त्वं तु को वा किमर्थं वा कबन्धसदृशो वने। आस्येनोरसि दीप्तेन भग्नजङ्घो विचेष्टसे
But who are you, and for what reason do you, resembling Kabandha, wander in the forest, moving about with a shining mouth on your chest and your legs broken?
एवमुक्तः कबन्धस्तु लक्ष्मणेनोत्तरं वचः। उवाच वचनं प्रीतस्तदिन्द्रवचनं स्मरन्
Thus addressed by Lakshmana, Kabandha, recalling Indra's words, gladly replied to him.
स्वागतं वां नरव्याघ्रौ दिष्ट्या पश्यामि वामहम्। दिष्ट्या चेमौ निकृत्तौ मे युवाभ्यां बाहुबन्धनौ
Welcome to you, tigers among men; by fortune I see you both, and by fortune my arms, which bound you, have been cut off by you.
विरूपं यच्च मे रूपं प्राप्तं ह्यविनयाद् यथा। तन्मे शृणु नरव्याघ्र तत्त्वतः शंसतस्तव
Hear from me, O tiger among men, how I came by this deformed appearance due to my own misconduct, as I truthfully recount it to you.
thumb|एकसप्ततितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे एकसप्ततितमः सर्गः ॥३-
Here ends the seventy-first sarga. Listen.
पुरा राम महाबाहो महाबलपराक्रमम्। रूपमासीन्ममाचिन्त्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्
Long ago, O Rama of mighty arms, I possessed a form of immense strength and valor—an inconceivable form, renowned throughout the three worlds.
यथा सूर्यस्य सोमस्य शक्रस्य च यथा वपुः। सोऽहं रूपमिदं कृत्वा लोकवित्रासनं महत्
Just as the radiance of the sun, the moon, and Indra, so was my form; having assumed this appearance, I became a great terror to the worlds.
ऋषीन् वनगतान् राम त्रासयामि ततस्ततः। ततः स्थूलशिरा नाम महर्षिः कोपितो मया
O Rama, I would terrify the sages dwelling in the forest, here and there; then, a great sage named Sthūlaśiras was angered by me.
स चिन्वन् विविधं वन्यं रूपेणानेन धर्षितः। तेनाहमुक्तः प्रेक्ष्यैवं घोरशापाभिधायिना
While he was gathering various forest produce, he was harassed by me in this form; seeing this, he pronounced upon me a dreadful curse.
एतदेवं नृशंसं ते रूपमस्तु विगर्हितम्। स मया याचितः क्रुद्धः शापस्यान्तो भवेदिति
He said, 'Let this cruel form of yours be condemned!' Angered, I begged him that there might be an end to the curse.
अभिशापकृतस्येति तेनेदं भाषितं वचः। यदा छित्त्वा भुजौ रामस्त्वां दहेद् विजने वने
He, the author of the curse, spoke these words to me: 'When Rama, having cut off your arms, burns you in a lonely forest—'
तदा त्वं प्राप्स्यसे रूपं स्वमेव विपुलं शुभम्। श्रिया विराजितं पुत्रं दनोस्त्वं विद्धि लक्ष्मण
'—then you will regain your own vast and splendid form, adorned with glory. Know, O Lakshmana, that you are the son of Danu.'
इन्द्रकोपादिदं रूपं प्राप्तमेवं रणाजिरे। अहं हि तपसोग्रेण पितामहमतोषयम्
Through Indra's wrath, I obtained this form on the battlefield; for by severe austerity I had pleased the Grandsire.
दीर्घमायुः स मे प्रादात् ततो मां विभ्रमोऽस्पृशत् । दीर्घमायुर्मया प्राप्तं किं मां शक्रः करिष्यति
He granted me long life, and thus confusion did not touch me. Having obtained long life, what could Indra do to me?
इत्येवं बुद्धिमास्थाय रणे शक्रमधर्षयम्। तस्य बाहुप्रमुक्तेन वज्रेण शतपर्वणा
Thinking thus, I challenged Indra in battle; with his hundred-spoked thunderbolt, he struck my thighs and head.
सक्थिनी च शिरश्चैव शरीरे सम्प्रवेशितम्। स मया याच्यमानः सन् नानयद् यमसादनम्
My thighs and head were pierced into my body; though I begged him, he did not send me to the abode of Yama.
पितामहवचः सत्यं तदस्त्विति ममाब्रवीत्। अनाहारः कथं शक्तो भग्नसक्थिशिरोमुखः
He said to me, 'Let the Grandsire's word be fulfilled.' How could I, unfed and with broken thighs, head, and mouth—
वज्रेणाभिहतः कालं सुदीर्घमपि जीवितुम्। स एवमुक्तः शक्रो मे बाहू योजनमायतौ
—struck by the thunderbolt, live for a very long time? Thus addressed, Indra made my arms a yojana long—
तदा चास्यं च मे कुक्षौ तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रमकल्पयत् । सोऽहं भुजाभ्यां दीर्घाभ्यां संक्षिप्यास्मिन् वनेचरान्
—and fashioned my mouth in my belly with sharp fangs. With these long arms, I seize the forest-dwellers here—
सिंहद्वीपिमृगव्याघ्रान् भक्षयामि समन्ततः। स तु मामब्रवीदिन्द्रो यदा रामः सलक्ष्मणः
—and devour lions, elephants, deer, and tigers all around. Then Indra said to me, 'When Rama, together with Lakshmana—'
छेत्स्यते समरे बाहू तदा स्वर्गं गमिष्यसि। अनेन वपुषा तात वनेऽस्मिन् राजसत्तम
'—cuts off your arms in battle, then you will go to heaven. With this form, O best of kings, in this forest—'
यद् यत् पश्यामि सर्वस्य ग्रहणं साधु रोचये। अवश्यं ग्रहणं रामो मन्येऽहं समुपैष्यति
'—whatever I see, I eagerly desire to seize. Surely, I think, Rama will come to seize me.'
इमां बुद्धिं पुरस्कृत्य देहन्यासकृतश्रमः। स त्वं रामोऽसि भद्रं ते नाहमन्येन राघव
Holding to this resolve, weary from maintaining this body, I say to you: you are Rama—blessings to you, Raghava—I cannot be slain by any other.
शक्यो हन्तुं यथा तत्त्वमेवमुक्तं महर्षिणा। अहं हि मतिसाचिव्यं करिष्यामि नरर्षभ
As the great sage has truly said, it is possible to slay him; I will offer my counsel and support, O best of men.
मित्रं चैवोपदेक्ष्यामि युवाभ्यां संस्कृतोऽग्निना। एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा दनुना तेन राघवः
I will also instruct you both in the rites of friendship, sanctified by fire.
इदं जगाद वचनं लक्ष्मणस्य च पश्यतः। रावणेन हृता भार्या सीता मम यशस्विनी
Thus addressed, the righteous Rāghava spoke these words, as Lakṣmaṇa listened: 'My illustrious wife Sītā has been taken by Rāvaṇa.'
निष्क्रान्तस्य जनस्थानात् सह भ्रात्रा यथासुखम्। नाममात्रं तु जानामि न रूपं तस्य रक्षसः
After leaving Janasthāna with my brother, I know only the name of that rākṣasa, not his form.
निवासं वा प्रभावं वा वयं तस्य न विद्महे। शोकार्तानामनाथानामेवं विपरिधावताम्
We do not know his dwelling or his power; we are afflicted by grief, without support, wandering in distress.
कारुण्यं सदृशं कर्तुमुपकारेण वर्तताम्। काष्ठान्यानीय भग्नानि काले शुष्काणि कुञ्जरैः
It is fitting to show compassion and render help to those who act thus, bringing dry wood broken by elephants at the proper time.
धक्ष्यामस्त्वां वयं वीर श्वभ्रे महति कल्पिते। स त्वं सीतां समाचक्ष्व येन वा यत्र वा हृता
We will burn you, O hero, in the great pit prepared; so tell us of Sītā—by whom or where she was taken.