# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 4 — Śarabhaṅga’s ascent through fire *Indra departs before meeting Rāma, the ṛṣi receives him and rises young from the flames to Brahmā’s world* Portion: The forest ṛṣis seek protection · Verses: 36 · Ref format: 3.4. ## Sequence - Rāma embraces and comforts Sītā, then proposes going quickly to the ṛṣi Śarabhaṅga because the forest is difficult and unfamiliar (4.1–3) - near the hermitage he sees Indra above the ground, accompanied by a heavenly chariot, tawny horses, a white parasol, attendants, and gandharvas, amaras, siddhas and paramarṣis offering praise (4.4–10) - he points out the divine horses and youthful armed attendants to Lakṣmaṇa, then asks him to wait with Sītā while he approaches (4.11–16) - seeing Rāma coming, Indra tells the Devas that Rāma has a great deed still to accomplish and that he will meet him after its successful completion → Indra takes leave of Śarabhaṅga and returns to heaven before Rāma addresses him (4.17–20). - Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa approach the muni, bow, and sit with his permission (4.21–22) - asked about Indra's visit, Śarabhaṅga explains that he has won heavenly worlds through austerity but delayed his departure to receive Rāma → he offers Rāma the worlds he has earned (4.23–26) - Rāma replies that he will earn such worlds himself; what he needs now is a place to live in the forest (4.27–28) - Śarabhaṅga directs him to Sutīkṣṇa and asks him to remain a moment to witness his departure from his aged body (4.29–31) - the muni kindles a fire, offers ghee, and enters it → his old body burns, and he rises from the flames in a youthful form (4.32–34) - he passes beyond the other heavenly worlds to Brahmā's world, where Brahmā welcomes him (4.35–36). ## Verses **3.4.1** hatvā tu taṃ bhīmabalaṃ virādhaṃ rākṣasaṃ vane tataḥ sītāṃ pariṣvajya samāśvāsya ca vīryavān abravīl lakṣmaṇāṃ rāmo bhrātaraṃ dīptatejasaṃ Having slain in the forest that rākṣasa Virādha of fearsome strength, the valiant Rāma then embraced Sītā and comforted her, and spoke to his brother Lakṣmaṇa of blazing energy: **3.4.2** kaṣṭaṃ vanam idaṃ durgaṃ na ca smo vanagocarāḥ abhigacchāmahe śīghraṃ śarabhaṅgaṃ tapodhanam “This forest is harsh and hard to traverse, and we are not used to dwelling in the wild; let us quickly go to Śarabhaṅga, rich in austerity. **3.4.3** āśramaṃ śarabhaṅgasya rāghavo 'bhijagāma ha Rāghava went to the hermitage of Śarabhaṅga. **3.4.4** tasya devaprabhāvasya tapasā bhāvitātmanaḥ samīpe śarabhaṅgasya dadarśa mahad adbhutam Near that Śarabhaṅga, who had the might of a god and whose soul was purified by austerity, he saw a great marvel. **3.4.5** vibhrājamānaṃ vapuṣā sūryavaiśvānaropamam asaṃspṛśantaṃ vasudhāṃ dadarśa vibudheśvaram He saw the lord of the gods, radiant in body, like the sun and fire, not touching the earth. **3.4.6** suprabhābharaṇaṃ devaṃ virajo 'mbaradhāriṇam tadvidhair eva bahubhiḥ pūjyamānaṃ mahātmabhiḥ the god with brilliant ornaments, wearing spotless garments, being worshipped by many great-souled ones of like kind; **3.4.7** haribhir vājibhir yuktam antarikṣagataṃ ratham dadarśādūratas tasya taruṇādityasaṃnibham Not far from him he saw a chariot moving in the sky, yoked with tawny steeds, resembling the young rising sun. **3.4.8** pāṇḍurābhraghanaprakhyaṃ candramaṇḍalasaṃnibham apaśyad vimalaṃ chatraṃ citramālyopaśobhitam He beheld a spotless parasol, resembling a mass of white cloud, like the disc of the moon, adorned with bright garlands; **3.4.9** cāmaravyajane cāgrye rukmadaṇḍe mahādhane gṛhīte vananārībhyāṃ dhūyamāne ca mūrdhani and two excellent chowrie-fans with golden handles, of great worth, held by two forest-women, were being waved above his head. **3.4.10** gandharvāmarasiddhāś ca bahavaḥ paramarṣayaḥ antarikṣagataṃ devaṃ vāgbhir agryābhir īḍire And gandharvas, immortals, siddhas, and many supreme seers praised with excellent words the god who moved in the sky. **3.4.11** dṛṣṭvā śatakratuṃ tatra rāmo lakṣmaṇam abravīt ye hayāḥ puruhūtasya purā śakrasya naḥ śrutāḥ antarikṣagatā divyās ta ime harayo dhruvam Seeing Śatakratu (Indra) there, Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa: “The horses of Puruhūta Śakra of which we have heard long ago — these divine ones moving in the sky are surely they. **3.4.12** ime ca puruṣavyāghra ye tiṣṭhanty abhito ratham śataṃ śataṃ kuṇḍalino yuvānaḥ khaḍgapāṇayaḥ And these, O tiger among men, who stand around the chariot in their hundreds, are youths wearing earrings, with swords in hand. **3.4.13** urodeśeṣu sarveṣāṃ hārā jvalanasaṃnibhāḥ rūpaṃ bibhrati saumitre pañcaviṃśativārṣikam On the chests of all of them are necklaces resembling fire; they bear, O Saumitri, the appearance of twenty-five-year-olds. **3.4.14** etad dhi kila devānāṃ vayo bhavati nityadā yatheme puruṣavyāghrā dṛśyante priyadarśanāḥ For this, they say, is ever the age of the gods, since these tigers among men appear so pleasing to behold. **3.4.15** ihaiva saha vaidehyā muhūrtaṃ tiṣṭha lakṣmaṇa yāvaj janāmy ahaṃ vyaktaṃ ka eṣa dyutimān rathe Stay right here with Vaidehī for a moment, Lakṣmaṇa, while I clearly learn who this radiant one on the chariot is.” **3.4.16** tam evam uktvā saumitrim ihaiva sthīyatām iti abhicakrāma kākutsthaḥ śarabhaṅgāśramaṃ prati Having said thus to Saumitri, “Stay right here,” Kākutstha walked toward the hermitage of Śarabhaṅga. **3.4.17** tataḥ samabhigacchantaṃ prekṣya rāmaṃ śacīpatiḥ śarabhaṅgam anujñāpya vibudhān idam abravīt Then, seeing Rāma approaching, the lord of Śacī (Indra), taking leave of Śarabhaṅga, said this to the gods: **3.4.18** ihopayāty asau rāmo yāvan māṃ nābhibhāṣate niṣṭhāṃ nayata tāvat tu tato māṃ draṣṭum arhati “That Rāma is approaching here; before he addresses me, bring my business to completion; only then is he fit to see me. **3.4.19** jitavantaṃ kṛtārthaṃ ca draṣṭāham acirād imam karma hy anena kartavyaṃ mahad anyaiḥ suduṣkaram I shall soon see him victorious and his purpose accomplished; for a great deed, one very hard for others to do, must be done by him.” **3.4.20** iti vajrī tam āmantrya mānayitvā ca tāpasaṃ rathena hariyuktena yayau divam ariṃdamaḥ So speaking, the wielder of the thunderbolt took leave of him and honoured the ascetic, and the subduer of foes went off to heaven in his horse-yoked chariot. **3.4.21** prayāte tu sahasrākṣe rāghavaḥ saparicchadaḥ agnihotram upāsīnaṃ śarabhaṅgam upāgamat When the thousand-eyed one had departed, Rāghava with his retinue approached Śarabhaṅga, who was tending the sacred fire. **3.4.22** tasya pādau ca saṃgṛhya rāmaḥ sītā ca lakṣmaṇaḥ niṣedus tadanujñātā labdhavāsā nimantritāḥ Clasping his feet, Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa sat down, permitted by him, granted lodging and invited. **3.4.23** tataḥ śakropayānaṃ tu paryapṛcchat sa rāghavaḥ śarabhaṅgaś ca tat sarvaṃ rāghavāya nyavedayat Then Rāghava asked about the visit of Śakra, and Śarabhaṅga related all of it to Rāghava. **3.4.24** mām eṣa varado rāma brahmalokaṃ ninīṣati jitam ugreṇa tapasā duṣprāpam akṛtātmabhiḥ “This boon-giver (Brahmā), O Rāma, wishes to lead me to the world of Brahmā — won by fierce austerity, hard to attain for those of unperfected souls. **3.4.25** ahaṃ jñātvā naravyāghra vartamānam adūrataḥ brahmalokaṃ na gacchāmi tvām adṛṣṭvā priyātithim Knowing you to be present not far off, O tiger among men, I do not go to the world of Brahmā without seeing you, my welcome guest. **3.4.26** samāgamya gamiṣyāmi tridivaṃ devasevitam akṣayā naraśārdūla jitā lokā mayā śubhāḥ brāhmyāś ca nākapṛṣṭhyāś ca pratigṛhṇīṣva māmakān Having met you I shall go to the triple heaven frequented by the gods; imperishable and auspicious worlds have been won by me, O tiger among men — both those of Brahmā and those on the vault of heaven; receive these that are mine. **3.4.27** evam ukto naravyāghraḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ ṛṣiṇā śarabhaṅgena rāghavo vākyam abravīt Addressed thus by the seer Śarabhaṅga, that tiger among men, versed in all the sciences, Rāghava spoke these words: **3.4.28** aham evāhariṣyāmi sarvāṃl lokān mahāmune āvāsaṃ tv aham icchāmi pradiṣṭam iha kānane “I myself shall win all those worlds, great sage; but I wish for a dwelling here in this forest, one pointed out to me.” **3.4.29** rāghaveṇaivam uktas tu śakratulyabalena vai śarabhaṅgo mahāprājñaḥ punar evābravīd vacaḥ Thus addressed by Rāghava, whose strength equalled Śakra's, the greatly wise Śarabhaṅga again spoke these words: **3.4.30** sutīkṣṇam abhigaccha tvaṃ śucau deśe tapasvinam ramaṇīye vanoddeśe sa te vāsaṃ vidhāsyati “Go to Sutīkṣṇa, the ascetic, in a pure place, in a lovely tract of the forest; he will provide a dwelling for you. **3.4.31** eṣa panthā naravyāghra muhūrtaṃ paśya tāta mām yāvaj jahāmi gātrāṇi jīrṇaṃ tvacam ivoragaḥ This is the path, O tiger among men; look upon me a moment, my son, while I cast off my limbs as a serpent casts off its worn-out skin.” **3.4.32** tato 'gniṃ sa samādhāya hutvā cājyena mantravit śarabhaṅgo mahātejāḥ praviveśa hutāśanam Then, kindling the fire and offering an oblation with ghee, the knower of sacred formulas, Śarabhaṅga of great splendour, entered the fire. **3.4.33** tasya romāṇi keśāṃś ca dadāhāgnir mahātmanaḥ jīrṇaṃ tvacaṃ tathāsthīni yac ca māṃsaṃ ca śoṇitam The fire burned the body-hair and the head-hair of that great-souled one, and his worn-out skin, his bones, and whatever flesh and blood there was. **3.4.34** sa ca pāvakasaṃkāśaḥ kumāraḥ samapadyata utthāyāgnicayāt tasmāc charabhaṅgo vyarocata And he became a youth resembling fire; rising up from that heap of fire, Śarabhaṅga shone forth. **3.4.35** sa lokān āhitāgnīnām ṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām devānāṃ ca vyatikramya brahmalokaṃ vyarohata Passing beyond the worlds of the fire-tending seers, of the great-souled ones, and of the gods, he ascended to the world of Brahmā. **3.4.36** sa puṇyakarmā bhuvane dvijarṣabhaḥ pitāmahaṃ sānucaraṃ dadarśa ha pitāmahaś cāpi samīkṣya taṃ dvijaṃ nananda susvāgatam ity uvāca ha That bull among the twice-born, of holy deeds, beheld in the world the Grandsire (Brahmā) with his attendants; and the Grandsire too, gazing upon that twice-born one, rejoiced and said, “Well come!”