Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.1812

c8.1812

Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa when they came to that forest decided to build an āśrama in the centre of the circle formed by the five banyan trees. Lakṣmaṇa started to build the hermitage. At first he cut down one of the trees standing tall and straight and to the surprise and astonishment of all the fallen trunk of the tree disappeared and there in its place lay the dead body of a demon youth. It was the body of Śambhu-kumāra, son of Śūrpaṇakhā. He was doing penance there when Śrī Rāma came there with Sītā and becoming lustful at the sight of Sītā he stood there as a tree. It was he who was cut down by Lakṣmaṇa.