Skandapurana 3.2.30
English (machine translation) 3.2.30
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Vyāsa said:
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Formerly, when the Tretāyuga arrived, an incarnation of Viṣṇu, the best of Raghu's line, / was born in the solar dynasty:
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lotus-eyed Rāma.
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That Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, both wearing side-locks of hair,
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were devoted to Viśvāmitra in accordance with their father's command.
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The two boys were given by the king to protect the sacrifice:
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heroic, bearing bow and arrows, obedient to their father's word.
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While they were traveling on the path, a rākṣasa woman named Tāḍakā
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came and stood before them to cause an obstacle.
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With the seer's permission, Rāma slew Tāḍakā,
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and Gādhi's son imparted the science of the bow to Rāma.
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From the touch of his sole, the stone [that had been turned into one] through Indra's agency—
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Ahalyā, the wife of Gautama—was born again in her own form.
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When Viśvāmitra's sacrifice was underway, the best of Raghu's line
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struck Mārīca and Subāhu with supreme arrows.
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The bow of Īśvara kept in the house of Janaka was broken;
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Rāma, in his fifteenth year, [and] the princess of Mithilā, six years old,
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then married, O king—the lovely Sītā, not born from a womb.
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Having obtained Sītā, the scion of Raghu was then fulfilled.
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They set out for Ayodhyā, and seeing Jamadagni's son on the road,
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there was a battle then, O king, unbearable even for the gods.
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Then, having defeated Rāma [Jāmadagnya], he came home with Sītā.
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Then Rāma enjoyed delight with her for twelve years.
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In the twenty-first year, when he was to be granted the status of heir-apparent,
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Kaikeyī asked the king for two boons:
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"By one of them, let Rāma, with Sītā and accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa,
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wear matted hair and wander into exile here for fourteen years.
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And by the second, let Bharata be my master of the heir-apparency."
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Deluded by Mantharā's words, she asked for this boon.
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The king sent Rāma into exile together with Janaka's daughter and Lakṣmaṇa.
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Having only water for food for three nights, on the fourth day he ate fruits;
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on the fifth, Rāma made his dwelling at Citrakūṭa.
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Then Daśaratha went to heaven, saying: "Rāma!"
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Indeed, having brought the curse of the brahmin to fruition, he went to heaven.
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Then Bharata and Śatrughna arrived at Citrakūṭa.
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Having informed Rāma that their father had gone to heaven, O king,
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and having consoled Bharata concerning his turning back,
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Bharata and Śatrughna then went to Nandigrāma.
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Devoted to worshiping the wooden sandals, both held the kingdom there.
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Having seen the great-souled Atri, [Rāma] went to the Daṇḍaka forest.
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At the beginning of the slaying of the hosts of demons, when Virādha was struck down,
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in the twelfth and a half year, he lived at Pañcavaṭī.
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Then he disfigured the night-roaming woman Śūrpaṇakhā.
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As he wandered in the forest accompanied by Janaka's daughter,
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that terrible rākṣasa came to abduct Sītā.
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Then, on the eighth day of the dark half of Māgha, during the muhūrta named Vṛnda,
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the ten-necked one abducted Sītā in the absence of the two descendants of Raghu.
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Having gone to Mārīca's hermitage, and by him in the form of a deer
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having led the scion of Raghu far away along with Lakṣmaṇa,
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Rāma then swiftly slew Mārīca in the form of a deer.
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Reaching the hermitage again, Rāma indeed saw it without Sītā.
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Right there, being carried off, she wailed like an osprey:
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"O Rāma, Rāma, protect me! Protect me, who am carried off by a rākṣasa!"
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Just as a hungry hawk might carry off a crying quail,
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so the rākṣasa, overwhelmed by passion,
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was carrying off Janaka's daughter. Hearing that then, the king of birds
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fought with the lord of rākṣasas; struck down by Rāvaṇa, he fell.
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[Sītā] dwelling in Rāvaṇa's abode on the ninth day of the dark fortnight of Māgha.
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Searching for her at that time, the two brothers, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa,
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saw Jaṭāyus and understood that she had been carried off by the rākṣasa.
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Having learned of Sītā, the bird was then cremated by [Rāma] with devotion.
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Rāma marched ahead, and Lakṣmaṇa followed in his footsteps.
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Arriving near Pampā and showing grace to Śabarī,
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he touched its water, and a meeting with Hanumān took place.
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Then Rāma formed an alliance with Hanumān.
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Then, approaching Sugrīva, he killed the monkey Vālin.
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Dispatched by Lord Rāma, [monkeys] headed by Hanumān [went to find] his beloved.
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Taking the ring, the son of the wind-god then set out.
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In the tenth month, Sampāti told the monkey about her.
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Then, at his word, [Hanumān] leapt across the ocean of one hundred yojanas.
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On that night, Hanumān searched all around in Laṅkā.
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At the remainder of that night, Hanumān obtained the sight of Sītā.
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On the twelfth day, Hanumān stationed himself in a śiṃśapā tree.
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On that night, he held a conversation with Jānakī to gain her trust.
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Then on the thirteenth day, battle commenced with Akṣa and the others.
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On the thirteenth day, the monkey was bound with the weapon of Brahmā by Śakrajit.
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Harsh and rough words to the king of the rākṣasas
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the son of the wind-god spoke, bound and encompassed by the Brahmā-weapon.
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The burning of Laṅkā was carried out by the fire attached to his tail.
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On the full moon day, the monkey's return to Mount Mahendra occurred.
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With five days on the road from the first day of the fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa,
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returning on the [sixth] day of the year, the Madhuvana was indeed laid waste.
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On the seventh day occurred the delivery of the token of recognition and the recounting of everything;
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he reported everything to Rāma, presenting Sītā's jewel.
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On the eighth day, under Uttaraphālgunī, at the muhūrta named Vijaya,
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when the thousand-rayed [sun] had reached the meridian, occurred Rāghava's departure,
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Rāma having indeed made a vow to march toward the southern quarter:
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"Crossing even the ocean, I will slay the king of the rākṣasas."
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As he set forth toward the southern direction, Sugrīva was then his ally.
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In seven days the encamping of the army on the shore of the ocean took place;
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from the first day of the bright fortnight of Pauṣa until the third,
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Rāghava along with his army indeed stood at the ocean.
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On the fourth day, Vibhīṣaṇa united with Rāma.
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On the fifth, counsel was undertaken in order to cross the ocean.
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Rāma undertook fasting while seated for four days.
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There was the obtaining of a boon from the ocean, along with the revelation of the means.
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The bridge was begun on the tenth day, and finished on the thirteenth.
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On the fourteenth day, Rāma encamped the army on Mount Suvela.
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From the full moon day to the second, crossing of the army took three days.
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Having crossed the ocean, Rāma, accompanied by the army of heroic monkeys,
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he of auspicious marks, besieged the city of Laṅkā for Sītā's sake.
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From the third up to the tenth day, the encampment lasted eight days.
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The arrival of Śuka and Sāraṇa occurred there on the eleventh day.
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And on the twelfth of the dark fortnight of Pauṣa, the counting of the army took place,
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along with the description by Śārdūla of the strengths and weaknesses of the monkey chiefs.
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From the thirteenth to the end of the new moon day, in three days in Laṅkā,
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Rāvaṇa then carried out the counting of the army and the rousing for battle.
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Aṅgada set out on his embassy on the first day of the bright fortnight of Māgha.
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And then Sītā saw the illusory severed head and other [illusions] of her husband.
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From the second day of the bright fortnight of Māgha through seven days to the eighth,
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there was a tumultuous battle between the rākṣasas and the monkeys.
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On the ninth day of the bright fortnight of Māgha, at night, in battle by Indrajit,
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Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were indeed bound in the snare of serpents.
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When the monkey leaders were distraught and completely despondent,
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Rāghava then remembered Garuḍa upon the advice of Vāyu.
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To release [them] from the serpent-snare, Garuḍa arrived on the tenth day.
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A cessation [of battle] lasted two days, beginning with the eleventh of the bright fortnight of Māgha.
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On the twelfth, the slaying of Dhūmrākṣa was carried out by Añjanā's son [Hanumān].
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On the thirteenth, Akampana was slain in battle by him alone.
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Having displayed an illusory Sītā to Rāma, the ten-necked [Rāvaṇa]
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then terrified all those who were in the army as well.
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From the fourteenth day of the bright half of Māgha up to the first day of the dark half,
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over three days, the slaying of Prahasta was accomplished by Nīla.
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From the second day of the dark half of Māgha until the fourth, over three days,
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Rāvaṇa was routed from the battle by Rāma in a tumultuous fight.
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From the fifth until the eighth, awakened by Rāvaṇa,
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Kumbhakarṇa then feasted for four days.
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Kumbhakarṇa fought for four days beginning from the ninth;
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the devourer of many monkeys was slain in battle by Rāma.
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On the new moon day, there was indeed cessation [of battle] due to grief.
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Beginning on the first day of Phālguna until the fourth, during four days,
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the five rākṣasas headed by Narāntaka were slain.
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From the fifth until the seventh, the slaying of Atikāya took place over three days.
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From the eighth until the twelfth, within five days, there were slain
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both Nikumbha and Kumbha, and Makarākṣa over four days.
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On the second day of the dark half of Phālguna, Śakrajit was indeed defeated.
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Beginning on the third and ending on the seventh—for five days precisely—
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there was a pause [in fighting] due to the urgency of bringing the herbs.
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On the eighth, the evil-minded Rāvaṇa struck down the illusory Maithilī.
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From the rush of grief, Rāma then held a council with his army.
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Then, up to the thirteenth, over five days, Indrajit,
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renowned for his strength and valor, was slain in battle by Lakṣmaṇa.
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On the fourteenth, the ten-necked [Rāvaṇa] took up initiation following the cessation [of battle].
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On the new moon day, the ten-necked one went forth to battle.
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From the first day of the bright half of Caitra, during the five days up to the fifth,
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Rāvaṇa continued to fight, and abundant was the slaughter of the rākṣasas.
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Up to the eighth day of the bright half of Caitra was the destruction of chariots, horses, and the like.
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On the ninth day of the bright half of Caitra, when the spear struck Saumitri [Lakṣmaṇa],
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the ten-necked one was routed by Rāma, who was overcome with rage.
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On the advice of Vibhīṣaṇa, there was battle indeed by Hanumān;
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he went to Mount Droṇa to fetch the herb for Lakṣmaṇa's sake.
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Taking the Viśalyā [herb], he made Lakṣmaṇa drink it.
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On the tenth, there was a pause [in battle], but at night there was fighting by the rākṣasas.
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On the eleventh, a chariot with Mātali as charioteer arrived for Rāma.
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Having arrived for battle on the twelfth, up to the fourteenth day of the dark half,
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on the eighteenth day, Rāma slew Rāvaṇa in a duel of chariots.
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The funeral rites of Rāvaṇa and the others took place on the new moon day.
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A tumultuous battle having occurred, Rāma attained victory.
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From the second day of the bright half of Māgha to the fourteenth day of the dark half of Caitra,
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there were thus eighty-seven days; among them, for fifteen days,
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there was a pause in fighting, and the battle lasted for seventy-two days.
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On the first lunar day of Vaiśākha, Rāma dwelt on the battlegrounds.
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On the second, Vibhīṣaṇa was consecrated in the sovereignty of Laṅkā.
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On the third was the purification of Sītā and the receiving of boons from the gods,
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and the arrival of Daśaratha and his rejoicing right there.
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Having swiftly slain the lord of Laṅkā, the all-powerful elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa,
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taking holy Jānakī, who had been afflicted by the rākṣasa,
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taking Jānakī with supreme joy, he departed.
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On the fourth day of Vaiśākha, Rāma boarded the Puṣpaka [chariot].
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He returned through the sky once again toward the city of Ayodhyā.
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When the fourteenth year was complete, on the fifth day of Mādhava [Vaiśākha],
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Rāma arrived at the hermitage of Bharadvāja with his troop.
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On the sixth, he arrived at Nandigrāma by means of the Puṣpaka.
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On the seventh, that scion of Raghu was consecrated once again in Ayodhyā.
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For fourteen months and ten additional days indeed, Maithilī
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dwelt deprived of Rāma in the residence of Rāvaṇa.
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In his forty-second year, Rāma assumed the kingdom.
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Sītā, on the other hand, was thirty-three years old at that time.
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At the end of the fourteen years, the lord entered his own city,
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named Ayodhyā, joyful, Rāma the destroyer of Rāvaṇa's pride.
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Together with his brothers, Rāma ruled the kingdom there.
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For ten thousand years and ten hundred years,
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Rāma ruled the kingdom and then went to the abode of heaven.
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During the reign of Rāma, the people's minds were overflowing with joy;
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men were rich in wealth and grain, endowed with sons and grandsons.
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Parjanya rained at will, and crops were of high quality;
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cows yielded milk by the pailful, and trees were ever-fruitful.
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There were neither mental afflictions nor physical diseases in Rāma's kingdom, O ruler of men;
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women were devoted to their husbands, and men were dedicated to devotion toward their fathers.
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Twice-born were constantly devoted to the Veda; kṣatriyas served the twice-born;
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and the vaiśya class always offered devotion to the twice-born and cows.
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There was no intermixture of castes there, nor corruption of conduct.
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No woman was barren, unfortunate, bearing but a single child, or having dead offspring;
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none was a widow, nor did any woman with a husband lament.
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None showed disrespect toward mother, father, or teacher.
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No one who performed meritorious deeds transgressed the word of elders.
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There was no seizure of land there; men turned their faces away from other men's wives.
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People were not prone to slander, nor impoverished, nor afflicted by disease.
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There was no thief, no gambler, nor wine-drinker—no sinners at all.
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There was no stealer of gold, no slayer of a brahmin, nor any who defiled a guru's bed,
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Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit