Next day at dawn, the exiles took leave of the sages and entered deeper in to the forest. The serene and pious visions that had unfolded at the portals of Dandaka had not for a moment betrayed its fearful depths. Fierce beasts of prey stalked the jungle, broken branches hung loose from trees and some lay forlorn on the forest floor crushed and mangled. The bushes and vine were trampled rendering pathways impassable, while woebegone were ponds bereft flower and foliage. The myriad bird flocks that had made Dandaka their home were mute and seemed not to know how to chirp. The ominous silence was only broken by the shrill call of the crickets. Into this eerie silence stepped the hideous form of a rakshasa tall as a mountain peak, the man-eating predator was an abominable sight. His lurid eyes that glowed like live coals were set deep in his deformed skull. His words came out in a great roar from a cavernous mouth. Besmeared with the blood of beasts that he had devoured, his body was ugly and repulsive. With limbs twisted and deformed, belly protruding obscenely, the demon was an epitome of horror. Blood thirsty, he was the scourge of creation and as he approached with his mouth open, he looked like the personification of death. Impaled on his spear were the carcasses of deer, lion, tiger and a huge elephant head with tusks, fresh prey, grotesque and dripping blood. Like the fury of death, which strikes all at the time of the dissolution of the earth, Viradha pounced on Sita. Causing a furore that shook the earth he tried to make away with her. Sita trembled like a palm frond caught in a gale. From that fierce form emitted dreadful noises as he bellowed threats and insults. "Wearing locks and bark, have you dared to enter my domain? Does it befit you to be accompanied by a woman? Who are you, a disgrace to your fellow ascetics! Impious and sinful that you are, you trespass my region where I roam living on the flesh of ascetics. This woman of beautiful limbs will be my wife and you will be my food. I shall drink your blood!" Rama's lament eas heart breaking as he beheld Sita in the grip of the vile monster. "Lakshmana, do you see the cherished daughter of Janaka my chaste consort? She who enshrines me in her heart, is held captive in the arms of this loathsome mass of flesh? Today Kaikeyi's wishes come true. Not content with the enthronement of her son the wily woman brought about my exile. That another should have laid hands on Sita is intolerable and the greatest of my misfortunes. It is more tragic than the death of my father or the loss of my kingdom. An equally distraught Lakshmana tried to console Rama, "While I am here, why do you grieve? Do you not have a defender in me Rama? I shall slay this demon. I will now let loose the fury of the wrath that I once had for Bharata's alleged treachery. My arrow will pierce the heart of Viradha and death will embrace him. May his blood drench the earth!"
Summary
Next day at dawn, the exiles took leave of the sages and entered deeper in to the forest. The serene and pious visions that had unfolded at the portals of Dandaka had not for a moment betrayed its fearful depths. Fierce beasts of prey stalked the jungle, broken branches hung loose from trees and some lay forlorn on the forest floor crushed and mangled. The bushes and vine were trampled rendering pathways impassable, while woebegone were ponds bereft flower and foliage. The myriad bird flocks that had made Dandaka their home were mute and seemed not to know how to chirp. The ominous silence was only broken by the shrill call of the crickets. Into this eerie silence stepped the hideous form of a rakshasa tall as a mountain peak, the man-eating predator was an abominable sight. His lurid eyes that glowed like live coals were set deep in his deformed skull. His words came out in a great roar from a cavernous mouth. Besmeared with the blood of beasts that he had devoured, his body was ugly and repulsive. With limbs twisted and deformed, belly protruding obscenely, the demon was an epitome of horror. Blood thirsty, he was the scourge of creation and as he approached with his mouth open, he looked like the personification of death. Impaled on his spear were the carcasses of deer, lion, tiger and a huge elephant head with tusks, fresh prey, grotesque and dripping blood. Like the fury of death, which strikes all at the time of the dissolution of the earth, Viradha pounced on Sita. Causing a furore that shook the earth he tried to make away with her. Sita trembled like a palm frond caught in a gale. From that fierce form emitted dreadful noises as he bellowed threats and insults. "Wearing locks and bark, have you dared to enter my domain? Does it befit you to be accompanied by a woman? Who are you, a disgrace to your fellow ascetics! Impious and sinful that you are, you trespass my region where I roam living on the flesh of ascetics. This woman of beautiful limbs will be my wife and you will be my food. I shall drink your blood!" Rama's lament eas heart breaking as he beheld Sita in the grip of the vile monster. "Lakshmana, do you see the cherished daughter of Janaka my chaste consort? She who enshrines me in her heart, is held captive in the arms of this loathsome mass of flesh? Today Kaikeyi's wishes come true. Not content with the enthronement of her son the wily woman brought about my exile. That another should have laid hands on Sita is intolerable and the greatest of my misfortunes. It is more tragic than the death of my father or the loss of my kingdom. An equally distraught Lakshmana tried to console Rama, "While I am here, why do you grieve? Do you not have a defender in me Rama? I shall slay this demon. I will now let loose the fury of the wrath that I once had for Bharata's alleged treachery. My arrow will pierce the heart of Viradha and death will embrace him. May his blood drench the earth!"