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?'
अथ तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भ्रातुर्निधनसंश्रितम्। प्रधर्षयितुमारेभे मुनिं क्रोधान्निशाचरः
Then, hearing these words which signified his brother's death, the night-wanderer began to attack the sage in anger.
सोऽभ्यद्रवद् द्विजेन्द्रं तं मुनिना दीप्ततेजसा। चक्षुषानलकल्पेन निर्दग्धो निधनं गतः
He rushed at the foremost of brahmins, but was burned up and destroyed by the sage, whose brilliance was like fire from his eyes.
तस्यायमाश्रमो भ्रातुस्तटाकवनशोभितः। विप्रानुकम्पया येन कर्मेदं दुष्करं कृतम्
This is the hermitage of that brother, adorned with a lake and forest, where, out of compassion for the brahmins, this difficult deed was accomplished.
एवं कथयमानस्य तस्य सौमित्रिणा सह। रामस्यास्तं गतः सूर्यः संध्याकालोऽभ्यवर्तत
As he was telling this story with Saumitri, the sun set for Rāma and the time of evening twilight arrived.
उपास्य पश्चिमां संध्यां सह भ्रात्रा यथाविधि। प्रविवेशाश्रमपदं तमृषिं चाभ्यवादयत्
After duly performing the evening worship with his brother, he entered the hermitage and greeted the sage.
सम्यक्प्रतिगृहीतस्तु मुनिना तेन राघवः। न्यवसत् तां निशामेकां प्राश्य मूलफलानि च
Welcomed properly by the sage, Rāghava spent that night there, having eaten roots and fruits.
तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायामुदिते रविमण्डले। भ्रातरं तमगस्त्यस्य आमन्त्रयत राघवः
When that night had passed and the sun had risen, Rāghava took leave of Agastya's brother.
अभिवादये त्वां भगवन् सुखमस्म्युषितो निशाम्। आमन्त्रये त्वां गच्छामि गुरुं ते द्रष्टुमग्रजम्
'I bow to you, venerable one. I have spent the night comfortably. I take my leave; I am going to see your elder brother, my teacher.'
गम्यतामिति तेनोक्तो जगाम रघुनन्दनः। यथोद्दिष्टेन मार्गेण वनं तच्चावलोकयन्
Told 'You may go' by him, Raghunandana departed, following the indicated path and observing that forest.
नीवारान् पनसान् सालान् वञ्जुलांस्तिनिशांस्तथा। चिरिबिल्वान् मधूकांश्च बिल्वानथ च तिन्दुकान्
He saw wild rice, jackfruit, śāla trees, vañjulā, tinisha, ciribilva, madhūka, bilva, and tinduka trees.