Srimad Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa | Araṇya Kāṇḍa ~ Sarga 4 of 75

On seeing those two very dexterous scions of Kakutstha, and the best ones from Raghu dynasty, namely Rama and Lakshmana, grabbed and being carried off, Seetha screamed in a high-pitched voice.[3-4-1] .

“He that truth-abiding, virtuous, and the flawless Rama of Dasharatha is carried off along with Lakshmana by the demon with a ferocious look… [3-4-2] .

“Wild bears, tigers and panthers aspire to eat me away… oh, best demon, thieve me instead and release Kakutstha-s… Hail to thee…” [Said Seetha.] [3-4-3] .

On hearing Vaidehi’s that utterance those valorous ones Rama and Lakshmana speedily busied themselves in eliminating that evil-minded demon Viradha. [3-4-4] .

Soumitri indeed severed the left arm of that ferocious one, while Rama rent the right arm of that demon with his might. [3-4-5] .

When his arms are mutilated that demon similar to a dark-cloud is frustrated, fainted, and fell onto ground, like the mountain demolished by the Thunderbolt of Indra. [3-4-6] .

They battered that demon with their fists, hands and feet, and even by heaving and hurling him again and again they entirely pounded on him on the ground. [3-4-7] .

Though that demon is battered with many arrows, even sheared off with two swords, and even though he is entirely pounded on the ground he is not killed. [3-4-8] .

On observing that the mountain-similar demon is ineradicable that easily, then Rama, the sublime one, and the bestower of shelter in fear, spoke this sentence to Lakshmana. [3-4-9] .

“Oh! Manly-tiger Lakshmana, it is impossible to overpower this demon with weapons in a confrontation, hence, let’s bury this demon… [3-4-10] .

“Lakshmana, a very deep pit be dug for this furious and ferocious reprobate in this forest, as though for an elephant… [3-4-11] .

On saying to Lakshmana that a trench shall be dug…’ then Rama repressively placed his foot on the throat of Viradha, and stood by. [3-4-12] .

On hearing that said by Raghava, demon Viradha sincerely spoke these humble words to Rama, the finest one from Kakutstha dynasty. [3-4-13] .

“Dead I am, oh! Manly-tiger and a coequal of Indra in your strength… I have fallaciously not identified you earlier… oh, best one among men… [3-4-14] .

“Oh, sire, now I have known you to be Rama, the son of Kausalya… and even propitious Seetha and greatly renowned one Lakshmana are now known to me… [3-4-15] .

“By curse I had to enter this ghoulish demon’s body, but I am a celestial gandharva, named Tumburu and Kubera cursed me… [3-4-16] .

Then, on taking a digging tool Lakshmana dug a deep pit beside the great soul Viradha. [3-4-27] .

On releasing his throat from the stamping of Rama, he that long eared, lurid voiced Viradha is ensconced in that pit while he is still blaring with his horrific voice. [3-4-28] .

Those deftly victorious ones Rama and Lakshmana who compose themselves in a given fight, both have gladly raised that Viradha, a ghoulish one in fight, a terrifying demon who is still blaring, with all their might and hurled him into the pit. [3-4-29] .

On observing the indestructibility of that demon with any weapon, however sharp it might be, those two best ones among men that are very expertly skilled have thought over well and undertook the elimination of that great demon in a pit. [3-4-30] .

Viradha himself preferred his death at the hands of Rama and desired for a long to be killed by Rama and that forest walker himself appraised that, “Killing me with any weapon is impossible…” [3-4-31] .

On listening to that which is said by Viradha, Rama resolved his mind to cast him into pit, and when that mighty demon is being flung into the pit the whole forest blared with that demon’s cries. [3-4-32] .

Rama and Lakshmana felt happy by way of their look in burying Viradha in the pit of the earth, and on burying him they two felt rejoiced for gone is the fear in that great forest, and within the pit they have also concealed him with boulders in order to make it a burial-chamber to the departed soul. [3-4-33]

Everywhere Rama patiently performs these funeral rites, whether it is demon, eagle or a monkey, if dead in his presence. Here also, Viradha’s grave is covered with stones and boulders, as a kind of Stonehenge. .

Then they two who have dazzling golden bows have eliminated that demon and retrieved Seetha, and they gladly journeyed on in that great forest like the two entities abiding on the skies, namely the Sun and Moon. [3-4-34]

The simile of sun and moon is of some importance. It will not be clear as to, who is compared with Sun and who with Moon, unless some ancient commentaries are touched. Rama is compared with Chandra, the Moon, because, Moon will not travel without his wives. All the celestial stars are the wives of the Moon, and they twinkle before the Moon’s arrival, in order to welcome him into the night. Hence Rama is suffixed with Chandra, compounding to Sri Ramachandra. On the other hand, Sun does not travel along with his wife, namely Chaya, the Shadow, but she always will be at his hind. We the living beings are in between the Sun and his wife Chaya. If we face Sun in the morning times, she will be at our back, and in the evenings, when the Sun is at our back, Chaya, shadow will be in front of us, reminding us of our lengthening shadow of life. Thus we are in between the light and shadow. The Sun is also called karma saakshi, [Witness of Deeds.] Our own shadow, shortens with the ascending Sun and lengthens as the dusk of our day or life increases. Hence Sun’s travel is wife-less one, and Lakshmana is thus compared with the Sun, for he does not have his wife travelling with him now. And Lakshmana is another karma saakshi [Witness of Events] in the Ramayana. In another way of commenting it is said that both of them are said to be moon-like in their appeasing personalities and sun-like in their radiant valour. .