Rāmāyana | Āraṇya Kaṇḍa | Chapter 2

2. Rāma Meets Virādha

[Virādha a giant with horrifying form appears before Rāma and takes hold of Sītā and keeps her on his lap. Rāma is slightly scared as well as horrified. Lakṣmaṇa tells Rāma that he would kill Virādha.]

That Rāma who was greatly satisfied, immediately after sun rise took leave of those saints, entered the forest. 2.1

That Rāma saw who was followed by Lakṣmaṇa saw that the forest was crowded with many types of animals and occupied by boars and tigers. Many of the trees, climbers and bushes had been cleared there and it was difficult to find water bodies and it was filled with noise of birds and insects. 2.2-2.3

While Sītā and Rāma were wandering in that place populated by horrible beasts they saw a man eater who looked like the tip of the mountain. 2.4

That funny person was having huge eyes, broad mouth, greatly large belly and had the looks of a disfigured and disgusting person and had dreadful appearance. 2.5

Wearing a skin of a tiger, drenched with marrow, sprinkled with blood, with wide mouth open that being was frightening all beings like the god of death. 2.6

He was holding by its teeth three lions, four tigers, two wolves. ten deer and head of an elephant and was wet with the marrow of those animals and pierced with a iron spear the head of a great elephant and produced very great sound. 2.7

Seeing Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā the princess of Mithilā, he ran towards them with great anger as if it is the God of death. 2.8

Creating a very horrible sound and also shaking the earth, he caught hold of Sītā and kept her on its lap and then said. 2.9

"Both of you with matted hair and dressed in bark along with your wife have entered this Daṇḍakāraṇya wearing the bow and arrows and your life is going to end now." 2.10

"How is it that though you are saints, you are living with your wife? You are youngsters not following Dharma and ones insulting the saints." 2.11

"I am Virādha by name and wander well-armed in this impassable forests always eating the flesh of sages." 2.12

"This very blessed lady would become my wife and I would drink the blood of both of you in the battle." 2.13

Hearing the bad and very proud words of that bad soul Virādha, the daughter of Janaka became bewildered out of fear. 2.14

Sītā due to great fear was shaking like a banana plant in a strong wind and Rāma, seeing the pure one in the hold of Virādha, with a parched throat, told Lakṣmaṇa. 2.15-2.16

"Oh gentle one, see how the famous daughter of king Janaka who is my wife observing all virtues and who is brought up with all love, has been caught by Virādha" 2.17

"Oh Lakṣmaṇa, what Kaikeyi desired for us through her boon, has already has happened to us today." 2.18

"That far sighted lady not being contented with asking the kingdom for her son, sent me who is loved by all beings to the forest and the desire of my middle mother has now been fulfilled." 2.19-2.20

"The touching of Sītā by others is the greater sorrow to me than my father's death or the stealing of my kingdom." 2.21

While the son of Kākutstha clan spoke like this and was shedding tears, Lakṣmaṇa angry like a elephant which has been tied, said. 2.22

"Oh son of Kākutstha clan, Oh Lord of all beings, you are like Indra and when I am in your service why are becoming sad?" 2.23

"I who am very angry is going to kill this Rākṣasa by an arrow and his blood would be drunk by this earth." 2.24

"I will release the anger that I have on Bhārata who yearned for the kingdom on this Virādha and it will hit him like the Vajrayudha of Indra." 2.25

"By the speed generated by the strength of my arms, the arrow that I sent would fall with high speed on his body and he will die and body after turning would fall on the earth. 2.26

This is the end of Second Sarga of Āraṇya Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.