Hearing the wondrous words of the great saint Kumbhayoni, Rāma, out of great curiosity and importance of the subject, again asked him, saying:—"O Brahman, why was that dense forest, in which the king Sweta used to perform hard penances, divested of birds and animals? And how did he proceed to that forest devoid of men and animals for undergoing penances? I wish to hear the truth." Hearing the words of Rāma stricken with curiosity, the highly effulgent saint Agastya said:—"O Rāma, formerly in the golden age, Manu was the king. His son was Ikshwāku. Having installed the irrepressible Ikshwāku, Manu said: 'Be thou the lord over creatures.' Saying 'So be it' Ikshwāku accepted the command. Thereupon greatly delighted Manu said to his son:—'I have been highly pleased with thee. For sooth thou shalt become a very liberal prince. Thou shalt govern the subjects meting out proper punishment unto them, but do not punish them without any fault. If the punishment, which a king inflicts upon the guilty, be just it becomes the instrumental in taking the giver to heaven. Therefore, O my son having large arms, be particularly studious as regards punishment for thereby thou shalt acquire great piety.' Having in this wise advised Ikshwāku Manu delightedly repaired to the region of Brahmā. After Manu's departure, the effulgent Ikshwāku thought of the means for creating progeny. Thereupon performing many pious rites Manu's son engendered a hundred sons. O descendant of Raghu, the youngest of all those sons became stupid and ignorant and did not respect his elder brothers. And thinking that he should therefore be punished he named this son 'Danda.' Thereupon finding no other province worthy of Danda he allotted the region between Vindhya and Saivala to him. Danda became king of that picturesque valley. And having reared a fine city there he named it as Madhumanta and appointed Sukracharja of firm vows as his priest. Having thus established his kingdom, Danda, with his priest, began to lord over it filled with healthy and delighted people like unto the lord of celestials in their region. O Rāma, like unto Mahendra governing his kingdom of heaven under the guidance of Vrihaspati, the preceptor of celestials, Danda, the grand-son of Manu, governed his own kingdom with the help of Usanās."
SECTION XCIII.
Having related this story unto Rāma the great saint Agastya again said:—"O Kākutstha, having subdued his passions, the king Danda, reigned undisturbed in this wise for many long years. Thereupon during spring, in the month of Chaitra the king arrived at the picturesque hermitage of the preceptor Sukra. At that time, Sukra's daughter, matchless in beauty and grace, was walking in the forest. The king saw that jewel of a girl, and being stricken with lust and growing restless he approached her and said:—'O thou having a beautiful waist, O fair lady, whose daughter art thou? O thou having a moonlike countenance, I have been assailed by the arrows of Cupid and hence I do accost thee thus.' Hearing the words of the vicious-souled Danda, maddened with lust, Sukra's daughter humbly said:—'O king of kings I am the daughter of the preceptor Sukra of unwearied actions and my name is Arajās. I am living in this hermitage—king, do not touch me forcibly for I am a maid and hence under the guardianship of my father. Besides my father is my preceptor, and thou art also his disciple. Being enraged he shall imprecate thee with a curse. O foremost of men, if thou dost cherish any desire for me, do thou honestly and piously pray for it unto my sire. Or else thou shalt suffer dreadful consequences in the long run. When worked up with ire, my father can reduce even the three worlds to ashes. O thou of a blameless person, if thou dost pray, my father may make me over unto thy hands.' Arajās having said this, the king Danda, maddened with lust, placing folded palms on his head, said:—'Be thou propitiated with me, O thou having a graceful person; do not tarry even for a moment. My heart bursts out for thee, O thou having a moon-like countenance. For acquiring thee I can even take upon myself my own destruction or dreadful iniquity. Do thou seek me, O fair lady—I am beside myself for thee.' Having said this the king forcibly ravished her. Having perpetrated such a mighty iniquity he speedily returned to his own city Madhumanta. Arajās cried aloud in forest at no distance from the hermitage and waited for her sire who had been away on visiting the celestials."
SECTION XCIV.
"Thereupon having heard everything about Arajās from a disciple, he, surrounded by his pupils, arrived at his own hermitage and beheld her there poorly, soiled with dust and like unto the morning rays of the moon possessed by a planet. He was stricken with hunger and was greatly incensed on beholding his daughter in that wretched plight, as if burning the three worlds with rage. Addressing his pupils he said:—'Do ye witness today the dreadful calamity, arising out of my flaming ire, of the vicious Danda treading the path of immorality. This vicious wight hath placed his hands in the burning flame so he shall, along with followers, meet with destruction. Since that vile being hath perpetrated such a dreadful crime he shall forsooth suffer the consequence thereof. Within seven nights, the wicked and vicious Danda, with his son, soldiers and retinue, shall meet with death. Showering dust Indra shall destroy, to the extent of a hundred Yojana, the territory of this vicious king. And all creatures mobile and immobile, wherever they might be, shall be destroyed with this downpour of dust. All animals as far as this Dandas' territory extends, shall be destroyed within seven nights.' Having said this, with eyes reddened with ire, Usanās, Vrigu’s son, said to the inmates of his hermitage:—'Do ye all go and wait outside this kingdom.' Hearing the words of the preceptor Sukra, the inmates left the hermitage and lived at a place beyond the limit of Danda’s territories. Having thus addressed the inmates of the hermitage the great saint, said to Arajas. 'O unfortunate girl, with a devoted mind do thou wait at this hermitage. Without any anxiety, O Arajās, do thou wait for the time at the picturesque banks of this pond extending over a Yojana. Within seven nights whoever shall approach thee, shall be destroyed with this downpour of dust.' Hearing the words of the Brāhmana saint and preceptor Sukra, Arajās sorrowfully said to her father 'It shall be done.' Thereupon Sukracharjya went away and lived elsewhere. According to the words of the saint, the entire kingdom of Danda, with servants, army, and conveyances, was destroyed within seven nights. Rāma, in the golden age, the province between the mountains Vindhya and Saivala comprising Danda's territories, imprecated by the Brahman saint, in consequence of the iniquity of the vicious souled, was reduced into a desert. From that time it passes by the name of Dandaka forest. And it is otherwise called Janasthāna because the ascetics used to perform austerities there. O Rāghava, I have thus related unto thee, all thou didst ask of me. O hero, the time for performing evening rites hath come. Behold foremost of men, having performed ablution, the great saints, on all sides, with jars full of water, are worshipping the sun. Having accepted adoration in the shape of Vedic hymns chanted by Brahmans, well-versed in Vedas, the illustrious Aditya is about to be set. Therefore, O Rāma, do thou perform the ceremony."
SECTION XCV.
Hearing the words of the great saint, Rāma, to perform the evening adoration, went to the pond filled with Apsarās; and having performed the worship he again returned to the hermitage of the high-souled Agastya. Thereupon the great ascetic offered him as food many substantial Kanda, roots, Oshadis and the holy Sāli rice. And taking that nectar-like cooked rice, Rāma, the foremost of men, was greatly delighted and spent the night there. Having got up in the morning and performed the necessary ceremonies he approached the ascetic to bid farewell, and saluting him said:—"O great Rishi, I do crave for thy permission to go to my own habitation. Do thou permit me. O high-souled one, I have been highly favoured and blessed by beholding thee. I shall come again some other time to free myself from sins." Hearing those wondrous words of Rāma, Agastya having asceticism for his wealth, delightedly said:—"O Rāma these words, set in charming letters, are highly wonderful. O descendant of Raghu, thou art the purifier of all creatures. O Rāma, one, who beholds thee, even for a moment, becomes pure and worthy of repairing to heaven. Even the leading deities worship him. Those on earth, who cast dreadful looks on thee, are immediately brought under the control of Yama and are constrained to go to hell. O foremost of Raghus, thou art the purifier of all creatures; people become perfect even if they only chant thy glories. Kākutstha, do thou now go with ease and fearlessly, and govern thy kingdom righteously. O Rāma thou art the refuge of the world." Hearing the words of the great and truthful Rishi the wise Rāma, with folded hands, saluted him and other Rishis, and with serene air ascended the golden car Pushpaka. Like unto the immortals welcoming the Chief of the deities, the Rishis showered blessings, upon Rāma from all sides while he was proceeding. And seated on car, he appeared like the moon, after the expiry of the rainy season. Thereupon being welcomed by the villagers on his way he reached Ayodhyā at noon and descended at the middle apartment. And having permitted the charming chariot coursing at will to go away he said:—"Do thou now go; may good betide thee." Thereupon he said to the warder, "Do thou speedily go and having communicated my arrival unto Lakshmana and Bharata bring them here."
SECTION CXVI.
According to the command of Rāma of unwearied actions, the warders went to the princes and communicated unto them (the arrival). Beholding Bharata and Lakshmana present, Rāma embraced them and said:—"I have, as promised, performed the work of the excellent twice-born one. I wish now to perform a Rajshuya sacrifice, the source of religious glory, the destroyer of all sins, inexhaustible and un-ending. Therefore, with you like my own self, I wish to engage in the most excellent and eternal Rajshuya sacrifice. O slayer of foes, by celebrating Rajshuya, Mitra attained to the dignity of Varuna. And having celebrated the same sacrifice, Soma, conversant with piety, established eternal fame in the three worlds. Do ye therefore consult with me even today as to what is proper. Do ye consider carefully and tell me what is auspicious and productive of well-being in the long run." Hearing the words of Rāghava, Bharata, well-skilled in the art of speech, with folded hands, said "O pious Sir in thee are established piety, earth and fame. O thou of unmitigated prowess, as the deities honor the patriarch so other kings hold thee in reverence. O king, all creatures mobile and immobile consider thee as their father. O thou of great strength, thou art the refuge of all animals and of the universe. Therefore of what use is such a sacrifice unto thee? In such a sacrifice all the royal families meet with ruin. All those kings, who are proud of manliness, being incensed with great ire on the occasion of this sacrifice, shall bring ruin upon all. O foremost of men, the whole earth has been brought under thy subjection so it is not proper to devastate it." Hearing those sweet accents of Bharata, Rāma, having truth for his prowess, attained to incomparable delight, and addressed the enhancer of Kaikeyi's delight with kind words, saying:—"O thou freed from sins, I have been greatly delighted with thee. O foremost of men, for the preservation of earth, thou hast given vent to words, without any hesitation, pregnant with manliness and piety. O thou conversant with piety, according to thy wise counsels, I refrain from celebrating this Rajshuya sacrifice. The wise should never undertake all those works which give affliction unto people. O elder brother of Lakshmana, it is proper to take wise counsels even from a boy."