Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 4: Rāma Buries Virādha
Text 3.4.5
तस्य रौद्रस्य सौमित्रिर्बाहुं सव्यं बभञ्ज ह।
रामस्तु दक्षिणं बाहुं तरसा तस्य रक्षसः॥
tasya raudrasya saumitrir bāhuṁ savyaṁ babhañja ha
rāmas tu dakṣiṇaṁ bāhuṁ tarasā tasya rakṣasaḥ
tasya = the; raudrasya = terrifying; saumitriḥ = Sumitrā’s son; bāhum = arm; savyam = left; babhañja ha = broke; rāmaḥ tu = [while] Rāma [broke]; dakṣiṇam = left; bāhum = arm; tarasā = forcefully; tasya = his; rakṣasaḥ = rākṣasa’s.
Sumitrā’s son forcefully broke the terrifying rākṣasa’s left arm [while] Rāma [broke] his left arm.
While subjugating Virādha and Kabandha, Lakṣmaṇa and Rāma are always said to have cut the left and right arm respectively [of Virādha and Kabandha]. What is the governing principle here?
We answer [this question as follows]: Lakṣmaṇa always stands by Rāma’s right. While taking Rāma with the right hand, [Virādha or Kabandha] took Lakṣmaṇa with the left hand. Thus there is no contradiction here.