Kabandha's Tale of the Curse

Shloka 1 (aranya.71.1)

पुरा राम महाबाहो महाबलपराक्रमम् । रूपमासीन्ममाचिन्त्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् ॥ 71.1 ॥

purā rāma mahābāho mahābalaparākramam | rūpamāsīnmamācintyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam || 71.1 ||

Long ago, O mighty-armed Rama of immense strength and valour, I had a form beyond imagining, renowned in all three worlds,

Shloka 2 (aranya.71.2)

यथा सूर्यस्य सोमस्य शक्रस्य च यथा वपुः । सोऽहं रूपमिदं कृत्वा लोकवित्रासनं महत् ॥ 71.2 ॥

yathā sūryasya somasya śakrasya ca yathā vapuḥ | so'haṃ rūpamidaṃ kṛtvā lokavitrāsanaṃ mahat || 71.2 ||

like the very form of the Sun, the Moon, or Indra himself. It is I who, having assumed this vast form that terrifies the world,

Shloka 3 (aranya.71.3)

ऋषीन् वनगतान् राम त्रासयामि ततस्ततः । ततः स्थूलशिरा नाम महर्षिः कोपितो मया ॥ 71.3 ॥

ṛṣīn vanagatān rāma trāsayāmi tatastataḥ | tataḥ sthūlaśirā nāma maharṣiḥ kopito mayā || 71.3 ||

keep terrifying, here and there, the sages who move about in the forest, O Rama. Then, on one occasion, I provoked the anger of a great sage named Sthulashira,

Shloka 4 (aranya.71.4)

स चिन्वन् विविधं वन्यं रूपेणानेन धर्षितः । तेनाहमुक्तः प्रेक्ष्यैवं घोरशापाभिधायिना ॥ 71.4 ॥

sa cinvan vividhaṃ vanyaṃ rūpeṇānena dharṣitaḥ | tenāhamuktaḥ prekṣyaivaṃ ghoraśāpābhidhāyinā || 71.4 ||

who was gathering various forest produce and was assailed by this very form of mine. On seeing me thus, that pronouncer of a terrible curse said to me:

Shloka 5 (aranya.71.5)

एतदेवं नृशंसं ते रूपमस्तु विगर्हितम् । स मया याचितः क्रुद्धः शापस्यान्तो भवेदिति ॥ 71.5 ॥

etadevaṃ nṛśaṃsaṃ te rūpamastu vigarhitam | sa mayā yācitaḥ kruddhaḥ śāpasyānto bhavediti || 71.5 ||

'Let this cruel and despicable form of yours remain forever!' When I, terrified, begged that enraged sage whether there would ever be an end to this curse,

Shloka 6 (aranya.71.6)

अभिशापकृतस्येति तेनेदं भाषितं वचः । यदा छित्त्वा भुजौ रामस्त्वां दहेद् विजने वने ॥ 71.6 ॥

abhiśāpakṛtasyeti tenedaṃ bhāṣitaṃ vacaḥ | yadā chittvā bhujau rāmastvāṃ dahed vijane vane || 71.6 ||

he who had pronounced the curse spoke these words to me: 'When Rama, having severed your arms, shall burn you in a lonely forest,

Shloka 7 (aranya.71.7)

तदा त्वं प्राप्स्यसे रूपं स्वमेव विपुलं शुभम् । श्रिया विराजितं पुत्रं दनोस्त्वं विद्धि लक्ष्मण ॥ 71.7 ॥

tadā tvaṃ prāpsyase rūpaṃ svameva vipulaṃ śubham | śriyā virājitaṃ putraṃ danostvaṃ viddhi lakṣmaṇa || 71.7 ||

then you shall regain your own vast and auspicious form.' Know, O Lakshmana, that I am the son of Danu, resplendent with glory,

Shloka 8 (aranya.71.8)

इन्द्रकोपादिदं रूपं प्राप्तमेवं रणाजिरे । अहं हि तपसोग्रेण पितामहमतोषयम् ॥ 71.8 ॥

indrakopādidaṃ rūpaṃ prāptamevaṃ raṇājire | ahaṃ hi tapasogreṇa pitāmahamatoṣayam || 71.8 ||

and this form of mine came about through Indra's wrath on the battlefield. For I once pleased Grandsire Brahma through severe austerity,

Shloka 9 (aranya.71.9)

दीर्घमायुः स मे प्रादात् ततो मां विभ्रमोऽस्पृशत् । दीर्घमायुर्मया प्राप्तं किं मां शक्रः करिष्यति ॥ 71.9 ॥

dīrghamāyuḥ sa me prādāt tato māṃ vibhramo'spṛśat | dīrghamāyurmayā prāptaṃ kiṃ māṃ śakraḥ kariṣyati || 71.9 ||

and he granted me a long life. Then arrogance touched me, and I thought, 'Having obtained long life, what can Indra do to me?'

Shloka 10 (aranya.71.10)

इत्येवं बुद्धिमास्थाय रणे शक्रमधर्षयम् । तस्य बाहुप्रमुक्तेन वज्रेण शतपर्वणा ॥ 71.10 ॥

ityevaṃ buddhimāsthāya raṇe śakramadharṣayam | tasya bāhupramuktena vajreṇa śataparvaṇā || 71.10 ||

With this thought in mind, I dared to assail Indra in battle. Then, with the hundred-jointed thunderbolt hurled from his arm,

Shloka 11 (aranya.71.11)

सक्थिनी च शिरश्चैव शरीरे सम्प्रवेशितम् । स मया याच्यमानः सन् नानयद् यमसादनम् ॥ 71.11 ॥

sakthinī ca śiraścaiva śarīre sampraveśitam | sa mayā yācyamānaḥ san nānayad yamasādanam || 71.11 ||

my thighs and my head were driven into my body. Though I entreated him, he did not send me to the abode of Yama;

Shloka 12 (aranya.71.12)

पितामहवचः सत्यं तदस्त्विति ममाब्रवीत् । अनाहारः कथं शक्तो भग्नसक्थिशिरोमुखः ॥ 71.12 ॥

pitāmahavacaḥ satyaṃ tadastviti mamābravīt | anāhāraḥ kathaṃ śakto bhagnasakthiśiromukhaḥ || 71.12 ||

he said to me, 'let the Grandsire's word remain true.' How, then, could I survive, with my thighs, head and mouth all crushed, and without food,

Shloka 13 (aranya.71.13)

वज्रेणाभिहतः कालं सुदीर्घमपि जीवितुम् । स एवमुक्तः शक्रो मे बाहू योजनमायतौ ॥ 71.13 ॥

vajreṇābhihataḥ kālaṃ sudīrghamapi jīvitum | sa evamuktaḥ śakro me bāhū yojanamāyatau || 71.13 ||

struck as I was by the thunderbolt, and yet destined to live so very long a time? When I said this, Indra fashioned for me two arms, each a league in length,

Shloka 14 (aranya.71.14)

तदा चास्यं च मे कुक्षौ तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रमकल्पयत् । सोऽहं भुजाभ्यां दीर्घाभ्यां संक्षिप्यास्मिन् वनेचरान् ॥ 71.14 ॥

tadā cāsyaṃ ca me kukṣau tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭramakalpayat | so'haṃ bhujābhyāṃ dīrghābhyāṃ saṃkṣipyāsmin vanecarān || 71.14 ||

and also placed in my belly a mouth armed with sharp fangs. And so, with these two long arms, I drag in whatever moves in this forest —

Shloka 15 (aranya.71.15)

सिंहद्वीपिमृगव्याघ्रान् भक्षयामि समन्ततः । स तु मामब्रवीदिन्द्रो यदा रामः सलक्ष्मणः ॥ 71.15 ॥

siṃhadvīpimṛgavyāghrān bhakṣayāmi samantataḥ | sa tu māmabravīdindro yadā rāmaḥ salakṣmaṇaḥ || 71.15 ||

lions, leopards, deer and tigers — and devour them on every side. But Indra also told me: 'When Rama, together with Lakshmana,

Shloka 16 (aranya.71.16)

छेत्स्यते समरे बाहू तदा स्वर्गं गमिष्यसि । अनेन वपुषा तात वनेऽस्मिन् राजसत्तम ॥ 71.16 ॥

chetsyate samare bāhū tadā svargaṃ gamiṣyasi | anena vapuṣā tāta vane'smin rājasattama || 71.16 ||

shall sever your arms in combat, then you shall go to heaven.' Meanwhile, O son, O foremost of kings, dwelling in this forest with this body,

Shloka 17 (aranya.71.17)

यद् यत् पश्यामि सर्वस्य ग्रहणं साधु रोचये । अवश्यं ग्रहणं रामो मन्येऽहं समुपैष्यति ॥ 71.17 ॥

yad yat paśyāmi sarvasya grahaṇaṃ sādhu rocaye | avaśyaṃ grahaṇaṃ rāmo manye'haṃ samupaiṣyati || 71.17 ||

whatever I see, I think it good to seize it all. I believed that Rama would surely come within my grasp one day —

Shloka 18 (aranya.71.18)

इमां बुद्धिं पुरस्कृत्य देहन्यासकृतश्रमः । स त्वं रामोऽसि भद्रं ते नाहमन्येन राघव ॥ 71.18 ॥

imāṃ buddhiṃ puraskṛtya dehanyāsakṛtaśramaḥ | sa tvaṃ rāmo'si bhadraṃ te nāhamanyena rāghava || 71.18 ||

with this thought foremost in mind, I have laboured on, awaiting the shedding of this body. You indeed are that very Rama — may good befall you! O Raghava, none other than you

Shloka 19 (aranya.71.19)

शक्यो हन्तुं यथा तत्त्वमेवमुक्तं महर्षिणा । अहं हि मतिसाचिव्यं करिष्यामि नरर्षभ ॥ 71.19 ॥

śakyo hantuṃ yathā tattvamevamuktaṃ maharṣiṇā | ahaṃ hi matisācivyaṃ kariṣyāmi nararṣabha || 71.19 ||

can slay me — thus indeed did the great sage himself declare. O bull among men, I shall render you the help of my counsel,

Shloka 20 (aranya.71.20)

मित्रं चैवोपदेक्ष्यामि युवाभ्यां संस्कृतोऽग्निना । एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा दनुना तेन राघवः ॥ 71.20 ॥

mitraṃ caivopadekṣyāmi yuvābhyāṃ saṃskṛto'gninā | evamuktastu dharmātmā danunā tena rāghavaḥ || 71.20 ||

and I shall also point out a friend to you both, once I have been purified by fire.' When Danu's son had spoken thus, the righteous Raghava

Shloka 21 (aranya.71.21)

इदं जगाद वचनं लक्ष्मणस्य च पश्यतः । रावणेन हृता भार्या सीता मम यशस्विनी ॥ 71.21 ॥

idaṃ jagāda vacanaṃ lakṣmaṇasya ca paśyataḥ | rāvaṇena hṛtā bhāryā sītā mama yaśasvinī || 71.21 ||

spoke these words in the presence of Lakshmana: 'My illustrious wife Sita has been carried off by Ravana,

Shloka 22 (aranya.71.22)

निष्क्रान्तस्य जनस्थानात् सह भ्रात्रा यथासुखम् । नाममात्रं तु जानामि न रूपं तस्य रक्षसः ॥ 71.22 ॥

niṣkrāntasya janasthānāt saha bhrātrā yathāsukham | nāmamātraṃ tu jānāmi na rūpaṃ tasya rakṣasaḥ || 71.22 ||

while I, together with my brother, had gone out from Janasthana at ease. I know only the name of that demon, not his form,

Shloka 23 (aranya.71.23)

निवासं वा प्रभावं वा वयं तस्य न विद्महे । शोकार्तानामनाथानामेवं विपरिधावताम् ॥ 71.23 ॥

nivāsaṃ vā prabhāvaṃ vā vayaṃ tasya na vidmahe | śokārtānāmanāthānāmevaṃ viparidhāvatām || 71.23 ||

nor do we know his dwelling or his power. O hero, upon us who, stricken with grief and helpless, wander about in this manner,

Shloka 24 (aranya.71.24)

कारुण्यं सदृशं कर्तुमुपकारेण वर्तताम् । काष्ठान्यानीय भग्नानि काले शुष्काणि कुञ्जरैः ॥ 71.24 ॥

kāruṇyaṃ sadṛśaṃ kartumupakāreṇa vartatām | kāṣṭhānyānīya bhagnāni kāle śuṣkāṇi kuñjaraiḥ || 71.24 ||

it would befit you to show a fitting compassion, doing us this favour.' 'O hero, having brought dry logs of wood, broken at various times by elephants,

Shloka 25 (aranya.71.25)

धक्ष्यामस्त्वां वयं वीर श्वभ्रे महति कल्पिते । स त्वं सीतां समाचक्ष्व येन वा यत्र वा हृता ॥ 71.25 ॥

dhakṣyāmastvāṃ vayaṃ vīra śvabhre mahati kalpite | sa tvaṃ sītāṃ samācakṣva yena vā yatra vā hṛtā || 71.25 ||

and having dug a great pit, we shall burn you in it. If you truly know, tell me clearly by whom, or to where, Sita has been carried off —

Shloka 26 (aranya.71.26)

कुरु कल्याणमत्यर्थं यदि जानासि तत्त्वतः । एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण वाक्यं दनुरनुत्तमम् ॥ 71.26 ॥

kuru kalyāṇamatyarthaṃ yadi jānāsi tattvataḥ | evamuktastu rāmeṇa vākyaṃ danuranuttamam || 71.26 ||

do us this great kindness, if you truly know the truth of it.' When Rama had spoken thus, Danu's son, that skilled speaker,

Shloka 27 (aranya.71.27)

प्रोवाच कुशलो वक्ता वक्तारमपि राघवम् । दिव्यमस्ति न मे ज्ञानं नाभिजानामि मैथिलीम् ॥ 71.27 ॥

provāca kuśalo vaktā vaktāramapi rāghavam | divyamasti na me jñānaṃ nābhijānāmi maithilīm || 71.27 ||

replied to Raghava, himself an eloquent speaker: 'I possess no divine knowledge now, nor can I recognize Maithili;

Shloka 28 (aranya.71.28)

यस्तां वक्ष्यति तं वक्ष्ये दग्धः स्वं रूपमास्थितः । योऽभिजानाति तद्रक्षस्तद् वक्ष्ये राम तत्परम् ॥ 71.28 ॥

yastāṃ vakṣyati taṃ vakṣye dagdhaḥ svaṃ rūpamāsthitaḥ | yo'bhijānāti tadrakṣastad vakṣye rāma tatparam || 71.28 ||

but once I am burnt and have regained my own true form, I will name to you the one who can tell of her. O Rama, whoever knows that demon, of him I will tell you thereafter —

Shloka 29 (aranya.71.29)

अदग्धस्य हि विज्ञातुं शक्तिरस्ति न मे प्रभो । राक्षसं तु महावीर्यं सीता येन हृता तव ॥ 71.29 ॥

adagdhasya hi vijñātuṃ śaktirasti na me prabho | rākṣasaṃ tu mahāvīryaṃ sītā yena hṛtā tava || 71.29 ||

for, O lord, without being burnt, I have no power to know of that mighty demon by whom your Sita has been carried off.

Shloka 30 (aranya.71.30)

विज्ञानं हि महद् भ्रष्टं शापदोषेण राघव । स्वकृतेन मया प्राप्तं रूपं लोकविगर्हितम् ॥ 71.30 ॥

vijñānaṃ hi mahad bhraṣṭaṃ śāpadoṣeṇa rāghava | svakṛtena mayā prāptaṃ rūpaṃ lokavigarhitam || 71.30 ||

My great knowledge, O Raghava, has indeed been lost through the fault of the curse; and by my own doing I have come to this form despised by the world.

Shloka 31 (aranya.71.31)

किं तु यावन्न यात्यस्तं सविता श्रान्तवाहनः । तावन्मामवटे क्षिप्त्वा दह राम यथाविधि ॥ 71.31 ॥

kiṃ tu yāvanna yātyastaṃ savitā śrāntavāhanaḥ | tāvanmāmavaṭe kṣiptvā daha rāma yathāvidhi || 71.31 ||

But before the Sun, his steeds grown weary, sets upon the mountain of dusk, cast me into a pit, O Rama, and burn me duly, according to rite —

Shloka 32 (aranya.71.32)

दग्धस्त्वयाहमवटे न्यायेन रघुनन्दन । वक्ष्यामि तं महावीर यस्तं वेत्स्यति राक्षसम् ॥ 71.32 ॥

dagdhastvayāhamavaṭe nyāyena raghunandana | vakṣyāmi taṃ mahāvīra yastaṃ vetsyati rākṣasam || 71.32 ||

for once you, O joy of Raghu's line, have duly burnt me in the pit, O great hero, I shall tell you of him who truly knows that demon,

Shloka 33 (aranya.71.33)

तेन सख्यं च कर्तव्यं न्याय्यवृत्तेन राघव । कल्पयिष्यति ते वीर साहाय्यं लघुविक्रम ॥ 71.33 ॥

tena sakhyaṃ ca kartavyaṃ nyāyyavṛttena rāghava | kalpayiṣyati te vīra sāhāyyaṃ laghuvikrama || 71.33 ||

and with him, O Raghava, you should make friendship through honest conduct; that swift and valiant one, O hero, will surely furnish you with aid,

Shloka 34 (aranya.71.34)

नहि तस्यास्त्यविज्ञातं त्रिषु लोकेषु राघव । सर्वान् परिवृतो लोकान् पुरा वै कारणान्तरे ॥ 71.34 ॥

nahi tasyāstyavijñātaṃ triṣu lokeṣu rāghava | sarvān parivṛto lokān purā vai kāraṇāntare || 71.34 ||

for, O Raghava, there is nothing in all three worlds unknown to him, since long ago, for a different reason, he journeyed all around every world.