The Story of Viradha (Sarga 1-4)

Entering the great forest named Dandakaranya, the unconquerable hero Shri Ram, who keeps his mind under control, saw many hermitages of ascetic sages. There, kusa grass and bark garments lay spread out. That circle of hermitages was filled with the remarkable radiance that shone forth from the sages’ practice of Brahmavidya; therefore, like the hard-to-behold orb of the sun that lights up the sky, it blazed upon the earth. For demons and the like, even to look in that direction was difficult. That community of hermitages gave refuge to all beings. Its courtyard, always swept and cleaned, remained spotless. Many wild animals lived there, and flocks of birds surrounded it on all sides.

The region was so delightful that Apsaras would come there every day to dance; they held that place in great reverence. Large fire-halls, ladles and other sacrificial vessels, deerskins, kusa grass, kindling sticks, water-filled pitchers, and fruits and roots increased its beauty. That hermitage circle was enclosed by very holy, lofty forest trees that bore delicious fruit. Worshiped and sanctified by offerings, libations, and oblations to the gods and ancestral spirits, the group of hermitages resounded with the recitation of Vedic mantras. Lotus-bedecked ponds enhanced that place’s beauty, and many other flowers were scattered everywhere. In those hermitages dwelt ancient sages—self-controlled, mighty in splendor like the sun and fire—who wore bark cloth and dark antelope skins and lived on fruits and roots.

Adorned by holy great rishis who ate in measured ways, that circle of hermitages shone like the abode of Brahma and rang with the sound of the Veda. Numerous most-fortunate Brahmins, knowers of Brahman, increased the hermitages’ splendor. Seeing that circle, the highly radiant Shri Ram removed the string from his great bow. Then they entered the hermitage. Beholding Shri Ram and famed Sita, those great rishis endowed with divine knowledge went up to them with great joy. Firmly observing excellent vows, those sages—on seeing Shri Ram, charming like the rising moon, Lakshman, and the illustrious princess of Videha, Sita—began to bestow auspicious blessings upon them all. They received the three as honored guests.

The forest-dwelling sages gazed in astonishment at Shri Ram’s form—his physique, complexion, tenderness, and beautiful attire. All the sages living in the woods fixed their eyes on Ram, Lakshman, and Sita—seeing their appearance, they were struck with wonder. Those great rishis, ever intent on the welfare of all beings, led their dear guest, Bhagwan Shri Ram, into the guest-house and had him rest. The exalted sages, blazing like fire and devoted to righteousness, offered water to Shri Ram with proper honor; then, joyfully giving auspicious blessings, those great-souled ones offered Shri Ram fruits, roots, and flowers—and even the entire hermitage. Having presented everything, the righteous sages, with folded hands, said:

“O descendant of Raghu! The king who bears the rod (of justice) is the protector of dharma, highly illustrious, the refuge of the people, venerable and worshipful, and the teacher of all. On this earth, being a fourth part of the guardians of the worlds like Indra, he protects his subjects. Therefore, the king is bound above all, and he enjoys excellent and delightful pleasures. If this is the condition of an ordinary king, then what need to speak of you—you are God Himself.

“We dwell in your kingdom; therefore you must protect us. Whether you live in the city or in the forest, you are our king. You are the ruler and guardian of all people. O King, we have given up punishing any living being; we have conquered anger and the senses; now austerity alone is our wealth. Just as a mother protects the child in her womb, in the same way you must always protect us in every way.”

Saying this, those ascetic sages honored Bhagwan Shri Ramchandra along with Lakshman and Sita with fruits, roots, flowers, and many other kinds of forest fare. Besides them, other accomplished ascetics—fiery as fire and just in conduct—also duly satisfied the Lord of All, Shri Ram. Here the first sarga of the Aranya Kanda is completed; now begins the second.

In the forest, Viradha Attacks Shri Ram, Lakshman, and Sita

After receiving the hospitality of those great rishis at night, at sunrise in the morning, Shri Ramchandra took leave of all the sages and again proceeded deeper into the forest. As they went, Ram, together with Lakshman, saw in the heart of the forest a place filled with many kinds of deer. Bears and tigers also ranged there. Trees, creepers, and bushes were broken and ruined. In that forest tract it was hard to catch sight of any water-reservoir. Birds chirped on the spot; the chirr of crickets echoed.

In that difficult forest full of terrifying wild beasts, Shri Ramchandra, with Sita, saw a man-eating demon—tall like a mountain peak, roaring in a loud voice. His eyes were deep-set, his mouth very large, his belly enormous. He was hideous to look at—disgusting, misshapen, gigantic, and deformed in appearance. He wore a tiger skin soaked in blood and greasy with fat. Terrifying all creatures, that demon stood with his mouth agape like Yama himself.

Upon an iron spear he had skewered three lions, four tigers, two wolves, ten spotted deer, and the tusked head of a very large elephant smeared with fat, and he was bellowing loudly. Seeing Shri Ram, Lakshman, and the princess of Mithila, Sita, he flared up in anger, and roaring dreadfully, shaking the earth, he rushed toward them just as death itself advances upon living beings. He took the daughter of Videha, Sita, into his arms and, stepping a little aside, stood there. Then he said to the two brothers: “You wear matted hair and bark, yet live with this woman and, with bow, arrows, and swords in hand, have entered the Dandaka forest. It seems your life is nearing its end. You appear to be ascetics; then how is it possible for you to live with a young woman?

“Who are you two—unrighteous, sinful, a blot upon the community of sages? I am the demon named Viradha. Every day I roam this difficult forest with weapons in hand, feasting on the flesh of rishis. This woman is very beautiful; she shall become my wife. And you two sinners—I will drink your blood on the battlefield.”

Hearing these wicked, arrogant words of the evil-minded Viradha, Janaka’s daughter Sita was terrified; just as a banana tree shakes violently when a fierce wind blows, so she trembled with agitation. Auspicious Lakshman! Seeing Sita suddenly caught in Viradha’s clutches, Shri Ramchandra, with a parched mouth, addressed Lakshman:

“Gentle one, just look—King Janaka’s daughter, my chaste and virtuous wife Sita, has helplessly reached Viradha’s lap. For the illustrious princess who grew up in the utmost comfort to be in this state—how painful it is! Lakshman, the sorrow that the hunchbacked Manthara wished for us in the forest—what she desired, what boon she sought—has today truly come to pass. That farsighted Kaikeyi was not satisfied with taking the kingdom only for her son; though dear to all beings, she sent me to the forest. My middle mother, Kaikeyi, has achieved her wish today.

“For me there is no grief greater than another touching the daughter of Videha. Not even the death of our father nor the seizure of my kingdom pained me as much as this.” When Shri Ram said this, Lakshman, weeping with grief, hissed like a serpent bound by a spell, and, inflamed, spoke:

“O jewel of the Kakutstha line! You are, like Indra, the lord and protector of all beings. While I, your servant, stand here, why do you suffer like an orphan? At once I will kill this demon with my arrow. Today the earth shall drink the blood of Viradha, slain by me and deprived of life.

“The anger I had felt toward Bharata for desiring the kingdom—I will pour it out on Viradha today, just as thunder-wielding Indra hurls his bolt upon a mountain. Loosed by the might of my arms, swift, my great arrow shall fall upon Viradha’s vast chest, sever his life from his body—then Viradha will reel and crash to the ground.” Here the second sarga ends. The third sarga of the Aranya Kanda begins: the conversation between Viradha and Shri Ram, the blows struck by Ram and Lakshman at Viradha, and Viradha carrying the two brothers into another part of the forest.

Then Viradha, making the forest resound, said, “Hey! I ask—tell me, who are you two, and where will you go?” The highly radiant Shri Ram then spoke thus to that demon, whose face blazed, as he inquired their identity: “Know that the line of King Ikshvaku is my lineage. We two brothers are Kshatriyas who uphold good conduct, and for a reason we dwell in this forest. Now we wish to know your identity—who are you who wander at will in the Dandaka forest?” Hearing this, Viradha said to truth-valiant Shri Ram, “O king of the Raghu line, gladly I will tell my identity—listen about me. I am the son of the demon Jabh. My mother’s name is Shatahrida. All the demons on earth call me by the name Viradha. By austerity I pleased Brahma and obtained this boon: that I would not be slain by any weapon; that in this world I would remain uncut and impenetrable; that none could rend my body. Now you two leave this youthful woman here—give up the wish to have her—and depart at once the way you came. I will not take your lives.”

Hearing this, Shri Ramchandra’s eyes grew red with anger. He spoke to that sinful demon, Viradha—evil in thought and fearsome in form—thus: “Base one, your disposition is vile—your intent utterly corrupt. Surely you are seeking your death, and you will find it in battle. Now you will not escape alive from my hand.”

Saying this, Bhagwan Shri Ram strung his bow and, straightway preparing keen arrows, began to pierce that demon. With his well-strung bow, he loosed seven arrows at Viradha in succession—mighty as Garuda and Vayu, adorned with golden feathers. Blazing like kindled fire, with peacock feathers, those arrows pierced Viradha’s body, were stained with blood, and fell to the earth. Wounded, that demon set the princess of Videha aside and, spear in hand, rushed in extreme fury upon Shri Ram and Lakshman.

Roaring mightily, spear in hand like Indra’s banner, at that moment he shone like Time-Death with mouth agape. Then upon that dreadful demon Viradha—like Time, like the Ender, like Yama—those two brothers began to shower blazing arrows. Seeing this, the terrible demon threw back his head in loud laughter, stretched with a yawn, and as he did so, the swift arrows slipped out from his body and fell to the ground. Because of the boon, the demon Viradha held on to life, and lifting his spear he attacked those two Raghu heroes. His spear flamed in the sky like thunderbolt and fire; but Shri Ramchandra, foremost of weapon-bearers, struck it with two arrows and cut it in two. Severed by Shri Ram’s shafts, Viradha’s spear fell to earth like a slab of desert rock shattered by a thunderbolt.

Then the two brothers swiftly seized two dark, razor-edged swords and immediately fell upon him, striking with force. Wounded sore by their blows, that fearsome demon grabbed those unshakable lion-men with both arms and tried to carry them elsewhere. Perceiving his intent, Shri Ram said to Lakshman: “Son of Sumitra, let this demon carry us along this path as he wishes—let him become our vehicle as he desires. There is no need to hinder him. The path this night-ranger takes is the very way we must go.” Grown insolent with strength, the night-stalker Viradha lifted the two brothers like children and seated them upon his shoulders. Mounting the Raghu heroes on his shoulders, the demon, roaring dreadfully, went off into the forest. Then he entered a forest massed dark and blue like a bank of great storm-clouds—full of many great trees, made wondrous in beauty by multitudes of varied birds, and spread everywhere with many jackals and beasts of prey. Here the third sarga ends.

The Slaying of Viradha by Shri Ram and Lakshman—this is the fourth sarga. Seeing the best of the Raghu line, the lions among men Shri Ram and Lakshman being carried off by the demon, Sita lifted both her arms and cried out loudly: “O lord of demons, I bow to you! Hey! This fierce, terrible demon is carrying away these truthful, virtuous, pure-conducted sons of Dasharatha—Shri Ram and Lakshman. In this forest bears, tigers, and leopards will devour me; therefore take me instead, but release these two heroes of the Kakutstha line!”

Hearing these words of the daughter of Videha, those two heroes, Shri Ram and Lakshman, hastened to kill that evil-souled demon. Sumitra’s son Lakshman very swiftly broke the demon’s left arm, and Shri Ram his right. With both arms broken, that cloud-dark demon was distressed and at once fell unconscious, crashing to the earth like a mountain peak shattered by a thunderbolt. Then Shri Ram and Lakshman struck Viradha with fists, knees, and feet; lifting him up and hurling him down, they rubbed him along the ground. Though wounded by countless arrows and gashed by swords, and though rubbed again and again upon the earth, the demon did not die. Seeing Viradha unmoving like a mountain, Shri Ram—who gives fearlessness in times of fear—spoke to Lakshman:

“Lion among men, this demon, made invulnerable by a boon gained through austerity, cannot be overcome by weapons in battle. Therefore, to defeat the night-ranger Viradha, let us dig a pit and bury him. Lakshman, for this demon—terrible as an elephant and fierce in splendor—dig a very large pit here in the forest.” Having thus ordered Lakshman to dig, the valiant Shri Ram stood pressing down Viradha’s throat with one foot. Hearing Shri Ramchandra’s words, the demon Viradha humbly spoke to the best of men:

“Lion among men, best of men, your strength is like that of Indra, lord of the gods. Struck down by your hand, I now recognize you—till today I did not. Because of you, mother Kausalya has become the bearer of an excellent son. I know that you are Shri Ramchandra. This illustrious lady is the daughter of Videha, Sita, and this is your younger brother, the highly powerful Lakshman. Because of a curse I took on this dreadful demonic body. I am a Gandharva named Turu. Kubera cursed me to become a demon. When I later tried to please him, the greatly renowned Kubera said to me: ‘Gandharva, when Dasharatha’s son Shri Ram strikes you down in battle, you will regain your former form and go to the heavenly world.’ I was devoted to the Apsara Rambha; once I failed to present myself to serve her at the exact time. Therefore, angered, King Vaishravana (Kubera) gave me the aforesaid curse and told me the term of its release.

“O tormentor of foes, O Raghu hero, today by your grace I am freed from that terrible curse. Blessings upon you. Now I will go to my own people. A league and a half from here resides the great sage Sharabhanga—glorious as the sun, mighty and righteous. Go quickly to him; he will tell you what is for your good. O Shri Ram, bury my body in a pit and proceed safely. To bury the bodies of dead demons in a pit—digging a grave and interring them—is their eternal custom. The demons who are buried in a pit attain the eternal worlds.”

Having thus spoken to Shri Ram, the mighty Viradha—pained by the arrows—when his body was cast into the pit, abandoned that form and went to heaven. How he was put into the pit is now told. Hearing his words, Shri Raghunath ordered Lakshman: “Lakshman, for this demon—doer of terrible deeds and fearful as an elephant—dig a very large pit here in the forest.” Having ordered Lakshman thus, the valiant Shri Ram stood pressing down Viradha’s throat with one foot. Then Lakshman, taking a spade, dug a very large pit right there near the gigantic Viradha. Then Shri Ram released his grip on the throat, and Lakshman, lifting that Viradha—whose ears were like stakes—threw him into the pit. At that time he roared loudly in a terrifying voice. Standing firm in battle and swiftly displaying prowess, the two brothers, Shri Ram and Lakshman, forcibly hurled that cruel, dreadful demon into the pit. He shouted again and again. Casting him into the pit, the two brothers rejoiced greatly. Seeing that the great Asura Viradha could not be killed by sharp weapons, the most skillful brothers, the best of men—Shri Ram and Lakshman—then dug the pit, cast him in, and covered him with earth, thus bringing about his end. Truly, to be put to death by Shri Ram’s hand was his desire; seeking his wished-for death, Viradha himself had told Shri Ram that weapons could not slay him. Hearing that very statement, Shri Ram decided to bury him in the pit.

As he was thrown into the pit, that exceedingly strong demon filled the whole forest with his clamor. After casting Viradha into the earth and covering him over with many stones, Shri Ram and Lakshman, greatly pleased, roamed that great forest without fear and in delight. In this way, having slain the demon and taking along the princess of Mithila, the two brothers—adorned with marvelous golden bows—wandered joyfully through the great forest like the moon and the sun set in the sky.