Aranya Kanda — Sarga 68

रामः प्रेक्ष्य तु तं गृधं भुवि रौद्रेण पातितम्। सौमित्रिं मित्रसम्पन्नमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ ममायं नूनमर्थेषु यतमानो विहंगमः। राक्षसेन हतः संख्ये प्राणांस्त्यजति मत्कृते॥ अतिखिन्नः शरीरेऽस्मिन् प्राणो लक्ष्मण विद्यते। तथा स्वरविहीनोऽयं विक्लवं समुदीक्षते॥

Beholding Jațāyu fallen on the ground by the terrible Raksasa, Rāma spoke to Laksmana, having compassion for all, saying Verily for my service this bird has breathed its last, being killed by the Raksasa.O Laksmana, its voice has been enfeebled, its vision weakened and its life, greatly exhausted, Leith in a very little proportion in its body.

Aranya Kanda 68.1

जटायो यदि शक्नोषि वाक्यं व्याहरितुं पुनः। सीतामाख्याहि भद्रं ते वधमाख्याहि चात्मनः॥

May good betide you, O Jatayu; if you are capable of speaking again, do you relate how Sītā has been carried away and you have been killed.

Aranya Kanda 68.2

किंन्निमित्तो जहारार्यां रावणस्तस्य किं मया। अपराधं तु यं दृष्ट्वा रावणेन हृता प्रिया॥

Why has Rāvaņa taken away by stealth the worshipful Jānki? What offence did I commit by him that he has carried away my dear one?

Aranya Kanda 68.3

कथं तच्चन्द्रसंकाशं मुखमासीन्मनोहरम्। सीतया कानि चोक्तानि तस्मिन्काले द्विजोत्तम॥

O you best of birds, how looked the moonlike, pleasant countenance of Sītā at the time of her being carried away? What did she speak then?

Aranya Kanda 68.4

कथंवीर्यः कथंरूपः किंकर्मा स च राक्षसः। क्व चास्य भवनं तात ब्रूहि मे परिपृच्छतः॥

What is the prowess, appearance and action of that Raksasa? Where dose he live, O reverend Sir? Pray tell me, I do ask you.

Aranya Kanda 68.5

तमुवीक्ष्य स धर्मात्मा विलपन्तमनाथवत्। वाचा विक्लवया राममिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥

Beholding Rāma, lament like one helpless, the virtuous-souled Jațăyu spoke in faltering accents.

Aranya Kanda 68.6

सा हृता राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन दुरात्मना। मायामास्थाय विपुलां वातदुर्दिनसंकुलाम्॥

Sītā has been carried away by Rāvana, the lord of Rākşasas, creating a mighty illusion producing wind and showers.

Aranya Kanda 68.7

परिकलान्तस्य मे तात पक्षौ छित्वा निशाचरः। सीतामादाय वैदेही प्रयातो दक्षिणामुखः॥

O darling, myself being worn out that nightranger, having sundered my wings, fled away with Sītā to the southerly direction.

Aranya Kanda 68.8

उपरुध्यन्ति मे प्राणा दृष्टिभ्रमति राघव। पश्यामि वृक्षान् सौवर्णानुशीरकृतमूर्धजान्॥

O Rāghava, my life is about to expire, my eye-sight has grown of mistaken perception, I see trees before me made of gold having hair resembling Usira.

Aranya Kanda 68.9

येन याति मुहूर्तेन सीतामादाय रावणः। विप्रणष्टं धनं क्षिप्रं तत्स्वामी प्रतिपद्यते॥ विन्दो नाम मुहूर्तोऽसौ न च काकुत्स्थ सोऽबुधत्। झषवद् बडिशं गृह्य क्षिप्रमेव विनश्यति ॥

Rāvana has taken away Sītā at a moment when a person regains soon his lost property. O Kākutstha, this moment is called Vindya, which Rāvana has not been able to perceive. (At this moment) the person who takes away (a thing) is soon destroyed like to a fish devouring a hook. This refers to Jatāyu's astrological knowledge. Vindya is derived from the root Vid-to gain. Thus this moment is favourable to the laser and unfavourable to the taker. Hence Rāvana carrying away Sītā at this moment shall meet with destruction.

Aranya Kanda 68.10

न च त्वया व्यथा कार्या जनकस्य सुतां प्रति। वैदेह्या रंस्यसे क्षिप्रं हत्वा तं रणमूर्धनि ॥

Do not therefore entertain the least doubt about your coming by Janakī. Destroying him at the head of the battle you shall soon sport with Vaidehi.

Aranya Kanda 68.11

असम्मूढस्य गृध्रस्य रामं प्रत्यनुभाषतः। आस्यात् सुस्राव रुधिरं म्रियमाणस्य सामिषम्॥

Thereupon flesh and gore began to come out of the mouth of Jatayu, the king of vultures, not loosing his sense even while treading the verge of death.

Aranya Kanda 68.12

पुत्रो विश्रवसः साक्षाद् भ्राता वैश्रवणस्य च। इत्युक्त्वा दुर्लभान् प्राणान् मुमोच पतगेश्वरः॥

Thereupon the king of birds gave up his dear life uttering only-Rāvana is the son of Visravā and brother to Vaisravana (the lord of wealth).

Aranya Kanda 68.13

ब्रूहि ब्रूहीति रामस्य ब्रुवाणस्य कृताञ्जलेः। त्यक्त्वा शरीरं गृध्रस्य प्राणा जग्मुर्विहायसम्॥

Rāma again and again addressed him with joined palms saying, Do you speak! Do you speak. And instantly Jatayu's vital spark rose up in the sky, leaving his bodily frame.

Aranya Kanda 68.14

स निक्षिप्य शिरो भूमौ प्रसार्य चरणौ तथा। विक्षिप्य च शरीरं स्वं पपात धरणीतले ॥

Thereupon the king of vultures fell down on the earth by stretching forth his legs, body and head on the ground.

Aranya Kanda 68.15

तं गृधं प्रेक्ष्य ताम्राक्षं गतासुमचलोपमम्। रामः सुबहुभिर्दुःखैर्दीनः सौमित्रिमब्रवीत्॥

Beholding the vulture dead, of huge proportions, resembling a hill and having red eyes, Rama, aggrieved, spoke piteously to Saumitri.

Aranya Kanda 68.16

बहूनि रक्षसां वासे वर्षाणि वसता सुखम्। अनेन दण्डकारण्ये विशीर्णमिह पक्षिणा॥

Living happily, for years, in this forest of Dandaka inhabited by the Rākşasas, Jațāyu has, at last, given up his life.

Aranya Kanda 68.17

अनेकवार्षिको यस्तु चिरकालसमुत्थितः। सोऽयमद्य हतः शेते कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः॥

He lived for a long time, of an uplifted person, and has now laid low on the earth. None can withstand the course of destiny.

Aranya Kanda 68.18

पश्य लक्ष्मण गृध्रोऽयमुपकारी हतश्च मे। सीतामभ्यवपन्नो हि रावणेन बलीयसा॥

Observe, O Laksmana, this vulture for my benefaction, has been killed by the powerful Rāvaņa in his attempt to rescue Sītā.

Aranya Kanda 68.19

गृध्रराज्यं परित्यज्य पितृपैतामहं महत्। मम हेतोरयं प्राणान् मुमोच पतगेश्वरः॥

For me, has this Lord of birds, breathed his last, renouncing his large ancestral kingdom.

Aranya Kanda 68.20

सर्वत्र खलु दृश्यन्ते साधवो धर्मचारिणः। शूराः शरण्याः सौमित्रे तिर्यग्योनिगतेष्वपि॥

In every status of animal creation, the heroic, the righteous and the honest, affording refuge to all, are to be found, even among the birds.

Aranya Kanda 68.21

सीताहरणजं दुःखं न मे सौम्य तथागतम्। यथा विनाशो गृध्रस्य मत्कृते च परंतप ॥

I do not feel so much affliction, O hero, for Sītā's ravishment as I do for this vulture, who has been killed for me.

Aranya Kanda 68.22

राजा दशरथः श्रीमान् यथा मम महायशाः। पूजनीयश्च मान्यश्च तथायं पतगेश्वरः॥

Like to the highly famous, effulgent king Dasaratha, this King of birds is worthy of being adored and worshipped by me.

Aranya Kanda 68.23

सौमित्रे हर काष्ठानि निर्मथिष्यामि पावकम्। गृध्रराजं दिधक्ष्यामि मत्कृते निधनं गतम्॥

O Saumitri, do you bring fuels; I shall produce fire there-with and burn the dead body of this king of birds who has been killed on my account.

Aranya Kanda 68.24

नाथं पतगलोकस्य चितिमारोपयाम्यहम्। इमं धक्ष्यामि सौमित्रे हृतं रौद्रेण रक्षसा॥

Placing on a funeral pile, I shall cremate, O Saumitrī, the dead body of this king of birds who has been destroyed by the grim-visaged Raksasas.

Aranya Kanda 68.25

या गतिर्यज्ञशीलानामाहिताग्नेश्च या गतिः। अपरावर्तिनां या च या च भूमिप्रदायिनाम्॥ मया त्वं समनुज्ञातो गच्छ लोकाननुत्तमान्। गृध्रराज महासत्व संस्कृतश्च मया व्रज॥

Being consecrated and commanded by me, do you, O highly powerful king of birds, attain to that excellent state of existence, which is reached by persons ever performing pious observance, by Āhilāgnis by heroes who are not afraid of entering a battle-field and by persons who confer grants of land.

Aranya Kanda 68.26

एवमुक्त्वा चितां दीप्तामारोप्य पतगेश्वरम्। ददाह रामो धर्मात्मा स्वबन्धुमिव दुःखितः॥

Saying this the virtuous-souled Rāma, afflicted with sorrow, burned the body of the king of birds, placing it on the funeral pile, like to his own kinsman.

Aranya Kanda 68.27

रामोऽपि सहसौमित्रिर्वनं गत्वा स वीर्यवान्। स्थूलान् हत्वा महारोहीननुतस्तार तं द्विजम् ॥ रोहिमांसानि चोद्धृत्य पेशीकृत्वा महायशाः। शकुनाय ददौ रामो रम्ये हरितशाद्वले॥

Entering the forest with Saumitrī, Rāma gifted with prowess, killed plump high deer and stretched forth grass and twigs for offering oblation to that bird. Taking off the flesh of those high deer and clustering it, Rāma, of great renown, offered it to the vultures in that pleasant forest-land, abounding in green grass.

Aranya Kanda 68.28

यत् तत् प्रेतस्य मर्त्यस्य कथयन्ति द्विजातयः। तत् स्वर्गगमनं क्षिप्रं तस्य रामो जजाप ह॥

Thereupon for his speedy arrival at the abode of celestials, Rāma recited those Mantras which are being uttered by the twice-born ones.

Aranya Kanda 68.29

ततो गोदावरी गत्वा नदी नरवरात्मजौ। उदकं चक्रतुस्तस्मै गृध्रराजाय तावुभौ ॥

Afterwards repairing to the river Godāverī the two princes offered water to that kingly vulture.

Aranya Kanda 68.30

शास्त्रदृष्टेन विधिना जनं गृध्राय राघवौ। स्नात्वा तौ गृध्रराजाय उदकं चक्रतुस्तदा ॥

And offering yater to him according to the prescribed rites of the Śástras, those two descendants of Raghu, after bathing, perforined the Udaka ceremony for that king of vultures. Presentation of water specially to the manes as a religious or obsequal rite.

Aranya Kanda 68.31

स गृध्रराजः कृतवान् यशस्करं सुदुष्करं कर्म रणे निपातितः। महर्षिकल्पेन च संस्कृतस्तदा जगाम पुण्यां गतिमात्मनः शुभाम्॥

Having been killed in battle for an arduous but glorious work, that king of vultures, consecrated by the ascetic-like Rāma, attained to an excellent state.

Aranya Kanda 68.32

कृतोदकौ तावपि पक्षिसत्तम स्थिरां च बुद्धिं प्रणिधाय जग्मतुः। प्रवेश्य सीताधिगमे ततो मनो वनं सुरेन्द्राविव विष्णुवासवौ॥

Having performed the Udaka ceremony for that best of birds and considering him in the light of a father they went away and entered the forest in quest of Sītā like to the two best of celestials-Visnu and Vasava. glorious work, that king of vultures, consecrated by the ascetic-like Rāma, attained to an excellent state.

Aranya Kanda 68.33