Ramayan Part 24 - Demon Viradha Destroyed Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

Janasthana was a hamlet,
Near the hill Chitrakoot,
Ruled by demon Kara,
A brother of Ravana.

They molested all sages,
Who left their hermitages,
And prayed for Ram’s presence,
To fight this growing menace.

After Bharata’s departure,
There wasn't a moment of pleasure,
For Ram in his disturbed mind,
And mental peace he couldn’t find.

The thoughts of widowed
Mother quite often echoed,
Bharata’s tearful face look,
Melted his heart as it shook.

The sad memories of the past,
Disturbed his mind fast,
To seek other place of rest,
He decided to move at last.

They left Chitrakoot for a change,
And went to Atri’s hermitage.
The sage’s wife Anasooya
Gave jewels as gift to Sita.

As they moved on further,
They saw a site better,
A colony of holy men
Friendly and humane.

They entered by next morn
Dense Dandaka forest again
And saw a gigantic demon
Moving like a hill broken.

Viradha was his name,
To attack them he came.
He was ugly and cruel,
A man-eater of the jungle.

Under a spell of curse
A celestial being he was
Forced to live as demon,
As a menace to holy men.

He was on the spot killed,
And the curse was released.
He went back to his abode,
Wishing them all the good.

The news of Viradha’s fall,
Gave such relief to sages all,
With their mind fully at ease,
They could perform penance with ease.

In the Ashram of Sarabhanga,
And then of Suteekshna,
They were received and blessed
For all the services they did.

They set their foot again,
In the dense forest region,
With a radiant appearance
By the great sages’ grace.