Chapter IV: Section IV

Seeing those foremost of Raghus, the Kakutsthas, carried away, Sita cried in a loud voice, raising up her arms,[5] "Rama, the son of Dacaratha, the strong, the truthful and the pure, is, along with Lakshmana, being carried away by you, Rakshasa of a terrible appearance. Me bears will devour and tigers and panthers. Renouncing the Kakutsthas, do thou carry me away. I bow unto thee, O best of Rakshasas." Hearing these words of Vaidehi, Rama and Lakshmana bestirred themselves for compassing the death of that wicked one. And Sumitra's son broke his left arm; while Rama at once broke the Rakshasa's right one. On his arms being broken, the Rakshasa resembling a mass of clouds, growing weak, sank down on the ground in a swoon, like a hill riven by the thunderbolt. Thereupon, they assailed the Rakshasa with their fists, arms and feet; and lifting him up once and again, and pressing him, they trod on him over the ground. Although he was sore pierced by full many an arrow and cut sorryly by scimitars, and pressed down on the earth in various ways, yet the Rakshasa expired not. Seeing him utterly incapable of being killed, and resembling a hill, that inspirer of hope in times of peril, the graceful (Rama), said, "O foremost of men, in consequence of his austerities, yon Rakshasa cannot be vanquished with weapons in conflict. Therefore, let us cast him into a pit. O Lakshmana, dig a capacious pit in this forest[6] for this Rakshasa resembling an elephant, terible, and of a grim presence." Having said this unto Lakshmana,--"Do thou dig a pit," the powerful Rama remained planting his foot on Viradha's throat. Having heard Raghava's words, the Rakshasa spake gently, "Slain am I, O chief of men, by thee possessed of strength equal to that of Sakra. Through ignorance, O foremost of men, I could not before know thee. Now I know thee that art Rama, the worthy Son of Kaucalya, my child; as well as the highly virtuous Vaidehi and the renowned Lakshmana. By virtue of a curse, I entered this dreadful Rakshasi form, I a Gandharba, having been cursed by Vaicravana. Being propitiated by me, that greatly famous one said,--'When Rama the son of Dacaratha, shall slay thee in encounter, thou, attaining thy natural condition, shalt repair to the celestial regions.' Getting wroth, he cursed me, who had been absent; and thus did king Vaicravana address me, who had conceived love for Rambha. Through thy grace have I been freed from this fearful curse, I shall (now) repair to heaven. Hail, O repressor of foes! Half a Yoyana hence, my child, dwells the righteous and potent Maharshi, Sarabhanga, resembling the Sun. Seek him speedily: he will bring about thy good. Casting me (into this pit) in the wood, do thou, O Rama, peacefully go thy way. Even this is the eternal usage of the Rakshasas. hose that die in the forest, attain eternal regions." Having said this unto Kakutstha, the mighty Viradha, afflicted with arrows, having his body deposited (in the pit), attained heaven. Having heard that speech of Viradha, Righava ordered Lakshmana, saying, "O Lakshmana, do thou in this forest dig a capacious pit for this Rakshasa resembling an elephant, dreadful, and of terrible acts." Having said unto Lakshmana, "Dig a pit,"--Rama possessed of prowess remained fixing his foot on Viradha' s throat. Then taking a hoe, Lakshmana dug a spacious pit by the side of the huge-bodied[7] Viradha. Then when his throat had been freed, (Lakshmana) cast into the pit Viradha having ears resembling javelins, sending loud and dreadful sounds. Having vanquished him in fight, Rama and Lakshmana possessed of activity and steady in fight, being exceedingly delighted, raising up the dreadful Rakshasa by main force, cast him howling (into the pit). Reflecting that he was incapable of being slain (by sharpened weapons), those foremost of men, exceedingly well versed (in arms), compassed the death of that mighty Asura, Viradha, in the pit, after they had dug it. Viradha had himself sincerely wished for his death at the hands of Rama; and that ranger of the woods had accordingly told (Rama),--"My death cannot be effected by means of weapons." Having heard these words, Rama decided upon casting him into a pit. And when the excessively strong Rakshasa entered the cavity, he made the forest resound with his cries. Having thrown him into the hole, Rama and Lakshmana, their fears removed, appeared with joyful looks, and rejoiced in that forest like the sun and the moon seated in the heavens.[8]

[6] Another reading is _Subhuyabhuyan--That one of elegant arms
(raising) them up._--T.

[7] The reading slightly varies in some texts.--T.

[8] Another reading of this line is:--_And buried him under stones._
The North-West Provinces text has four additional lines:--_Having,
slain the Rakshasa and taken Mithtla's daughter, those ones having
bows decked in gold, being delighted, rejoiced in that mighty
forest, like the sun and the moon seated in the sky._--T.