

with Sumatra’s son beheld many herds of deer running in all directions.  And they heard a loud uproar of various creatures like what is heard during a fast spreading forest conflagration.  And soon they beheld a headless Rakshasa of terrible mien.  And that Rakshasa was dark as the clouds and huge as a mountain, with shoulders broad as those of a Sola tree, and with arms that were gigantic.  And he had a pair of large eyes on his breast, and the opening of his mouth was placed on his capacious belly.  And that Rakshasa seized Lakshmana by the hand, without any difficulty.  And seized by the Rakshasa the son of Sumitra, O Bharata, became utterly confounded and helpless.  And casting his glances on Rama, that headless Rakshasa began to draw Lakshmana towards that part of his body where his mouth was.  And Lakshmana in grief addressed Rama, saying, “Behold my plight!  The loss of thy kingdom, and then the death of our father, and then the abduction of Sita, and finally this disaster that hath overwhelmed me!  Alas, I shall not behold thee return with the princess of Videha to Kosala and seated on thy ancestral throne as the ruler of the entire Earth!  They only that are fortunate will behold thy face, like unto the moon emerged from the clouds, after thy coronation bath in water sanctified with Kusa grass and fried paddy and black peas!” And the intelligent Lakshmana uttered those and other lamentations in the same strain.  The illustrious descendant, however, of Kakutstha’s race undaunted amid danger, replied unto Lakshmana, saying, “Do not, O tiger among men, give way to grief!  What is this thing when I am here?  Cut thou off his right arm and I shall cut off his left.”  And while Rama was still speaking so, the left arm of the monster was severed by him, cut off with a sharp scimitar, as if indeed, that arm were a stalk of the Tila corn.  The mighty son of Sumitra then beholding his brother standing before him struck off with his sword the right arm also of that Rakshasa.  And Lakshmana also began to repeatedly strike the Rakshasa under the ribs, and then that huge headless monster fell upon the ground and expired quickly.  And then there came out from the Rakshasa’s body a person of celestial make.  And he showed himself to the brothers, staying for a moment in the skies, like the Sun in his effulgence in the firmament.  And Rama skilled in speech, asked him, saying, “Who art thou?  Answer me who enquire of thee?  Whence could such a thing happen?  All this seems to me to be exceedingly wonderful!” Thus addressed by Rama, that being replied unto him, saying, “I am, O prince, a Gandharva of the name of Viswavasu!  It was through the curse of a Brahmana that I had to assume the form and nature of a Rakshasa.  As to thyself, O Rama, Sita hath been carried away with violence by king Ravana who dwelleth in Lanka.  Repair thou unto Sugriva who will give thee his friendship.  There, near enough to the peak of Rishyamuka is the lake known by the name of Pampa of sacred
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