Sources · மூலங்கள்

The dying vulture's word

Valmiki · Aranya Kanda
3.57.1–3.68.38 (CrEd 3.55.1–3.64.36)

தமிழ் · விரைவில் வருகிறது · The Tamil is coming

Rama finds the hut empty and searches the forest with Lakshmana, asking the trees and the river Godavari for Sita. On the path they find her flowers, blood and a broken chariot, and Rama's grief turns to fury against the worlds until Lakshmana calms him. They find the dying Jatayu, who tells them Ravana took her south; Rama honours him as a father and gives him the last rites.

Sanskrit · English·Translation: Raam Leela

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Part 1 · பகுதி 1

The empty hut

Valmiki 3.57–3.64.14 (CrEd 3.55–3.60.14)

॥ 3.57.2–3 ॥

CrEd 3.55.2–3

silent moment

॥ 3.57.14 ॥

CrEd 3.55.13

silent moment

॥ 3.57.17b–18a ॥

CrEd 3.55.16

Rama

Sanskrit

अहो लक्ष्मण गर्ह्यं ते कृतं यत् त्वं विहाय ताम् सीताम् इहागतः सौम्य कच्चित् स्वस्ति भवेद् इति ॥

aho lakṣmaṇa garhyaṃ te kṛtaṃ yat tvaṃ vihāya tām sītām ihāgataḥ saumya kaccit svasti bhaved iti

English

Ah, Lakshmana, a blameworthy thing
you have done, in leaving her,
Sita, and coming here, gentle one.
Can it be that all is well?

॥ 3.59.6 ॥

CrEd 3.57.6

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

न स्वयं कामकारेण तां त्यक्त्वाहम् इहागतः प्रचोदितस् तयैवोग्रैस् त्वत्सकाशम् इहागतः ॥

na svayaṃ kāmakāreṇa tāṃ tyaktvāham ihāgataḥ pracoditas tayaivograis tvatsakāśam ihāgataḥ

English

Not of my own will, not by choice,
did I leave her and come here;
driven by her own fierce words
I have come here to your side.

॥ 3.59.22 ॥

CrEd 3.57.20

Rama

Sanskrit

जानन्न् अपि समर्थं मां रक्षसां विनिवारणे अनेन क्रोधवाक्येन मैथिल्या निःसृतो भवान् ॥

jānann api samarthaṃ māṃ rakṣasāṃ vinivāraṇe anena krodhavākyena maithilyā niḥsṛto bhavān

English

Though you knew that I was able
to hold the rakshasas at bay,
you came away at this,
the angry speech of Maithili.

॥ 3.60.1 ॥

CrEd 3.58.1

silent moment

॥ 3.60.3–4 ॥

CrEd 3.58.3–4

silent moment

॥ 3.60.12 ॥

CrEd 3.58.12

Rama

Sanskrit

अस्ति कच्चित् त्वया दृष्टा सा कदम्बप्रिया प्रिया कदम्ब यदि जानीषे शंस सीतां शुभाननाम् ॥

asti kaccit tvayā dṛṣṭā sā kadambapriyā priyā kadamba yadi jānīṣe śaṃsa sītāṃ śubhānanām

English

Have you seen her, perhaps,
my love, who loved the kadamba?
Kadamba, if you know,
tell me of Sita, the fair-faced.

॥ 3.61.3 ॥

CrEd 3.59.3

Rama

Sanskrit

क्व नु लक्ष्मण वैदेही कं वा देशम् इतो गता केनाहृता वा सौमित्रे भक्षिता केन वा प्रिया ॥

kva nu lakṣmaṇa vaidehī kaṃ vā deśam ito gatā kenāhṛtā vā saumitre bhakṣitā kena vā priyā

English

Where, Lakshmana, is Vaidehi?
To what land has she gone from here?
By whom, Saumitri, was she carried off?
By whom was my love devoured?

॥ 3.61.4 ॥

CrEd 3.59.4

Rama

Sanskrit

वृक्षेणावार्य यदि मां सीते हसितुम् इच्छसि अलं ते हसितेनाद्य मां भजस्व सुदुःखितम् ॥

vṛkṣeṇāvārya yadi māṃ sīte hasitum icchasi alaṃ te hasitenādya māṃ bhajasva suduḥkhitam

English

If, hiding behind a tree,
you wish to laugh at me, Sita,
enough of your laughter now;
come to me, who grieve so deeply.

॥ 3.61.14 ॥

CrEd 3.59.13

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

मा विषादं महाबाहो कुरु यत्नं मया सह इदं च हि वनं शूर बहुकन्दरशोभितम् ॥

mā viṣādaṃ mahābāho kuru yatnaṃ mayā saha idaṃ ca hi vanaṃ śūra bahukandaraśobhitam

English

Do not despair, strong-armed one;
make the effort with me.
For this forest, hero,
is graced with many caves.

॥ 3.64.3b–4a ॥

CrEd 3.60.3

silent moment

॥ 3.64.5b–6 ॥

CrEd 3.60.5–6

Rama

Sanskrit

रामः समभिचक्राम स्वयं गोदावरीं नदीम् स ताम् उपस्थितो रामः क्व सीतेत्य् एवम् अब्रवीत् ॥

rāmaḥ samabhicakrāma svayaṃ godāvarīṃ nadīm sa tām upasthito rāmaḥ kva sītety evam abravīt

English

Rama himself went
to the river Godavari;
standing before her, Rama
said this: “Where is Sita?”

॥ 3.64.7–9 ॥

CrEd 3.60.7–9

silent moment

Part 2 · பகுதி 2

The wreck on the path

Valmiki 3.64.15–3.67.3 (CrEd 3.60.15–3.63.3)

॥ 3.64.15b–24a ॥

silent moment

॥ 3.64.24b–25 ॥

CrEd 3.60.15

silent moment

॥ 3.64.26b–27a ॥

CrEd 3.60.17

Rama

Sanskrit

अभिजानामि पुष्पाणि तानीमानीह लक्ष्मण अपिनद्धानि वैदेह्या मया दत्तानि कानने ॥

abhijānāmi puṣpāṇi tānīmānīha lakṣmaṇa apinaddhāni vaidehyā mayā dattāni kānane

English

I know these flowers here, Lakshmana,
these very ones:
Vaidehi wore them,
given by me in the forest.

॥ 3.64.35b–39 ॥

CrEd 3.60.22–24

silent moment

॥ 3.64.40–42 ॥

CrEd 3.60.25–27

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

तप्तबिन्दुनिकाशैश् च चित्रैः क्षतजबिन्दुभिः ।
आवृतं पश्य सौमित्रे सर्वतो धरणीतलम् ।
मन्ये लक्ष्मण वैदेही राक्षसैः कामरूपिभिः ।
भित्त्वा भित्त्वा विभक्ता वा भक्षिता वा भविष्यति ।
तस्य निमित्तं वैदेह्या द्वयोर् विवदमानयोः ।
बभूव युद्धं सौमित्रे घोरं राक्षसयोर् इह ॥

taptabindunikāśaiś ca citraiḥ kṣatajabindubhiḥ
āvṛtaṃ paśya saumitre sarvato dharaṇītalam
manye lakṣmaṇa vaidehī rākṣasaiḥ kāmarūpibhiḥ
bhittvā bhittvā vibhaktā vā bhakṣitā vā bhaviṣyati
tasya nimittaṃ vaidehyā dvayor vivadamānayoḥ
babhūva yuddhaṃ saumitre ghoraṃ rākṣasayor iha

English

With bright drops of blood,
like drops of molten gold,
see, Saumitri, the ground
is covered all around.
I think, Lakshmana, that Vaidehi,
by rakshasas who take what form they will,
has been torn and torn and parted,
or else devoured.
Over Vaidehi, Saumitri,
as two rakshasas quarrelled,
a terrible battle
was fought between them here.

॥ 3.64.43 ॥

CrEd 3.60.28

silent moment

॥ 3.64.43–44a, 3.64.47b–48a ॥

CrEd 3.60.28, 3.60.32

condensed from 3.64.43–44a, 3.64.47b–48a

Rama

Sanskrit

मुक्तामणिचितं चेदं तपनीयविभूषितम् ।
धरण्यां पतितं सौम्य कस्य भग्नं महद् धनुः ।
… ।
दीप्तपावकसंकाशो द्युतिमान् समरध्वजः ।
अपविद्धश् च भग्नश् च कस्य सांग्रामिको रथः ॥

muktāmaṇicitaṃ cedaṃ tapanīyavibhūṣitam
dharaṇyāṃ patitaṃ saumya kasya bhagnaṃ mahad dhanuḥ
…
dīptapāvakasaṃkāśo dyutimān samaradhvajaḥ
apaviddhaś ca bhagnaś ca kasya sāṃgrāmiko rathaḥ

English

And this, set with pearls and gems,
adorned with burnished gold,
fallen on the ground, gentle one:
whose great bow, broken?
…
Like a blazing fire, shining,
with its banner of battle,
flung down and shattered:
whose war-chariot is this?

॥ 3.64.62b–63a ॥

CrEd 3.60.44

Rama

Sanskrit

न तां कुशलिनीं सीतां प्रदास्यन्ति ममेश्वराः अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते सौमित्रे मम द्रक्ष्यन्ति विक्रमम् ॥

na tāṃ kuśalinīṃ sītāṃ pradāsyanti mameśvarāḥ asmin muhūrte saumitre mama drakṣyanti vikramam

English

If the lords do not give me back
Sita, safe and well,
this very moment, Saumitri,
they shall see my might.

॥ 3.64.74–75 ॥

CrEd 3.60.49–50

silent moment

॥ 3.64.76 ॥

CrEd 3.60.51

Rama

Sanskrit

यथा जरा यथा मृत्युर् यथा कालो यथा विधिः नित्यं न प्रतिहन्यन्ते सर्वभूतेषु लक्ष्मण तथाहं क्रोधसंयुक्तो न निवार्योऽस्म्य् असंशयम् ॥

yathā jarā yathā mṛtyur yathā kālo yathā vidhiḥ nityaṃ na pratihanyante sarvabhūteṣu lakṣmaṇa tathāhaṃ krodhasaṃyukto na nivāryo 'smy asaṃśayam

English

As old age, as death,
as time, as fate
are never turned back
in any creature, Lakshmana,
so I, possessed by anger,
cannot be held back, beyond doubt.

॥ 3.65.4 ॥

CrEd 3.61.4

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

पुरा भूत्वा मृदुर् दान्तः सर्वभूतहिते रतः न क्रोधवशम् आपन्नः प्रकृतिं हातुम् अर्हसि ॥

purā bhūtvā mṛdur dāntaḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ na krodhavaśam āpannaḥ prakṛtiṃ hātum arhasi

English

Once you were gentle and restrained,
delighting in the good of all beings;
do not, falling into anger’s power,
cast away your nature.

॥ 3.66.21 ॥

CrEd 3.62.20

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

किं ते सर्वविनाशेन कृतेन पुरुषर्षभ तम् एव तु रिपुं पापं विज्ञायोद्धर्तुम् अर्हसि ॥

kiṃ te sarvavināśena kṛtena puruṣarṣabha tam eva tu ripuṃ pāpaṃ vijñāyoddhartum arhasi

English

What is it to you, bull among men,
to bring all things to ruin?
That wicked foe alone
you should find out and uproot.

॥ 3.67.1–2 ॥

CrEd 3.63.1–2

silent moment

॥ 3.67.3 ॥

CrEd 3.63.3

Rama

Sanskrit

किं करिष्यावहे वत्स क्व वा गच्छाव लक्ष्मण केनोपायेन पश्येयं सीताम् इति विचिन्तय ॥

kiṃ kariṣyāvahe vatsa kva vā gacchāva lakṣmaṇa kenopāyena paśyeyaṃ sītām iti vicintaya

English

What shall we do, dear one,
or where shall we go, Lakshmana?
By what means might I see Sita?
Think on this.

Part 3 · பகுதி 3

The dying vulture's word

Valmiki 3.67.8–3.68.38 (CrEd 3.63.8–3.64.36)

॥ 3.67.9b–10a ॥

CrEd 3.63.9

silent moment

॥ 3.67.11b–12 ॥

CrEd 3.63.11

condensed from 3.67.11b–12

Rama

Sanskrit

गृध्ररूपम् इदं व्यक्तं रक्षो भ्रमति काननम् ।
भक्षयित्वा विशालाक्षीम् आस्ते सीतां यथासुखम् ।
एनं वधिष्ये दीप्ताग्रैर् घोरैर् बाणैर् अजिह्मगैः ॥

gṛdhrarūpam idaṃ vyaktaṃ rakṣo bhramati kānanam
bhakṣayitvā viśālākṣīm āste sītāṃ yathāsukham
enaṃ vadhiṣye dīptāgrair ghorair bāṇair ajihmagaiḥ

English

Plainly this is a rakshasa
roaming the forest in a vulture’s form;
having devoured wide-eyed Sita
it sits here at its ease.
I will slay it with terrible arrows,
blazing-tipped and flying straight.

॥ 3.67.15 ॥

CrEd 3.63.14

Jatayu

Sanskrit

याम् ओषधिम् इवायुष्मन्न् अन्वेषसि महावने सा देवी मम च प्राणा रावणेनोभयं हृतम् ॥

yām oṣadhim ivāyuṣmann anveṣasi mahāvane sā devī mama ca prāṇā rāvaṇenobhayaṃ hṛtam

English

Long-lived one, she whom you seek
like a healing herb in this great forest,
the lady, and my life as well:
Ravana has taken both.

॥ 3.67.19b–20 ॥

CrEd 3.63.18

3.67.19a: popular text only · not in the CrEd

Jatayu

Sanskrit

परिश्रान्तस्य मे पक्षौ छित्त्वा खड्गेन रावणः सीताम् आदाय वैदेहीम् उत्पपात विहायसम् रक्षसा निहतं पूर्वं न मां हन्तुं त्वम् अर्हसि ॥

pariśrāntasya me pakṣau chittvā khaḍgena rāvaṇaḥ sītām ādāya vaidehīm utpapāta vihāyasam rakṣasā nihataṃ pūrvaṃ na māṃ hantuṃ tvam arhasi

English

When I was spent, Ravana
cut off my wings with his sword,
and taking Sita, Vaidehi,
he flew up into the sky.
Struck down already by the rakshasa,
I am not one for you to slay.

॥ 3.67.21–22 ॥

CrEd 3.63.19

silent moment

॥ 3.67.27 ॥

CrEd 3.63.24

Rama

Sanskrit

अयं पितृवयस्यो मे गृध्रराजो जरान्वितः शेते विनिहतो भूमौ मम भाग्यविपर्ययात् ॥

ayaṃ pitṛvayasyo me gṛdhrarājo jarānvitaḥ śete vinihato bhūmau mama bhāgyaviparyayāt

English

This king of vultures, grown old,
my father’s friend,
lies struck down on the ground
because my fortune has turned.

॥ 3.68.7 ॥

CrEd 3.64.7

Rama

Sanskrit

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

kathaṃvīryaḥ kathaṃrūpaḥ kiṃkarmā sa ca rākṣasaḥ kva cāsya bhavanaṃ tāta brūhi me paripṛcchataḥ

English

Of what strength, of what form,
of what deeds is that rakshasa?
And where is his dwelling, father?
Tell me, I ask you.

॥ 3.68.9–10 ॥

CrEd 3.64.9–10

condensed from 3.68.9–10

Jatayu

Sanskrit

सा हृता राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन विहायसा ।
मायाम् आस्थाय विपुलां वातदुर्दिनसंकुलाम् ।
परिश्रान्तस्य मे तात पक्षौ छित्त्वा निशाचरः ।
सीताम् आदाय वैदेहीं प्रयातो दक्षिणामुखः ॥

sā hṛtā rākṣasendreṇa rāvaṇena vihāyasā
māyām āsthāya vipulāṃ vātadurdinasaṃkulām
pariśrāntasya me tāta pakṣau chittvā niśācaraḥ
sītām ādāya vaidehīṃ prayāto dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ

English

She was carried off through the sky
by Ravana, lord of rakshasas,
who raised a vast illusion
thick with wind and storm-dark.
When I was spent, father,
the night-walker cut off my wings;
taking Sita, Vaidehi,
he went away, facing south.

॥ 3.68.12–13a ॥

CrEd 3.64.12–13

Jatayu

Sanskrit

येन याति मुहूर्तेन सीताम् आदाय रावणः विप्रनष्टं धनं क्षिप्रं तत् स्वामी प्रतिपद्यते विन्दो नाम मुहूर्तोऽसौ स च काकुत्स्थ नाबुधत् ॥

yena yāti muhūrtena sītām ādāya rāvaṇaḥ vipranaṣṭaṃ dhanaṃ kṣipraṃ tat svāmī pratipadyate vindo nāma muhūrto 'sau sa ca kākutstha nābudhat

English

The hour in which Ravana went,
carrying Sita away,
is one in which lost wealth
soon returns to its owner.
That hour is called Vinda,
Kakutstha, and he did not know it.

॥ 3.68.16 ॥

CrEd 3.64.16

Jatayu

Sanskrit

पुत्रो विश्रवसः साक्षाद् भ्राता वैश्रवणस्य च इत्य् उक्त्वा दुर्लभान् प्राणान् मुमोच पतगेश्वरः ॥

putro viśravasaḥ sākṣād bhrātā vaiśravaṇasya ca ity uktvā durlabhān prāṇān mumoca patageśvaraḥ

English

“The very son of Vishravas,
and Vaishravana’s brother”:
so saying, the lord of birds
let go his precious life.

॥ 3.68.17 ॥

CrEd 3.64.17

Rama

Sanskrit

ब्रूहि ब्रूहीति रामस्य ब्रुवाणस्य कृताञ्जलेः त्यक्त्वा शरीरं गृध्रस्य जग्मुः प्राणा विहायसम् ॥

brūhi brūhīti rāmasya bruvāṇasya kṛtāñjaleḥ tyaktvā śarīraṃ gṛdhrasya jagmuḥ prāṇā vihāyasam

English

As Rama, palms joined, kept saying,
“Speak, speak!”,
the vulture’s life left his body
and went into the sky.

॥ 3.68.17–19 ॥

CrEd 3.64.17–19

silent moment

॥ 3.68.26 ॥

CrEd 3.64.26

Rama

Sanskrit

राजा दशरथः श्रीमान् यथा मम महायशाः पूजनीयश् च मान्यश् च तथायं पतगेश्वरः ॥

rājā daśarathaḥ śrīmān yathā mama mahāyaśāḥ pūjanīyaś ca mānyaś ca tathāyaṃ patageśvaraḥ

English

King Dasharatha, the glorious,
of great fame, as he is to me
to be honoured and revered,
so is this lord of birds.

॥ 3.68.27–31 ॥

CrEd 3.64.27–31

silent moment

॥ 3.68.29–30 ॥

CrEd 3.64.29–30

condensed from 3.68.29–30

Rama

Sanskrit

या गतिर् यज्ञशीलानाम् आहिताग्नेश् च या गतिः ।
अपरावर्तिनां या च या च भूमिप्रदायिनाम् ।
मया त्वं समनुज्ञातो गच्छ लोकान् अनुत्तमान् ।
गृध्रराज महासत्त्व संस्कृतश् च मया व्रज ॥

yā gatir yajñaśīlānām āhitāgneś ca yā gatiḥ
aparāvartināṃ yā ca yā ca bhūmipradāyinām
mayā tvaṃ samanujñāto gaccha lokān anuttamān
gṛdhrarāja mahāsattva saṃskṛtaś ca mayā vraja

English

The way of those given to sacrifice,
the way of one who keeps the sacred fires,
the way of those who never turn back,
and the way of those who give land:
with my leave, go
to those highest worlds;
king of vultures, great of spirit,
given your rites by me, go.

॥ 3.68.37 ॥

CrEd 3.64.36

silent moment

॥ 3.68.38 ॥

silent moment