Hari Om.
Let us begin the seventy first sarga of the araNya kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Fortune favors the brave! Indeed, rAma and lakshmaNa, the astute and brave brothers proved it again! Beholding the gigantic torso based demon, any lesser mortal would faint and fall prey! But the brothers, already devastated by the disappearance of sItA and inability in finding her, albeit some clues were apprehended by the long-armed torso demon kabandha. He gripped them tightly and gradually dragged them to his mouth. Momentarily lakshmaNa felt disheartened and hopeless and even suggested that rAma should offer him as sacrifice and escape from the clutches of the demon. rAma dismissed this suggestion and asked lakshmaNa to think of a way to get out of this situation. As kabandha dragged them closer to swallow, the two brothers, lifted their sword and in one strong swoop, rAma cut off the right hand while lakshmaNa, the left hand of kabandha! The demon writhed in pain and his deafening roar filled the earth and the skies. With his hands that were critical for his survival gone, the demon was defeated but not dead! He realized that he not only met the matchless strength but that his time of redemption had arrived. He inquired the duo as to who they were. lakshmaNa introduced rAma and himself. kabandha was delighted that the duo whom had waited for all this time have finally arrived. He began to relate his past. Onwards…
kabandha said – “O mighty rAma, in the past, my handsomeness was peerless and my body was resplendent like that of the sun or the moon or the indra. However, due to my ability to change form at will, I used to assume the form with long arms that you see now and terrorize the sages of the forest. And so, one day while the sage sthulASirA was gathering the forest produce, I happened to capture him. He was livid at this act of mine and in anger he cursed me that I shall stay with this despicable form! I requested him to tell me about the way I would be relieved of this curse. O lakshmaNa, the sage then told me that when rAma comes to this forest and slays your arms and consigns you to fire, that is when I will get back my auspicious form.
I am the son of danu and was endowed with great wealth. However I incurred the anger of indra and that is the reason for my current form. Once I performed great penance and pleased the grandsire brahma. He blessed me with the boon that I will have a long life. Armed with this boon, I felt I was invincible and went to conquer indra. The lord of gods, indra was angered and deployed his mighty weapon thunderbolt (vajra) on me which broke my head and thighs and compressed them to my torso. However, to respect the boon of long life given to me by lord brahma, indra spared me with life. I then questioned indra about how I can live long without food since I was incapable of movement and didn’t have limbs. That is when indra created the two long arms in me that can extend a yOjana and equipped me with sharp teeth in my belly. Using those long arms, I capture and drag the wild animals into my mouth.
indra told me further that when rAma along with lakshmaNa cuts off my hands I can ascend back to the heaven. With great difficulty I tried to keep my body alive in your wait, O rAma. In eager anticipation of this moment, I used to capture and drag whatever came into my clutches and ate them, hoping that one day you will walk into my arms and provide me redemption. You turned out to be that very rAma for whom I was waiting, for I couldn’t be slain by anyone else as per the words of the sages, glory be to you! Once I am consigned to the fire by both of you, I will be able to offer counsel as also suggest an able ally for you”.
Thus spoken to by kabandha, rAma replied –
” A demon by name rAvaNa has abducted my illustrious wife sItA from the forest of janasthAna when I was away along with my brother lakshmaNa. I know only his name, but know not about how he looks or where he stays or what are his abilities. We are sorrow-stricken and forlorn running around in search of her and as such deserve your compassion and favour. We shall make a pit here and with woods broken by tuskers, we will cremate you. If you know factually who abducted sItA or know her whereabouts, do let us and do a great service to us”.
स त्वं सीतां समाचक्ष्व येन वा यत्र वा हृता।।3.71.25।।
कुरु कल्याणमत्यर्थं यदि जानासि तत्त्वतः।
The eloquent danu, spoken to thus by rAma who was himself eloquent and articulate replied –
“O rAma, having assumed the crooked and cursed form, I do not have the ability to tell you about the whereabouts of sItA or who abducted her. Before the sun, tired of the day, sets, please put me in a pit and duly cremate me. I shall then with divine wisdom be able to tell you about who can help you in the pursuit of sItA. Once I have been duly cremated by you, I will be able to relate to you about someone who knows about whereabouts of sItA, he is very action-oriented and shall surely delight you with his ability to search for sItA and find her. Due to a different reason, he has roamed the three worlds and there is nothing in the entire world that is unknown to him and friendship with him will be beneficial to you.
Here we conclude the seventy first sarga of the araNya kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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