p. 507

Havine received the homage of the ascetics, Rima about sun-rise, having greeted them all, entered into the forest. And Rama, followed by Lakshmana, saw the heart of the forest abounding in various kinds of beasts,—ranged by bears and tigers, with its trees and shrubs torn and trampled, its pools turbid, and its birds crying. And, having in company with Sit& arrived at that forest abounding in terrible beasts, Kakutstha saw a man-eater, resembling a mountain-summit, emitting tremendous roars, with hollow eyes, a huge face, frightful, having a deformed belly, disgusting, dreadful, Cyclopean, mis-shapen, of a horrible sight, clad in a tiger-skin, besmeared with fat, covered with blood, capable of frightening all creatures, with his mouth widely extended, like unto the Destroyer himself, and uttering loud shouts,—who stood piercing with his iron dart three lions, four tigers, two leopards, four Prishatas, and the huge tusked head of an elephant dripping fat. Having seen Rama and Lakshmana, as well as Sita the daughter of Mithila, he growing angry, rushed (against them), like the Destroyer himself rushing against creatures at the universal dissolution. Uttering a dreadful yell, and, as if making the earth tremble, he took Vaidehi on his waist, and, going a little distance, said, “O ye wearing bark and matted locks, O ye of feeble strength, that accompanied by your (common) wife, have entered the forest of

p. 508

Dandaka, bearing bows and arrows and scimitars, why, being ascetics, do ye wish to associate with a (single) woman 7? Ye wicked wretches, ye impious wights, who are ye.that bring disgrace upon ascetics ? Iam a R&kshasa, Viradha by name. This forest is my fastness. Accoutred in arms, I range (here), feeding on the flesh of ascetics. This transcendentally beauteous one shall be my wife. And in battle I shall drink your blood, wretches that ye are.’ Hearing the wicked and vaunting speech of the impious Viradha, as he said this, Janaka’s daughter, Sita, began to tremble from fear, like a plantain tree shaken by the wind. Seeing the graceful Sita on the waist of Viradha, Raghava with a blank countenance said unto Lakshmana, “O amiable one, behold the daughter of king Janak4, my wife of pure ways, an illustrious princess brought up in luxury—on Viradha’s waist. O Lakshmana, what had been wished for by Kaikeyi with reference to us, (hath taken place), and the dear boon (that she had asked) hath born fruit. That far-sighted lady—my second mother—who had not been satisfied with having secured the kingdom in the interests of her son, and by whom I that was dear unto her above all other creatures, had been banished to the woods, hath to-day her wishes crowned with success. O Sumitra’s son, nothing can impart unto me greater anguish than the touching of Vaidehi by another— which surpasses my father’s demise and my having been deprived of the kingdom.” As Kakutstha with his eyes flooded with tears was speaking thus, Lakshmana flying into a rage, spoke like unto a confined elephant : ““Why dost thou, O Kakutstha, being the lord of all creatures and resembling Vasava himself,—and also backed by myself, thy servant,— grieve like one forlorn? The earth shall drink the gore of this Rakshasa, Virddha, when deprived of life, after he hath been slain with a shaft by my angry self. That ire of mine which I had conceived against Bharata hankering after the kingdom, will I discharge on Viradha ; even as the weilder of

p. 510

me not with life.’’ Then stringing his bow, Rama, speedily aiming at the Rakshasa,pierced him with sharpened shafts; and (then) from his bow-string let go seven shafts, having their feathered parts plaited with gold, furnished with great velocity, and coursing like Suparna or the wind. Thereat, resembling flames, those arrows furnished with peacocks’ feathers, pierced Viradha’s body, and fell to the earth, covered with blood. On being thus pierced, the Rakshasa set Vaidehi down, and, upraising a dart, rushed in wrath towards Rama and Lakshmana. And sending forth a mighty roar, he took up a dart resembling the banner of Sakra; and he then appeared like the Destroyer* with opening mouth. Then the brothers showered a blazing volley of shafts on the R&kshasa, resembling the Destroyer himself. And stationing himself at a spot, the Rakshasa, laughing terribly, yawned, and as he yawned the flest-coursing shafts fell off from his person. And by virtue of the bestowal of the boon (by Brahm4), the Rakshasa Virddha drew up his vital energies, and, lifting up a pike, darted at the descendants of Raghu. That best of those bearing arms cut off with two * arrows that dart resembling the thunder-bolt and flaming in the sky. And the dart severed by the shafts of Rama, fell to the earth, as falls a crag severed by the thunderbolt. Thereat, swiftly raising up a sword, resembling a black snake, each (of the Raghavas) approached his antagonist, and began to assail him hastily. Thus hard beset, that terrible one, seizing them both with his arms, attempted to make away with those foremost of men, who, however, retained their calmness. Reading his purpose, Rama spake unto Lakshmana, “Let the Rakshasa bear us by this way. * The text has Kalantakoyamopame—abl.—resembling Kala, Antaka, or Yama. The commentator cites a sloka, which assigns three several functions to the three,—Kala executes his office on the oocasion of the separation of life from the body ; Antaka compasses the end ; and Yama finally sits in judgment. upon the departed soul. But this strikes me as misplaced erudition. I, however, give the commonsense rendering.—T.

p. 511

Not use of letting him. O Sumitra’s son, let the Rakshasa bear 1s wherever he likes. Even this, by which the ranger of the right is proceeding, is our way.” And lifting up (Rama and Lakshmana) by his might and prowess, as if they were striplings, that haughty ranger of the night laid them on vis shoulders. And having deposited the Raghavas on his shoulders, Viradha—ranger* of night—sending up dreadful shouts, directed his course towards the forest. And he at ength entered the forest resembling a mighty mass of clouds, furnished with various kinds of trees, picturesque with diverse species of birds, and abounding in jackals, serpents and beasts.