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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 65: Kabandha’s grasp

Summary. A headless being with a chest-eye, belly-mouth and two long arms seizes both brothers as they search the forest

Sequence

  1. After the funeral offerings, the brothers set out again in search of Sītā; the opening verse names a westward departure, while the following verses describe their progress south along a difficult path (3.65.1–4)
  2. three krośas beyond Janasthāna they enter the dense Krauñca forest and search it, stopping here and there (3.65.5–7)
  3. Lakṣmaṇa's throbbing arm and other omens warn him of immediate danger, although a bird's call also seems to promise victory → he asks Rāma to be ready (3.65.8–11)
  4. a tremendous noise rises from the woods, and the brothers investigate (3.65.12–14)
  5. they see the rākṣasa Kabandha, a huge, headless and neckless being with one eye in his chest, a mouth in his belly, and two arms a yojana long → he uses those arms to catch and devour forest animals (3.65.15–21)
  6. reaching out, he seizes both brothers and drags them toward him (3.65.22–23)
  7. he asks who they are and declares that they have arrived as his food (3.65.24–26)
  8. Rāma laments that another mortal danger has overtaken them before they can find Sītā, but steadies his resolve to act. (3.65.27–31)

Verses 3.65.1–31

3.65.1

kṛtvaivam udakaṃ tasmai prasthitau rāghavau tadā
avekṣantau vane sītāṃ paścimāṃ jagmatur diśam

Having thus made the water-offering for him, the two Rāghavas then set out, and, looking for Sītā in the forest, went toward the western quarter.

Words: kṛtvaivam — having thus made; udakaṃ — the water(-offering); tasmai — for him; prasthitau — the two set out; rāghavau — the two Rāghavas; tadā — then; avekṣantau — the two looking for, watching; vane — in the forest; sītāṃ — Sītā; paścimāṃ — western; jagmatur — the two went; diśam — the quarter, direction

3.65.2

tāṃ diśaṃ dakṣiṇāṃ gatvā śaracāpāsidhāriṇau
aviprahatam aikṣvākau panthānaṃ pratipedatuḥ

Going toward that southern quarter, bearing arrows, bows and swords, the two Aikṣvākas took a little-trodden path.

Words: tāṃ diśaṃ — that quarter; dakṣiṇāṃ — southern; gatvā — having gone; śaracāpāsidhāriṇau — the two bearing arrows, bow and sword; aviprahatam — little-trodden, unfrequented; aikṣvākau — the two of Ikṣvāku's line; panthānaṃ — the path; pratipedatuḥ — the two took to, entered upon

3.65.3

gulmair vṛkṣaiś ca bahubhir latābhiś ca praveṣṭitam
āvṛtaṃ sarvato durgaṃ gahanaṃ ghoradarśanam

It was encircled by thickets, many trees and creepers, covered on every side, impassable, dense, terrible to behold.

Words: gulmair — by thickets, bushes; vṛkṣaiś — by trees; ca — and; bahubhir — many; latābhiś — by creepers; ca — and; praveṣṭitam — encircled, wrapped about; āvṛtaṃ — covered, enveloped; sarvato — on every side; durgaṃ — impassable, hard to traverse; gahanaṃ — dense, thick; ghoradarśanam — terrible to behold

3.65.4

vyatikramya tu vegena gṛhītvā dakṣiṇāṃ diśam
subhīmaṃ tan mahāraṇyaṃ vyatiyātau mahābalau

Pressing through it swiftly and keeping to the southern quarter, the two mighty ones traversed that most fearsome great forest.

Words: vyatikramya — having crossed over, pressed through; tu — and; vegena — swiftly, with speed; gṛhītvā — having taken, kept to; dakṣiṇāṃ — southern; diśam — the quarter; subhīmaṃ — most fearsome; tan — that; mahāraṇyaṃ — the great forest; vyatiyātau — the two traversed, passed through; mahābalau — the two mighty ones

3.65.5

tataḥ paraṃ janasthānāt trikrośaṃ gamya rāghavau
krauñcāraṇyaṃ viviśatur gahanaṃ tau mahaujasau

Then, going three krośas beyond Janasthāna, the two Rāghavas of great vigour entered the dense Krauñca forest.

Words: tataḥ — then; paraṃ — beyond; janasthānāt — from Janasthāna; trikrośaṃ — three krośas (a distance); gamya — having gone; rāghavau — the two Rāghavas; krauñcāraṇyaṃ — the Krauñca forest; viviśatur — the two entered; gahanaṃ — dense; tau — the two; mahaujasau — the two of great vigour

3.65.6

nānāmeghaghanaprakhyaṃ prahṛṣṭam iva sarvataḥ
nānāvarṇaiḥ śubhaiḥ puṣpair mṛgapakṣigaṇair yutam

(A forest) resembling a mass of many clouds, as though joyful on every side, furnished with lovely flowers of various hues and with flocks of beasts and birds.

Words: nānāmeghaghanaprakhyaṃ — resembling a mass of many clouds; prahṛṣṭam — joyful, delighted; iva — as though; sarvataḥ — on every side; nānāvarṇaiḥ — of various colours; śubhaiḥ — lovely, bright; puṣpair — with flowers; mṛgapakṣigaṇair — with flocks of beasts and birds; yutam — furnished with, joined with

3.65.7

didṛkṣamāṇau vaidehīṃ tad vanaṃ tau vicikyatuḥ
tatra tatrāvatiṣṭhantau sītāharaṇakarśitau

Longing to see Vaidehī, the two searched that forest, halting here and there, worn down by Sītā's abduction.

Words: didṛkṣamāṇau — the two longing to see; vaidehīṃ — Vaidehī; tad vanaṃ — that forest; tau — the two; vicikyatuḥ — the two searched; tatra — there; tatrāvatiṣṭhantau — halting there again; sītāharaṇakarśitau — worn down by Sītā's abduction

3.65.8

lakṣmaṇas tu mahātejāḥ sattvavāñ śīlavāñ śuciḥ
abravīt prāñjalir vākyaṃ bhrātaraṃ dīptatejasaṃ

But Lakṣmaṇa, of great splendour, courageous, of good conduct and pure, joining his palms, spoke a word to his brother of blazing splendour.

Words: lakṣmaṇas — Lakṣmaṇa; tu — but; mahātejāḥ — of great splendour; sattvavāñ — courageous, endowed with strength; śīlavāñ — of good conduct; śuciḥ — pure; abravīt — spoke; prāñjalir — with palms joined; vākyaṃ — a word; bhrātaraṃ — to his brother; dīptatejasaṃ — of blazing splendour

3.65.9

spandate me dṛḍhaṃ bāhur udvignam iva me manaḥ
prāyaśaś cāpy aniṣṭāni nimittāny upalakṣaye

My arm throbs hard, and my mind is as if agitated; and for the most part I observe unfavourable omens.

Words: spandate — throbs, quivers; me — my; dṛḍhaṃ — firmly, hard; bāhur — the arm; udvignam — agitated, distressed; iva — as if; me — my; manaḥ — the mind; prāyaśaś — for the most part; cāpy — and also; aniṣṭāni — unfavourable, unwished; nimittāny — omens, portents; upalakṣaye — I observe, notice

3.65.10

tasmāt sajjībhavārya tvaṃ kuruṣva vacanaṃ hitam
mamaiva hi nimittāni sadyaḥ śaṃsanti saṃbhramam

Therefore, noble one, ready yourself and heed my beneficial word; for these omens of mine forebode immediate peril.

Words: tasmāt — therefore; sajjībhavārya — make ready, O noble one; tvaṃ — you; kuruṣva — do, heed; vacanaṃ — the word; hitam — beneficial; mamaiva — of mine indeed; hi — for; nimittāni — the omens; sadyaḥ — immediately, at once; śaṃsanti — foretell, forebode; saṃbhramam — peril, agitation, commotion

3.65.11

eṣa vañculako nāma pakṣī paramadāruṇaḥ
āvayor vijayaṃ yuddhe śaṃsann iva vinardati

This bird named vañculaka, most dreadful, cries out as though foretelling victory for the two of us in battle.

Words: eṣa — this; vañculako — named vañculaka; nāma — by name; pakṣī — bird; paramadāruṇaḥ — most dreadful; āvayor — of us two; vijayaṃ — victory; yuddhe — in battle; śaṃsann — foretelling; iva — as though; vinardati — cries out, roars

3.65.12

tayor anveṣator evaṃ sarvaṃ tad vanam ojasā
saṃjajñe vipulaḥ śabdaḥ prabhañjann iva tad vanam

As the two thus searched the whole of that forest, a mighty sound arose with force, as though shattering that woodland.

Words: tayor — of the two; anveṣator — of the two searching; evaṃ — thus; sarvaṃ — the whole; tad vanam — that forest; ojasā — with force, vigour; saṃjajñe — arose, was produced; vipulaḥ — mighty, vast; śabdaḥ — sound, noise; prabhañjann — shattering, breaking; iva — as though; tad vanam — that forest

3.65.13

saṃveṣṭitam ivātyarthaṃ gahanaṃ mātariśvanā
vanasya tasya śabdo 'bhūd divam āpūrayann iva

The thicket seemed exceedingly whirled about by the wind; the sound of that forest arose as though filling the sky.

Words: saṃveṣṭitam — whirled about, enveloped; ivātyarthaṃ — as if exceedingly; gahanaṃ — the thicket, dense wood; mātariśvanā — by the wind; vanasya — of the forest; tasya — that; śabdo — the sound; 'bhūd — arose, was; divam — the sky, heaven; āpūrayann — filling; iva — as though

3.65.14

taṃ śabdaṃ kāṅkṣamāṇas tu rāmaḥ kakṣe sahānujaḥ
dadarśa sumahākāyaṃ rākṣasaṃ vipulorasaṃ

Seeking out that sound, Rāma, together with his younger brother, saw in the thicket a rākṣasa of enormous body and broad chest.

Words: taṃ śabdaṃ — that sound; kāṅkṣamāṇas — seeking, tracking; tu — and; rāmaḥ — Rāma; kakṣe — in the thicket, undergrowth; sahānujaḥ — together with his younger brother; dadarśa — saw; sumahākāyaṃ — of enormous body; rākṣasaṃ — a rākṣasa; vipulorasaṃ — broad-chested

3.65.15

āsedatus tatas tatra tāv ubhau pramukhe sthitam
vivṛddham aśirogrīvaṃ kabandham udare mukham

Then the two of them approached, standing there before them, that huge, headless and neckless Kabandha with a mouth in his belly.

Words: āsedatus — the two approached, came upon; tatas — then; tatra — there; tāv ubhau — the two of them; pramukhe — in front, before; sthitam — standing; vivṛddham — grown huge, enormous; aśirogrīvaṃ — without head and neck; kabandham — Kabandha (the headless trunk); udare — in the belly; mukham — the mouth

3.65.16

romabhir nicitais tīkṣṇair mahāgirim ivocchritam
nīlameghanibhaṃ raudraṃ meghastanitaniḥsvanam

Covered with dense, sharp bristles, towering like a great mountain, dark as a black cloud, fearsome, with a voice like the thunder of clouds;

Words: romabhir — with hairs, bristles; nicitais — dense, thickset; tīkṣṇair — sharp; mahāgirim — a great mountain; ivocchritam — as if raised up, towering; nīlameghanibhaṃ — resembling a black cloud; raudraṃ — fearsome, terrible; meghastanitaniḥsvanam — with a voice like the thunder of clouds

3.65.17

mahāpakṣmeṇa piṅgena vipulenāyatena ca
ekenorasi ghoreṇa nayanenāśudarśinā

With a single terrible eye upon his chest — large-lashed, tawny, broad and elongated, keen of sight;

Words: mahāpakṣmeṇa — large-lashed; piṅgena — tawny, reddish-brown; vipulenāyatena — broad and elongated; ca — and; ekenorasi — with one, on the chest; ghoreṇa — terrible; nayanenāśudarśinā — with an eye keen of sight

3.65.18

mahādaṃṣṭropapannaṃ taṃ lelihānaṃ mahāmukham
bhakṣayantaṃ mahāghorān ṛkṣasiṃhamṛgadvipān

Him furnished with great fangs, licking his huge mouth, devouring most fearsome bears, lions, deer and elephants;

Words: mahādaṃṣṭropapannaṃ — furnished with great fangs; taṃ — him; lelihānaṃ — licking repeatedly; mahāmukham — of huge mouth; bhakṣayantaṃ — devouring; mahāghorān — most fearsome; ṛkṣasiṃhamṛgadvipān — bears, lions, deer and elephants

3.65.19

ghorau bhujau vikurvāṇam ubhau yojanam āyatau
karābhyāṃ vividhān gṛhya ṛṣkān pakṣigaṇān mṛgān

Flailing his two terrible arms, both a yojana long, seizing with his hands various bears, flocks of birds and beasts,

Words: ghorau — the two terrible; bhujau — arms; vikurvāṇam — flailing, brandishing; ubhau — both; yojanam — a yojana (in length); āyatau — extended, long; karābhyāṃ — with the two hands; vividhān — various; gṛhya — having seized; ṛṣkān — bears; pakṣigaṇān — flocks of birds; mṛgān — beasts, deer

3.65.20

ākarṣantaṃ vikarṣantam anekān mṛgayūthapān
sthitam āvṛtya panthānaṃ tayor bhrātroḥ prapannayoḥ

Dragging them near and tearing them apart, many leaders of the deer-herds — him standing there, barring the path of the two brothers who had come upon it.

Words: ākarṣantaṃ — dragging toward; vikarṣantam — tearing apart, pulling away; anekān — many; mṛgayūthapān — leaders of the deer-herds; sthitam — standing; āvṛtya — having blocked, barred; panthānaṃ — the path; tayor bhrātroḥ — of the two brothers; prapannayoḥ — of the two who had come upon (it)

3.65.21

atha tau samatikramya krośamātre dadarśatuḥ
mahāntaṃ dāruṇaṃ bhīmaṃ kabandhaṃ bhujasaṃvṛtam

Then, having gone forward about a krośa, the two saw the huge, dreadful, fearsome Kabandha, hemmed about by his own arms.

Words: atha — then; tau — the two; samatikramya — having advanced, passed on; krośamātre — at about a krośa; dadarśatuḥ — the two saw; mahāntaṃ — huge; dāruṇaṃ — dreadful; bhīmaṃ — fearsome; kabandhaṃ — Kabandha; bhujasaṃvṛtam — hemmed about by (his) arms

3.65.22

sa mahābāhur atyarthaṃ prasārya vipulau bhujau
jagrāha sahitāv eva rāghavau pīḍayan balāt

That mighty-armed one, stretching out his two vast arms exceedingly far, seized both the Rāghavas together, crushing them by force.

Words: sa — he; mahābāhur — the mighty-armed; atyarthaṃ — exceedingly; prasārya — having stretched out; vipulau — the two vast; bhujau — arms; jagrāha — seized; sahitāv — the two together; eva — indeed; rāghavau — the two Rāghavas; pīḍayan — crushing, pressing; balāt — by force

3.65.23

khaḍginau dṛḍhadhanvānau tigmatejau mahābhujau
bhrātarau vivaśaṃ prāptau kṛṣyamāṇau mahābalau

The two brothers, sword-bearing, firm-bowed, of fierce splendour, great-armed and mighty, were reduced to helplessness as they were dragged along.

Words: khaḍginau — the two sword-bearers; dṛḍhadhanvānau — the two of firm bows; tigmatejau — the two of fierce splendour; mahābhujau — the two great-armed; bhrātarau — the two brothers; vivaśaṃ — helplessness, powerlessness; prāptau — the two attained, came to; kṛṣyamāṇau — the two being dragged; mahābalau — the two mighty ones

3.65.24

tāv uvāca mahābāhuḥ kabandho dānavottamaḥ
kau yuvāṃ vṛṣabhaskandhau mahākhaḍgadhanurdharau

The mighty-armed Kabandha, chief of Dānavas, said to the two: “Who are you two, bull-shouldered, bearing great swords and bows,

Words: tāv — to the two; uvāca — said; mahābāhuḥ — the mighty-armed; kabandho — Kabandha; dānavottamaḥ — chief of Dānavas; kau — who (two); yuvāṃ — you two; vṛṣabhaskandhau — bull-shouldered; mahākhaḍgadhanurdharau — bearing great swords and bows

3.65.25

ghoraṃ deśam imaṃ prāptau mama bhakṣāv upasthitau
vadataṃ kāryam iha vāṃ kimarthaṃ cāgatau yuvām

who, having reached this dreadful region, have come as my food? Tell what your errand here is, and for what purpose you two have come.

Words: ghoraṃ — dreadful; deśam imaṃ — this region; prāptau — the two having reached; mama — my; bhakṣāv — as (my) two morsels of food; upasthitau — the two come near, presented; vadataṃ — tell (you two); kāryam — the errand, business; iha — here; vāṃ — of you two; kimarthaṃ — for what purpose; cāgatau — and (you two) have come; yuvām — you two

3.65.26

imaṃ deśam anuprāptau kṣudhārtasyeha tiṣṭhataḥ
sabāṇacāpakhaḍgau ca tīkṣṇaśṛṅgāv ivarṣabhau
mamāsyam anusaṃprāptau durlabhaṃ jīvitaṃ punaḥ

Having reached this region of me who stand here tormented with hunger, and with your arrows, bows and swords, like two bulls with sharp horns, you have come into my mouth — hard now for you to keep your lives.

Words: imaṃ deśam — this region; anuprāptau — the two having reached; kṣudhārtasyeha — of (me) tormented with hunger here; tiṣṭhataḥ — standing; sabāṇacāpakhaḍgau — with arrows, bows and swords; ca — and; tīkṣṇaśṛṅgāv — sharp-horned; ivarṣabhau — like two bulls; mamāsyam — into my mouth; anusaṃprāptau — the two having come; durlabhaṃ — hard to keep, hard to obtain; jīvitaṃ — life; punaḥ — now, again

3.65.27

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā kabandhasya durātmanaḥ
uvāca lakṣmaṇaṃ rāmo mukhena pariśuṣyatā

Hearing that speech of the evil-souled Kabandha, Rāma, with a face going dry, said to Lakṣmaṇa:

Words: tasya — his; tadvacanaṃ — that speech; śrutvā — having heard; kabandhasya — of Kabandha; durātmanaḥ — of the evil-souled; uvāca — said; lakṣmaṇaṃ — to Lakṣmaṇa; rāmo — Rāma; mukhena — with a face; pariśuṣyatā — drying up, going parched

3.65.28

kṛcchrāt kṛcchrataraṃ prāpya dāruṇaṃ satyavikrama
vyasanaṃ jīvitāntāya prāptam aprāpya tāṃ priyām

“Having met, O truly valiant one, a hardship more grievous than the last, a dreadful calamity has come, threatening our very lives, before we have regained that beloved.

Words: kṛcchrāt — than hardship; kṛcchrataraṃ — a greater hardship; prāpya — having met, obtained; dāruṇaṃ — dreadful; satyavikrama — O truly valiant one; vyasanaṃ — calamity, misfortune; jīvitāntāya — for the end of life; prāptam — has come, arrived; aprāpya — without having regained; tāṃ priyām — that beloved

3.65.29

kālasya sumahad vīryaṃ sarvabhūteṣu lakṣmaṇa
tvāṃ ca māṃ ca naravyāghra vyasanaiḥ paśya mohitau
nātibhāro 'sti daivasya sarvabhuteṣu lakṣmaṇa

Very great is the power of Time over all beings, Lakṣmaṇa; see how both you and I, O tiger among men, are bewildered by calamities — no burden is too heavy for fate among all creatures, Lakṣmaṇa.

Words: kālasya — of Time; sumahad — very great; vīryaṃ — power, might; sarvabhūteṣu — over all beings; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; tvāṃ — you; ca — and; māṃ — me; ca — and; naravyāghra — O tiger among men; vyasanaiḥ — by calamities; paśya — see; mohitau — the two bewildered; nātibhāro — not too heavy a burden; 'sti — there is; daivasya — for fate, destiny; sarvabhuteṣu — among all beings; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa

3.65.30

śūrāś ca balavantaś ca kṛtāstrāś ca raṇājire
kālābhipannāḥ sīdanti yathā vālukasetavaḥ

Even the brave and the strong and the skilled in arms, when overtaken by Time, collapse on the field of battle like dams of sand.

Words: śūrāś — the brave; ca — and; balavantaś — the strong; ca — and; kṛtāstrāś — skilled in arms; ca — and; raṇājire — on the field of battle; kālābhipannāḥ — overtaken by Time; sīdanti — sink, collapse; yathā — like; vālukasetavaḥ — dams of sand

3.65.31

iti bruvāṇo dṛḍhasatyavikramo mahāyaśā dāśarathiḥ pratāpavān
avekṣya saumitrim udagravikramaṃ sthirāṃ tadā svāṃ matim ātmanākarot

Speaking thus, the son of Daśaratha, of firm and true valour, greatly glorious and mighty, glancing at Saumitri of lofty prowess, then made his own resolve firm within himself.

Words: iti bruvāṇo — speaking thus; dṛḍhasatyavikramo — of firm and true valour; mahāyaśā — greatly glorious; dāśarathiḥ — the son of Daśaratha; pratāpavān — mighty, majestic; avekṣya — having glanced at; saumitrim — Saumitri; udagravikramaṃ — of lofty prowess; sthirāṃ — firm, steady; tadā — then; svāṃ — his own; matim — resolve, mind; ātmanākarot — made within himself

← 3.64 Rāma performs Jaṭāyu’s funeral · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.66 Kabandha’s arms severed →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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