July 28 - Sargas 2 and 3 of Aranya Kanda.
Sri Rama encounters the first challenge in the forest - from an immense and almost indestructible demon, Viradha.
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After receiving respectful hospitality from the ascetics in that group of hermitages, Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sita proceeded next morning and walked into the deep forest. It was dark and dense and full of bears, tigers, lions and other animals of prey. There were sounds of birds and cricket and so on. There was no water body anywhere.
Suddenly Sri Rama saw an extraordinary, immense demon. He had a huge head, huge torso, big limbs and had altogether a most repulsive and frightening appearance. He roared frighteningly loudly.
He had a huge spear. It was unimaginably big and impaled on it were three lions, four tigers, two bears, some spotted deer, an elephant head, all animals he had killed. He rushed towards the three of them and picked up Vaidehi Sita in an instant and pinned her under his folded arm like a toy. He screamed at Sri Rama and Lakshmana, "you evil men, why are you roaming in the forest wearing the garments of ascetics but carrying weapons and taking your wife along? I shall kill you this instant and take this pretty woman as my wife."
Sri Rama was devastated. He lamented to Lakshmana that Kaikeyi's plan of banishing him to the forest had borne fruit and she would be very happy to know his present perilous situation.
परस्पर्शात् तु वैदेह्या न दुःखतरमस्ति मे ।
पितुर्विनाशात् सौमित्रे स्वराज्यहरणात् तथा ॥
"Oh Lakshmana, more than the death of our father, more than my being cheated out of kingship, I am finding this grief of Sita being touched by another man unbearable. Nothing can be worse than this."
Lakshmana is uncontrollably provoked. He says,
अनाथ इव भूतानां नाथस्त्वं वासवोपमः ।
मया प्रेष्येण काकुत्स्थ किमर्थं परितप्यसे ॥
शरेण निहतस्याद्य मया कृद्धेन रक्षसः ।
विराधस्य गतासोर्हि मही पास्यति शोणितम् ॥
" Rama, you are the lord and protector of all beings and equal to Indra. Why do you lament like a destitute? Why do you think I am here by your side, oh Kakustha, except to serve you? My arrows will kill this demon in no time. I am in uncontrollable rage. This earth is surely going to drink the blood of this monster after he is killed. "
Lakshmana says that when he saw Bharata in the forest, he suspected his intentions and flew into a rage that is yet to be extinguished. That anger will fuel his fight at this moment. He will attack the demon with his arrows like Indra wields his Vajrayudha to shatter mountains.
***
That demon now spoke. "Who are you people? Introduce yourselves."
Sri Rama told him they were royals from the Ikshwaku lineage and now here in the forest. He asked the demon to introduce himself.
"I am known by all demons as Viradha. I am the son of Java and Shatahrida. After a long penance, I have the boon from Brahma that I cannot be killed by weapons, and I am unbreakable and impenetrable. I feast on rishis who come my way. I suggest you two run away leaving behind this woman to be with me. That is the only way to save yourselves. "
Sri Rama now told Viradha:
क्षुद्र धिक् त्वां तु हीनार्थं मृत्युमन्वेषसे ध्रुवम् ।
रणे प्राप्स्यसि संतिष्ठ न मे जीवन् विमोक्ष्यसे ॥
" Fie on you, you despicable demon! Your vile intentions will come to nought. You are looking for your certain death. You shall die in battle with me. You cannot escape me now."
***
Rama and Lakshmana rain arrows on Viradha. The arrows pierce through him and he bleeds. But he shakes them all off with a roar. After that, he gives a big yawn like someone watching a flop action movie. He takes up his spear and attacks. Sri Rama splits it in two by two arrows. The demon is now very angry. He puts down Sita, lifts Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders and starts running away. He looks like Death himself.
Sri Rama tells Lakshmana that the demon is headed in the right direction as that was their path for travel.
तवारोप्य ततः स्कन्धं राघवौ रजनीचरः ।
विराधो विनदन् घोरं जगाभिमुखो वनम् ॥
"Viradha lifted them both on his shoulders and rushed into the forest uttering a huge roar."
Valmiki says the forest was like a huge dark cloud and was full of big trees. It was home to a wide variety of birds and wild animals including jackals.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
