The Valmiki Ramayana

by Amish Tripathi

  Chapter 3(10)

  Rama walked in front. The extremely beautiful Sita was in the middle. With a bow in his hand, Lakshmana followed at the rear. As they advanced with Sita, they saw many kinds of forests, level ground around the mountains and many beautiful rivers. Cranes and chakravakas wandered around the riverbanks. There were lakes with lotuses and many kinds of aquatic birds. There were herds of antelopes, crazy and horned buffaloes and boars and elephants that treated trees like enemies. After they had travelled a long distance along the way, the sun became elongated. They saw a beautiful lake that was one yojana in expanse. It was full of red and white lotuses and ornamented with herds of elephants. There were cranes, swans, kadambas49 and other aquatic birds. In the sparkling water of that beautiful lake, the sounds of singing and the playing of musical instruments could be heard, but no one could be seen. Because of their curiosity, Rama and maharatha Lakshmana asked the sage named Dharmabhrita. Raghava, with dharma in his soul, asked the sage, ‘O great sage! All these wonderful sounds can be heard. A curiosity has been generated. You should tell us about the auspicious account.’

  He started to tell them about the powers of the lake. ‘O Rama! This perennial lake, named Panchapsara50 has been constructed by the sage Mandakarni through his austerities. The great sage, Mandakarni, tormented himself through fierce austerities for ten thousand years, lying down in the water and surviving only on air. All the gods, with Agni at the forefront, came together. Having assembled together, they addressed each other in these words. “The sage desires to obtain one of our positions.” All the gods instructed five foremost apsaras, with forms as radiant as the lightning, to cause impediments to his austerities. The sage possessed insight about this world and the next. However, to accomplish the task of the gods, the apsaras brought him under the subjugation of desire. Those five apsaras became the wives of the sage. Inside the lake, he built an invisible house for them. The five apsaras dwell there happily. They pleasure themselves with the sage, who became young because of his austerities and yoga. As they sport, the sounds of the musical instruments can be heard. The beautiful sounds of singing can be heard, mingling with the tinkling of ornaments.’ Hearing the words of the one with the cleansed soul, Raghava and his immensely illustrious brother said that this was indeed wonderful.

  As they conversed, they saw a circle of hermitages. There were many kinds of trees, and kusha grass and bark were strewn around. With Vaidehi and Lakshmana, Raghava Kakutstha entered that beautiful circle of hermitages. Honoured by the maharshis, they happily resided there, progressively going from the hermitage of one ascetic to that of another. When the cycle was over, the one who knew about all the great weapons went back to one he had dwelt with earlier. He resided for ten months in one place and for one year in another. He resided for four months in one place and five months in another. There were some places where he resided for more than one month and others where he resided for more than one-and-a-half months. In some places, Raghava happily dwelt for three months and for eight months in others. As he happily dwelt in the hermitages of the sages, through their favours, ten years passed. With Sita, Raghava, who knew about dharma, took their leave. The handsome one again went to Suteekshna’s hermitage. When he arrived at the hermitage, he was honoured by the sages. Rama, destroyer of enemies, resided there for some time too.

  Once, at this hermitage, Suteekshna was seated and Kakutstha humbly addressed the great sage. ‘O illustrious one! I have always heard accounts that Agastya, supreme among sages, resides in this forest. Because of the vastness of the forest, I do not know where that spot is. Where is the sacred hermitage of that intelligent maharshi? With my younger brother and with Sita, I wish to obtain the favours of that illustrious one, by going and worshipping the sage Agastya. This great desire is circling around in my heart, that I should myself be able to serve that supreme sage.’ Suteekshna heard the words of Rama, who possessed dharma in his soul. Delighted, the sage replied to Dasharatha’s son. ‘I also wished to speak to you and Lakshmana about this. O Raghava! With Sita, go to Agastya. It is good fortune that you have yourself spoken to me about this. O child! I will tell you where Agastya, the great sage, is. O son!51 If you go four yojanas from this hermitage, towards the south, you will find the great and beautiful hermitage of Agastya’s brother. It is located on flat ground within the forest and is ornamented with groves of pippala trees.52 There are many kinds of beautiful flowers and fruit and the sounds of many kinds of birds. In the sparkling and auspicious waters, there are diverse kinds of lotuses. The place is full of swans and karandavas and decorated with chakravakas. O Rama! Spend one night there and leave next morning towards the southern direction, alongside that forest region. Agastya’s hermitage is one yojana from there. This is a beautiful part of the forest, with many trees. With you, Vaidehi and Lakshmana will find pleasure there. That beautiful part of the forest is full of many kinds of trees. O immensely illustrious one! If your mind has turned towards seeing Agastya, the great sage, you should make up your mind to leave today itself.’

  Having heard the words of the sage, with his brother, Rama worshipped the sage. With his younger brother and Sita, he left to see Agastya. Along the path, they saw many wonderful forests and mountains that were like clouds, lakes and rivers that flowed along the path. As they cheerfully proceeded along the path indicated by Suteekshna, in supreme delight, he addressed Lakshmana in these words. ‘This must indeed be the hermitage of the great-souled sage, Agastya’s brother,53 the performer of auspicious deeds. It can be seen. In this forest, along the path, thousands of trees can be discerned, bent down with the burden of fruits and flowers. Suddenly, the bitter smell of ripe pippala fruit has arisen from the forest and is being borne by the wind. Heaps of wood have been kept here and there. Along the path, cut darbha grass can be seen, as radiant as lapis lazuli. In the middle of the forest, from the hermitage, a crest of smoke can be seen to arise from the fire, dark like the top of a cloud. Having had their baths in the fords, the brahmanas wish to collect offerings of flowers themselves.54 O amiable one! I have heard Suteekshna’s words. This must certainly be the hermitage of Agastya’s brother. His brother,55 auspicious in his deeds, is the refuge of this direction. In a desire to ensure the welfare of the worlds, he quickly controlled death. Once upon a time, there were the cruel brothers, Vatapi and Ilvala.56 Together, those two great asuras used to kill brahmanas. The cruel Ilvala would assume the form of a brahmana and with polished words, would invite brahmanas to a funeral ceremony.57 Following the rites prescribed for a funeral ceremony, he would cook his brother, who would assume the form of a ram, and feed this to the brahmanas. Once the brahmanas had eaten, Ilvala would shout in a loud voice, “O Vatapi! Come out.” Hearing his brother’s words, Vatapi would roar like a ram and emerge, tearing through and mangling the bodies of the brahmanas. Subsisting on human flesh and assuming whatever form they willed, they always destroyed and killed thousands of brahmanas.58 The gods prayed to maharshi Agastya and in a funeral ceremony, he ate the great asura.59 Ilvala said that the ceremony was over and giving him60 water to wash his hands, asked his brother to come out. The slayer of brahmanas spoke in this way to his brother. The intelligent Agastya, supreme among sages, laughed and said, “I have digested the rakshasa and he no longer possesses the strength to come out. In the form of a ram, your brother has gone to Yama’s abode.” On hearing the words that his brother had indeed been killed, the one who roamed in the night was enraged and started to attack the sage. He attacked the Indra among brahmanas. However, blazing in his energy, the sage burnt him down with the fire in his sight and he came by his death. Because of his compassion, the brahmana performed this extremely difficult deed. Adorned with lakes and groves, this is his brother’s hermitage.’ As Rama was conversing in this way with Soumitri, the sun set and evening arrived. With his brother, he followed the prescribed rites and worshipped the western sandhya. He entered the hermitage and greeted the rishi. The sage welcomed Raghava in the proper way. He spen
t a night there and subsisted on roots and fruits. When night was over and the solar disc became sparkling, Raghava took his leave from Agastya’s brother. ‘O illustrious one! We worship you. We have happily spent the night here. We seek your leave to see your senior, your elder brother. When the permission to leave was granted, the descendant of the Raghu lineage departed.

  He followed the indicated path and saw the forests. There was wild grain and sala, jackfruit, ashoka, tinisha, dhava, young bilva, bilva, madhuka and tinduka trees. They had blossoms and flowering creepers on their tops. Rama saw hundreds of such beautiful trees there. They had been crushed by the trunks of elephants and were adorned with apes. Flocks of hundreds of maddened birds chirped. The brave Lakshmana, the extender of prosperity, was following at the rear and was nearby. The lotus-eyed Rama spoke to him. ‘The trees possess gentle leaves. The animals and birds are quiet. The hermitage of the maharshi with the cleansed soul can’t be far away. Because of his own deeds, Agastya is famous in this world. His hermitage can be seen and it destroys the tiredness of those who are exhausted. The forest is enveloped in smoke.61 The place is clean, with garlands of bark. The herds of deer are quiet. Nor are the birds calling. For the welfare of the worlds, he swiftly controlled death. That performer of auspicious deeds is a refuge and he cleaned the southern direction. This is his sacred hermitage. Because of his powers, the rakshasas are terrified and are not seen to frequent the southern direction. Ever since the performer of auspicious deeds came to the southern direction, those who roam in the night have become pacified and have stopped all enmity.62 The southern direction is named after that illustrious and accomplished one.63 He is famous in the three worlds and the perpetrators of cruel deeds found him difficult to assail. The excellent mountain, Vindhya, always obstructed the sun’s path. It is because of his command that the mountain did not increase.64 The one with the long lifespan is famous in the worlds because of his deeds. Agastya’s beautiful hermitage is served by gentle deer. The virtuous one is worshipped in the world and is always engaged in the welfare of the righteous. When we approach him, he will do what is best for us. We will worship the great sage, Agastya, here. O amiable one! O lord! I will spend the rest of the exile in the forest here. The gods, the gandharvas, the siddhas and the supreme rishis always worship Agastya, who is restrained in diet, here. No one who lives here is a liar, cruel, deceitful, violent or addicted to desire. The sage ensures that. The gods, the yakshas,65 the serpents and the birds dwell here together, restrained in diet and worshipping dharma. The supreme rishis cast aside their bodies here. Having become siddhas, without bodies, those great-souled ones go to heaven on celestial vehicles that are like the sun. The gods confer the status of being a yaksha, immortality and many kinds of kingdoms to the auspicious creatures who worship here. We have arrived at the sacred hermitage. O Soumitri! You enter first and tell the rishi that I have come with Sita.’66

  Chapter 3(11)

  Lakshmana, Raghava’s younger brother, entered the sacred hermitage. He approached Agastya’s disciple and spoke these words. ‘There was a king named Dasharatha. His eldest son, the powerful Rama, has come here with his wife, Sita, and wishes to see the sage. My name is Lakshmana. I am his brother and am engaged in the welfare of my elder brother. If you have heard of us, you know that I am devoted and faithful to him. We have entered this terrible forest on the instructions of our father. All of us wish to see the illustrious one. Please tell him.’ Hearing Lakshmana’s words, the store of austerities agreed. He entered the place where the sacrificial fire was kept to pass on the information. He quickly entered the place where the unassailable one, foremost among sages, was engaged in austerities. Joining his hands in salutation, he conveyed the news about Rama’s arrival. ‘Dasharatha’s two sons, Rama and Lakshmana have entered the sacred hermitage. His wife, Sita, is also with him. The destroyers of enemies have come here to see you and serve you. You should instruct us about what needs to be done next.’ He heard from his disciple about Rama and Lakshmana’s arrival and also about the extremely fortunate Vaidehi. He spoke these words. ‘It is good fortune that Rama has come here to see me, after a long time. My mind was hoping for his arrival here, to meet me. Go and receive Rama, his wife and Lakshmana properly. Make them enter and come here. Why have they not entered already?’ The great-souled sage, who knew about dharma, spoke in this way. The disciple joined his hands in salutation, honoured him and agreed to what he had said. Concerned,67 the disciple emerged and told Lakshmana, ‘Where is Rama? He should himself enter and see the sage.’ With the disciple, Lakshmana went to the entrance to the hermitage and pointed out Kakutstha and Sita, Janaka’s daughter, to him. The disciple honoured him and repeated Agastya’s words. He welcomed them hospitably, following the proper rites, and made the deserving ones enter. Rama entered, with Sita and Lakshmana, and saw the hermitage, which was full of truculent deer.

  They progressively passed through Brahma’s place, Agni’s place, Vishnu’s place, the great Indra’s place, Vivasvat’s68 place, Soma’s place, Bhaga’s place, Kubera’s place, Dhatri–Vidhatri’s place and Vayu’s place.69 Surrounded by his disciples, the sage emerged. In front of him, Rama saw the sage, blazing in his energy. The brave one70 spoke these words to Lakshmana, the extender of prosperity. ‘O Lakshmana! The illustrious rishi, Agastya, is emerging. I can recognize him from his eminence and store of austerities.’ Having said this, the mighty-armed scorcher of enemies prostrated himself and seized the feet of Agastya, resplendent like the sun. Honouring him, Rama, with dharma in his soul, joined his hands in salutation. Rama, Lakshmana and Vaidehi Sita stood there. He71 received Kakutstha and offered him a seat and water. Having asked about his welfare, he asked him to be seated. He rendered oblations into the fire and honoured the guest with arghya.72 Following the dharma of those who are in vanaprastha, he offered them food.73 The bull among sages, who knew about dharma, sat down first. Rama, who knew about dharma, sat down and joined his hands in salutation. He74 said, ‘O Kakutstha! If an ascetic acts contrary to this,75 in the world hereafter, he will be treated as one who indulged in perjury and will be made to eat his own flesh. You are a king of all the worlds and a maharatha. You follow dharma. You must be worshipped and revered and you have come here as my beloved guest.’ Having said this, he honoured Raghava with fruits, roots and all the other objects of desire. He then added, ‘This is a great and divine bow, decorated with gold and diamonds. O tiger among men! This belonged to Vishnu76 and was constructed by Vishvakarma. These excellent arrows are invincible and are like the sun. They were given by Brahma. The great Indra gave me two quivers with an inexhaustible supply of arrows. They are filled with sharp arrows that blaze like a raging fire. There is this large sheath made of silver, with a sword decorated with gold.77 O Rama! In ancient times, Vishnu used this bow to slay the great asuras in a battle and brought back blazing prosperity to the residents of heaven. O one who deserves honours! For the sake of victory, accept this bow, the two quivers, the arrows and the sword, just as the wielder of the vajra accepted the vajra.’ Having said this, the immensely energetic illustrious Agastya gave all those supreme weapons to Rama and spoke again.

  Chapter 3(12)

  ‘O Rama! I am delighted. May you be fortunate. O Lakshmana! I am satisfied with you. You have come here with Sita to show me respect. You are exhausted from your journey. You are suffering from great exhaustion and sweating. Your anxiety78 is evident, especially for Maithilee, Janaka’s daughter. She is delicate and has not suffered from such exhaustion earlier. Out of love for her husband, she has accepted this hardship in the forest. O Rama! Act so that Sita can find some pleasure. She has performed the extremely difficult task of following you to the forest. O descendant of the Raghu lineage! Since creation, the natural trait of women is to be devoted in times of prosperity and to forsake in times of adversity. They are as fickle as lightning and as sharp as a weapon. Women are quick to follow,79 like Garuda or the wind. This wife of yours is free from such taints. She is as praisewor
thy as the goddess Arundhati.80 O destroyer of enemies! O Rama! Whichever region you reside in, with Soumitri and Vaidehi, that part will be ornamented.’ The sage spoke in this way.