Hari Om.
Let us begin the seventy second sarga of the araNya kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The brave brothers, just in the nick of the moment survived by taking their powerful swords and in one mighty swoop severing kabandha’s arms from his torso. His only means of getting food by catching preys using the long hands was gone now and he fell down with a loud roar but didn’t die. The misery reminded him of a promise made in the past by lord indra who said he shall be redeemed the day rAma severs his arms! The pain of the hands being cut-off was replaced by the unmitigated joy of having met his redeemer and the promising future where he would regain the lost glory and live a better life. He was the son of danu, a demi god who pulled pranks on forest ranging sages in the guise of a scary, headless torso and one such sage sthUlaSirA, his victim cursed him that he be a headless torso! Ever since, he suffered there, eating with the long hands given by indra by catching preys. And today what he thought was his prey turned out to be the one he had prayed for! He assuaged rAma’s grief and said, his present crooked form doesn’t allow him to divine the person who can help in this cause. So he requested rAma to put him in a pit and cremate him, upon which, by assuming back his sacred body, he can help them further. Onwards…
Requested thus by kabandha to put in a pit and consign to flames, the duo reached a hill that had a crater, filled it with wood, and placing kabandha on that pyre, lit it with torches on all sides. The flesh and the fat-laden body of kabandha burned slowly like a large ball of ghee. Shaking off that pyre, there rose from it, the mighty kabandha, clad in whites and sporting a glorious garland into the skies!
स विधूय चितामाशु विधूमोऽग्निरिवोत्थितः।
अरजे वाससी बिभ्रन्मालां दिव्यां महाबलः।।3.72.4।।
He was well decked with jewels, sat in a celestial chariot yoked by swans, illuminated the directions with his radiance and he spoke joyously and eloquently –
“O rAghava, listen to me and I shall narrate to you the real way to get sItA back.
राम षड्युक्तयो लोके याभिस्सर्वं विमृश्यते।
परिमृष्टो दशान्तेन दशाभागेन सेव्यते।।3.72.8।।
O rAma, there are six means to achieve your goals in the world by dealing with your adversaries. [They are sandhi – negotiations, vigraha – continuing to fight, yAna – to go on the offensive, Asana – bide your time waiting for the opportune moment, dvaidIbhava – create differences in the enemy, samASraya – seeking alliance with an equal]
These are the six means for those who are touched by adversity to come out of it. And of course, you have been touched by a great adversity which is that of not finding your wife. Therefore, due to this tragedy, you cannot call the shots and it is advisable for you to seek an alliance with an equal. I do not see a way forward for you without finding an ally [who is an equal or in similar situation who can resonate with you].
Listen, O rAma, there is a certain vAnara (monkey) by name sugrIva, who has been banished by his brother vAli, a son of indra and roams around in the forests of RSyamUka (pronounced as rushyamuka) extending till the lake of pampa with four of his follower vAnaras.
ऋश्यमूके गिरिवरे पम्पापर्यन्तशोभिते ।
निवसत्यात्मवान्वीरः चतुर्भिस्सह वानरैः ॥ 3.72.12
That lord of vAnaras is strong, valorous, resplendent, truthful, humble, determined, intelligent, capable, articulate and mighty. He has been banished by his brother vAlI due to a conflict about the kingdom. Don’t grieve, O rAma, whatever has to happen will happen, no one can escape it, time is indeed all powerful and unsurmountable. sugrIva shall be a great friend and help in the search of sItA.
गच्छ श्रीघ्रमितो राम सुग्रीवं तं महाबलम्।
वयस्यं तं कुरु क्षिप्रमितो गत्वाऽद्य राघव।।3.72.17।।
O rAma, therefore, go at once to the mighty sugrIva and having gone there make him your companion with a brightly lit agni (fire) as the witness so that there is no going back on the friendship. Don’t think less of sugrIva even if he is a vAnara. He is grateful, valorous, can assume forms at will and needs help as well!
स च ते नावमन्तव्यः सुग्रीवो वानरोऽपिसन् ।
कृतज्ञः कामरूपी च सहायार्थी च वीर्यवान् ॥
You both are capable of fulfilling his desire, however, whether he fulfils his desire or not, he will surely do what is needed by you. Born to Rksharaja of sun god, he has fallen out with vAli and roams the banks of pampa anticipating danger from him. Therefore, prominently wield your weapon and hasten to the RSyamUka and befriend the forest ranger vAnara truthfully. He is skilled in the comprehensive knowledge of the dwelling places of cannibals demons in the world. In fact, as far as the sun shines, there is nothing in the world that is unknown to him.
न तस्याविदितं लोकेकिञ्चिदस्ति हि राघव।।3.72.23।।
यावत्सूर्यः प्रतपति सहस्रांशुररिन्दम।
He will send the search parties comprising of gigantic vAnaras in all directions, to look for sItA in the river banks, on hill tops, in the caves, near the streams, in the forests and everywhere else on the earth and will get you the information of the whereabouts of sItA. He will find the spotless, pure sItA brooding over you in the dwelling place of rAvaNa.
स मेरुशृङ्गाग्रगतामनिन्दितां प्रविश्य पातालतलेऽपि वा श्रिताम्।
प्लवङ्गमानां प्रवरस्तव प्रियां निहत्य रक्षांसि पुनः प्रदास्यति।।3.72.27।।
Be assured, he shall conquer the demonsand rescue your beloved even if she on the top of the mount mEru or in the depths of the netherworld.
Here we conclude the seventy second 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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Next: 3.73. The path to pampa
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 