Into the Dandaka Forest: Ram's Promise to the Sages

The Dandaka forest was not like Chitrakoot. The trees stood so thick that it was dark at noon, and nothing could be heard but crickets. As soon as they entered, the three met a rakshasa named Viradha. He was the size of a hill, wrapped in a tiger skin, with dead lions and deer hanging from his spear. He lunged and snatched up Sita.

Ram's arrows struck him and fell away; he had a boon that no weapon could kill him. He set the two brothers on his shoulders and ran. Ram and Lakshmana broke both his arms and buried him in a pit. As he died, Viradha told them he had been a gandharva named Tumburu, turned into a rakshasa by Kubera's curse, and that his release was to come at Ram's hands.

The grief of the sages

Further on was the ashram of the sage Sharabhanga. He had stayed on earth only to see Ram. Having seen him, he gave up his body in fire. Then all the ascetics of the forest gathered and came to Ram. "Ram, you are a king's son, and it is the king who protects us. Come and see." They showed him heaps of bones lying in the forest. "These are the bones of sages eaten by rakshasas. By the power of our austerities we could curse them, but we do not want to waste that power. We take refuge in you."

Ram folded his hands. "Do not entreat me; command me. I came to the forest at my father's word, but it seems it was for your work. I will make this forest free of the fear of rakshasas."

Sita's question

On the way Sita said something in a very gentle voice. "My lord, there are three faults in a man: speaking falsehood, desiring another's wife, and killing without enmity. The first two could never be in you. But I am afraid of the third. You have promised to kill rakshasas who have done you no harm. When a weapon is in the hand, the mind follows it. We came here as ascetics. I am not teaching you, only reminding you."

Ram answered lovingly. "Sita, you have said what one who wishes me well would say. But the sages came to me for refuge of their own accord. A kshatriya carries a bow so that no one anywhere should cry out in distress. I can give up my life, I can give up even you and Lakshmana, but I cannot give up a promise."

Ten years

After this the three moved from one ashram to another. In one they stayed ten months, in another a year, in another four months. Living among the sages, ten years went by like a few days.

Agastya

At last they reached the ashram of the great sage Agastya, who had made the southern lands fit to live in. Agastya gave Ram the weapons that had been left in his keeping: the bow of Bhagwan Vishnu made by Vishwakarma, an unfailing arrow given by Brahma, two quivers that never emptied, and a sword with a golden hilt. He praised Sita: "She gave up comfort and chose the hardship of the forest with you. Always take care of her."

Ram asked, "Sage, where should we live for the time that remains?" Agastya thought for a while and said, "Two yojanas from here, beside the Godavari, is Panchavati. Fruit and roots are plentiful there and the place is lovely. Build your hut there, and live protecting Sita."

The three set out for Panchavati.