Agni Purana

नारद उवाच रामो वशिष्ठं मातॄश्च नत्वाऽत्रिञ्च प्रणम्य सः। अनसूयाञ्च तत्पत्नीं शरभङ्गं सुतीक्ष्णकम्

Narada said: Rama, having bowed to Vashishtha, his mothers, and also to Atri, and having saluted Anasuya, his wife, Sharabhanga, and Sutikshna—

अगस्त्य भ्रातरं नत्वा अगस्त्यन्तत्प्रसादतः। धनुः खङ्गञ्च सम्प्राप्य दण्डकारण्यमागतः

Having bowed to his brother Agastya, and by Agastya’s favor obtaining a bow and a sword, he entered the Dandaka forest.

जनस्थाने पञ्चवट्यां स्थितो गोदावरीं तटे। तत्र सूर्पणखायाता भक्षितुं तान् भयङ्करी

Dwelling at Janasthana, in Panchavati, on the bank of the Godavari, there came Surpanakha, the terrifying one, to devour them.

रामं सुरूपं दृष्ट्वा सा कामिनी वाक्यमब्रवीत्। कस्त्वं कस्मात्समायातो भर्त्ता मे भव चार्थितः

Seeing Rama, handsome in form, that desiring woman spoke these words: 'Who are you? For what reason have you come? Become my husband as I request.'

एतौ च भक्षयिष्यामि इत्युक्त्वा तं समुद्यता । तस्या नासाञ्च कर्णौ च रामोक्तो लक्ष्मणोऽच्छिनत्

And saying, 'I will devour these two,' she rushed at them; but at Rama’s command, Lakshmana cut off her nose and ears.

रक्तं क्षरन्ती प्रययौ खरं भ्रातरमब्रवीत्। मरीष्यामि विनासाऽहं खर जीवामि वै तदा

Bleeding, she went to her brother Khara and said: 'I will die without a nose, Khara; I live only thus.'

रामस्य भार्य्या सीताऽसौ तस्यासील्लक्ष्मणोऽनुजः। तेषां यद्रुधिरं सोष्णं पाययिष्यसि मां यदि

'Sita is Rama’s wife, and Lakshmana is his younger brother; if you make me drink their warm blood, then I shall live.'

खरस्तथेति तामुक्त्वा यतुर्दृशसहस्त्रकैः। रक्षसां दूषणेनागाद्योद्धु त्रिशिरसा सह

Khara, saying 'So be it,' set out with thousands of fierce-eyed rakshasas, accompanied by Dushana and Trishira, to fight.

रामं रामोऽपि युयुधे शरैर्विव्याध राक्षसान्। हस्त्यश्वरथपादातं बलं निन्ये यमक्षयम्

Rama fought them; with arrows he struck the rakshasas, and sent their army of elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers to the abode of Yama.

त्रिशीर्षाणं खरं रौद्रं युध्यन्तञ्चौव दूषणम्। ययौ सूर्पणखा लङ्कां रावणाग्रेपतद् भुवि

Trishira, Khara the fierce, and Dushana, all fighting, Surpanakha went to Lanka and fell before Ravana on the ground.

अब्रवीद्रावणं क्रुद्धा न त्वं राजा न रक्षकः। खरादिहन्तू रामस्य सीतां भार्यां हरस्व च

Angry, she spoke to Ravana: 'You are not a king, nor a protector; come here and kill Rama, and seize Sita, his wife.'

रामलक्ष्मणरक्तस्य पानाज्जीवामि नान्यथा। तथेत्याह च तच्छ्रुत्वा मारीचं प्राह वै व्रज

'I live only by drinking the blood of Rama and Lakshmana, not otherwise.' Hearing this, Ravana said, 'So be it,' and then addressed Maricha: 'Go!'

स्वर्णचित्रमृगो भूत्वा रामलक्ष्मणकर्षकः। सीताग्रे तां हरिष्यामि अन्यथा मरणं तव

'Become a golden, spotted deer, and draw away Rama and Lakshmana; in Sita’s presence I will seize her, otherwise your death is certain.'

मारीचो रावणं प्राह रामो मृत्युर्धनुर्धरः। रावणादपि मर्त्तव्यं मर्त्तव्यं राघवादपि

Maricha said to Ravana: 'Rama, the wielder of the bow, is death itself; it is better to die at Ravana’s hand, but one must die at Raghava’s hand.'

अवश्यं यदि मर्त्तव्यं वरं रामो न रावणः। इति मत्वा मृगो भूत्वा सीताग्रे व्यचरन्मुहुः

'If I must certainly die, it is better by Rama than by Ravana.' Thinking thus, he became a deer and wandered again and again before Sita.

सीतया प्रेरितो रामः शरेणाथावधीच्च तम्। म्रियमाणो मृगः प्राह हा सीते लक्ष्मणेति च

Urged by Sita, Rama killed him with an arrow; as he was dying, the deer cried out, 'Ha, Sita! Ha, Lakshmana!'

सौमित्रिः सीतयोक्तोऽथ विरुद्धं राममागतः। रावणोऽप्यहरत् सीतां हत्वा गृध्रं जटायुषम्

Then Saumitri, at Sita’s urging, went to Rama, who was in distress; and Ravana seized Sita, having slain the vulture Jatayu.

जटायुषा स भिन्नाङ्गः अङ्केनादाय जानकीम्। गतो लङ्कामशोकाख्ये धारयामास चाब्रवीत्

Having his limbs wounded by Jatayu, he took Janaki on his lap, went to Lanka, to the place called Ashoka, kept her there, and spoke.

भव भार्य्या ममाग्र्या त्वं राक्षस्यो रक्ष्यतामियम् । रामो हत्वा तु मारीचं दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्

'Become my chief wife; let this rakshasi guard you.' Rama, having slain Maricha, saw Lakshmana and spoke.

मायामृगोऽसौ सौमित्रे यथा त्वमिह चागतः । तथा सीता हृता नूनं नापश्यत् स गतोऽथ ताम्

That was a magical deer, O Saumitri, just as you have come here; in the same way, Sita was truly abducted, and he did not see her as he departed.

शुशोच विललापार्त्तो मां त्यक्त्वा क्क गतासि वै। लक्ष्मणाश्वासितो रामो मार्गयामास जानकीम्

He grieved and lamented in distress, crying, 'Where have you gone, leaving me?'; consoled by Lakshmana, Rama began searching for Janaki.

दृष्ट्वा जटायुस्तं प्राह रावणो हृतवांश्च ताम्। मृतोऽथ संस्कृतस्तेन कबन्धञ्चावधीत्ततः

Seeing him, Jatayu spoke: 'Ravana has carried her away.' Then, after Jatayu died and was given rites by him, he slew Kabandha thereafter.

नारद उवाच रामः पस्पासरो गत्वा शोचन् स शर्वरीं ततः। हनूमता स सूग्नीवं मित्रञ्चकार ह

Narada said: Rama, having gone forth, spent the night grieving; then, with Hanuman, he made Sugriva his friend.

सप्त तालन् विनिर्भिद्य शरेणैकेन पश्यतः। पादेन दुन्दुभेः कायञ्चिक्षेप दशयोजनम्

He pierced seven palm trees with a single arrow before their eyes, and with his foot, he hurled Dundubhi's body ten yojanas.

तद्रिपुं बालिनं हत्वा भ्रातरं वैरसारिणम्। किष्किन्धां कपिरज्यञ्च रुमान्तारां समर्पयत्

Having slain that enemy, Bali, the brother hostile to him, he entrusted Kishkindha, the kingdom of the monkeys, and Ruma to Sugriva.

ऋष्यमूकेहरीशायकिष्किन्धेशोऽब्रवीत्सच । सीतां त्वं प्राश्यसेयद्वत् तथा राम करोमिते

The lord of monkeys dwelling at Rishyamuka, the king of Kishkindha, spoke: 'You will recover Sita, just as I will act for Rama.'

तछ्रुत्वा माल्यवत्पृष्ठे चातुर्मास्यं चकारसः। किष्किन्धायाञ्च सुग्रीवो यदा नायाति दर्शनम्

Hearing this, he performed the four-month vow on Mount Malyavat, and Sugriva did not come to meet him in Kishkindha.

तदाऽब्रवीत्तं रामोक्तं लक्षमणो व्रज राघवम्। न स सङ्कुचितः पन्था येन बाली हतो गतः

Then, as Rama had said, Lakshmana spoke: 'Go to Raghava; the path is not obstructed, the way by which Bali was slain and departed.'

समये तिष्ठ सुग्रीव मा बालिपथमन्वगः। सुग्रीव आह संसक्तो गतं कालं न बुद्धवान्

'Keep to the appointed time, Sugriva; do not follow the path of Bali.' Sugriva replied: 'Absorbed, I did not notice the passage of time.'