Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) (63 page)

‘Markandeya said, “Then all the brahmarshis, siddhas and devarshis, with Agni leading them, went and sought refuge with Brahma. Agni said, ‘O lord! Vishrava’s son, Dashagriva, is immensely strong and cannot be killed, because you have earlier granted him a boon. The immensely strong one is oppressing all beings with injurious acts. O lord! Save us from him. There is no one else who can save us.’ Brahma replied, ‘O Vibhavasu!
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The gods and the asuras cannot defeat him in battle. What must be done to subdue him has already been ordained. For that purpose, at my request, the four-armed Vishnu, foremost among brave ones, has already descended on earth. He will accomplish this task.’ The grandfather addressed
these words to them. ‘With the masses of gods, all of you take births on earth. To aid Vishnu, all of you beget brave sons on monkeys and bears, strong and capable of assuming any form at will.’ At this, all the gods, the gandharvas and serpents happily descended on earth, with respective parts from their own bodies. In their presence, the god who is the granter of boons,
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instructed a gandharva lady named Dundubhi so that the task of the gods might be accomplished. On hearing the grandfather’s words, the gandharvi Dundubhi took the form of Manthara in the world of men. She was hunchbacked. All the foremost among the gods, with Shakra at the forefront, begot sons on the chief women among monkeys and bears. All of them were like their fathers, in fame and strength. They could shatter the peaks of mountains. Their weapons were shala and tala, trees and rocks. All their bodies were capable of withstanding the vajra. They were endowed with great strength. They could assume strength and valour at will. They were skilled in fighting. Each possessed the strength of ten thousand elephants. They had the speed of the wind. Some of them lived where they wished. Others lived in the forest. Having thus decreed everything, the illustrious one, the creator of the worlds, instructed Manthara about what she should do and how she should go about it. On hearing his words, she carried them out with the speed of the mind. She went here and there, bent on creating enmity.”’

‘Yudhishthira asked, “O illustrious one! You have separately related the births of Rama and each of the others. O brahmana! Now I wish to hear about the reasons for their exile. Please recount it. O brahmana! Why were Dasharatha’s brave sons, Rama and Lakshmana, and the famous Maithili
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exiled to the forest?”

‘Markandeya said, “King Dasharatha was delighted at sons being born. He was devoted to rites and to the practice of dharma. He always served his superiors. In course of time, his sons grew and became greatly energetic. They became learned in the Vedas and their secrets and were skilled in the use of weapons. O king! When they had completed the period of brahmacharya, they got married. At each such time, Dasharatha was pleased and happy. Among them, the eldest was Rama and he was known thus because he pleased the subjects.
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He was charming and wise and was the delight of his father’s heart. Then the king thought that he was too advanced in age. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! He consulted his advisers and the priests, who were learned about dharma, about instating Rama as the heir apparent.
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All of them, the best of advisers, thought that the appropriate time had arrived. His
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eyes were red. His arms were large. His gait was like that of a mad elephant. His arms were long. His chest was broad. He was dark in complexion. His hair was curled. He was radiant, handsome and brave. He was like Shakra in his strength. He was learned in all dharma. He was like Brihaspati in his intelligence. Everyone was devoted to him. He was skilled in all forms of knowledge. He was in control of his senses. He was pleasant to behold, even to his enemies. He controlled those who were not virtuous. He protected those who followed dharma. He had fortitude. He was unassailable. He was victorious. He could not be vanquished. O descendant of the Kuru lineage! King Dasharatha looked at such a son, one who extended Kousalya’s
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joy, and was extremely delighted. On thinking about the qualities of the valorous and immensely energetic Rama, he happily spoke to his priest. ‘O fortunate one! O brahmana! There is an auspicious conjunction of Pushya nakshatra today. Let all the requirements be gathered and let Rama be invited.’ Hearing these words of the king, Manthara went to Kaikeyi and spoke these words at the appropriate time. ‘O Kaikeyi! The king has proclaimed
your great misfortune today. O unfortunate one! A fierce, angry and virulent serpent is biting you. Kousalya is indeed the fortunate one, since her son will be instated. Where is your good fortune if your son does not obtain a share of the kingdom?’ On hearing these words, she
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adorned herself in all her ornaments. She was radiant in her supreme beauty, with a middle that was shaped like an altar. She approached her husband secretly. Smiling charmingly, as if in love, the sweet-smiling one spoke these honeyed words. ‘You are always truthful in your promises. O king! You had earlier promised me a wish. Grant me that favour now and free yourself of the burden.’ The king replied, ‘I am ready to grant you the boon. You will get what you desire. Is there anyone who must be killed today, though he does not deserve to be killed? Is there any one imprisoned, who must be freed today? Who should be given riches today? Or is there anyone, from whom it must be taken away? All the riches are mine, except those that belong to brahmanas.’ When she heard these words, she bound the king to his promise. Knowing her own strength, she spoke these words. ‘Let Bharata be instated with the ingredients that have been arranged for Rama. Let Raghava
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go to the forest.’ The king heard these unpleasant and terrible worlds. O foremost among the Bharata lineage! He was so miserable that he could not say anything. On learning what his father had said, the valorous Rama, with dharma in his soul, went to the forest, so that the king might remain true to his promise. O fortunate one! He was followed by the prosperous Lakshmana, with the bow in his hand, and his wife Vaidehi Sita, Janaka’s daughter.
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‘“When Rama had departed for the forest, following the due dharma of time, King Dasharatha gave up his body. With Rama having left and the king having departed, the queen Kaikeyi had Bharata brought and spoke these words to him.
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‘Dasharatha has gone to
heaven. Rama and Lakshmana have left for the forest. Accept this large kingdom, without any obstacles, and with all its thorns removed.’ On hearing these words, the one with dharma in his soul replied, ‘You have committed a violent deed. Out of avarice for riches, you have killed your husband and destroyed this lineage. O mother! O destroyer of the lineage! You have brought ill fame on my head. Satisfy your desire now.’ Speaking thus, he began to weep. Thus displaying his character before all the subjects, he left after his brother Rama, desiring to bring him back. He placed Kousalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra in vehicles at the back. Then extremely miserably, he set out with Shatrughna, Vasishtha, Vamadeva, thousands of other brahmanas and residents of the city and the country, with the intention of bringing Rama back. He saw Rama and Lakshmana in Chitrakuta.
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He had a bow in his hand and was adorned in the ornaments of ascetics. But fixed on making his father’s promise come true, Rama dismissed him. He ruled the kingdom from Nandigrama, with the sandals in front.
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Rama was concerned that the inhabitants of the city and the country might return again. He entered the great forest near the hermitage of Sharabhanga. He paid his respects to Sharabhanga and found refuge in Dandakaranya. He lived in the beautiful region along the banks of the river Godavari.

‘“While he lived there, because of Shurpanakha’s deeds, Rama had a great enmity with Khara, who used to reside in Janasthana. In order to protect the ascetics, Raghava, devoted to dharma, killed fourteen thousand rakshasas on earth. By killing the immensely powerful Khara and Dushana,
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the wise Raghava brought safety to that forest of dharma again. With those rakshasas slain, Shurpanakha, with her nose and lips sliced off,
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went to her brother’s abode in
Lanka. Unconscious with grief, the rakshasi went to Ravana. With dried blood on her face, she fell down at her brother’s feet. On seeing her so mutilated, Ravana became senseless with anger. He gnashed his teeth in anger and jumped up from his seat. He dismissed his advisers and privately asked her, ‘O fortunate one! Who has done this to you, without thinking of me and disrespecting me? Who has had a sharp spear pierced all over his body? Who is sleeping securely and happily, having lit a fire by his head? Who has kicked a terrible and virulent serpent? Who has touched the teeth of a lion with manes?’ While he was speaking these words, sparks of flame issued from the openings in his body, like from the hollows of a flaming tree at night. Then his sister told him everything about Rama’s valour and the defeat of Khara and Dushana, accompanied by the other rakshasas. Having decided on what was to be done, having comforted his sister and having made due arrangements for the protection of the city, the king
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rose up into the sky. He crossed the mountains Trikuta and Kala and saw the great and deep ocean, the abode of makaras. Dashanana passed over it and went to Gokarna,
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the secure and beloved region of the great-souled wielder of the trident. Dashanana went to Maricha, his former adviser. Because of his fear of Rama, he had earlier become an ascetic.”’

‘Markandeya said, “On seeing Ravana arrive, Maricha respectfully showed him homage and gave him fruits, roots and other objects. When the rakshasa had rested and was appropriately seated, the one who was skilled with words spoke these words to the one who was eloquent with words.
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‘Your complexion is not in its
natural state. Is everything well in your city? Do all your subjects honour you, as they used to do earlier? O lord of the rakshasas! What task has brought you here? Even if the task is difficult to accomplish, know that it has already been done.’ Ravana told him everything about what Rama had done. After listening, Maricha briefly told him, ‘You must not provoke Rama. I am acquainted with his valour. Is there anyone who can withstand the force of the arrows of that great-souled one? The bull among men is responsible for my leading the life of an ascetic. What evil-souled one has directed you to this course of action that will take you to the mouth of destruction?’ On hearing this, Ravana angrily berated him. ‘If you do not act in accordance with my words, it is certain that you will meet with death.’ Maricha then thought to himself, ‘It is better to die at the hands of a superior being. Since death is certain, I will do what he wants me to.’ Maricha then replied to the lord of the rakshasas. ‘What help can I render you? I will do it even if I am not capable.’ Then Dashagriva told him, ‘Go and tempt Sita. Become a deer with jewels on its antlers and with a skin that is adorned with gems. It is certain that on seeing you, Sita will send Rama after you. With Kakutstha
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gone, Sita will be in my powers. I will then abduct her. The evil-minded one will cease to exist because of separation from his wife. Render this help to me.’ Having been thus addressed, Maricha performed the rites with water for himself.
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Extremely miserable, he followed Ravana, who led the way. The two went to the hermitage of Rama, the one whose deeds were unsullied. They acted exactly as they had planned it earlier. Ravana assumed the form of an ascetic, with his head shaven and with a three-poled staff in his hand.
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Maricha assumed the form of a deer and they went to that spot. Maricha showed himself to Vaidehi, in the form of a deer. Prompted by destiny, she sent Rama after him.

‘“With a view to please her, Rama swiftly grasped his bow. He entrusted Lakshmana with the task of protecting her and went after the deer. He had his bow and had tied his quiver. He had his sword and guards for his arms and fingers. Rama followed the deer, like Rudra after the deer that is a star.
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The rakshasa appeared before him and disappeared again, taking him far away. Rama knew him to be who he really was. Knowing him to be a traveller of the night,
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the wise Raghava grasped an unfailing arrow and killed him, in the form of a deer. Struck by Rama’s arrow, he imitated Rama’s voice and called out, in a piteous voice, ‘Alas, Sita! Lakshmana!’ When Vaidehi heard those piteous words, she was about to run in the direction of the words. But Lakshmana spoke to her. ‘O timid one! Do not be anxious. Who can strike Rama? O sweet-smiling one! You will see Rama return in a short while.’ She was weeping. At these words, because of the tendency of women, she suspected her younger brother-in-law, though his pure character was his adornment. The chaste and faithful wife uttered harsh words. ‘O stupid one! This is not the time for satisfying the desire in your heart. I would rather take a sword and kill myself, or throw myself from the peak of a mountain, or enter the fire, rather than abandon my husband Rama and serve a mean one like you, like a tigress waiting on a jackal.’ Lakshmana loved Raghava and was always virtuous. On hearing these words, he covered up his ears and left for where Raghava was. He grasped a bow and followed Rama’s footsteps.

‘“Meanwhile, rakshasa Ravana made his appearance. Though he was wicked, he assumed a gentle form, like a fire hidden under ashes. He disguised himself as an ascetic, because he desired to abduct that unblemished one. On seeing him arrive, Janaka’s virtuous daughter invited him, with fruits, roots, a seat and other things. But the bull
among rakshasas ignored all this and assuming his own form, sought to appease Vaidehi. ‘O Sita! I am the king of the rakshasas, famous as Ravana. My beautiful city of Lanka is located on the other side of the great ocean. Among the beautiful women who are there, you will shine with me. O one with the beautiful hips! Become my wife and abandon the ascetic Raghava.’ When Janaki Sita heard words like these, the one with the beautiful hips covered up her ears and said, ‘Do not speak such words. The sky may fall with its stars. The earth may be shattered. The fire may become cold. But I will not desert the descendant of the Raghu lineage. Can a she-elephant, after serving a giant elephant that is in musth and ranges the forest, touch a hog? How can a lady who has drunk choice liquor
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and drunk nectar made out of honey, be attracted by the juice of the jujube tree?’ Having spoken these words, she entered the hermitage again. Ravana followed the one with the beautiful hips and restrained her. Censured by his harsh words, she lost her senses. But he grasped her by the hair on her head and rose up into the sky. A vulture named Jatayu, who lived on a mountain, saw the ascetic lady being abducted, lamenting, ‘Rama! Rama!’”’