SECTION LXX.
Beholding both the brothers, Rāma and Lakshmana, clasping each other with their arms, the headless demon spake:—"O two best of Kshatryas, are ye waiting here beholding me hungry? O ye having lost your sense, ye have been chosen by Destiny as my food." Hearing those words Lakshmana, sore distressed and determined to display his valour, addressed Rāma with words worthy of being said on that occasion. "This vile Rākshasa shall seize both of us; let us sunder soon its two huge arms with our daggers. This grim-visaged Rākshasa, of huge proportions, gifted only with the strength of arms, defeating all other persons, hath addressed itself at last to destroy us. It is odious for the Kshatryas to make away with those who cannot defend themselves like unto animals brought for sacrifice."67 Hearing their conversation, the Rākshasa, inflamed with rage, widening its terrible mouth, prepared to devour them up.68 Thereat Rāma and Lakshmana, cognizant of time and place, pleased,69 sundered its arms off its shoulders with their daggers. Rāma, stationed on the right side70 cut off in no time its right arm with his dagger and the heroic Lakshmana, the left one. Having got its arms dissevered, the terrible-voiced, Kavandha, of huge arms,roaring like unto the muttering of clouds and resounding the heaven, earth and all the quarters, fell flat on the ground. Beholding both its arms cut off, the demon, with its person bathed in blood, asked them poorly—" Who are ye?" Being thus accosted by Kavandha, the mighty Lakshmana, gifted with auspicious marks, spake unto it, about Kākuthstha. "He is a descendant of the Ikshwākus known on earth by the name of Rāma, and know me as his younger brother, by name—Lakshmana. Being thwarted by mother (Kaikeyi) in his accession of kingdom, he, renouncing all, hath fled as an exile unto woods, and hath, along with me and his spouse, been ranging this forest. While living in the dense forest the wife of Rāma, effulgent like unto the celestials hath been ravished by a Rākshasa. Searching her, have we come here. Who art thou? And what for art thou ranging this forest like unto a headless demon, having thy thighs broken and thy flaming face placed on thy breast?" Being thus addressed by Lakshmana with these goodly words, Kavandha, pleased, recollecting the words of Indra, bespake him,—"O two best of men, ye are welcome! By my good luck it is that I do behold you. By my good fortune ye have dissevered my shoulders to-day. Do ye hear. I shall relate truly unto you how have I, by my haughtiness, come by this unsightly shape."