SECTION IV.
Seeing those foremost of Raghus, the Kākutsthas, carried away, Sitā cried in a loud voice, raising up her arms,[5] "Rāma, the son of Daçaratha, the strong, the truthful and the pure, is, along with Lakshmana, being carried away by you, Rākshasa of a terrible appearance. Me bears will devour and tigers and panthers. Renouncing the Kākutsthas, do thou carry me away. I bow unto thee, O best of Rākshasas." Hearing these words of Vaidehi, Rāma and Lakshmana bestirred themselves for compassing the death of that wicked one. And Sumitra's son broke his left arm; while Rāma at once broke the Rākshasa's right one. On his arms being broken, the Rākshasa resembling a mass of clouds, growing weak, sank down on the ground in a swoon, like a hill riven by the thunderbolt. Thereupon, they assailed the Rākshasa with their fists, arms and feet; and lifting him up once and again, and pressing him, they trod on him over the ground. Although he was sore pierced by full many an arrow and cut sorryly by scimitars, and pressed down on the earth in various ways, yet the Rākshasa expired not. Seeing him utterly incapable of being killed, and resembling a hill, that inspirer of hope in times of peril, the graceful (Rāma), said, "O foremost of men, in consequence of his austerities, yon Rākshasa cannot be vanquished with weapons in conflict. Therefore, let us cast him into a pit. O Lakshmana, dig a capacious pit in this forest[6] for this Rākshasa resembling an elephant, terible, and of a grim presence." Having said this unto Lakshmana,—"Do thou dig a pit," the powerful Rāma remained planting his foot on Virādha's throat. Having heard Rāghava's words, the Rākshasa spake gently, "Slain am I, O chief of men, by thee possessed of strength equal to that of Sakra. Through ignorance, O foremost of men, I could not before know thee. Now I know thee that art Rāma, the worthy Son of Kauçalyā, my child; as well as the highly virtuous Vaidehi and the renowned Lakshmana. By virtue of a curse, I entered this dreadful Rākshasi form, I a Gandharba, having been cursed by Vaiçravana. Being propitiated by me, that greatly famous one said,—'When Rāma the son of Daçaratha, shall slay thee in encounter, thou, attaining thy natural condition, shalt repair to the celestial regions.' Getting wroth, he cursed me, who had been absent; and thus did king Vaiçravana address me, who had conceived love for Rambhā. Through thy grace have I been freed from this fearful curse, I shall (now) repair to heaven. Hail, O repressor of foes! Half a Yoyana hence, my child, dwells the righteous and potent Maharshi, Sarabhanga, resembling the Sun. Seek him speedily: he will bring about thy good. Casting me (into this pit) in the wood, do thou, O Rāma, peacefully go thy way. Even this is the eternal usage of the Rākshasas. hose that die in the forest, attain eternal regions." Having said this unto Kākutstha, the mighty Virādha, afflicted with arrows, having his body deposited (in the pit), attained heaven. Having heard that speech of Virādha, Righava ordered Lakshmana, saying, "O Lakshmana, do thou in this forest dig a capacious pit for this Rākshasa resembling an elephant, dreadful, and of terrible acts." Having said unto Lakshmana, "Dig a pit,"—Rāma possessed of prowess remained fixing his foot on Virādha' s throat. Then taking a hoe, Lakshmana dug a spacious pit by the side of the huge-bodied[7] Virādha. Then when his throat had been freed, (Lakshmana) cast into the pit Virādha having ears resembling javelins, sending loud and dreadful sounds. Having vanquished him in fight, Rāma and Lakshmana possessed of activity and steady in fight, being exceedingly delighted, raising up the dreadful Rākshasa by main force, cast him howling (into the pit). Reflecting that he was incapable of being slain (by sharpened weapons), those foremost of men, exceedingly well versed (in arms), compassed the death of that mighty Asura, Virādha, in the pit, after they had dug it. Virādha had himself sincerely wished for his death at the hands of Rāma; and that ranger of the woods had accordingly told (Rāma),—"My death cannot be effected by means of weapons." Having heard these words, Rāma decided upon casting him into a pit. And when the excessively strong Rākshasa entered the cavity, he made the forest resound with his cries. Having thrown him into the hole, Rāma and Lakshmana, their fears removed, appeared with joyful looks, and rejoiced in that forest like the sun and the moon seated in the heavens.[8]