The Deliverance of Kabandha

Shloka 1 (aranya.70.1)

तौ तु तत्र स्थितौ दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरौ राम लक्ष्मणौ । बाहु पाश परिक्षिप्तौ कबन्धो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् ॥ 70.1 ॥

tau tu tatra sthitau dṛṣṭvā bhrātarau rāma lakṣmaṇau | bāhu pāśa parikṣiptau kabandho vākyam abravīt || 70.1 ||

Seeing the two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, held fast there, ensnared within the noose of his arms, Kabandha spoke these words.

Shloka 2 (aranya.70.2)

तिष्ठतः किम् नु माम् दृष्ट्वा क्षुधा आर्तम् क्षत्रिय ऋषभौ । आहार अर्थम् तु सन्दिष्टौ दैवेन गत चेतसौ ॥ 70.2 ॥

tiṣṭhataḥ kim nu mām dṛṣṭvā kṣudhā ārtam kṣatriya ṛṣabhau | āhāra artham tu sandiṣṭau daivena gata cetasau || 70.2 ||

"O best of kshatriyas, why do you stand still on seeing me tormented by hunger? You have been sent by fate as my food, and your senses have already left you."

Shloka 3 (aranya.70.3)

तत् श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणो वाक्यम् प्राप्त कालम् हितम् तदा । उवाच आर्तिम् समापन्नो विक्रमे कृत निश्चयः ॥ 70.3 ॥

tat śrutvā lakṣmaṇo vākyam prāpta kālam hitam tadā | uvāca ārtim samāpanno vikrame kṛta niścayaḥ || 70.3 ||

On hearing this, Lakshmana, though overtaken by anguish yet resolved on valiant action, spoke words that were timely and useful.

Shloka 4 (aranya.70.4)

त्वाम् च माम् च पुरा तूर्णम् आदत्ते राक्षस अधमः । तस्मात् असिभ्याम् अस्य आशु बाहू चिन्दावहे गुरू ॥ 70.4 ॥

tvām ca mām ca purā tūrṇam ādatte rākṣasa adhamaḥ | tasmāt asibhyām asya āśu bāhū cindāvahe gurū || 70.4 ||

"This vile demon is about to swiftly seize both you and me; therefore, let us at once sever his two massive arms with our swords.

Shloka 5 (aranya.70.5)

भिषणो अयम् महाकायो राक्षसो भुज विक्रमः । लोकम् हि अति जितम् कृत्वा हि अवाम् हन्तुम् इह इच्छति ॥ 70.5 ॥

bhiṣaṇo ayam mahākāyo rākṣaso bhuja vikramaḥ | lokam hi ati jitam kṛtvā hi avām hantum iha icchati || 70.5 ||

This gruesome, colossal demon, mighty in his arms alone, has utterly conquered this region, and now he wishes to slay the two of us here.

Shloka 6 (aranya.70.6)

निश्चेष्टानाम् वधो राजन् कुत्स्तितो जगती पतेः । क्रतु मध्य उपनीतानाम् पशूनाम् इव राघव ॥ 70.6 ॥

niśceṣṭānām vadho rājan kutstito jagatī pateḥ | kratu madhya upanītānām paśūnām iva rāghava || 70.6 ||

O king, O Raghava, for a lord of the earth to slay those who offer no resistance is as despicable as slaughtering animals led to the midst of a sacrifice."

Shloka 7 (aranya.70.7)

एतत् संजल्पितम् श्रुत्वा तयोः क्रुद्धः तु राक्षसः । विदार्य आस्यम् ततो रौद्रम् तौ भक्षयितुम् आरभत् ॥ 70.7 ॥

etat saṃjalpitam śrutvā tayoḥ kruddhaḥ tu rākṣasaḥ | vidārya āsyam tato raudram tau bhakṣayitum ārabhat || 70.7 ||

Hearing this exchange between the two brothers, the enraged demon then tore open his fearsome mouth and began to devour them.

Shloka 8 (aranya.70.8)

ततः तौ देश कालज्ञौ खड्गाभ्याम् एव राघवौ । अच्छिन्दताम् सुसंहृष्टौ बाहू तस्य अंस देशतः ॥ 70.8 ॥

tataḥ tau deśa kālajñau khaḍgābhyām eva rāghavau | acchindatām susaṃhṛṣṭau bāhū tasya aṃsa deśataḥ || 70.8 ||

Then, greatly delighted, those two Raghavas, ever mindful of time and place, sheared off his two arms with their swords right at the shoulder-joints.

Shloka 9 (aranya.70.9)

दक्षिणो दक्षिणम् बाहुम् असक्तम् असिना ततः । चिच्छेद रामो वेगेन सव्यम् वीरः तु लक्ष्मणः ॥ 70.9 ॥

dakṣiṇo dakṣiṇam bāhum asaktam asinā tataḥ | ciccheda rāmo vegena savyam vīraḥ tu lakṣmaṇaḥ || 70.9 ||

Then the dexterous Rama, with a swift and unhindered stroke of his sword, severed the right arm, while the valiant Lakshmana severed the left.

Shloka 10 (aranya.70.10)

स पपात महाबाहुः चिन्न बाहुः महा स्वनः । खम् च गाम् च दिशः चैव नादयन् जलदो यथा ॥ 70.10 ॥

sa papāta mahābāhuḥ cinna bāhuḥ mahā svanaḥ | kham ca gām ca diśaḥ caiva nādayan jalado yathā || 70.10 ||

That mighty-armed one, his arms now severed, fell down with a tremendous roar, making the sky, the earth, and all directions reverberate, like a thundering rain-cloud.

Shloka 11 (aranya.70.11)

स निकृत्तौ भुजौ दृष्ट्वा शोणित ओघ परिप्लुतः । दीनः पप्रच्छ तौ वीरौ कौ युवाम् इति दानवः ॥ 70.11 ॥

sa nikṛttau bhujau dṛṣṭvā śoṇita ogha pariplutaḥ | dīnaḥ papraccha tau vīrau kau yuvām iti dānavaḥ || 70.11 ||

That demon, seeing his own severed arms streaming with torrents of blood, piteously asked those two heroes, "Who are you two?"

Shloka 12 (aranya.70.12)

इति तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य लक्ष्मणः शुभ लक्षणः । शशंस तस्य काकुत्स्थम् कबंधस्य महाबलः ॥ 70.12 ॥

iti tasya bruvāṇasya lakṣmaṇaḥ śubha lakṣaṇaḥ | śaśaṃsa tasya kākutstham kabaṃdhasya mahābalaḥ || 70.12 ||

As that mighty Kabandha thus asked, the auspicious-marked Lakshmana told him about Kakutstha Rama.

Shloka 13 (aranya.70.13)

अयम् इक्ष्वाकु दायादो रामो नाम जनैः श्रुतः । तस्य एव अवरजम् विद्धि भ्रातरम् माम् च लक्ष्मणम् ॥ 70.13 ॥

ayam ikṣvāku dāyādo rāmo nāma janaiḥ śrutaḥ | tasya eva avarajam viddhi bhrātaram mām ca lakṣmaṇam || 70.13 ||

"This one, known among men as Rama, is the heir of the Ikshvakus; and know me as his younger brother, Lakshmana.

Shloka 14 (aranya.70.14)

मात्रा प्रतिहतो राज्ये रामः प्रवाजितो वनम् । मया सह चरति एष भार्यया च महत् वनम् ॥ 70.14 ॥

mātrā pratihato rājye rāmaḥ pravājito vanam | mayā saha carati eṣa bhāryayā ca mahat vanam || 70.14 ||

Rama, thwarted of his kingdom by a stepmother, was banished to the forest; he now roams this great forest together with me and his wife.

Shloka 15 (aranya.70.15)

अस्य देव प्रभावस्य वसतो विजने वने । रक्षसा अपहृता भार्या याम् इच्छन्तौ इह आगतौ ॥ 70.15 ॥

asya deva prabhāvasya vasato vijane vane | rakṣasā apahṛtā bhāryā yām icchantau iha āgatau || 70.15 ||

While he, of godlike power, was dwelling in this uninhabited forest, a demon carried off his wife; and in seeking her, we have come here.

Shloka 16 (aranya.70.16)

त्वम् तु को वा किम् अर्थम् वा कबन्ध सदृशो वने । आस्येन उरसि दीप्तेन भग्न जन्घो विचेष्टसे ॥ 70.16 ॥

tvam tu ko vā kim artham vā kabandha sadṛśo vane | āsyena urasi dīptena bhagna jangho viceṣṭase || 70.16 ||

But who are you, and for what reason, resembling a mere trunk, do you sprawl in this forest, legless, with a fiery mouth set in your chest?"

Shloka 17 (aranya.70.17)

एवम् उक्तः कबंधः तु लक्ष्मणेन उत्तरम् वचः । उवाच परम प्रीतः तत् इन्द्र वचनम् स्मरन् ॥ 70.17 ॥

evam uktaḥ kabaṃdhaḥ tu lakṣmaṇena uttaram vacaḥ | uvāca parama prītaḥ tat indra vacanam smaran || 70.17 ||

Thus addressed by Lakshmana, Kabandha, greatly pleased and recalling Indra's own words, spoke this in reply.

Shloka 18 (aranya.70.18)

स्वागतम् वाम् नरव्याघ्रौ दिष्ट्या पश्यामि वाम् अहम् । दिष्ट्या च इमौ निकृत्तौ मे युवाभ्याम् बाहु बन्धनौ ॥ 70.18 ॥

svāgatam vām naravyāghrau diṣṭyā paśyāmi vām aham | diṣṭyā ca imau nikṛttau me yuvābhyām bāhu bandhanau || 70.18 ||

"Welcome to you both, O tigers among men! By good fortune I behold you; and by good fortune, these two shackles of mine -- my arms -- have been severed by you.

Shloka 19 (aranya.70.19)

विरूपम् यत् च मे रूपम् प्राप्तम् हि अविनयात् यथा । तत् मे शृणु नरव्याघ्र तत्त्वतः शंसतः तव ॥ 70.19 ॥

virūpam yat ca me rūpam prāptam hi avinayāt yathā | tat me śṛṇu naravyāghra tattvataḥ śaṃsataḥ tava || 70.19 ||

This disfigured form of mine, which I came to bear through my own arrogance -- hear it from me, O tiger among men, as I truly relate it to you."