Hari Om.
Let us begin the fifth sarga of the araNya kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Monstrous ogre virAdha presented himself as soon as the trio entered the forest. Initially taken aback by the charging demon, the brothers quickly got their act together and rained arrows on him hurting him badly. They undid his spear and rendered him weaponless. The gigantic demon then pounced upon the brothers and carried them into the forest. The duo took the ride and as sItA began to fear, they broke the shoulder of virAdha and freed themselves from his clutches. Blessed with a boon that no weapon can slice him, let alone kill, the demon virAdha collapsed in a heap on the earth but didn’t die. As rAma kept him under control with his foot firmly stamped on the throat of the demon, lakshmaNa dug a large pit and they buried virAdha in that. The demon who was actually a gandharva had assumed the ogre body due to a curse. Redeemed by rAma, he ascended the heavens and the victorious brothers reigned radiantly in the forest wielding their golden bows. Onwards…
Having vanquished the mighty virAdha in the forest, rAma embraced and consoled sItA. He then said to effulgent lakshmaNa that the treacherous forest is not going to be easy as they are not forest dwellers and hence they should right away go to the hermitage of sage Sarabhanga. Thus decided, the trio hastened to the sage’s hermitage. There as they approached the hermitage, they beheld an absolute wonder!
With a body brilliantly shining like the Sun, decked with shining jewelry, dressed in shining whites, the lord of the gods indra, alighted the chariot, followed and worshipped by great souls around him, he levitated and wafted through to the hermitage of the sage. Not far from there rAma beheld the brilliant white chariot that resembled the lunar orb and tawny horses resembling the rising sun yoked to it. As the lord indra moved, alighting his chariot, two exquisite women fanned him and a white parasol was held behind him. He was surrounded and eulogized by gods, sages and great souls. He entered the hermitage of sage Sarabhanga and conversed with the sage. Watching him holding the conversation, rAma said to lakshmaNa –
“Hey lakshmaNa watch this resplendent heaven-bound chariot shining effulgently in the sky. And look at the fine horses, they very much resemble the accounts of the celestial horses we have often heard. There are hundreds of well clad men, adorning ear-rings and wielding swords. They are broad chested, mighty, dressed in reds, invincible in combat, blazing golden necklaces hanging from their necks. They seem to be about twenty five year and never age and are cheerful. O lakshmaNa, wait here with sItA while I go and ascertain who this celestial being in the chariot is”.
With these words, rAma approached the hermitage of the sage. Watching rAma come forth, the lord of the gods, indra said to Sarabhanga –
“O sage, look, rAma is approaching here. The time is not right yet for me to speak to him. Take me to a private place where he cannot see us to confer with you. He is yet to carry out many impending and highly difficult tasks. I shall meet him once he accomplishes those”.
इहोपयात्यसौ रामो यावन्मां नाभिभाषते।
निष्ठां नयतु तावत्तु ततो मा द्रष्टुमर्हति।।3.5.22।।
जितवन्तं कृतार्थं हि तदाहमचिरादिमम्।
कर्म ह्यनेन कर्तव्यं महदन्यैस्सुदुष्करम्।।3.5.23।।
With these words, the wielder of the thunderbolt indra (vajrI) hastened, boarded his chariot and sped away heaven-bound. As indra, left, the trio led by rAma approached the hermitage of the sage and met him who was engaged in fire worship (yajna). The sage welcomed them and offered hospitality. Then rAma inquired about the visit of indra and the sage was forthcoming about it –
“O rAma, by my penance I have won the exalted higher worlds including the brahmalOka. The lord of gods came here to escort me there. But I knew that before long I shall host you here. You are a great guest for me. I wasn’t prepared to go to the brahmalOka without seeing you. O rAma, the infinite, higher words, exalted won by me along with those of brahma and the high heavens all by my penance are offered to you, kindly accept”.
अक्षया नरशार्दूल मया लोका जिताश्शुभा।
ब्राह्म्याश्च नाकपृष्ठ्याश्च प्रतिगृह्णीष्व मामकान्।।3.5.31।।
To these words, the best among men and the scholarly rAma replied that he was capable of earning the higher words himself and presently he was in need of a place of habitation in the forest. To this inquiry of rAma, the sage replied –
“Very well O rAma, not far from here lives sage sutIkshNa, brilliant and self controlled. Go to him and he shall look after your welfare in the forest and also point you to an appropriate dwelling place in the sylvan and lovely surroundings in the forest. Here flows river mandakinI, Walk in the upstream direction opposite to the flow of floats and flowers in the river and you shall reach him. This is the way in which you should proceed. Now, rAma watch me for a while as I shed my body like the serpent sheds its skin and ascend the heavens”.
Saying so, the sage Sarabhanga, kindled fire in the wood stock placed in the yajna altar and having invoked fire with appropriate hymns and adding ghee to that. After invoking the fire, with hymns, he entered the fire and soon his hair, skin, bones, blood and everything was consumed by fire. In no time, the sage Sarabhanga emerged youthful from the fire and looked splendid. The great sage, repository of peerless penance, with his celestial body transcended the heavens occupied by other sages and gods and ascended directly to the great world of brahma.
The highly meritorious Sarabhanga, having entered the abode of brahma, beheld the great sire along with his followers. The lord brahma was delighted to see Sarabhanga and heartily welcomed him to his abode.
Here we conclude the the fifth sarga of the araNya kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
Click on the above link to listen to the audio by SrIrAma ghanApATi
Next: araNya kAnDam – mission in motion
Previous: 3.4. virAdha vanquished
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
