ॐ विराधवधपण्डिताय नमः

।Om Viradhavadhapanditaya Namah।

The Slayer Of The Demon Viradha

The Battle with Viradha.Illuminated Ramayana ms., circa 1700

//The son of Raghu seeing the beautiful Sita in Viradha's arms said to Lakshmana, his face drying up with grief, "Behold, O my brother, the daughter of Janak lord of men, my wife of noble life taken into Viradha's arms, the King's daughter highsplendoured and nurtured in utter ease! The thing Kaikayie desired, the thing dear to her that she chose for a gift, how quickly today, O Lakshmana, has it been utterly fulfilled, she whose foresight was not satisfied with the kingdom for her son, but she sent me, the beloved of all beings, to the wild woods. Now today she has her desire, that middle mother of mine. For no worse grief can befall me than that another should touch Vydehie and that my father should perish and my own kingdom be wrested from my hands." So Cacootstha spake, and Lakshmana answered him & his eyes filled with the mist of grief and he panted like a furious snake controlled, "O thou who art like Indra and the protector of this world's creatures, why dost thou afflict thyself as if thou wert one who had himself no protector, even though I am here, the servant of thy will? Today shall the Rakshasa be slain by my angry shaft and earth drink the blood of Viradha dead. The wrath that was born in me against Bharat for his lust of rule, I will loose upon Viradha as the Thunderer hurls his bolt against a hill."

Then Viradha spoke yet again and filled the forest with his voice, "Answer to my questioning, who are ye and whither do ye go?" And Rama answered to the Rakshasa with his mouth of fire, in his pride of strength he answered his questioning and declared his birth in Ikshwaku's line. "Kshatriyas accomplished in virtue know us to be, farers in this forest, but of thee we would know who thou art that rangest Dandak woods." And to Rama of unerring might Viradha made reply, "Java's son am I, Shatahrada was my dam and Viradha am I called by all Rakshasas on earth.//  Pieces from the Ramayana, translated by Sri Aurobindo

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Viradha was originally a Gandharva who due to his neglience was cursed by Kubera to become a demon, who could only regain his original form, if slain by Rama.

16. abhishaapaat = by curse; aham praviSTaH ghoram rakshasiim tanum = I, entered, ghoulish, demon's, body; tumburuH naama gandharava = Tumburu, named, celestial [I am]; shaptaH = cursed; vaishrvaNena hi = by Kubera, verily.

"By curse I had to enter this ghoulish demon's body, but I am a celestial gandharva, named Tumburu and Kubera cursed me... [3-4-16]

प्रसाद्यमानः च मया सोऽब्रवीत् माम् महायशाः |
यदा दाशरथी रमः त्वाम् वधिष्यति संयुगे || ३-४-१७
तदा प्रकृतिम् आपन्नो भवान् स्वर्गम् गमिष्यति |

17-18a. prasaadyamaanaH cha mayaa = entreated, he was, also, by me; mahaa yashaH, saH = great, renowned one, he, Kubera; abraviit maam = said, to me; yadaa dasharathii raamaH = when, Dasharatha's, Rama; tvaam vadhiSyati samyuge = you, kills, in fight; tadaa prakR^itim aapannaH = then, natural state [celestial body,] you attain; bhavaan swargam gamiSyati = you, to heavens, can go;.

"When entreated by me, he that greatly renowned Kubera said to me, 'When Dasharatha's Rama kills you in a fight... then you will attain your nature of celestial body and you will go to heavens...' [3-4-17, 18a]