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.
पुष्पितान् पुष्पिताग्राभिर्लताभिरुपशोभितान्। ददर्श रामः शतशस्तत्र कान्तारपादपान्
There, Rāma saw hundreds of forest trees adorned with blossoming creepers whose tips were covered in flowers.
हस्तिहस्तैर्विमृदितान् वानरैरुपशोभितान्। मत्तैः शकुनिसङ्घैश्च शतशः प्रतिनादितान्
Some were trampled by elephants' trunks, some were brightened by monkeys, and hundreds resounded with the cries of intoxicated flocks of birds.
ततोऽब्रवीत् समीपस्थं रामो राजीवलोचनः। पृष्ठतोऽनुगतं वीरं लक्ष्मणं लक्ष्मिवर्धनम्
Then Rāma, lotus-eyed, spoke to Lakṣmaṇa, the increaser of prosperity, the heroic one who followed behind him.
स्निग्धपत्रा यथा वृक्षा यथा क्षान्ता मृगद्विजाः। आश्रमो नातिदूरस्थो महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः
The trees have glossy leaves, the animals and birds are gentle, and not far from here is the hermitage of the great sage whose mind is purified.
अगस्त्य इति विख्यातो लोके स्वेनैव कर्मणा। आश्रमो दृश्यते तस्य परिश्रान्तश्रमापहः
That hermitage, renowned in the world as belonging to Agastya, is seen here—by his own deeds, it removes the fatigue of those who are weary.
प्राज्यधूमाकुलवनश्चीरमालापरिष्कृतः। प्रशान्तमृगयूथश्च नानाशकुनिनादितः
The forest is filled with thick smoke, adorned with garlands of bark-cloth, peaceful with calm herds of deer, and resounding with various birds.
निगृह्य तरसा मृत्युं लोकानां हितकाम्यया। दक्षिणा दिक् कृता येन शरण्या पुण्यकर्मणा
He, desiring the welfare of the worlds, subdued Death by force, and by his virtuous deeds made the southern quarter a place of refuge.
तस्येदमाश्रमपदं प्रभावाद् यस्य राक्षसैः। दिगियं दक्षिणा त्रासाद् दृश्यते नोपभुज्यते
This is the hermitage of that one, whose power caused the southern quarter to be feared by the Rākṣasas—visible, but not enjoyed by them.
यदाप्रभृति चाक्रान्ता दिगियं पुण्यकर्मणा। तदाप्रभृति निर्वैराः प्रशान्ता रजनीचराः
From the time this quarter was taken over by the virtuous one, from that time the night-roaming beings have been peaceful and free from enmity.
नाम्ना चेयं भगवतो दक्षिणा दिक्प्रदक्षिणा। प्रथिता त्रिषु लोकेषु दुर्धर्षा क्रूरकर्मभिः
This southern quarter, named after the blessed one, is renowned in the three worlds and cannot be overcome by those of cruel deeds.