद्धस्तु राक्षसः। विदार्यास्यं ततो रौद्रं तौ भक्षयितुमारभत्॥
Hearing their conversation, the Raksasa, inflamed with rage, widening its terrible mouth, prepared to devour them up. This has a special significance here-meaning to get hold of them by stretching forth its arms.
ततस्तौ देशकालज्ञौ खङ्गाभ्यामेष राघवौ। अच्छिन्दन्तां सुसंहृष्टौ बाहू तस्यांसदेशयोः ॥
Thereat Rāma and Lakşmana, cognizant of time and place, pleased+, sundered its arms off its shoulders with their daggers. They were pleased because they cut off its arms with ease like to the trunks of a plantain tree.
दक्षिणो दक्षिणं बाहुमलक्तमसिना ततः। चिच्छेद रामो वेगेन सव्यं वीरस्तु लक्ष्मणः॥
Rāma, stationed on the right side cut off in no time its right arm with his dagger and the heroic Laksmana, the left one. It may mean also expert.
स पपात महाबाहुश्छिन्नबाहुमहास्वनः। खं च गां च दिशश्चैव नादयञ्जलदो यथा॥
Having got its arms dissevered, the terriblevoiced, Kabandha, of huge arms, roaring like to the muttering of clouds and resounding the heaven, earth and all the quarters, fell flat on the ground.
स निकृत्तौ भुजौ दृष्ट्वा शोणितौघपरिप्लुतः। दीनः पप्रच्छ तौ वीरौ कौ युवामिति दानवः॥
Beholding both its arms cut off, the demon, with its person bathed in blood, asked them poorly Who are you?
इति तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य लक्ष्मणः शुभलक्षणः। शशंस तस्य काकुत्स्थं कबन्धस्य महाबलः॥
Being thus accosted by Kabandha, the mighty Lakşmana, gifted with auspicious marks, spoke to it, about Kākutstha.
अयमिक्ष्वाकुदायादो रामो नाम जनैः श्रुतः। तस्यैवावरजं विद्धि भ्रातरं मां च लक्ष्मणम्॥
He is a descendant of the Ikşvākus known on earth by the name of Rāma, and know me as his younger brother, by name-Laksmana.
मात्रा प्रतिहते राज्ये रामः प्रव्राजितो वनम्। मया सह चरत्येष भार्यया च महद् वनम्॥ अस्य देवप्रभावस्य वसते विजने वने। रक्षसापहृता भार्या यामिच्छन्ताविहागतौ॥
Being thwarted by mother (Kaikeyi) in his accession of kingdom, he, renouncing all, has fled as an exile to woods, and has, along with me and his spouse, been ranging this forest. While living in the dense forest the wife of Răma, effulgent like to the celestials has been ravished by a Raksasa. Searching her, have we come here.
त्वं तु को वा किमर्थं वा कवन्धसदृशो वने। आस्येनोरसि दीप्तेन भग्नजङ्घो विचेष्टसे॥
Who are you? And what for are you ranging this forest like to a headless demon, having your thighs broken and your flaming face placed on your breast?
एवमुक्तः कबन्धस्तु लक्ष्मणेनोत्तरं वचः। उवाच वचनं प्रीतस्तदिन्द्रवचनं स्मरन्॥
Being thus addressed by Lakṣmaṇa with these goodly words, Kabandha, pleased, recollecting the words of Indra, bespoke him,
स्वागतं वा नरव्याघ्रौ दिष्ट्या पश्यामि वामहम्। दिष्ट्या चेमौ निकृत्तौ मे युवाभ्यां बाहुबन्धनौ॥
O two best of men, you are welcome! By my good luck it is that I do behold you. By my good fortune you have dissevered my shoulders today.
विरूपं यच्च मे रूपं प्राप्तं ह्यविनयाद् यथा। तन्मे शृणु नरव्याघ्र तत्त्वतः शंसतस्तव॥
Do you hear; I shall relate truly to you how have I, by my haughtiness, come by this unsightly shape.