29. VIRADHA'S END:

NOT far from Chitrakuta was an
outpost of the Rakshasas, called
Janasthana, in charge of a famous warrior
named Khara, who was a brother of
Ravana. From this station, fierce
Rakshasas ranged the forest round,
molesting the rishis in their isolated
ashramas. They made life so insecure that
the rishis abandoned their hermitages in
the Chitrakuta region in spite of all that
Rama could do to dissuade them.



After Bharata's departure Rama was
not quite happy in Chitrakuta. The face of
his beloved brother tearful with
disappointment and the sad drooping form
of his widowed mother were ever before
his mind's eye. Now that the going away
of the rishis had deprived him of even
their companionship, the lonely hut was
so full of sad memories that he made up
his mind to seek some other resting place
in the Dandaka forest.



So they left Chitrakuta and proceeded
to the hermitage of Atri, a rishi who knew
the country, to seek his advice as to where
they might establish themselves. They
were most affectionately received and Sita
won the heart of Atri's wife, the saintly
Anasuya. Anasuya delighted at finding in
Sita a perfect embodiment of wifely
virtues, blessed her and presented her with
beautiful garments and auspicious
cosmetics that set out the charms of lovely
young wives.



Anasuya was the embodiment of pure
womanhood and her gifts added beauty
and inner strength to Sita. She received
the gifts and said: "My Lord the prince
loves me with the love of a mother and a
father. I am indeed blessed."



Then they made inquiries concerning
the way and resumed their journey.
Walking, through the great Dandaka
forest, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana reached
a spot where many rishis lived. Even as
they approached the place, they saw the
sacrificial materials, bark garments and
deerskins spread out to dry and they knew
it was a colony of holy men.



The place was beautiful to look at.
Birds and animals moved about with the
freedom from fear born of affectionate
familiarity with their human neighbors.
Ripe fruits hung from the trees. The
beautiful sound of Vedic chanting was
heard.



As they came near, they saw the
radiant faces of the rishis. They welcomed
Rama. "O, King! You are our protector,"
they said. "Whether we are in the town or
in the forest, you are our king." And they
gave the new comers all they needed and
a place in which to rest.
The following morning, the three took
leave of the rishis and re-entered the
forest, which was now denser than before
and there were tigers and other wild
animals. They proceeded slowly and
cautiously.



Suddenly, a gigantic form distorted like
a broken fragment of a hill rushed at them
making a blood-curdling noise. It was a
man-eating rakshasa and his roar was like
thunder. He was unutterably ugly and the
tiger-skin he wore was covered with blood
and gobbets of flesh of the slaughtered
beast were sticking to it still.



The corpses of three lions and the head
of an elephant recently slain were impaled
and strung in a row on the great spear
which he shook menacingly at them.
The rakshasa lifted his weapon, roared
horribly and, springing forward lifted Sita
and as he held her, shouted at the princes:
"Who are you, little fellows? How dare
you enter this forest? You look young but
wear matted locks and bark garments.



You have disguised yourselves as
ascetics; yet you carry bows and arrows,
and go about with this woman by your
side. Whom are you trying to cheat? Are
you not ashamed of yourselves? You are
besmirching the good name of the rishis
by your conduct, you hypocrites! Know
that I am Viradha himself. The flesh of
rishis is my daily food. I shall have this
lovely damsel for my wife, do you
understand? I shall now drink your blood,
you villains!"
Held in his grasp, Sita trembled with
fear. Rama lost his usual self-control and
said: "Lakshmana, this is unbearable.
Kaikeyi must have known all this when
she sent us to the forest!"



Rama was bewildered and did not
know how to meet the Rakshasa. But
Lakshmana, hissing like an angry snake,
said: "Rama, you are strong like Indra
and, with me by your side, you should not
talk dejectedly. Look at what my bow and
arrow can do. The earth will presently
drink this monster's blood. My wrath
which was denied outlet at Ayodhya, I
shall now direct on this monster, and
shatter him as Indra did the winged
mountains of yore. I shall attack this
creature and slay him."



Viradha roared again: "Who are you?
Tell me at once." Rama's mind now
cleared. His face glowed with courage and
calmly he said: "We are princes of the
Ikshvaku race. We have come to live in
the forest. May we know who you are?"
The Rakshasa answered. "And so, you
are the sons of Dasaratha, are you? My
father's name is Jaya. And I am known
among rakshasas as Viradha. You puny
kshatriyas carrying arms, what can you
and your ridiculous weapons do to me? I
have secured a boon from Brahma that no
weapon can hurt me. Leave this girl here
and run away, if you wish to save your
lives."



Rama's eyes grew red with anger. "It is
time for you to go to Yama," he said and
bent his bow and shot a sharp arrow at the
monster. It pierced his body and emerged
red with blood, glistening like fire, and
fell on the earth beyond. But the rakshasa
was not killed. Enraged by the pain, he
placed Sita on the ground, and lifting his
spear and opening his mouth wide rushed
towards Rama and Lakshmana. The
princes sent a shower of arrows at him.
The arrows stuck so thick on his body that
he bristled all over like a gigantic
porcupine.



The rakshasa however laughed and
shook his limbs, and down fell all the
darts. He straightened himself and lifted
his spear again. Rama and Lakshmana
with two arrows broke the spear and
rushed at him sword in hand. But he lifted
them both up with his hands and put them
on his shoulders and strode off into the
forest. Sita saw them disappear in the
darkness of the jungle and wept loud.



Rama and Lakshmana, seated one on
each shoulder, knowing that weapons
could not kill him, wrenched off his arms
and threw them down. They then attacked
him with their hands and feet. Still they
could not kill him on account of Brahma's
boon, but the agony of his wounds was so
great that he howled with it. Unfortunately
for him he had asked for immunity from
slaughter, but not from pain.
The brothers threw down the exhausted
monster and Rama planted his foot on his
neck to prevent him from rising.



The touch of Rama's feet cleared the
mist in which the curse incurred in a
previous birth had shrouded his
understanding, and in the sudden light of
recollection he joined his hands and said
humbly, "Your feet have touched me,
Lord, and my eyes are opened. I have
realised who you are. I am under a curse,
but you can save me. I am not a rakshasa
by birth, but a Gandharva. The boon I
secured prevents my liberation. If you
could somehow kill me, I shall recover
my original form and go to heaven."



Accordingly Rama and Lakshmana
smashed him without weapons and buried
him in a pit they dug in the earth. And the
rakshasa returned to the world of
Gandharvas.
Then the princes went back to the place
where Sita stood terrified and told her all
that happened.



They proceeded to the ashrama of
Sarabhanga. Indra was there with other
gods, talking to the rishi. Knowing that
Rama had arrived, he cut short his talk
and went away. Then Rama, with his
brother and wife, approached the rishi and
humbly saluted him.



The old ascetic said: "It is for you I
have been waiting. It is time for me to
leave the body but my wish was to see
you first. And so I have been waiting.
Now my desire is fulfilled, I pass on to
you all the merit of my penances."



Rama answered: "My Lord, should I
not earn my own merit? How can I
receive what you have earned? I have
renounced everything to live in the forest.
Advise me where I can best find an abode
in the forest and send me forth with your
blessing."
The rishi knew the secret of Rama's
avatar and told him: "Learn from the sage
Sutikshna where in the forest you should
dwell."



Then Sarabhanga kindled a fire and
entered it. The gross body perished in the
flames and a youthful ethereal form rose
from the pyre and floated up the heavens.
When the rishis of that forest heard the
news of Viradha's death they came to
Rama and surrounded him. "It is our good
fortune, O King," they said, "that you
have come to dwell in this region.



Hereafter, we shall perform our penance
untroubled by rakshasas. Look at those
bones scattered all round. They are the
remains of ascetics killed and eaten by the
rakshasas. The rishis on the banks of
Pampa and Mandakini live in constant
fear of their lives from these man-eating
monsters. The King's duty from which he
may not fail without sin is to protect his
subjects. Just as householders pay taxes, a
share of the merit of our penances goes to
the King's benefit. You are radiant like
Indra, king of the gods. Protect us from
this persecution of the rakshasas. You are
our only refuge."



Rama answered: "I am bound, O great
ones, to obey your command. I gave up
kingship and came to the forest in
obedience to my father's wish. If in
discharging my duty as a son I can also
serve you and do some good, I shall count
myself twice blessed. I shall stay in the
forest and destroy the rakshasas and free
you from trouble. Shed your fear."



Rama's promise of help gave relief and
joy to the rishis. Rama, Lakshmana and
Sita then proceeded towards the ashrama
of Sutikshna. They came to a big hill
surrounded by a thick forest which they
entered. There they saw bark garments
drying in the sun and a little later came
upon the old rishi himself.
Saluting him, the prince said: "My
name is Rama, O holy sage. I have come
to have darshan of you. I pray for your
blessing."




The sage rose and embraced him.
"Welcome, defender of dharma. My
ashrama is fit up by your presence. It is
now yours. When I heard you had left
Ayodhya and taken up your abode at
Chitrakuta, I knew you would come here,
and have lived in hope of seeing you. Else
I would have long ago given up this body.
The merit I have accumulated I now pass
on to you. Take it for yourself, your
brother and the princess." The sage's face
was bright with the light of long holy life.
It was the custom of the rishis thus to
offer their acquired merit to those who
came as their guests. From Rama's
answer, we can see how such courtesies
were to be received.



"O sage, I must earn merit by my own
good deeds. With your blessing, I still
hope to do so. I wish to dwell in the
forest. The sage Sarabhanga directed me
here to receive your blessing and seek
your instructions as to where I could build
a home for the rest of my stay in the
forest."



The rishi's face was bright with joy and
he said meaningfully: "You may live in
this ashrama. There are many rishis living
round about. The forest is full of fruit and
roots. But evil beasts are abroad molesting
the rishis and obstructing their penance.
The sages are unable to bear this trouble.
But for this, the place is good."



The prince understood what the sage
meant to convey. He bent and strung his
bow and said: "Holy sage! I shall destroy
these evil-doers. My bow is strong and
sharp are my arrows. It is not proper that
we should dwell in this ashrama. It may
interrupt your penance. We shall find a
place for ourselves in the neighborbood.
Permit us to do so."



That night they stayed in the sage's
ashrama as his guests, The following
morning, the three got up and bathed in
the cool water fragrant with flowers, lit
the sacrificial fire, performed their
worship and touched the feet of the sage.



"By your grace, we spent a good night.
We desire to see the other rishis in the
region and receive their blessings. It is
good to set out before the sun grows hot.
Pray, give us leave to go."



The sage embraced the princes and
blessed them, saying: "Visit the good
rishis in the Dandaka forest. They have all
gone through great austerities and
obtained divine powers. The forest is
indeed beautiful with deer and birds and
lotus-filled tanks, and the hills with
cascades and peacocks. Lakshmana, go
now with your brother and with Sita.
Come to this ashrama whenever you feel
like it."



The three walked round the sage
according to custom and took leave of
him. Sita handed to them their swords,
bows and quivers and the princes set out,
more radiant than before because of the
great sage's blessings.



NEXT : 30. TEN YEARS PASS-


Continues.....