SECTION III.
Then Virādha again spoke filling the forest, “Do ye tell me who ask you,—who are ye and whither are ye going?" Thereupon, the highly energetic Rāma answered the Rākshasa with a flaming face, when he had thus asked (Rāma)— that he belonged to the Ikshwāku race. “Know us that are in ihe forest, for Kshatriyas of respectable character. I also am anxious of knowing who thou art, that goest about the Dandakas." Virādha answered Rāma having truth for his prowess, "Ah! I will tell thee, O king. Do thou, O Rāghava understand! I am son unto Java, and my mother is Satarhadā. All the Rākshasas of the earth have called me Virādha. Having gratified Brahmā by my asceticism, I received (this boon) that none in the world would be able lo slay me by mangling my body with weapons. Forsaking this fair one, do ye renouncing all hope (of either recovering her or vanquishing me), speedily flee away to that place whence ye had come;—else I shall deprive you of your lives." Thereat, Rāma with his eyes reddened through wrath replied unto that Rākshasa of a deformed shape, the wicked Virādha—saying, “Little! shame on thee of base purposes! Thou surely seekest thy own death; and (death) thou shall get in battle. Stay! Thou escapest me not with life." Then stringing his bow, Rāma, speedily aiming at the Rākshasa, pierced him with sharpened shafts; and (then) from his bow-string let go seven shafts, having their feathered parts plaited with gold, furnished with great velocity, and coursing like Suparna or the wind. Thereat, resembling flames, those arrows furnished with peacocks' feathers, pierced Virādha's body, and fell to the earth, covered with blood. On being thus pierced, the Rākshasa set Vaidehi down, and, upraising a dart, rushed in wrath towards Rāma and Lakshmana. And sending forth a mighty roar, he took up a dart resembling the banner of Sakra; and he then appeared like the Destroyer[3] with opening mouth. Then the brothers showered a blazing volley of shafts on the Rākshasa, resembling the Destroyer himself. And stationing himself at a spot, the Rākshasa, laughing terribly, yawned, and as he yawned the flest-coursing shafts fell off from his person. And by virtue of the bestowal of the boon (by Brahmā), the Rākshasa Virādha drew up his vital energies, and, lifting up a pike, darted at the descendants of Raghu. That best of those bearing arms cut off with two arrows that dart resembling the thunder-bolt and flaming in the sky. And the dart severed by the shafts of Rāma, fell to the earth, as falls a crag severed by the thunderbolt. Thereat, swiftly raising up a sword, resembling a black snake, each (of the Rāghavas) approached his antagonist, and began to assail him hastily. Thus hard beset, that terrible one, seizing them both with his arms, attempted to make away with those foremost of men, who, however, retained their calmness. Reading his purpose, Rāma spake unto Lakshmana, "Let the Rākshasa bear us by this way. Not use of letting him. Sumatra's son, let the Rākshasa bear us wherever he likes. Even this, by which the ranger of the night is proceeding, is our way." And lifting up (Rāma and Lakshmana) by his might and prowess, as if they were striplings, that haughty ranger of the night laid them on his shoulders. And having deposited the Rāghavas on his ihoulders, Virādha—ranger[4] of night—sending up dreadful shouts, directed his course towards the forest. And he at length entered the forest resembling a mighty mass of clouds, furnished with various kinds of trees, picturesque with diverse species of birds, and abounding in jackals, serpents and beasts.