Crossing the Ganga: The Tale of Tataka's Forest

Shloka 1 (bala.24.1)

ततः प्रभाते विमले कृताह्निकमरिन्दमौ । विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य नद्यास्तीरमुपागतौ ॥ २४.१ ॥

tataḥ prabhāte vimale kṛtāhnikamarindamau | viśvāmitraṃ puraskṛtya nadyāstīramupāgatau || 24.1 ||

Then, in the clear light of dawn, having completed their morning rites, the two destroyers of foes came to the riverbank, keeping Vishwamitra ahead of them.

Shloka 2 (bala.24.2)

ते च सर्वे महात्मानो मुनयः संश्रितव्रताः । उपस्थाप्य शुभां नावं विश्वामित्रमथाब्रुवन् ॥ २४.२ ॥

te ca sarve mahātmāno munayaḥ saṃśritavratāḥ | upasthāpya śubhāṃ nāvaṃ viśvāmitramathābruvan || 24.2 ||

All those great-souled sages of the hermitage, firm in their vows, having brought an auspicious boat close by, then spoke to Vishwamitra.

Shloka 3 (bala.24.3)

आरोहतु भवान्नावं राजपुत्रपुरस्कृतः । अरिष्टं गच्छ पन्थानं मा भूत्कालविपर्ययः ॥ २४.३ ॥

ārohatu bhavānnāvaṃ rājaputrapuraskṛtaḥ | ariṣṭaṃ gaccha panthānaṃ mā bhūtkālaviparyayaḥ || 24.3 ||

“May you board the boat with the princes placed before you; go by an auspicious path, and let there be no delay.”

Shloka 4 (bala.24.4)

विश्वामित्रस्तथेत्युक्त्वा तानृषीन्प्रतिपूज्य च । ततार सहितस्ताभ्यां सरितं सागरंगमाम् ॥ २४.४ ॥

viśvāmitrastathetyuktvā tānṛṣīnpratipūjya ca | tatāra sahitastābhyāṃ saritaṃ sāgaraṃgamām || 24.4 ||

Vishwamitra, saying “So be it,” and duly honouring those sages, crossed the ocean-bound river together with the two princes.

Shloka 5 (bala.24.5)

तत्र शुश्राव वै शब्दं तोयसंरम्भवर्धितम् । मध्यमागम्य तोयस्य तस्य शब्दस्य निश्चयम् ॥ २४.५ ॥

tatra śuśrāva vai śabdaṃ toyasaṃrambhavardhitam | madhyamāgamya toyasya tasya śabdasya niścayam || 24.5 ||

There indeed he heard a sound that swelled from the turmoil of the waters; and coming to the middle of that stream, eager to know the meaning of that sound—

Shloka 6 (bala.24.6)

ज्ञातुकामो महातेजा सह रामः कनीयसा । अथ रामः सरिन्मध्ये पप्रच्छ मुनिपुङ्गवम् ॥ २४.६ ॥

jñātukāmo mahātejā saha rāmaḥ kanīyasā | atha rāmaḥ sarinmadhye papraccha munipuṅgavam || 24.6 ||

the greatly resplendent Rama, together with his younger brother, then questioned the eminent sage there in the midst of the river:

Shloka 7 (bala.24.7)

वारिणो भिद्यमानस्य किमयं तुमुलो ध्वनिः । राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा कौतूहलसमन्वितम् ॥ २४.७ ॥

vāriṇo bhidyamānasya kimayaṃ tumulo dhvaniḥ | rāghavasya vacaḥ śrutvā kautūhalasamanvitam || 24.7 ||

“What is this tumultuous roar, as though the waters were being torn asunder?” On hearing these curiosity-filled words of Raghava—

Shloka 8 (bala.24.8)

कथयामास धर्मात्मा तस्य शब्दस्य निश्चयम् । कैलासपर्वते राम मनसा निर्मितं परम् ॥ २४.८ ॥

kathayāmāsa dharmātmā tasya śabdasya niścayam | kailāsaparvate rāma manasā nirmitaṃ param || 24.8 ||

the righteous-souled sage began to explain the meaning of that sound: “On Mount Kailasa, O Rama, a great lake was fashioned by the power of thought—

Shloka 9 (bala.24.9)

ब्रह्मणा नरशार्दूल तेनेदं मानसं सरः । तस्मात् सुस्राव सरसः सायोध्यामुपगूहते ॥ २४.९ ॥

brahmaṇā naraśārdūla tenedaṃ mānasaṃ saraḥ | tasmāt susrāva sarasaḥ sāyodhyāmupagūhate || 24.9 ||

by Brahma, O tiger among men; hence this lake is called Manasa. From it flowed forth a river, and that very river now embraces Ayodhya.

Shloka 10 (bala.24.10)

सरः प्रवृत्ता सरयूः पुण्या ब्रह्मसरश्च्युता । तस्यायमतुलः शब्दो जाह्नवीमभिवर्तते ॥ २४.१० ॥

saraḥ pravṛttā sarayūḥ puṇyā brahmasaraścyutā | tasyāyamatulaḥ śabdo jāhnavīmabhivartate || 24.10 ||

This river, sprung from that lake, sacred and issued from Brahma's own tarn, is thus called Sarayu; this is her matchless roar as she surges onward to meet the Ganga.

Shloka 11 (bala.24.11)

वारिसंक्षोभजो राम प्रणामं नियतः कुरु । ताभ्यां तु तावुभौ कृत्वा प्रणाममतिधार्मिकौ ॥ २४.११ ॥

vārisaṃkṣobhajo rāma praṇāmaṃ niyataḥ kuru | tābhyāṃ tu tāvubhau kṛtvā praṇāmamatidhārmikau || 24.11 ||

“This sound arises from the churning together of their waters, O Rama; offer them your reverent salutation.” Then those two most righteous princes, having offered their salutations to both rivers—

Shloka 12 (bala.24.12)

तीरं दक्षिणमासाद्य जग्मतुर्लघुविक्रमौ । स वनं घोरसंकाशं दृष्ट्वा नरवरात्मजः ॥ २४.१२ ॥

tīraṃ dakṣiṇamāsādya jagmaturlaghuvikramau | sa vanaṃ ghorasaṃkāśaṃ dṛṣṭvā naravarātmajaḥ || 24.12 ||

reaching the southern bank, went forward with swift and light steps. Then that son of the best of kings, seeing a forest of terrible aspect—

Shloka 13 (bala.24.13)

अविप्रहतमैक्ष्वाकः पप्रच्छ मुनिपुंगवम् । अहो वनमिदं दुर्गं झिल्लिकागणसंयुतम् ॥ २४.१३ ॥

aviprahatamaikṣvākaḥ papraccha munipuṃgavam | aho vanamidaṃ durgaṃ jhillikāgaṇasaṃyutam || 24.13 ||

that scion of Ikshvaku questioned the eminent sage about that untrodden forest: “Ah, how impenetrable is this forest, filled with swarms of crickets!

Shloka 14 (bala.24.14)

भैरवैः श्वापदैः कीर्णं शकुनैर्दारुणारवैः । नानाप्रकारैः शकुनैर्वाश्यद्भिर्भैरवस्वनैः ॥ २४.१४ ॥

bhairavaiḥ śvāpadaiḥ kīrṇaṃ śakunairdāruṇāravaiḥ | nānāprakāraiḥ śakunairvāśyadbhirbhairavasvanaiḥ || 24.14 ||

“It is overrun with fearsome beasts of prey and birds of harsh, dreadful cries, with many kinds of shrieking birds crying out in terrifying tones,

Shloka 15 (bala.24.15)

सिंहव्याघ्रवराहैश्च वारणैश्चापि शोभितम् । धवाश्वकर्णककुभैर्बिल्वतिन्दुकपाटलैः ॥ २४.१५ ॥

siṃhavyāghravarāhaiśca vāraṇaiścāpi śobhitam | dhavāśvakarṇakakubhairbilvatindukapāṭalaiḥ || 24.15 ||

“teeming, moreover, with lions, tigers, boars, and elephants, dense with dhava, ashvakarna and arjuna trees, with bilva, tinduka and patala trees,

Shloka 16 (bala.24.16)

संकीर्णं बदरीभिश्च किंन्वेतद्दारुणं वनम् । तमुवाच महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ॥ २४.१६ ॥

saṃkīrṇaṃ badarībhiśca kiṃnvetaddāruṇaṃ vanam | tamuvāca mahātejā viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ || 24.16 ||

“and thick with jujube trees as well—what indeed is this dreadful forest?” To him the greatly resplendent Vishwamitra, the great sage, then replied.

Shloka 17 (bala.24.17)

श्रूयतां वत्स काकुत्स्थ यस्यैतद्दारुणं वनम् । एतौ जनपदौ स्फीतौ पूर्वमास्तां नरौत्तम ॥ २४.१७ ॥

śrūyatāṃ vatsa kākutstha yasyaitaddāruṇaṃ vanam | etau janapadau sphītau pūrvamāstāṃ narauttama || 24.17 ||

“Listen, my child Kakutstha, to whom this dreadful forest once belonged. O best of men, these two were once prosperous kingdoms,

Shloka 18 (bala.24.18)

मलदाश्च करूषाश्च देवनिर्माणनिर्मितौ । पुरा वृत्रवधे राम मलेन समभिप्लुतम् ॥ २४.१८ ॥

maladāśca karūṣāśca devanirmāṇanirmitau | purā vṛtravadhe rāma malena samabhiplutam || 24.18 ||

“known as Malada and Karusha, fashioned by the very design of the gods. Long ago, O Rama, at the slaying of Vritra, Indra became completely defiled by filth,

Shloka 19 (bala.24.19)

क्षुधा चैव सहस्राक्षं ब्रह्महत्या समाविशत् । तमिन्द्रं मलिनं देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः ॥ २४.१९ ॥

kṣudhā caiva sahasrākṣaṃ brahmahatyā samāviśat | tamindraṃ malinaṃ devā ṛṣayaśca tapodhanāḥ || 24.19 ||

“and hunger together with the sin of killing a brahmin overcame the thousand-eyed Indra. The gods, and the sages rich in austerity, then bathed that defiled Indra,

Shloka 20 (bala.24.20)

कलशैः स्नापयामासुर्मलं चास्य प्रमोचयन् । इह भूम्यां मलं दत्त्वा देवाः कारूषमेव च ॥ २४.२० ॥

kalaśaiḥ snāpayāmāsurmalaṃ cāsya pramocayan | iha bhūmyāṃ malaṃ dattvā devāḥ kārūṣameva ca || 24.20 ||

washing him with vessels of water to rid him of his impurity; and the gods, having deposited that filth here upon the earth, and likewise his hunger,

Shloka 21 (bala.24.21)

शरीरजं महेन्द्रस्य ततो हर्षं प्रपेदिरे । निर्मलो निष्करूषश्च शुचिरिन्द्रो यथाभवत् ॥ २४.२१ ॥

śarīrajaṃ mahendrasya tato harṣaṃ prapedire | nirmalo niṣkarūṣaśca śucirindro yathābhavat || 24.21 ||

which had arisen from Mahendra's body, thereupon the gods rejoiced greatly, for Indra thus became free from filth, free from hunger, and pure.

Shloka 22 (bala.24.22)

ततो देशस्य सुप्रीतो वरं प्रादादनुत्तमम् । इमौ जनपदौ स्फीतौ ख्यातिं लोके गमिष्यतः ॥ २४.२२ ॥

tato deśasya suprīto varaṃ prādādanuttamam | imau janapadau sphītau khyātiṃ loke gamiṣyataḥ || 24.22 ||

Then, well pleased with that land, he granted it an unsurpassed boon: “These two realms shall become prosperous and attain renown throughout the world,

Shloka 23 (bala.24.23)

मलदाश्च करूषाश्च ममांगमलधारिणौ । साधु साध्विति तं देवाः पाकशासनमब्रुवन् ॥ २४.२३ ॥

maladāśca karūṣāśca mamāṃgamaladhāriṇau | sādhu sādhviti taṃ devāḥ pākaśāsanamabruvan || 24.23 ||

“known as Malada and Karusha, for they shall bear the impurity of my own body.” “Well done, well done!” said the gods to Indra, the punisher of the demon Paka.

Shloka 24 (bala.24.24)

देशस्य पूजां तां दृष्ट्वा कृतां शक्रेण धीमता । एतौ जनपदौ स्फीतौ दीर्घकालमरिन्दम ॥ २४.२४ ॥

deśasya pūjāṃ tāṃ dṛṣṭvā kṛtāṃ śakreṇa dhīmatā | etau janapadau sphītau dīrghakālamarindama || 24.24 ||

Seeing that honour bestowed upon the land by the wise Shakra—“O subduer of foes, for a long time these two prosperous kingdoms,

Shloka 25 (bala.24.25)

मलदाश्च करूषाश्च मुदितौ धनधान्यतः । कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य यक्षी वै कामरूपिणी ॥ २४.२५ ॥

maladāśca karūṣāśca muditau dhanadhānyataḥ | kasyacittvatha kālasya yakṣī vai kāmarūpiṇī || 24.25 ||

“Malada and Karusha, flourished happily in wealth and grain. But then, after some time, a yakshi capable of changing her form at will,

Shloka 26 (bala.24.26)

बलं नागसहस्रस्य धारयन्ती तदा ह्यभूत् । ताटका नाम भद्रं ते भार्या सुन्दस्य धीमतः ॥ २४.२६ ॥

balaṃ nāgasahasrasya dhārayantī tadā hyabhūt | tāṭakā nāma bhadraṃ te bhāryā sundasya dhīmataḥ || 24.26 ||

“possessing the strength of a thousand elephants, came to dwell here—she named Tataka, wife of the wise Sunda; may good befall you, O Rama.

Shloka 27 (bala.24.27)

मारीचो राक्षसः पुत्रो यस्याः शक्रपराक्रमः । वृत्तबाहुर्महाशीर्षो विपुलास्यतनुर्महान् ॥ २४.२७ ॥

mārīco rākṣasaḥ putro yasyāḥ śakraparākramaḥ | vṛttabāhurmahāśīrṣo vipulāsyatanurmahān || 24.27 ||

“Her son is the demon Maricha, mighty in valour as Indra himself, round-armed, huge-headed, vast of mouth and body, and gigantic,

Shloka 28 (bala.24.28)

राक्षसो भैरवाकारो नित्यं त्रासयते प्रजाः । इमौ जनपदौ नित्यं विनाशयति राघव ॥ २४.२८ ॥

rākṣaso bhairavākāro nityaṃ trāsayate prajāḥ | imau janapadau nityaṃ vināśayati rāghava || 24.28 ||

“a demon of terrifying form who constantly terrorises the people. O Raghava, he is forever laying waste to these two realms,

Shloka 29 (bala.24.29)

मलदांश्च करूषांश्च ताटका दुष्टचारिणी । सेयं पन्थानमावृत्य वसत्यध्यर्धयोजने ॥ २४.२९ ॥

maladāṃśca karūṣāṃśca tāṭakā duṣṭacāriṇī | seyaṃ panthānamāvṛtya vasatyadhyardhayojane || 24.29 ||

“Malada and Karusha—this same malevolent Tataka. She dwells barring our path, a yojana and a half from here,

Shloka 30 (bala.24.30)

अतैव च गन्तव्यं ताटकाया वनं यतः । स्वबाहुबलमाश्रित्य जहीमां दुष्टचारिणीम् ॥ २४.३० ॥

ataiva ca gantavyaṃ tāṭakāyā vanaṃ yataḥ | svabāhubalamāśritya jahīmāṃ duṣṭacāriṇīm || 24.30 ||

“and it is for that very reason that we must go where Tataka's forest lies. Relying upon the strength of your own arms, you must slay this evildoer,

Shloka 31 (bala.24.31)

मन्नियोगादिमं देशं कुरु निष्कण्टकं पुनः । न हि कश्चिदिमं देशं शक्तो ह्यागन्तुमीदृशम् ॥ २४.३१ ॥

manniyogādimaṃ deśaṃ kuru niṣkaṇṭakaṃ punaḥ | na hi kaścidimaṃ deśaṃ śakto hyāgantumīdṛśam || 24.31 ||

“and at my behest make this land free of thorns once more; for indeed, no one is able to enter a land such as this,

Shloka 32 (bala.24.32)

यक्षिण्या घोरया राम उत्सादितमसह्यया । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यथैतद्दारुणं वनम् । यक्ष्या चोत्सादितं सर्वमद्यापि न निवर्तते ॥ २४.३२ ॥

yakṣiṇyā ghorayā rāma utsāditamasahyayā | etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ yathaitaddāruṇaṃ vanam | yakṣyā cotsāditaṃ sarvamadyāpi na nivartate || 24.32 ||

“so utterly devastated is it, O Rama, by that terrible and unbearable yakshi. I have told you all of this, how this forest became so dreadful; and even now the destruction wrought by that yakshi does not cease.”