सुतीक्ष्णः प्रत्युवाचेदं प्रीतो दशरथात्मजम्। अहमप्येतदेव त्वां वक्तुकामः सलक्ष्मणम्
Suteekṣṇa, pleased, addressed the son of Daśaratha: 'I too wished to tell you this, together with Lakṣmaṇa.'
अगस्त्यमभिगच्छेति सीतया सह राघव। दिष्ट्या त्विदानीमर्थेऽस्मिन् स्वयमेव ब्रवीषि माम्
'Go to Agastya, Rāghava, together with Sītā; by fortune, you yourself now ask me about this matter.'
अयमाख्यामि ते राम यत्रागस्त्यो महामुनिः। योजनान्याश्रमात् तात याहि चत्वारि वै ततः। दक्षिणेन महान् श्रीमानगस्त्यभ्रातुराश्रमः
'I will tell you, Rāma, where the great sage Agastya is. From this hermitage, dear one, go four yojanas south; there is the splendid hermitage of Agastya's brother.'
स्थलीप्रायवनोद्देशे पिप्पलीवनशोभिते। बहुपुष्पफले रम्ये नानाविहगनादिते
'In a region mostly open land, adorned with groves of pippala trees, charming with many flowers and fruits, and resounding with the calls of various birds.'
पद्मिन्यो विविधास्तत्र प्रसन्नसलिलाशयाः। हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णाश्चक्रवाकोपशोभिताः
There, various kinds of lotus ponds with clear waters are found, crowded with swans and cranes, and beautified by chakravaka ducks.
तत्रैकां रजनीं व्युष्य प्रभाते राम गम्यताम्। दक्षिणां दिशमास्थाय वनखण्डस्य पार्श्वतः
Having spent one night there, O Rama, in the morning you should proceed, taking the southern direction along the edge of the forest tract.
तत्रागस्त्याश्रमपदं गत्वा योजनमन्तरम्। रमणीये वनोद्देशे बहुपादपशोभिते
There, after traveling a yojana, you will reach the hermitage of Agastya, in a delightful part of the forest adorned with many trees.
रंस्यते तत्र वैदेही लक्ष्मणश्च त्वया सह। स हि रम्यो वनोद्देशो बहुपादपसंयुतः
There, Vaidehī and Lakshmana will rejoice together with you, for that charming forest region is rich with many trees.
यदि बुद्धिः कृता द्रष्टुमगस्त्यं तं महामुनिम्। अद्यैव गमने बुद्धिं रोचयस्व महामते
If you have resolved to see that great sage Agastya, O wise one, then today fix your mind on going there.
इति रामो मुनेः श्रुत्वा सह भ्रात्राभिवाद्य च। प्रतस्थेऽगस्त्यमुद्दिश्य सानुगः सह सीतया
Thus, having heard the sage’s words, Rama, together with his brother, offered obeisance and set out toward Agastya, accompanied by Sita.
पश्यन् वनानि चित्राणि पर्वतांश्चाभ्रसंनिभान्। सरांसि सरितश्चैव पथि मार्गवशानुगान्
Beholding the wondrous forests, mountains resembling clouds, lakes, and rivers that lay along their path,
सुतीक्ष्णेनोपदिष्टेन गत्वा तेन पथा सुखम्। इदं परमसंहृष्टो वाक्यं लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्
Following the path indicated by Sutikshna, they went comfortably, and Rama, exceedingly delighted, spoke these words to Lakshmana:
एतदेवाश्रमपदं नूनं तस्य महात्मनः। अगस्त्यस्य मुनेर्भ्रातुर्दृश्यते पुण्यकर्मणः
Surely this is the hermitage of that great-souled sage, Agastya, the virtuous brother, as it now appears before us.
यथा हीमे वनस्यास्य ज्ञाताः पथि सहस्रशः। संनताः फलभारेण पुष्पभारेण च द्रुमाः
For, as we have seen along the way, thousands of trees are bent with the weight of fruit and flowers in this forest.
पिप्पलीनां च पक्वानां वनादस्मादुपागतः। गन्धोऽयं पवनोत्क्षिप्तः सहसा कटुकोदयः
And from this forest comes the pungent fragrance, suddenly carried by the wind, of ripe pippali peppers.
तत्र तत्र च दृश्यन्ते संक्षिप्ताः काष्ठसंचयाः। लूनाश्च परिदृश्यन्ते दर्भा वैदूर्यवर्चसः
Here and there are seen piles of gathered wood, and darbha grass, shining like cat’s eye gem, is found cut and lying about.
एतच्च वनमध्यस्थं कृष्णाभ्रशिखरोपमम्। पावकस्याश्रमस्थस्य धूमाग्रं सम्प्रदृश्यते
And in the midst of the forest, resembling the peak of a dark cloud, the column of smoke from the hermitage fire is visible.
विविक्तेषु च तीर्थेषु कृतस्नाना द्विजातयः। पुष्पोपहारं कुर्वन्ति कुसुमैः स्वयमर्जितैः
In secluded bathing places, twice-born sages, having performed their ablutions, offer flowers they have gathered themselves.
ततः सुतीक्ष्णवचनं यथा सौम्य मया श्रुतम्। अगस्त्यस्याश्रमो भ्रातुर्नूनमेष भविष्यति
Therefore, gentle one, as I have heard from Sutikshna, this must indeed be the hermitage of Agastya’s brother.
निगृह्य तरसा मृत्युं लोकानां हितकाम्यया। यस्य भ्रात्रा कृतेयं दिक्शरण्या पुण्यकर्मणा
For the sake of the world’s welfare, his brother, a doer of virtuous deeds, subdued Death by force, and made this southern region a sanctuary.
इहैकदा किल क्रूरो वातापिरपि चेल्वलः। भ्रातरौ सहितावास्तां ब्राह्मणघ्नौ महासुरौ
Here once, it is said, the cruel Vatapi and Ilvala, two mighty asuras and slayers of Brahmins, dwelt together as brothers.
धारयन् ब्राह्मणं रूपमिल्वलः संस्कृतं वदन्। आमन्त्रयति विप्रान् स श्राद्धमुद्दिश्य निर्घृणः
Ilvala, assuming the form of a Brahmin, would, with deceitful words, invite Brahmins to a funeral feast, mercilessly.
भ्रातरं संस्कृतं कृत्वा ततस्तं मेषरूपिणम्। तान् द्विजान् भोजयामास श्राद्धदृष्टेन कर्मणा
Then, after performing the funeral rites for his brother, he made him take the form of a ram and fed those brahmins according to the prescribed rites of a śrāddha.
ततो भुक्तवतां तेषां विप्राणामिल्वलोऽब्रवीत्। वातापे निष्क्रमस्वेति स्वरेण महता वदन्
After those brahmins had eaten, Ilvala spoke in a loud voice, saying, 'Vātāpi, come out!'
ततो भ्रातुर्वचः श्रुत्वा वातापिर्मेषवन्नदन्। भित्त्वा भित्त्वा शरीराणि ब्राह्मणानां विनिष्पतत्
Then, hearing his brother's words, Vātāpi, bleating like a ram, burst forth from the bodies of the brahmins, tearing them apart.
ब्राह्मणानां सहस्राणि तैरेवं कामरूपिभिः। विनाशितानि संहत्य नित्यशः पिशिताशनैः
In this way, thousands of brahmins were destroyed together by those flesh-eating beings who could assume any form, continually.
अगस्त्येन तदा देवैः प्रार्थितेन महर्षिणा। अनुभूय किल श्राद्धे भक्षितः स महासुरः
Then, at the request of the gods, the great sage Agastya experienced that śrāddha and consumed that great asura.
ततः सम्पन्नमित्युक्त्वा दत्त्वा हस्तेऽवनेजनम्। भ्रातरं निष्क्रमस्वेति चेल्वलः समभाषत
Afterwards, declaring 'It is accomplished,' and giving water for rinsing the hands, Ilvala addressed his brother, 'Come out!'
स तदा भाषमाणं तु भ्रातरं विप्रघातिनम्। अब्रवीत् प्रहसन् धीमानगस्त्यो मुनिसत्तमः
At that time, the wise and eminent sage Agastya, smiling, spoke to his brother, the brahmin-slayer, as he was calling out.
कुतो निष्क्रमितुं शक्तिर्मया जीर्णस्य रक्षसः। भ्रातुस्तु मेषरूपस्य गतस्य यमसादनम्
'How can one who has been digested by me, your rakshasa brother in the form of a ram, who has gone to the abode of Yama, come out?'