Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 22 Aug 2011 12:17 and updated at 23 Aug 2011 11:26
VALMIKI RAMAYANA
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BOOK 7: UTTARA KANDA
SECTION 10
Then Rama spoke unto the ascetic, "O Brahmana, how did those exceedingly mighty brothers carry on austerities in that forest; and what kind of penances was theirs?" Thereat there Agastya said unto Rama of a complacent mind, "The brothers severally observed the morality proper to each. And Kumbhakarna, putting forth his best energies, constantly abode in the path of righteousness. And remaining in the midst of ive fires in summer,he practised austerities, and in the rainy season, soaked in water (poured down) by clouds, he sat in
the heroic attitude. And in winter he always remained in the water. Thus passed away ten thousand years of that one putting foth exetions in behalf of religion, and established in the path of honesty.
And the vituous Vibhishana, ever intent on virtue and pure of spirit, remained standing on one leg for ive thousand years. And when he had completed (his term of restriction), swarms of Apsaras danced, and blossoms showered, and the deities hymned (him). And for five thousand years, he adored the Sun, and with his mind concentrated in the study of the Veda, remained with his head and hands raised up.
In this wise Vibhishana like a deity in Nandana passed away ten thousand years, observing restrictions. And the Ten necked one passed ten thousand years without fare. On a thousand years being complete, he offered his own head as a sacrifice to Fire.
In this way he passed away nine thousand years ;and nine of his heads entered into Fire. And as in the tenth year he intended to strike of his tenth head, the Great father presented himself at that place. And well pleased, the Great father came there along with the Devas.
O Ten necked one, said (the Great father), I am well pleased with thee. Do thou, O thou cognizant of righteousness, at once ask for the boon that thou wishest to have. What wish of thine shall I realize ?Thy toil must not go for nothing.
Thereat, the Ten necked one, bowing down his head unto the deity,said with a delighted heart, his words falteing with ecstacy, O Reverend one, creatures have no other fear than (that of) death ;and enemy there is none that is like unto death. Therefore immortality is even what I crave for. Thus accosted, Brahma spoke unto the Ten necked one, Thou canst not be immotal.
Do thou therefore ask of me some other boon. Thus addressed by the creator, Brahma, the Ten necked one, O Rama, standing before him with joined hands, said, O lord of creatures, I would, O eternal one, be incapable of being slain by Suparnas and Nagas, Yakshas, Daityas, Danavas and Rakshasas, and the Devas ;for, O thou that art worshipped by the immortals, anxiety I have none from any other beings. Indeed, I deem as straw creatures such as men etc Thus accosted by the Raksha the Ten necked one that righteous souled one, the Great father, along with the Devas, said, O foremost of Rakshasas, what thou sayest shall come to pass.
Having, O Rama, said this unto the Ten necked one, the Great father (again spoke), Hear !I, having been gratified, will confer on thee a fresh boon. O Rakshasa, O sinless one, those heads of thine which have been offered as sacrifices and which have sunk into the fire, shall again be thine..
And, O placid one, I shall also confer on thee another boon difficult of being obtained, The form that thou shalt wish to wear, shall instantly be thine. As soon as the Ten necked Raksha had spoken thus, the heads that had been offered as sacrifices into the fire, rose up again. Having said this unto the Ten necked one, the Great sire of all creatures addressed Vibhishana, saying, O Vibhishana, gratified have I been by thee, whose intelligence is established in righteousness.
Therefore, my child, O righteous soulcd one, O thou of excellent vows, ask for the boon that thou wouldst have. Thereat the virtuous Vibhishana spoke with joined hands, O reverend one, since the spiritual preceptor of all creatures himself (is pleased) with me, I (deem myself) as furnished with every perfection, even as the Moon is environed with rays. If thou wilt bestow on me a boon with pleasure, then, 0 thou of excellent vows, hear of the boon that I would have.
May my mind remain fast fixed on righteousness, even when 1 shall happen to fall into high peril ;and may I attain Brahma knowledge without any instructions !And may every sense of mine sprung during the observance of paticular modes of life, be in unison with righteousness, so that I may practise the form of religion (in harmony with any paticular mode of life !)O exceedingly noble one, this best of boons, is even what is sought for by me, for nothing in this world is incapable of being attained by those attached to righteous ness. Then the lord of creatures, being again delighted, spoke unto Vibhishana, As thou at vituous, so all this shall come to pass on thy behalf. And inasmuch as in spite of thy having been born in the Rakshasa race, thy thoughts, O destroyer of enemies, do not originate in sin, I confer on the immotality.
Having said this, he intended to grant boons unto Kumbhakarna. Thereat the Devas in a body represented to the lord of creatures with joined hands, On Kumbhakarna thou shouldst, confer no boons, since thou knowest in what manner doth this wicked minded one frighten people. And, O Brahman, seven Apsaras in Nandana, ten attendants of Mahendra, as well as sages and human beings, have been devoured by this one.
Considering what this Rakshasa did when he had not obtained any boon whatever, if he obtain one now he shall eat up the three worlds. Do thou then, O lord having immeasurable prowess, pretending to give him a boon,give stupifaction (instead). Thereby the welfare of people would be secured, and the honor of this one too shall be maintained.
Thus addressed by the Devas, Brahma, the Lotus born God told them; "O Devas, I have found a solution. Do thouh all leave without any worry." Saying this unto the celestials, the great God thought of the goddess Sarasvati Vagdevata().
Addressing the goddess the lotus born god said; "Do thou speedily repair to where Kumbhakarna is doing his penaces. Do thou enter his body and influence his tounge Hearing this she immediatly repaied to the spot where Kumbhakarna was doing his penaces.
Knowing the mind of the God Brahma, she entered Kumbhakarna. Thereat Brahma addressed Kumbhakarna, saying: O Child, gratified have I been by thee, what boon shall I bestow upon thee. Do thou tell me this without delay
Thereupon Kumbhakarna, coming under the influence of goddess Sarasvati, sitting upon his tounge, uttured thus: O grandfather, do thou grant me long lasting sleep Nidra(). The great God immediately granted that boon saying So be it and disappeared then and there. Kumbhakarna realised his folly for asking for sleep Nidra() instead of unfeeling ness Nirdaya() as he wanted, for the destruction of the Devas.
Knowing that and considering all that occurred as fate he desisted from his penaces and went to where he had come from.
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