Chapter 11 - Rama visits the different Retreats and hears of Agastya

Walking ahead, Rama was followed by Sita, while behind her came Lakshmana, bow in hand. With Sita, they proceeded further, seeing many hills and plains, woods and enchanting rivers with geese and cranes frequenting their banks and pools covered with lotuses, abounding in waterfowl, and herds of deer, horned buffaloes in rut, bears and elephants, the destroyers of trees.

Having travelled a great distance, they beheld, as the sun was setting, a marvellous lake, some four miles in length, carpeted with lotus and water-lily blooms, graced with herds of wild elephants and abounding in geese, swans and teal.

From this enchanting lake of tranquil waters, the sound of singing and musical instruments could be heard, yet no one was visible there. Captivated, Rama and Lakshmana began to question a sage named Dharmabhrit, saying:—

“O Great Ascetic, this wonderful music, heard by us all, moves us strangely; what can it be? Be gracious enough to tell us.”

Thus questioned by Raghava, the magnanimous sage began at once to relate the history of that magic lake.

He said:—“This lake, called Pancapsara, is always filled with water and was created by the penances of the Sage Mandarkini.

“Practising a rigid asceticism, this great sage, lying in water for thousands of years, lived on air alone! Then the Gods with Agni at their head became agitated and, coming together, said to each other:—‘This sage aspires to our state!’ Thus did they speak, their minds full of apprehension.

“Then all the Gods, in order to destroy the merit of the sage acquired through his penances, sent down five of the most beautiful nymphs, whose complexion resembled lightning and, though the ascetic was fully conversant with what was good and evil, he was captivated by those nymphs and fell under the sway of the God of Love.

“These five nymphs became the wives of that sage, who constructed a secret dwelling in the lake for them. There they live happily, bringing delight to the ascetic, who by virtue of his penances has become youthful. They pass their time in dalliance and this is the cause of the entrancing music mingling with the tinkling of their ornaments.”

Such was the strange tale recounted by that sage of pure soul.

Conversing thus, the illustrious Rama and his brother visited the circle of hermitages, strewn with kusha grass and bark, which were resplendent with the lustre of the brahmins. Accompanied by Vaidehi and Lakshmana, the Descendant of Raghu, Kakutstha penetrated into the blessed circle of those Lions among Men.

Received with delight and honoured by those great rishis, Rama roamed through the silent woods, that great warrior sojourning with the ascetics, sometimes for ten months, sometimes for a year, sometimes for four months or five or six months, sometimes for many months or a month and a half only, sometimes three months and sometimes eight. In this way, engaged in innocent pastimes, ten years passed away.

Having visited all the retreats of the ascetics, Rama returned to Sutikshna’s hermitage and, receiving the homage of the sages, that Subduer of his Foes remained there awhile.

One day, as he sat at the feet of the ascetic, in all humility he addressed him, saying:—

“O Blessed One, I have heard that Agastya, that foremost of sages, dwells in this forest, but it is so vast, that I do not know where his hermitage is to be found. Where does the retreat of that sagacious Rishi lie? By your favour, O Blessed Lord, I, my younger brother and Sita wish to pay our respects to him.”

Hearing the words of the virtuous Rama, that illustrious sage, Sutikshna, well pleased, answered the son of Dasaratha, saying:—

“It was my intention to speak of this to you and Lakshmana, O Raghava and say: ‘Do you, with Sita, seek out Agastya.’ Now you thyself hast proposed it and it is well. I will now tell you, O Rama, where that great Ascetic Agastya dwells.

“My Child, four miles from here to the south, you will come to the hermitage of the brother of Agastya, situated in a fertile plain, covered with charming groves of fig, abounding in fruit and flowers, where the song of many birds may be heard. Innumerable lakes of tranquil water, carpeted by lotuses and frequented by swans, ducks and geese add to its beauty. Having passed the night there, do you at dawn follow the path, through a glade, to the south and there you shalt come upon Agastya’s retreat, at four miles distance, in an enchanting spot planted with lovely trees. This place will charm Vaidehi as well as Lakshmana and you, for this corner of the forest shaded by innumerable trees, is ravishing.

“Should you desire to visit that great ascetic, Agastya, then set out to-day, O Prince of Surpassing Wisdom.”

At these words, Rama with Lakshmana and Sita, having made obeisance to Sutikshna, set out to seek the Sage Agastya.

Enjoying the marvellous woods and hills, which resembled a mass of clouds, and the lakes and rivers to be seen on the way, Rama proceeded quickly along the path pointed out by the sage Sutikshna, and full of delight that magnanimous One said to Lakshmana:—

“Assuredly, this must be the retreat of the illustrious brother of Agastya, that sage of blessed karma, that we now behold. Observe how along the woodland ride thousands of trees, bowed with the weight of their fruit and flowers, can be seen, and the pungent odour of ripe figs is borne on the breeze. Here and there heaps of fire-wood lie, with darbha grass, the colour of lapis lazuli; see also that column of smoke, like a plume of dark cloud, rising in the forest from a fire freshly lit in the hermitage.

“Having performed their ablutions in the sacred ponds, the Twice-born are offering flowers they themselves have gathered. The words spoken by Sutikshna have proved true O Friend. Here indeed is the retreat of Agastya’s brother.

“In his desire to be of service to the worlds, by virtue of his austerities that great sage overcame death and set apart this quarter as a place of refuge.

“Here formerly the cruel demons Vatapi and Ilvala lived, two great asuras who together conceived a plan for slaying the brahmins.

“Assuming the form of a sage, the pitiless Ilvala, using the sanskrita language, invited the ascetics to partake of a feast. Preparing his brother disguised as a ram in a dish, he fed the Twice-born, according to traditional rites. When the ascetics had eaten, Ilvala cried out in a loud voice:—‘O Vatapi, come forth.’

“At the sound of his voice, Vatapi, bleating like a ram, tearing the bodies of the ascetics, emerged.

“Thus thousands of brahmins were slain by those devourers of human flesh, who changed their shape at will and were full of deceit.

“At the request of the Gods, the great Rishi Agastya went to the feast and ate up the huge asura, after which Ilvala said:—‘It is well,’ and offering the guest water to wash his hands, cried out:—‘Come forth O Vatapi!’

“But as this Slayer of Ascetics was speaking thus, Agastya, that excellent sage, breaking into laughter, said to him:—

“‘How can that demon come forth, since I have consumed him? Your brother in the shape of a ram, has entered the abode of Yama.’

“Hearing that his brother was dead, the demon in anger rushed at the ascetic, hurling himself on that Indra of the Twice-born, but the sage, blazing with spiritual power, by a single glance consumed him, and he perished.

“This is the hermitage, beautified by lakes and groves, belonging to the brother of that sage, who in compassion for the ascetics performed that arduous feat.”

While Rama was speaking thus to Saumitri, the sun set behind the mountain and the night drew on; duly performing his evening devotions, he entered the hermitage and offered obeisance to the ascetic.

Warmly received by that blessed one, Raghava passed the night there, having partaken of fruit and roots and, when morning came and the disc of the sun was visible, he paid homage to the brother of Agastya, saying:—

“Reverent Sir, I salute you and thank you for the peaceful night I have passed here, I will now go and seek out my spiritual preceptor, thine elder brother.”

“So be it,” replied the sage, whereupon the descendant of Raghu went along the path pointed out to him, enjoying the forest with the innumerable Nirvara, Panasa, Sala, Vanjula, Tinisha, Shiribilva, Madhuka, Bilva and Tinduka trees in full flower entwined with blossoming creepers, and trees ripped by the trunks of elephants, where monkeys disported themselves and which resounded to the warbling of a myriad birds.

Then the lotus-eyed Rama said to the valiant and heroic Lakshmana, who was following him:—

“From the glossy foliage of the trees and the tameness of the deer and the birds, we are undoubtedly not far distant from the retreat of that great and pure-souled Rishi of virtuous practices.

“This hermitage that removes all weariness, belonging to the Sage Agastya, well known among men for his virtue, with its groves filled with a rare fragrance, its robes of bark and garlands hanging here and there, frequented by herds of tame deer, the leafy boughs pervaded by countless birds, can now be seen by us.

“Having overcome Mrityu by his power, in his desire to do good to the whole world, he created this inviolate refuge in the south, which is eschewed by demons who fear to lay it waste.

“From the day that this region was rendered habitable by that virtuous ascetic, the demons have ceased to exercise their hatred and cruelty here. This fortunate land of the South, famed in the Three Worlds, associated with the name of that blessed sage, is no longer haunted by those wicked beings.

“The mountain Vindhya, foremost of its kind, that threatened to intercept the rays of the sun, dared not grow higher, submitting to Agastya’s command and this enchanting retreat, frequented by deer, belongs to that long-lived one of exalted achievement. The virtuous Agastya, honoured by men, who is ever engaged in the welfare of all beings, will on our arrival accord us a great welcome.

“I wish to pay homage to that great ascetic personally and to pass the rest of mine exile in the forest with him, O Mild One! Here the Gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas and the great Sages, who live on a bare subsistence, constantly pay homage to the Sage Agastya, but dishonest, cruel, wicked and perverse men are not able to remain in the presence of that great ascetic.

“The Immortals, however, the Yakshas and those of the Serpent Race, the great Rishis also, dedicated to virtuous living, dwell here, and fixed in holiness, those exalted beings, discarding their worn-out bodies, assuming new ones, ascend to heaven in chariots resembling the sun.

“There the Gods fulfil the desires of the virtuous, granting them immortality, divine powers and every degree of majesty.

“We have now come to the hermitage, O Saumitri, do you enter it and announce my arrival with Sita, to the Rishi.”