Aranya Kaanda
115 - Sutiksna's love and Sri Rama's meeting with the sage Agastya; dialogue with Agastya; Sri Rama's entry into the Dandaka forest and His meeting with Jatayu
Chaupais
Description
Laksmana was greatly delighted to hear the above discourse on the discipline of Bhakti (Devotion) and bowed his head at the feet of the Lord. In this way some days were spent in discoursing on dispassion, spiritual wisdom, goodness and morality. Now Ravana (the notorious demon king of Lanka) had a sister, Surpanakha (lit., a woman having nails as big as a winnowing fan) by name, who was foul-hearted and cruel as a serpent. She once went to Pancavati and was smitten with pangs of love at the sight of the two princes. At the very sight of a handsome man, be he her own brother, father or son, O Garuda, a (wanton) woman gets excited and cannot restrain her passion, even as the sun-stone emits fire when it is brought in front of the sun . Having assumed a charming form she approached the Lord and with many a smile addressed the following words to Him: "There is no man like you and no woman like me. It is with great deliberation that God has made this pair. I have ransacked the three spheres but have found no suitable match for me in the whole universe. It is for this reason that I have till now remained a virgin; my mind has been set at rest a bit only after seeing you." The Lord cast a glance at Sita and said only this much: "My younger brother is a bachelor." She went to Laksmana, who, knowing that she was their enemy's sister, looked at his lord and spoke in gentle tones: " Listen, fair lady: I am His servant and a dependant; thus you will have no comforts with me. My lord is all-powerful and the sovereign king of Kosalapura (Ayodhya); whatever He does will be worthy of Him. A servant who aspires for happiness, a beggar who expects honour, a person addicted to some vice who hopes for riches, a profligate who seeks a blessed state after death, an avaricious man who covets fame and a proud man who expects the four prizes of life-all these men expect to get milk by milking the heavens." "Again she turned and came to Sri Rama; but the Lord sent her back to Laksmana. Said Laksmana, " He alone will wed you, who deliberately casts all shame to the winds." Thereupon she went fretting and foaming to Sri Rama and revealed her frightful demoniac form. The Lord of Raghus saw that Sita was terrified and made a sign to His younger brother (Laksmana)