Ramayana Condensed in the Poet's Own Words /47

BALAKANDA
 
29
 
the offerings of water, and prepared to

start.
 

 
स वनं घोरसङ्काशं दृष्ट्वा नरवरान्मजः ।

अविप्रहतमैक्ष्वाकः पप्रच्छ मुनिपुङ्गवम् ।

अहो वनमिदं दुर्गं किं न्वेतद्दारुणं वनम् ॥
 

Seeing the forest of terrible aspect, un-

trodden by any as yet, Rama asked the

best of ascetics (Viswamitra):-

"Oh! this forest is impenetrable. What

forest is this, of cruel aspect ?"
 

 
तमुवाच महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ॥
 

Visvamitra, the great ascetic of great

brilliance, answered him thus :-

 
ताटका नाम भद्रं ते भार्या सुन्दस्य धीमतः ।

मारीचो राक्षसः पुत्रो यस्याः शक्रपराक्रमः ॥
 

"Good betide you. The wise Sunda has.

a wife kunown as Tataka, whose son is the

Rakshasa Maricha, equal to Indra in

valour.
 

 
सेयं पन्थानमावृत्य वसत्यत्यर्धयोजने ।
 

अत एव च गन्तव्यं ताटकाया वनं यतः ॥
 

Obstructing this path, she lives at a

distance of a yojana and a half, We have