Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 71: Kabandha’s Past Life
Text 3.71.1

पुरा राम महाबाहो महाबलपराक्रम।
रूपमासीन्ममाचिन्त्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्।
यथा सोमस्य शक्रस्य सूर्यस्य च यथा वपुः॥ 

purā rāma mahā-bāho mahā-bala-parākrama
rūpam āsīn mamācintyaṁ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam
yathā somasya śakrasya sūryasya ca yathā vapuḥ

purā = formerly; rāma = Rāma; mahā-bāho = mighty-armed; mahā-bala-parākrama = of great strength and heroism; rūpam = a beautiful form; āsīt mama = I had; acintyam = of inconceivable glory; triṣu = in the three; lokeṣu = worlds; viśrutam = it was well known; yathā = it was similar; somasya = of Candra; śakrasya = Indra; sūryasya ca yathā = and Sūrya; vapuḥ = to the body.

Mighty-armed Rāma of great strength and heroism, formerly I had a beautiful form of inconceivable glory. It was well known in the three worlds. It was similar to the body of Candra, Indra and Sūrya.

Kabandha narrates his history and then begs [Lord Rāmacandra] to burn his body to liberate him from the curse [Kabandha had been under]. This is described in this chapter.

GLOSS. Acintya indicates that [Kabandha’s previous] form appeared to be inconceivable [like the forms of] Candra, Rudra, [Indra and Sūrya].1

1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhāva-dīpa: somasya candrasya. rudrasyety apy arthaḥ.