# Bāla Kāṇḍa 22 — Story of Kāma: The loss of his body *At the Sarayū–Gaṅgā confluence, Viśvāmitra recounts how Śiva’s fiery gaze destroyed Kāma’s body, the travellers stay at the hermitage* Portion: Story of Kāma · Verses: 19 · Ref format: 1.22. ## Sequence - At dawn Viśvāmitra wakes Rāma for saṃdhyā (twilight worship) → the brothers bathe, offer water, recite the prayer, salute their teacher, and set out (22.1–4) - at the meeting of the Sarayū and Gaṅgā they see an ancient hermitage and ask whose it is (22.5–8) - Viśvāmitra tells an earlier story: Kāma once possessed a body → here he assailed Śiva during his disciplined austerities → Śiva's fierce gaze burned his limbs and destroyed his body (22.9–13) - Kāma became Anaṅga, “the Bodiless,” and the place where he lost his aṅga, or body, became associated with the name Aṅga (22.14) - Viśvāmitra identifies the hermitage with Śiva and its munis as his former disciples (22.15) - he proposes staying between the rivers overnight before crossing → the munis welcome Viśvāmitra with arghya, pādya and ātithya (hospitality), then perform atithikriyā (guest rites) for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa → the travelers spend the evening comfortably, delighting their hosts with stories (22.16–19). ## Verses **1.22.1** prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ abhyabhāṣata kākutsthaṃ śayānaṃ parṇasaṃstare When the night had brightened into dawn, the great sage Viśvāmitra addressed Kākutstha (Rāma), who lay upon a couch of leaves: **1.22.2** kausalyā suprajā rāma pūrvā saṃdhyā pravartate uttiṣṭha naraśārdūla kartavyaṃ daivam āhnikam “Kausalyā is blessed in her son, O Rāma; the eastern twilight is coming on. Arise, O tiger among men; the morning rites due to the gods must be performed.” **1.22.3** tasyarṣeḥ paramodāraṃ vacaḥ śrutvā nṛpātmajau snātvā kṛtodakau vīrau jepatuḥ paramaṃ japam Hearing that most noble speech of the seer, the two princes bathed, made their water-offerings, and, the two heroes, recited the supreme prayer. **1.22.4** kṛtāhnikau mahāvīryau viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam abhivādyābhisaṃhṛṣṭau gamanāyopatasthatuḥ The two mighty ones, their morning rites performed, having saluted Viśvāmitra, rich in austerity, and greatly delighted, presented themselves for the journey. **1.22.5** tau prayāte mahāvīryau divyaṃ tripathagāṃ nadīm dadṛśāte tatas tatra sarayvāḥ saṃgame śubhe As those two mighty ones journeyed on, they then beheld there, at the auspicious confluence with the Sarayū, the divine three-pathed river (the Gaṅgā). **1.22.6** tatrāśramapadaṃ puṇyam ṛṣīṇām ugratejasām bahuvarṣasahasrāṇi tapyatāṃ paramaṃ tapaḥ There (they saw) the holy hermitage of seers of fierce splendour, who had been practising supreme austerity for many thousands of years. **1.22.7** taṃ dṛṣṭvā paramaprītau rāghavau puṇyam āśramam ūcatus taṃ mahātmānaṃ viśvāmitram idaṃ vacaḥ Seeing that holy hermitage, the two Rāghavas, greatly delighted, spoke this word to that great-souled Viśvāmitra: **1.22.8** kasyāyam āśramaḥ puṇyaḥ ko nv asmin vasate pumān bhagavañ śrotum icchāvaḥ paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi nau “Whose is this holy hermitage, and what man dwells in it? O venerable one, we two wish to hear, for great is our curiosity.” **1.22.9** tayos tad vacanaṃ śrutvā prahasya munipuṃgavaḥ abravīc chrūyatāṃ rāma yasyāyaṃ pūrva āśramaḥ Hearing that word of the two, the bull among sages, smiling, said: “Let it be heard, O Rāma, whose hermitage this formerly was. **1.22.10** kandarpo mūrtimān āsīt kāma ity ucyate budhaiḥ Kandarpa (Love) was once embodied, and is called Kāma (Desire) by the wise. **1.22.11** tapasyantam iha sthāṇuṃ niyamena samāhitam kṛtodvāhaṃ tu deveśaṃ gacchantaṃ samarudgaṇam dharṣayām āsa durmedhā huṃkṛtaś ca mahātmanā Here Sthāṇu (Śiva), composed in his observance, was practising austerity; but the fool (Kāma) assailed that lord of gods — newly wed and going forth with the host of Maruts — and was met with a scornful cry by the great one. **1.22.12** dagdhasya tasya raudreṇa cakṣuṣā raghunandana vyaśīryanta śarīrāt svāt sarvagātrāṇi durmateḥ As he was burnt up by the fierce eye (of Śiva), O delight of Raghu, all the limbs of that fool fell asunder from his own body. **1.22.13** tasya gātraṃ hataṃ tatra nirdagdhasya mahātmanā aśarīraḥ kṛtaḥ kāmaḥ krodhād deveśvareṇa ha There the body of that (Kāma), burnt up by the great one, was destroyed; Kāma was rendered bodiless by the lord of gods (Śiva) in his wrath. **1.22.14** anaṅga iti vikhyātas tadā prabhṛti rāghava sa cāṅgaviṣayaḥ śrīmān yatrāṅgaṃ sa mumoca ha From then on he became renowned as Anaṅga ('the Bodiless'), O Rāghava; and the glorious Aṅga country is that where he shed his body (aṅga). **1.22.15** tasyāyam āśramaḥ puṇyas tasyeme munayaḥ purā śiṣyā dharmaparā vīra teṣāṃ pāpaṃ na vidyate This holy hermitage is his (Śiva's); and these sages here were formerly his disciples, devoted to dharma, O hero; no sin is found in them. **1.22.16** ihādya rajanīṃ rāma vasema śubhadarśana puṇyayoḥ saritor madhye śvas tariṣyāmahe vayam Here today let us spend the night, O Rāma of auspicious aspect, between the two holy rivers; tomorrow we shall cross over. **1.22.17** teṣāṃ saṃvadatāṃ tatra tapo dīrgheṇa cakṣuṣā vijñāya paramaprītā munayo harṣam āgaman As those (three) conversed there, the sages, perceiving them with the far-reaching eye (born) of austerity, greatly pleased, gave way to joy. **1.22.18** arghyaṃ pādyaṃ tathātithyaṃ nivedyakuśikātmaje rāmalakṣmaṇayoḥ paścād akurvann atithikriyām Having offered the guest-water, the foot-water, and hospitality to the son of Kuśika, they afterwards performed the guest-rite for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. **1.22.19** satkāraṃ samanuprāpya kathābhir abhirañjayan nyavasan susukhaṃ tatra kāmāśramapade tadā Having received (their) hospitality, and delighting (the sages) with tales, they dwelt there very comfortably at the hermitage of Kāma.