Aranya Kanda, Sarga 68

Meaning

Though elder, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) for his part, who was capable of picking up the best part of everything, accepted, when exhorted in the aforesaid words by Lakṣmaṇa, his beautifully-worded and highly valuable advice. (1)

Meaning

Controlling his highly intensified anger and leaning on his wonderful bow, the mighty-armed Śrī Rāma spoke to Lakṣmaṇa as follows : (2)

Meaning

“What shall we do, my darling? And whither shall we go, O Lakṣmaṇa? By what expedient shall we be able to see Sītā in this forest? Ponder over this.” (3)

Meaning

To Śrī Rāma,who was stricken with agony as aforesaid, Lakṣmaṇa replied as follows: “You would do well to search this region of Janasthāna alone, which is full of numerous ogres and covered with trees and climbers of every description. There are many mountain-gorges, chasms and valleys, as well as fearful caves of various kinds crowded with herds of beasts of different species, nay, habitats of Kinnaras and dwellings of Gandharvas. (4—6)

Meaning

“You would do well to ransack these strenuously with me. Richly endowed with intelligence, high-souled jewels among men like you are never shaken by calamities any more than mountains by blasts.” Angrily setting to his bow a dreadful arrow known by the name of Kṣura (so-called because it was sharp-edged as a razor), when exhorted thus by Lakṣmaṇa, Śrī Rāma, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa, ranged the whole of that forest. Thereupon he saw fallen on the ground, drenched with blood, the highly blessed Jaṭāyu, the foremost of birds, who looked like a mountain-peak. Seeing the vulture, which looked like a mountain-peak, Śrī Rāma spoke as follows to Lakṣmaṇa : (7—10)

Meaning

“Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, has been devoured by this bird : there is no doubt about it. Evidently it is an ogre ranging the forest in the guise of a vulture. (11)

Meaning

“Having eaten up the large-eyed Sītā, it is lying at ease. I shall make short work of it by means of straight-going dreaded arrows with fiery heads.” (12)

Meaning

Saying so and angrily setting an arrow going by the name of Kṣura to his bow, Śrī Rāma rushed to see him, shaking as it were the whole earth bounded by the ocean. (13)

Meaning

Vomiting foaming blood, the aforesaid vulture submitted to the celebrated Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha, in most piteous accents as follows : (14)

Meaning

“That godly lady whom you are seeking in the great forest as one would a life-giving herb, as well as my life, both have been snatched away by Rāvaṇa, O child blessed with long life ! (15)

Meaning

“Bereft of you as well as of Lakṣmaṇa, O scion of Raghu, the queen was seen by me being carried away by Rāvaṇa of superior might. (16)

Meaning

“I flew to the succour of Sītā as soon as I heard her cry and in the course of the struggle that ensued with the powerful ogre, Rāvaṇa, my lord, fell down on the earth’s surface with his chariot and canopy shattered. (17)

Meaning

“Here is his broken bow and here are his arrows reduced to splinters. And here, O Rāma, is his chariot of war smashed by me in the contest. (18)

Meaning

“Here, again, is his charioteer lying slain on the ground with the stroke of my wings. Severing with his sword both my wings, exhausted as I was, and taking Sītā, the princess of the Videha kingdom, Rāvaṇa eventually flew in the air. You ought not to kill me, who stand already slain by the ogre.” (19-20)

Meaning

Abandoning his mighty bow on coming to know his pleasing story, connected as it was with Sītā, and embracing Jaṭāyu, the king of vultures, Śrī Rāma for his part fell down to the ground, having lost control over his self. Nay, though very resolute, he cried with Lakṣmaṇa, afflicted as he was with double agony. (21-22)

Meaning

Distressed to perceive the vulture lying all by himself in a precarious condition on a narrow passage accessible to only one man, and drawing a deep breath again and again, Śrī Rāma spoke as follows to Lakṣmaṇa, son of Sumitrā : (23)

Meaning

“My sovereignty is lost, exile to the forest has been forced on me, Sītā too has disappeared and the bird, my great ally in the forest, has all but died. Such is my misfortune, which can surely consume even fire itself that consumes all. (24)

Meaning

“Even if I were to cross the ocean full to the brim just to refresh myself and assuage my feelings today, even the ocean, the lord of rivers, will surely dry up due to my misfortune. (25)

Meaning

“In this world comprising the animate and inanimate beings there is none more unlucky than myself, by whom this great trap in the shape of adversity has been found. (26)

Meaning

“Due to adverseness of my fate alone this friend of my father, Jaṭāyu, the king of vultures, though possessed of extraordinary might, lies mortally wounded on the ground.” (27)

Meaning

Having spoken thus, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) with Lakṣmaṇa stroked Jaṭāyu again and again, showing filial affection to him. (28)

Meaning

Embracing the aforesaid king of vultures—whose wings had been lopped off and who was lying bathed in blood—and uttering the words “Where has the princess of Mithilā, who was dear to me as life, gone?” Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) sank down on the earth. (29)