Summary
Kabandha's overlong arms are cut off when he wanted to devour Rama and Lakshmana as godsend dainty morsels. Then Kabandha wishes to know who these two are and when Lakshmana informs him of Rama, that demon feels elated [marked by high spirits] for his accursed [being under or as if under a curse] state is over at the hands of Rama.
Chapter [Sarga] 70 in Detail
tau tu tatra sthitau dristvaa bhraatarau raama laksmanau |
baahu paasha pariksiptau kabandho vaakyam abraviit || 3-70-1
On prying at those two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, who are completely stowed in the hangman's halter-like arms of the demon, and who are enduring within it, Kabandha said this sentence to them. [3-70-1]
tisthatah kim nu maam dristvaa ksudhaa aartam ksatriya risabhau |
aahaara artham tu sandistau daivena gata cetasau || 3-70-2
"Oh, excellent Kshatriya-s, on seeing me who am miserably famished, really what for you stay cool? You are the godsend gobs of mine, and hence now you are almost dead..." So said Kabandha to brothers. [3-70-2]
tat shrutvaa laksmano vaakyam praapta kaalam hitam tadaa |
uvaaca aartim samaapanno vikrame krita nishcayah || 3-70-3
Lakshmana who is possessed by anguish, and who is determined to wreck revenge on that demon, said these expedient and advisable words to Rama on hearing that demon's word. [3-70-3]
tvaam ca maam ca puraa tuurnam aadatte raaksasa adhamah |
tasmaat asibhyaam asya aashu baahuu chindaavahe guruu || 3-70-4
"This scurrilous demon quickly hauled in you and me to his face level, and he will quickly take us in, therefore, we will have to swiftly hack off his lengthy arms at his shoulder level... [3-70-4]
bhisano ayam mahaakaayo raakshaso bhuja vikramah |
lokam hi ati jitam kritvaa hi avaam hantum iha icchati || 3-70-5
"Gruesome is this gargantuan bodied demon, and triumphing over just with his arms he has utterly devastated this province, and he now wishes to end us... [3-70-5]
nishchestaanaam vadho raajan kutstito jagatii pateh |
kratu madhya upaniitaanaam pashuunaam iva raaghava || 3-70-6
"Oh, king Raghava, killing the non-aggressive is tantamount to the killing of animals that are led into Vedic-ritual in its midst is despicable to the kings... [3-70-6]
etat sa.mjalpitam shrutvaa tayoh kruddhah tu raakshasah |
vidaarya aasyam tato raudram tau bhakshayitum aarabhat || 3-70-7
On hearing all of their conversation that demon is infuriated, and then widely opening his ferocious mouth he started to wolf down both of them. [3-70-7]
tatah tau desha kaalajnau khadgaabhyaam eva raaghavau |
acchindataam susa.mhristau baahuu tasya a.msa deshatah || 3-70-8
Then both the Raghava-s are very highly gladdened as the demon is hauling them towards his eye at shoulder level, and as they are the brothers with circumspection, they instantly mutilated his arms right at their shoulder joints only with two swords. [3-70-8]
daksino daksinam baahum asaktam asinaa tatah |
ciccheda raamo vegena savyam viirah tu laksmanah || 3-70-9
Then that dexterous Rama with an unrestrained speed hacked off the right arm, and valiant Lakshmana on his part hewed down the left arm that speedily. [3-70-9]
sa papaata mahaabaahuh chinna baahuh mahaa svanah |
kham ca gaam ca dishah caiva naadayan jalado yathaa || 3-70-10
He that overlong-armed Kabandha fell down with mangled arms, reverberated the sky, earth, and all of the ten points of horizon with a cacophonous voice, like a black-thunderous-cloud. [3-70-10]
sa nikrittau bhujau dristvaa shonita ogha pariplutah |
diinah papraccha tau viirau kau yuvaam iti daanavah || 3-70-11
That demon on seeing at his dissevered shoulders on which the gushes of blood are overflowing, he self-piteously asked those two bold ones thus as, "who are you..." [3-70-11]
iti tasya bruvaanasya laksmanah shubha laksanah |
shasha.msa tasya kaakutstham kaba.ndhasya mahaabalah || 3-70-12
When that great mighty Kabandha is asking thus, Lakshmana who has prosperous characteristics has informed him about Rama of Kakutstha, an unremitting dynasty. [3-70-12]
ayam iksvaaku daayaado raamo naama janaih shrutah |
tasya eva avarajam viddhi bhraataram maam ca laksmanam || 3-70-13
"He is known to people by the name of Rama, the legatee of Ikshvaku dynasty, and you know me as his younger brother, Lakshmana, by my name... [3-70-13]
maatraa pratihato raajye raamah pravaajito vanam |
mayaa saha carati esa bhaaryayaa ca mahat vanam || 3-70-14
"Countervailed from kingdom by mother this Rama is bluntly sent to forests, and he is on the rove in great forests along with me ad his wife... [3-70-14]
asya deva prabhaavasya vasato vijane vane |
raksasaa apahritaa bhaaryaa yaam icchantau iha aagatau || 3-70-15
"A demon stole his wife while he whose leverage is like that of god is living in the unpopulated forest... and wishing to retrieve her we came here... [3-70-15]
tvam tu ko vaa kim artham vaa kabandha sadrisho vane |
aasyena urasi diiptena bhagna jangho vicestase || 3-70-16
"But who are you? Your legs are broken, and your mouth is infernal, yet it is on your chest, and alike a topless, rootless tree trunk you are sprawling in the forest, how so, or, for what reason?" Lakshmana asked the demon thus. [3-70-16]
evam uktah kaba.ndhah tu laksmanena uttaram vacah |
uvaaca parama priitah tat indra vacanam smaran || 3-70-17
But Kabandha is highly delighted when Lakshmana spoke that way, as the words of Indra came to his memory, and he said these words in reply. [3-70-17]
svaagatam vaam naravyaaghrau distyaa pashyaami vaam aham |
distyaa ca imau nikrittau me yuvaabhyaam baahu bandhanau || 3-70-18
"Oh, manly tigers, by my providence you are revealed to me... welcome to you... and providentially sheared are these shackles, called my two arms, by you... [3-70-18]
viruupam yat ca me ruupam praaptam hi avinayaat yathaa |
tat me shrinu naravyaaghra tattvatah sha.msatah tava || 3-70-19
"Oh, manly tiger, actually how this form of mine is disfigured, of course owing to my distrustful behavior, that you may listen while I narrate it to you. [3-70-19]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande saptatitamah sargah
Thus, this is the 70th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate