Epics

Vālī’s wife Tārā heard that her husband had been struck down by an arrow shot by Rāma. She rushed out with her son from her cave-residence. At the sight of Rāma with his bow, many timid vānaras started fleeing. They warned Tārā not to go to the vicinity of Rāma and said, “Let our warriors protect the city and Aṅgada assumes kingship. We will all serve him!” Nevertheless, Tārā went to her mortally wounded husband and lamented, “O peerless warrior in battles! Why do you now not speak to this wretched woman, who has done no wrong! Rise up, tiger among vānaras!

Sugrīva was immensely pleased with Rāma’s promise but he wanted to make him understand Vālī’s prowess. He said, “Even before the Sun rises, Vālī traverses from the western to the eastern ocean and from the southern to the northern, without even the semblance of fatigue. He scales mountains, tosses their peaks up in the air, and catches them again. He enters the forest, shattering all kinds of mighty trees. In the past, there lived a powerful asura in the form of a buffalo. He was called Dundubhi and possessed the might of a thousand elephants.

Rāma arrived at Lake Pampā that was full of lotus and lilies and was teeming with fish. The mere sight of the lake sent a joyous tremble through his body. But the next moment, he had an intense longing for love and said to Saumitri, “Look at Lake Pampā and the delightful woods around. The trees look like tall mountains with lofty crusts. But I still grieve over Bharata’s sorrow and the abduction of Vaidehī. This grassland, deep green and yellow, is carpeted with colourful flowers of different trees and captivates the eyes.

Though Rāghava was the elder of the two, he immediately accepted the advice of Lakṣmaṇa, recognising the essential truth the latter had spoken. Accordingly, the brothers went ahead searching for Sītā in all possible places. They spotted the illustrious Jaṭāyu, as huge as a mountain peak, drenched in blood. Immediately, Rāma told Lakṣmaṇa, “Sītā has been undoubtedly devoured by this creature. This is certainly a rākṣasa, who roams around in the forest in the form of a vulture. Look at him! He lies there comfortably, having killed my beloved.

As she was being carried away by Rāvaṇa, Sītā was stricken with misery. With her eyes red with anger, she said, “You don’t appear to feel ashamed for performing this ignoble deed. I’m sure it was you, a vicious coward, who contrived to get my husband away by resorting to the illusion of a deer, so that you can carry me off. You even struck down the brave creature that tried to save me. You have displayed wonderful prowess, O vilest of rākṣasas! You did not win me in a battle! People around the world will forever speak of this despicable deed of yours.

Back in the āśrama, Sītā heard the cry of distress, which sounded just like her husband and with great anxiety she instructed Lakṣmaṇa, “Go and find out what has happened to Rāghava, for my very life is perturbed by the sound of his cry of anguish. Rush to your brother’s rescue, Lakṣmaṇa! He has fallen into the hands of rākṣasas, like a bull fallen prey to lions.” Recalling his brother’s instruction, Lakṣmaṇa did not go. Angered by this, Sītā said, “Saumitri! You are your brother’s enemy, masquerading as a friend. You refuse to aid him when he is in danger.

Rāvaṇa said to the rākṣasa Mārīca, “My dear friend, hear me. I am in immense distress and you are my sole means of solace. You know Janasthāna, where once dwelt my powerful brothers Khara, Dūṣaṇa, and Triśiras as well as my sister Śūrpaṇakhā. As per my orders, they lived there with several other rākṣasas and constantly troubled the dhārmic munis. The brothers along with fourteen thousand rākṣasas have been slain by Rāma, who, although in rage, did not utter a single harsh word.

As Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa sat along with Sītā in leaf hut engrossed in conversation, a rākṣasī named Śūrpaṇakhā, the sister of the ten-headed rākṣasa Rāvaṇa happened to come there. As soon as the rākṣasī saw Rāma, she grew infatuated with him. While Rāma was handsome, she was ugly; he was slim and she had a huge tummy; he had wide eyes, and her eyes were crooked; his voice was sweet and hers struck terror. He was young, noble, and well mannered, while she was old, repulsive, and ill mannered.

Many sages gathered around Rāma once Śarabhaṅga had ascended to svarga. They told him their plight of being tormented by rākṣasas along River Pampā, Mandākinī, and the Citrakūṭa Mountain. Rāma promised them protection and proceeded to the āśrama of Sutīkṣṇa along with Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā.

Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa walked ahead and reached Sage Atri’s āśrama. Rāma prostrated before him and the sage received him like a son. He personally provided hospitality to Rāma and cheered up Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa. His wife, the aged and noble Anasūyā received Sītā. Atri narrated to Rāma about his dhārmic wife: “Once when the world was ravaged by severe drought for ten years, Anasūyā created roots and fruits and made the river Jāhnavī flow out of the power of her intense tapas.