Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) (64 page)

‘Markandeya said, “The immensely valorous king of the vultures, Jatayu, was the son of Aruna and the brother of Sampati and was a friend of Dasharatha’s. When the bird saw his
⁸⁵
daughter-in-law in Ravana’s arms, he angrily rushed at the lord of the rakshasas. The vulture told him, ‘O traveller in the night! Let her go. Let Maithili go. How can you carry her off as long as I am alive? If you do not give up the daughter-in-law, you will not escape with your life.’ Saying this, he powerfully attacked the Indra among
rakshasas with his talons. He struck him with his wings and beak and lacerated him in many ways and large quantities of blood began to gush out,
⁸⁶
like a mountain spring. Thus struck by the vulture, who wished to do that which would bring Rama pleasure, he grasped his sword and sliced off the wings of the bird. Having killed the king of the vultures, and looking like a mountain through scattered clouds, the rakshasa grasped Sita in his arms and rose up into the sky. Whenever Vaidehi saw a circle of hermitages, a pond, a river or a well, she loosened and flung down her ornaments. On the slopes of a mountain, she saw five bulls among monkeys. The intelligent one flung down an expensive and celestial garment there. Driven by the wind, the beautiful yellow garment fell down in the midst of those Indras among monkeys, like lightning in a cloud.

‘“While Vaidehi was thus being carried away, the wise Rama had killed the great deer. While he was returning, he saw his brother Lakshmana. On seeing his brother, he rebuked him. ‘How could you leave Vaidehi in a forest infested with rakshasas?’ He thought about his being drawn away by a rakshasa in the form of a deer and of his brother’s arrival and was tormented by thoughts. Having rebuked him, Rama swiftly approached and said, ‘O Lakshmana! Is Vaidehi still alive? I might not see her again.’ Lakshmana then reported everything that Sita had told him, including the words that Vaidehi had spoken later. With a burning heart, Rama went towards the hermitage and saw the fallen vulture, like a mountain. Fearing him to be a rakshasa, Kakutstha drew his powerful bow and rushed towards him, together with Lakshmana. The energetic one then spoke to Rama and Lakshmana. ‘I am the king of the vultures. O fortunate ones! I am a friend of Dasharatha’s.’ On hearing these words, they put aside their bright bows and asked, ‘Who is this who is mentioning our father by name?’ Then they saw that the wings of the bird had been sliced off. The vulture told them how Ravana had killed him, for Sita’s sake. Raghava then asked the vulture for the direction in which Ravana had gone. Indicating this with a nod of his head, the vulture passed away. Kakutstha understood the sign of the gesture to mean
the south. He performed the last rites in honour of his father’s friend. They saw the hermitage, with its cushions and vessels scattered and its pots broken. The place was deserted and infested with an army of jackals. Overcome with unhappiness and grief at Vaidehi’s abduction, the scorchers of enemies headed south, towards Dandakaranya. In that great forest, Rama, together with Soumitri,
⁸⁷
saw many herds of deer running in different directions. They heard the terrible cries of many creatures, increasingly roaring like a forest fire.

‘“In a short while, they saw Kabandha,
⁸⁸
terrible in form. He was like a cloud or a mountain. His shoulders were as extensive as a shala tree. He had large arms. His large eye was located on his chest. He had a giant mouth on a giant belly. With great ease, the rakshasa grasped Lakshmana in his arms. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Soumitri was instantly overcome by despair. Then, glancing towards Rama, he dragged him
⁸⁹
towards his mouth, and afflicted with despair, he
⁹⁰
told Rama, ‘Look at my state. Vaidehi has been abducted. I am in this dire state. You have been dislodged from your kingdom. Our father is dead. Together with Vaidehi, I will not witness your return to Kosala and your instatement in the earthly kingdom of our fathers and grandfathers. Fortunate are those who will see you consecrated with kusha grass, parched rice and
shami
⁹¹
wood, with a face like the moon amidst scattered clouds.’ In this way, the wise Lakshmana lamented in various ways. Undaunted in the midst of this calamity, Kakutstha told him, ‘O tiger among men! Do not be immersed in sorrow in this fashion. While I am here, there is nothing he can do. Slice off his right arm, and I will sever the left.’ While he was speaking, Rama cut off his left arm with his extremely sharp sword, as if it was branch of sesamum. On seeing his brother Raghava standing there, the powerful Soumitri hacked the right arm with his sword. Lakshmana repeatedly smote the rakshasa on his side and losing his
life, the gigantic Kabandha fell down on the ground. Then a divine-looking being was seen to emerge from his body. He was stationed in the sky, like the resplendent sun in the sky. The eloquent Rama asked him, ‘Who are you? I am asking you. Tell me. How did this happen? It seems to me to be extraordinary.’ He replied, ‘O king! I am the gandharva Vishvavasu. Because of Brahma’s curse, I had to be born in the womb of a rakshasa. Sita has been abducted by King Ravana, who resides in Lanka. Go to Sugriva and he will help you. Lake Pampa is near Mount Rishyamukha. It has pure water and teems with swans and ducks. Sugriva lives there with four advisers. He is the brother of Vali, the king of the monkeys who wears a golden garland. I can tell you this much. You will see Janaki again. It is certain that the king of the monkeys knows about Ravana’s abode.’ Having said this, to the amazement of the brave Rama and Lakshmana, the extremely radiant celestial being disappeared.”’

‘Markandeya said, “Miserable at Sita’s abduction, Rama then went to Lake Pampa, which was a short distance away. It was full of lotuses and blue lotuses.
⁹²
The wind was pleasant and cool and the forest was redolent with the pleasant fragrance of amrita. There, his mind turned to his beloved. That Indra among kings remembered his beloved and lamented, tormented by the arrows of love. Soumitri told him, ‘O one who honours those who are worthy! Such sentiments should not touch you, like a self-controlled man should not be tainted by disease or the conduct of the aged. You have obtained information about Vaidehi and Ravana. Now use manliness and intelligence to recover her. Let us go to Sugriva, the bull among monkeys in the mountain. Be comforted, since I, your disciple, servant and aide, am with you.’ At these many different words of Lakshmana,
Raghava recovered his natural state and thought about what should be done next. The brave brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, bathed in the waters of Pampa. After rendering offerings to the ancestors, they departed. They reached Mount Rishyamukha, full of many roots and fruits. The brave ones saw the five monkeys on the peak. Sugriva sent his wise adviser, the monkey Hanuman, who was as tall as a mountain, to them. Having first conversed with him, they went to Sugriva. O king! Rama then had an agreement of friendship with the king of the monkeys. When the monkeys were told about what had to be done, they displayed the garment that Sita had dropped while she was being abducted. Having thus obtained assurance, Rama himself instated Sugriva, the lord of the monkeys, as the king of all the monkeys on earth. Kakutstha also promised to kill Vali in battle. O king! Sugriva promised to bring Sita back.

‘“Having thus concluded an agreement and having reposed trust in each other, all of them went to Kishkindha and based themselves there, desirous of doing battle. Having reached Kishkindha, Sugriva let out a giant roar, like the noise of a flood. Vali could not tolerate this. But Tara
⁹³
restrained him and said, ‘From the manner in which the mighty monkey Sugriva is roaring, I think that he has obtained a protector. You should not go out.’ At that, the eloquent Vali, adorned in a golden garland, the king of the monkeys, told Tara, whose face was like the lord of the stars,
⁹⁴
‘You are familiar with the voices of all beings and you possess intelligence. See and find out whose protection this fake brother of mine has obtained.’ Tara, with radiance like the lord of the stars, thought for an instant. Then the wise one spoke to her husband. ‘O lord of the monkeys! Listen to everything. The immensely powerful Rama is Dasharatha’s son and has lost his wife. That great archer has contracted an agreement of friendship with Sugriva, with one’s enemy regarded as the other’s too. His brother is unvanquished, mighty-armed and wise Soumitri Lakshmana, who stands by him for accomplishing the task. Mainda, Dvivida, the wind-god’s son Hanuman and Jambavan, the king of the bears, are Sugriva’s
advisers and stand by him. All these great-souled ones are immensely strong and intelligent. Resorting to Rama’s valour, they are enough for your destruction.’ But the lord of the monkeys disregarded her words, which would have ensured his welfare. He was full of jealousy and suspected that her mind was attracted towards Sugriva. Having spoken harshly to Tara, he emerged from the mouth of his cave. He went to Sugriva, who was stationed near Malyavan and said, ‘O foolish you! You are fond of life. But you have been defeated by me many times earlier. Considering our relationship, I have freed you earlier. Why do you wish to rush to your death again?’ Thus addressed, Sugriva, the destroyer of enemies, spoke to his brother for a reason, as if to indicate to Rama that the time had come. ‘O king! Know that I have been robbed of my wife,
⁹⁵
and robbed of my kingdom, by you. What is the purpose of being alive? That is the reason I have approached you.’ Speaking to each other in these and many other ways, Vali and Sugriva engaged in a fight, with shala trees, tala trees and rocks as weapons. They smote each other and flung each other down on the ground. Both of them moved wonderfully and struck each other with fists. Both of them dripped with blood, lacerated by nails and teeth. Those brave ones resembled blossoming kimshukas. No difference could be detected between the two fighters. Then Hanuman placed a garland around Sugriva’s neck.
⁹⁶
With that garland round his neck, the brave one was as radiant and handsome as Mount Malaya with a garland of clouds. Recognizing Sugriva through that mark, the great archer Rama drew his giant bow and chose Vali as a target. The twang of the bow was like the sound of a machine. Pierced in the heart through the arrow, Vali fell down. With his heart pierced and wounded, he began to vomit blood through his mouth. He saw Rama standing there, together with Soumitri. He rebuked Kakutstha and fell down unconscious on the ground. Tara saw him on the ground, like a dislodged lord of the stars. With Vali slain, Sugriva obtained Kishkindha back and also Tara, with a face like the lord of the stars, now that her lord had fallen. Worshipped
by Sugriva, the wise Rama lived on the beautiful slopes of Malyavan for four months.

‘“Having arrived at his city of Lanka, Ravana was overcome by the force of desire. He instated Sita in a house that was like Nandana.
⁹⁷
It was located near a grove of ashoka trees and was like the hermitage of an asectic. She wore the garb of an ascetic and thinking of her husband, became lean. She was devoted to fasting and austerities. The large-eyed one lived there in misery, surviving on fruits and roots. To guard her, the lord of the rakshasas appointed rakshasis. They held lances, swords, spears, axes, clubs and flaming brands. Some of them had two eyes, others had three eyes. Some had eyes on the forehead. Some had long tongues, others had no tongue. Some had three breasts and one leg. Others had three heads of matted hair and one eye. These and others had flaming eyes. Their hair was as ugly as that of a young camel.
⁹⁸
Incessantly, night and day, they surrounded Sita. Those pishachis were gruesome to look at and had terrible voices. They always scolded the black-eyed one in terrible and harsh words. ‘Let us eat her. Let us tear her into shreds that are as small as sesamum. She lives here, but she disregards our lord.’ Thus did they censure and terrify her repeatedly. Afflicted with grief for her husband, she sighed and replied, ‘O aryas! Eat me up swiftly. I have no desire to be alive, without the lotus-eyed one
⁹⁹
who has dark and curly hair. Separated from my beloved, I would rather live without food and shrivel away my frame, like a serpent inside a tala tree. But for Raghava, I will not go to any other man. Know this to be the truth. And do what you wish with me, thereafter.’ On hearing these words, the rakshasis, whose voices were grating, went and told the Indra of the rakshasas everything that had transpired.

‘“When all of them had left, a rakshasi named Trijata, who was learned about dharma and pleasant in speech, comforted Vaidehi. ‘O Sita! I will tell you something. O friend! Have trust in me. Give up your fear. O one with the beautiful thighs! Listen to my words.
There is an intelligent and old bull among the rakshasas, by the name of Avindhya. With Rama’s welfare in mind, and for your sake, he told me this. “Having comforted and assured Sita, tell her these words of mine. Her husband Rama, with the powerful Lakshmana following him, are both well. For your sake, the illustrious Raghava has become friends with the king of the monkeys, who is like Shakra in his energy. O timid one! Have no fear. Ravana is censured by the worlds. O unblemished one! You are protected by Nalakubara’s curse. In earlier times, the evil one was cursed when he sought to obtain Rambha as his wife. This one is not in control of his senses. But he is incapable of forcibly violating any woman. Protected by Sugriva, and together with Soumitri, your wise husband will swiftly arrive here and will set you free. I have had an extremely terrible dream, signifying terrible calamity and the destruction of the evil-minded one who has demolished the lineage of Pulastya. That evil-souled roamer of the night is the performer of mean deeds and is terrible. Because of his nature and the taint of wicked conduct, he increases the fear of all beings. Having lost his senses because of destiny, he challenges all the gods. In my dreams, I have seen all the portents of his destruction. Smeared in oil and with his head shaven, Dashanana was immersed in mud. He was stationed on a chariot drawn by donkeys and was dancing. I have seen Kumbhakarna and the others naked, with their heads fallen. They were decorated with red garlands and ointments and were being dragged towards a southern direction.
¹⁰⁰
I have seen Vibhishana alone, climbing up Mount Shveta, decorated with white garlands and ointments, crowned, and with a white umbrella over his head. He and his four advisers, bedecked with white garlands and ointments, will climb Mount Shveta and be freed from this great danger. The earth and the oceans will be made turbulent with Rama’s weapons. Your husband will fill the earth with his fame. I have seen Lakshmana, astride a collection of bones. He was eating honey and payasa. He was glancing in all the directions. I have seen you protected by a tiger, weeping and with your body covered in blood. You have repeatedly travelled in a northern direction. O Vaidehi! O
Sita! You will soon be reunited with your husband Raghava, together with his brother, and will find joy.”’ When the maiden with the eyes of a young deer heard these words of Trijata, she became hopeful of again being reunited with her husband. When those terrible and extremely fearsome pishachis returned, they saw her seated with Trijata, as she had been earlier.”’