And in that
great forest, Rama along with Sumatra's son beheld many herds of deer
running in all directions. And they heard a loud uproar of various
creatures like what is heard during a fast spreading forest
conflagration. And soon they beheld a headless Rakshasa of terrible
mien. And that Rakshasa was dark as the clouds and huge as a mountain,
with shoulders broad as those of a Sola tree, and with arms that were
gigantic. And he had a pair of large eyes on his breast, and the opening
of his mouth was placed on his capacious belly. And that Rakshasa seized
Lakshmana by the hand, without any difficulty. And seized by the
Rakshasa the son of Sumitra, O Bharata, became utterly confounded and
helpless. And casting his glances on Rama, that headless Rakshasa began
to draw Lakshmana towards that part of his body where his mouth was. And
Lakshmana in grief addressed Rama, saying, "Behold my plight! The loss
of thy kingdom, and then the death of our father, and then the abduction
of Sita, and finally this disaster that hath overwhelmed me! Alas, I
shall not behold thee return with the princess of Videha to Kosala and
seated on thy ancestral throne as the ruler of the entire Earth! They
only that are fortunate will behold thy face, like unto the moon emerged
from the clouds, after thy coronation bath in water sanctified with Kusa
grass and fried paddy and black peas!" And the intelligent Lakshmana
uttered those and other lamentations in the same strain. The illustrious
descendant, however, of Kakutstha's race undaunted amid danger, replied
unto Lakshmana, saying, "Do not, O tiger among men, give way to grief!
What is this thing when I am here? Cut thou off his right arm and I
shall cut off his left." And while Rama was still speaking so, the left
arm of the monster was severed by him, cut off with a sharp scimitar, as
if indeed, that arm were a stalk of the _Tila corn_. The mighty son of
Sumitra then beholding his brother standing before him struck off with
his sword the right arm also of that Rakshasa. And Lakshmana also began
to repeatedly strike the Rakshasa under the ribs, and then that huge
headless monster fell upon the ground and expired quickly. And then
there came out from the Rakshasa's body a person of celestial make. And
he showed himself to the brothers, staying for a moment in the skies,
like the Sun in his effulgence in the firmament. And Rama skilled in
speech, asked him, saying, "Who art thou? Answer _me_ who en