When the night fell, Rama and Lakshmana returned back to their empty hut. Rama said he did not want to reside there without Sita and would drown himself in the waters of Godavari. He hugged Lakshmana and the whole night, the two brothers kept crying, missing Sita.
When dawn broke, Rama and Lakshmana started their journey southwards. They entered a forest full of Kusha grass. They sat below a tree in the forest. Lakshmana said it was not safe to be in this place, as anything could be hiding in the grass. It was best to leave this place at the earliest.
When they got up and were about to leave when they came face to face with a rakshasha called Kabandha. This being had eyes nose and mouth in his stomach. He was huge in size.
Kabandha grabbed Rama and Lakshmana in his two hands. He said he would eat them up now but before making a meal out of them, he wanted to know who they were.
Lakshmana said instead of an introduction, it was time to teach him a lesson. Drawing out a sword, Lakshmana cut off the hand holding him. Rama similarly cut off the other hand.
Kabandha fell on the ground and then wanted to know they really were. Lakshmana then told him who they were. This reminded Kabandha of an earlier incident. He said he was a robber who was proud of his beauty. Vain, he had insulted the sages who had cursed him to become what he was now. He was also told when Vishnu, in his human form, cut off his hands; he would be liberated.
Knowing that he was going to die and go to the heaven he said he would help Rama. He asked Rama and Lakshmana to burn his body. Once free, he would tell them what to do next.
Lakshmana prepared a pyre and burned Kabandha. A handsome man came out of the pyre. He asked Rama and Lakshmana to go in search of Sugriva in Rishyamukha. He would be able to help them get Sita. Saying this, Kabandha vanished.
When dawn broke, Rama and Lakshmana started their journey southwards. They entered a forest full of Kusha grass. They sat below a tree in the forest. Lakshmana said it was not safe to be in this place, as anything could be hiding in the grass. It was best to leave this place at the earliest.
When they got up and were about to leave when they came face to face with a rakshasha called Kabandha. This being had eyes nose and mouth in his stomach. He was huge in size.
Kabandha grabbed Rama and Lakshmana in his two hands. He said he would eat them up now but before making a meal out of them, he wanted to know who they were.
Lakshmana said instead of an introduction, it was time to teach him a lesson. Drawing out a sword, Lakshmana cut off the hand holding him. Rama similarly cut off the other hand.
Kabandha fell on the ground and then wanted to know they really were. Lakshmana then told him who they were. This reminded Kabandha of an earlier incident. He said he was a robber who was proud of his beauty. Vain, he had insulted the sages who had cursed him to become what he was now. He was also told when Vishnu, in his human form, cut off his hands; he would be liberated.
Knowing that he was going to die and go to the heaven he said he would help Rama. He asked Rama and Lakshmana to burn his body. Once free, he would tell them what to do next.
Lakshmana prepared a pyre and burned Kabandha. A handsome man came out of the pyre. He asked Rama and Lakshmana to go in search of Sugriva in Rishyamukha. He would be able to help them get Sita. Saying this, Kabandha vanished.
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