# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 67 — Story of Kabandha *A ṛṣi’s curse and Indra’s thunderbolt produced his deformed body, he asks for cremation to restore his discernment and name a helpful ally* Portion: Kabandha and the proposed alliance · Verses: 31 · Ref format: 3.67. ## Sequence - Kabandha recalls once possessing extraordinary beauty but taking a frightening form to terrify forest munis (67.1–2) - when he frightened Sthūlaśiras while the muni was gathering food, the muni cursed him to retain a hideous form (67.3–4) - Kabandha begged for an end to the curse → Sthūlaśiras said that Rāma would cut off his arms and burn his body, restoring his original appearance (67.5–6). - Kabandha also identifies himself as Danu's son and explains Indra's part in his deformity (67.7) - after winning long life from Brahmā, he became arrogant and attacked Indra (67.8–9) - Indra's thunderbolt drove his head and thighs into his body (67.10) - Indra would not negate Brahmā's promise of long life → when Kabandha asked how he could survive without eating, Indra gave him the long arms and belly-mouth with which he now feeds (67.11–14) - Indra too foretold that Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa would cut off his arms and release him to heaven (67.15–16) - Kabandha promises that after cremation he will direct the brothers to an ally (67.17). - Rāma explains that Rāvaṇa carried Sītā away but that they do not know his appearance, home, or strength → he offers to gather dry wood and perform the cremation, asking Kabandha for whatever information he has (67.18–23) - Kabandha says he cannot yet identify Sītā's whereabouts: the curse has deprived him of his former discernment (67.24–27) - he asks them to burn him before sunset → once restored, he will name a knowledgeable and trustworthy ally who can help them find the abductor (67.28–31). ## Verses **3.67.1** purā rāma mahābāho mahābalaparākrama rūpam āsīn mamācintyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam yathā somasya śakrasya sūryasya ca yathā vapuḥ “Once, O mighty-armed Rāma, of great strength and prowess, I had a form unimaginable, renowned throughout the three worlds — a beauty like that of the moon, of Indra, and like the body of the sun. **3.67.2** so 'haṃ rūpam idaṃ kṛtvā lokavitrāsanaṃ mahat ṛṣīn vanagatān rāma trāsayāmi tatas tataḥ “Taking on this great form, a terror to the world, I would frighten the seers who dwelt in the forest, here and there, O Rāma. **3.67.3** tataḥ sthūlaśirā nāma maharṣiḥ kopito mayā saṃcinvan vividhaṃ vanyaṃ rūpeṇānena dharṣitaḥ “Then a great seer named Sthūlaśiras was angered by me, being assailed with this form of mine as he was gathering various forest-produce. **3.67.4** tenāham uktaḥ prekṣyaivaṃ ghoraśāpābhidhāyinā etad eva nṛśaṃsaṃ te rūpam astu vigarhitam “By him, seeing me thus and pronouncing a terrible curse, I was told: ‘Let this very cruel form of yours become loathsome!’ **3.67.5** sa mayā yācitaḥ kruddhaḥ śāpasyānto bhaved iti abhiśāpakṛtasyeti tenedaṃ bhāṣitaṃ vacaḥ “Entreated by me — though he was angry — that there might be an end to the curse he had laid on me, he spoke these words: **3.67.6** yadā chittvā bhujau rāmas tvāṃ dahed vijane vane tadā tvaṃ prāpsyase rūpaṃ svam eva vipulaṃ śubham “‘When Rāma, cutting off your arms, shall burn you in a lonely forest, then you shall regain your own great and lovely form.’ **3.67.7** śriyā virājitaṃ putraṃ danos tvaṃ viddhi lakṣmaṇa indrakopād idaṃ rūpaṃ prāptam evaṃ raṇājire “Know me, Lakṣmaṇa, as the son of Danu, resplendent with glory; through Indra's wrath I came by this form thus, on the field of battle. **3.67.8** ahaṃ hi tapasogreṇa pitāmaham atoṣayam dīrgham āyuḥ sa me prādāt tato māṃ vibhramo 'spṛśat “For by fierce austerity I gratified the Grandsire (Brahmā); he granted me long life, and thereupon arrogance took hold of me. **3.67.9** dīrgham āyur mayā prāptaṃ kiṃ me śakraḥ kariṣyati ity evaṃ buddhim āsthāya raṇe śakram adharṣayam “‘Long life has been won by me — what can Indra do to me?’ — settling on such a resolve, I assailed Indra in battle. **3.67.10** tasya bāhupramuktena vajreṇa śataparvaṇā sakthinī ca śiraś caiva śarīre saṃpraveśitam “By the hundred-jointed thunderbolt loosed from his arm, both my thighs and my head were driven into my body. **3.67.11** sa mayā yācyamānaḥ sann ānayad yamasādanam pitāmahavacaḥ satyaṃ tad astv iti mamābravīt “Being entreated by me, he yet did not send me to the abode of Yama; ‘Let the Grandsire's word hold true,’ he said to me. [uncertain: pāda a has no explicit negative; sense supplied from context] **3.67.12** anāhāraḥ kathaṃ śakto bhagnasakthiśiromukhaḥ vajreṇābhihataḥ kālaṃ sudīrgham api jīvitum “‘How, without food, my thighs, head and face crushed, struck by the thunderbolt, could I be able to live for a very long time?’ (I asked). **3.67.13** evam uktas tu me śakro bāhū yojanam āyatau prādād āsyaṃ ca me kukṣau tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭram akalpayat “Thus addressed by me, Indra granted me two arms a yojana long, and fashioned in my belly a mouth with sharp fangs. **3.67.14** so 'haṃ bhujābhyāṃ dīrghābhyāṃ samākṛṣya vanecarān siṃhadvipamṛgavyāghrān bhakṣayāmi samantataḥ “So I, drawing forest-rangers to me with my two long arms — lions, elephants, deer and tigers — devour them from all around. **3.67.15** sa tu mām abravīd indro yadā rāmaḥ salakṣmaṇaḥ chetsyate samare bāhū tadā svargaṃ gamiṣyasi “And that Indra said to me: ‘When Rāma, with Lakṣmaṇa, shall cut off your two arms in battle, then you shall go to heaven.’ **3.67.16** sa tvaṃ rāmo 'si bhadraṃ te nāham anyena rāghava śakyo hantuṃ yathātattvam evam uktaṃ maharṣiṇā “You are that Rāma — blessings on you! I cannot in truth be slain by any other, O Rāghava; so it was foretold by the great seer. **3.67.17** ahaṃ hi matisācivyaṃ kariṣyāmi nararṣabha mitraṃ caivopadekṣyāmi yuvābhyāṃ saṃskṛto 'gninā “For I, once purified by fire (cremation), will render you counsel, O bull among men, and will point out an ally to you two. **3.67.18** evam uktas tu dharmātmā danunā tena rāghavaḥ idaṃ jagāda vacanaṃ lakṣmaṇasyopaśṛṇvataḥ Thus addressed by that Danu, the righteous Rāghava spoke these words, as Lakṣmaṇa listened: **3.67.19** rāvaṇena hṛtā sītā mama bhāryā yaśasvinī niṣkrāntasya janasthānāt saha bhrātrā yathāsukham “Sītā, my illustrious wife, was carried off by Rāvaṇa while I, with my brother, had gone out from Janasthāna at my ease. **3.67.20** nāmamātraṃ tu jānāmi na rūpaṃ tasya rakṣasaḥ nivāsaṃ vā prabhāvaṃ vā vayaṃ tasya na vidmahe “I know only the name of that rākṣasa, not his form; and neither his dwelling nor his power do we know. **3.67.21** śokārtānām anāthānām evaṃ viparidhāvatām kāruṇyaṃ sadṛśaṃ kartum upakāre ca vartatām “It is fitting to show compassion on us, who, grief-stricken and forlorn, thus run about (in search), and who stand ready to requite the kindness. **3.67.22** kāṣṭhāny ānīya śuṣkāṇi kāle bhagnāni kuñjaraiḥ bhakṣyāmas tvāṃ vayaṃ vīra śvabhre mahati kalpite “Bringing dry logs, broken in due time by elephants, we shall burn you, O hero, in a great pit prepared for the purpose. **3.67.23** sa tvaṃ sītāṃ samācakṣva yena vā yatra vā hṛtā kuru kalyāṇam atyarthaṃ yadi jānāsi tattvataḥ “Do you then tell of Sītā — by whom or whither she was carried off; do us this exceeding kindness, if you truly know.” **3.67.24** evam uktas tu rāmeṇa vākyaṃ danur anuttamam provāca kuśalo vaktuṃ vaktāram api rāghavam Thus addressed by Rāma, Danu, skilled in speaking, spoke a peerless word to Rāghava, himself an eloquent speaker: **3.67.25** divyam asti na me jñānaṃ nābhijānāmi maithilīm yas tāṃ jñāsyati taṃ vakṣye dagdhaḥ svaṃ rūpam āsthitaḥ “I have no divine knowledge, and I do not know of Maithilī; but once burned and restored to my own form, I shall tell you of one who will know her. **3.67.26** adagdhasya hi vijñātuṃ śaktir asti na me prabho rākṣasaṃ taṃ mahāvīryaṃ sītā yena hṛtā tava “For, unburned, I have not the power to know that rākṣasa of great might by whom your Sītā was carried off, O lord. **3.67.27** vijñānaṃ hi mahad bhraṣṭaṃ śāpadoṣeṇa rāghava svakṛtena mayā prāptaṃ rūpaṃ lokavigarhitam “For my great faculty of discernment has been lost through the fault of the curse, O Rāghava; through my own doing I have come by a form abhorred by the world. **3.67.28** kiṃ tu yāvan na yāty astaṃ savitā śrāntavāhanaḥ tāvan mām avaṭe kṣiptvā daha rāma yathāvidhi “But before the sun, its horses wearied, goes to its setting, cast me into a pit and burn me, Rāma, according to rule. **3.67.29** dagdhas tvayāham avaṭe nyāyena raghunandana vakṣyāmi tam ahaṃ vīra yas taṃ jñāsyati rākṣasaṃ “When I have been burned by you in the pit in due manner, O joy of the Raghus, I shall tell you, hero, of him who will know that rākṣasa. **3.67.30** tena sakhyaṃ ca kartavyaṃ nyāyyavṛttena rāghava kalpayiṣyati te prītaḥ sāhāyyaṃ laghuvikramaḥ “And friendship should be made with him, one of upright conduct, O Rāghava; pleased, that swift-striding one will arrange help for you. **3.67.31** na hi tasyāsty avijñātaṃ triṣu lokeṣu rāghava sarvān parisṛto lokān purā vai kāraṇāntare “For there is nothing unknown to him in the three worlds, O Rāghava; in olden days, on another occasion, he ranged over all the worlds.”