Valmiki Ramayana - Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

रामः प्रेक्ष्य तु तम् गृध्रम् भुवि रौद्रेण पातितम्
सौमित्रिम् मित्र संपन्नम् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्

rāmaḥ prekṣya tu tam gṛdhram bhuvi raudreṇa pātitam
saumitrim mitra saṃpannam idam vacanam abravīt

SYNONYMS

raudreṇa = by atrocious: Ravana | bhuvi pātitam: on ground, felled by | tam gṛdhram prekṣya: at that, eagle, on seeing | rāmaḥ tu: Rama, on his part | mitra sampannam saumitrim = friendly, asset: who has the assets of companionability,] to Soumitri | idam vacanam abravīt: this, sentence, said. |

TRANSLATION

Rama on seeing that eagle felled to ground by the atrocious Ravana, said this sentence to Soumitri who is an asset for good companionability. [3-68-1]

VERSE 2

मम अयम् नूनम् अर्थेषु यतमानो विहंगमः
राक्षसेन हतः संख्ये प्राणान् त्यजति मत् कृते

mama ayam nūnam artheṣu yatamāno vihaṃgamaḥ
rākṣasena hataḥ saṃkhye prāṇān tyajati mat kṛte

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"While this bird is venturing in my concern the demon felled him in combat and he is leaving off his lives owing to me, definitely... [3-68-2]

VERSE 3

अति खिन्नः शरीरे अस्मिन् प्राणो लक्ष्मण विद्यते
तथा स्वर विहीनो अयम् विक्लवम् समुदीक्षते

ati khinnaḥ śarīre asmin prāṇo lakṣmaṇa vidyate
tathā svara vihīno ayam viklavam samudīkṣate

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Obviously, lives in his body are very feeble, oh, Lakshmana, it is natural, isn't it, and he looks highly anguished with a dulled voice..." Thus on saying to Lakshmana, Rama then spoke to Jataayu. [3-68-3]

VERSE 4

जटायो यदि शक्नोषि वाक्यम् व्याहरितुम् पुनः
सीताम् आख्याहि भद्रम् ते वधम् आख्याहि च आत्मनः

jaṭāyo yadi śaknoṣi vākyam vyāharitum punaḥ
sītām ākhyāhi bhadram te vadham ākhyāhi ca ātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

jaṭāyoḥ: oh, Jataayu | punaḥ vākyam vyāharitum śaknoṣi yadi: again [further,] sentence, to speak, you are able to, if | te bhadram: to you, let safe betide | sītām ākhyāhi: about Seetha, relate | ātmanaḥ vadham ākhyāhi ca: your, about murder, you relate, too. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Jataayu, if you are in fine fettle to further reiterate words, relate about Seetha, let safe betide you, and recount how you are murdered, too... [3-68-4]

VERSE 5

किम् निमित्तो जहार आर्याम् रावणः तस्य किम् मया
अपराधम् तु यम् दृष्ट्वा रावणेन हृता प्रिया

kim nimitto jahāra āryām rāvaṇaḥ tasya kim mayā
aparādham tu yam dṛṣṭvā rāvaṇena hṛtā priyā

SYNONYMS

rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana | kim nimittaḥ: for what, reason | āryām jahāra: noblewoman, he abducted | maya tasya kim aparādham tu: by me, towards him [in his respect,] what, wrong is committed | yam dṛṣṭvā: which, keeping in view | priyā rāvaṇena hṛtā: my ladylove, by Ravana, is stolen. |

TRANSLATION

"What is the reason for Ravana in stealing that noblewoman, and even what is the wrong I have committed in his respect, keeping which in view that Ravana stole my ladylove... [3-68-5]

VERSE 6

कथम् तत् चन्द्र संकाशम् मुखम् आसीत् मनोहरम्
सीतया कानि च उक्तानि तस्मिन् काले द्विजोत्तम

katham tat candra saṃkāśam mukham āsīt manoharam
sītayā kāni ca uktāni tasmin kāle dvijottama

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"How was that moon similar heart-stealing face of hers at that time of abduction, oh, best bird, and even what are the words she uttered when being abducted... [3-68-6]

VERSE 7

कथम् वीर्यः कथम् रूपः किम् कर्मा स च राक्षसः
क्व च अस्य भवनम् तात ब्रूहि मे परिपृच्छतः

katham vīryaḥ katham rūpaḥ kim karmā sa ca rākṣasaḥ
kva ca asya bhavanam tāta brūhi me paripṛcchataḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"What is his stamina of that demon? What is his form? And what are his strategies? And where is his stronghold? Oh, sire, tell me while I ask you inquisitively..." Rama urged Jataayu thus for information. [3-68-7]

VERSE 8

तम् उद्वीक्ष्य सः धर्मात्मा विलपन्तम् अनाथवत्
वाचा विक्लवया रामम् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्

tam udvīkṣya saḥ dharmātmā vilapantam anāthavat
vācā viklavayā rāmam idam vacanam abravīt

SYNONYMS

dharmātmā saḥ: virtue souled [warm-hearted,] he that Jataayu | anāthavat vilapantam: orphan-like, one who is waling | tam udvīkṣya: him [at Rama,] seeing up [rolling up his eyes] | viklavayā vācā: with a fluttery, voice | rāmam idam vacanam abravīt: to Rama, this, sentence, said. |

TRANSLATION

Then that warm-hearted Jataayu with his eyes rolling upwards saw Rama and with a fluttery voice said this sentence to Rama who is wailing like an orphan. [3-68-8]

VERSE 9

सा हृता राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन दुरात्मना
मायाम् आस्थाय विपुलाम् वात दुर्दिन संकुलाम्

sā hṛtā rākṣasendreṇa rāvaṇena durātmanā
māyām āsthāya vipulām vāta durdina saṃkulām

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Resorting to his illusionistic devices like creating an immense and tumultuous windstorm and cloud-cover, the flagitious chief of demons Ravana abducted Seetha... [3-68-9]

PURPORT

Annex: 'he created such illusion only to render me unsteady in my flight combat... and for his escape in the dark of the day...'

VERSE 10

परिक्लांतस्य मे तात पक्षौ चित्त्वा निशाचरः
सीताम् आदाय वैदेहीम् प्रयातो दक्षिणा मुखः

pariklāṃtasya me tāta pakṣau cittvā niśācaraḥ
sītām ādāya vaidehīm prayāto dakṣiṇā mukhaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"That night walker hacked both my wings when I was overtired, and went southward taking the princess of Videha, Seetha, along with him... [3-68-10]

VERSE 11

उपरुध्यन्ति मे प्राणा दृष्टिर् भ्रमति राघव
पश्यामि वृक्षान् सौवर्णान् उशीर कृत मूर्धजान्

uparudhyanti me prāṇā dṛṣṭir bhramati rāghava
paśyāmi vṛkṣān sauvarṇān uśīra kṛta mūrdhajān

SYNONYMS

ṟāghava: oh, Raghava | me prāṇā uparudhyanti = my, lives, are being obstructed: stifling | dṛṣṭiḥ bhramati: sight, is spinning | uśīra kṛta mūrdhajān = cuscus grass, made, as their head: hair - treetops | sauvarṇān vṛkṣān paśyāmi: golden, trees, I am seeing. |

TRANSLATION

"My sight is spinning and my lives are stifled, oh, Raghava, I am now seeing golden trees with cuscus grass as their treetops... [3-68-11]

PURPORT

The cuscus grass is the aromatic fibrous root of an Indian grass, Vetiveria zizanaoides, used for making fans, screens, etc., Urdu kaskas. This odd combination of trees of gold, instead of wood, and grass instead of leaves, is an omen of death.

VERSE 12

येन याति मुहूर्तेन सीताम् आदाय रावणः
विप्रनष्टम् धनम् क्षिप्रम् तत् स्वामि प्रतिपद्यते

yena yāti muhūrtena sītām ādāya rāvaṇaḥ
vipranaṣṭam dhanam kṣipram tat svāmi pratipadyate

SYNONYMS

, 13a| kākutstha: oh, Kakutstha | rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana | yena muhūrtena = by vhic: in which, spell of time [of the day] | sītām ādāya yāti = = ṣītha, on taking avay, vhile going: has gone | asau vindaḥ nāma muhūrtaḥ: that one is, Vinda, named, spell of time | vi pra naṣṭam dhanam = very, utterly, lost, rices: even if riches are completely lost in that spell | tat svāmī: = its, [original] possessor | kṣipram: very quickly | prati padyate = return, possesses: repossesses | saḥ ca: he that Ravana, even | na abudhat: not, aware [unmindful of it.] |

TRANSLATION

"In which spell of time Ravana has gone taking away Seetha, that spell is named as Vinda... if any riches are lost during that spell, the original possessor of those riches will repossess them very quickly... oh, Kakutstha, he that Ravana is unmindful of that fact and stole Seetha only to loose her... [3-68-12, 13a]

PURPORT

The daytime has fifteen spells of time that have their own effects on humans. The fifteen are: raudraH svetaH maitraH ca tathaa saarabhaTaH smR^itaH | saavitro vaishvadevaH ca gaandharva kutapaH tathaa | rauhiNaH tilaka caiva vijato naiR^iitiH tathaa | shambaro vaaruNaH ca eva bhagaH pa~nca dasha smR^itaH || and the Vijaya said above is also called as 'Vinda,' the eleventh spell of the day. bindo naama bindu gulikaH | tasmin samaye aarabdham kaaryam kartuH vipariitem bhavati iti suucitam | tathaa ca - utpala parimale gau�ii prakaraNe - manvarka digdantirasaabdhi netraa suuryasya vaara aadi viShaa muhuurtaaH | gargamarendraadi muniidraadibR^indaiH te ninditaaH karmasu bindasa~nj~naaH || - iti - dk Any action initiated in this spell of the day entails adverse effects, in so far as that aim and action of the initiator. Ravana, though an eminent astrologer, and though he is said to have written an astrological treatise called raavaNa samhita , did not care about it.

VERSE 13

त्वत् प्रियाम् जानकीम् हृत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वर
झषवत् बडिशम् गृह्य क्षिप्रम् एव विनश्यति

tvat priyām jānakīm hṛtvā rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvara
jhaṣavat baḍiśam gṛhya kṣipram eva vinaśyati

SYNONYMS

b, c| rākśasa īśvaraḥ rāvaṇaḥ: demons, chief, Ravana | tvat priyām jānakīm hṛtvā: your, ladylove, Janaki, on stealing | baḍiśam gṛhya jhaṣa vat: baited hook, on catching [ on swallowing,] fish, as with | kṣipram eva vinaśyati: shortly, only, utterly ruins himself. |

TRANSLATION

"On stealing your ladylove Janaki, that chief of demons, Ravana, will ruin himself, as with a fish which swallows a baited fishhook... [3-68-13b, c]

VERSE 14

न च त्वया व्यथा कार्या जनकस्य सुताम् प्रति
वैदेह्या रंस्यसे क्षिप्रम् हत्वा तम् रणमूर्धनि

na ca tvayā vyathā kāryā janakasya sutām prati
vaidehyā raṃsyase kṣipram hatvā tam raṇamūrdhani

SYNONYMS

tvayā: by you | janakasya sutām prati: king Janaka's, daughter, towards | vyathā na kāryā: anguishing, not, to be done | raṇa mūrdhani: in war, in vanguard of | tam kṣipram: hatvaa = him [Ravana,] in no time, on killing | vaidehyā ramsyase: with Vaidehi, you will delight. |

TRANSLATION

"Impractical is your anguishing for the daughter of Janaka, as you will delight yourself with Vaidehi in no time, on killing that Ravana in the vanguard of a war..." Thus saying Jataayu paused for a while. [3-68-14]

VERSE 15

असंमूढस्य गृध्रस्य रामम् प्रति अनुभाषतः
आस्यात् सुस्राव रुधिरम् म्रियमाणस्य स अमिषम्

asaṃmūḍhasya gṛdhrasya rāmam prati anubhāṣataḥ
āsyāt susrāva rudhiram mriyamāṇasya sa amiṣam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Though Jataayu is speaking on to Rama with an alert mind, blood freely flowed from his mouth with shreds of flesh as death verged on him, even then he struggled to say. [3-68-15]

VERSE 16

पुत्रो विश्रवसः साक्षात् भ्राता वैश्रवणस्य च
इति उक्त्वा दुर्लभान् प्राणान् मुमोच पतगेश्वरः

putro viśravasaḥ sākṣāt bhrātā vaiśravaṇasya ca
iti uktvā durlabhān prāṇān mumoca patageśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"That demon is the son of Vishravasa... literally... the brother of Kubera..." on saying thus, that lord of birds released his lives, which are unobtainable for oneself. [3-68-16]

PURPORT

Information about Ravana is given here in the first stanza of the verse, in a half-way-through manner. And the character of Jataayu itself is evanished by a jump cut of the couplet, only to be filled by his brother Sampaati in the later parts of Kishkindha Kanda. In between these two stanzas of one verse, where one brother says one stanza, the other by another, the episodes of Kishkindha come to take part. The second foot just contains the name of Lanka where Ravana dwells. But it is not said here for dramatic effect and for the flow of epic through its own course. Further, Jataayu is not 'dead' but he released his lives. And he is safeguarding his lives so far, only to tell Rama. For this Skanda Puraana says that Seetha blesses Jataayu to live until Rama comes to him, and listens form Jataayu. But she did not stipulate as to how much Rama has to listen or how much Jataayu has to report. devii maa~N praahaH raajendra yaavat sambhaaShaNam mama | bhavataH taavat aasan me praaNaa iti aaha jaanakii || Maheshvara Tiirtha. So, the bird called life flew away for bird Jataayu...

VERSE 17

ब्रूहि ब्रूहि इति रामस्य ब्रुवाणस्य कृतांजलेः
त्यक्त्वा शरीरम् गृध्रस्य जग्मुः प्राणा विहायसम्

brūhi brūhi iti rāmasya bruvāṇasya kṛtāṃjaleḥ
tyaktvā śarīram gṛdhrasya jagmuḥ prāṇā vihāyasam

SYNONYMS

kṛtānjaleḥ rāmasya: one with palm-fold, of Rama [before = very eyes of Rama] | brūhi brūhi iti bruvāṇasya: tell, tell, thus, one who is still speaking | gṛdhrasya prāṇāḥ: eagle's, lives | śarīram tyaktvā: body, on leaving | vihāyasam = to sky: into thin air | jagmuḥ: went away. |

TRANSLATION

But the lives of Jataayu departing from his body went into thin air before the very eyes of Rama who is still speaking to him with folded-palms, "tell... tell more..." [3-68-17]

VERSE 18

स निक्षिप्य शिरो भूमौ प्रसार्य चरणौ तदा
विक्षिप्य च शरीरम् स्वम् पपात धरणी तले

sa nikṣipya śiro bhūmau prasārya caraṇau tadā
vikṣipya ca śarīram svam papāta dharaṇī tale

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Jataayu flopped his head on earth, sprawled his feet on ground, and then his body collapsed onto the surface of earth writhing jerkily. [3-68-18]

VERSE 19

तम् गृध्रम् प्रेक्ष्य ताम्र अक्षम् गत असुम् अचलोपमम्
रामः सु बहुभिः दुह्खैः दीनः सौमित्रिम्
अब्रवीत्

tam gṛdhram prekṣya tāmra akṣam gata asum acalopamam
rāmaḥ su bahubhiḥ duhkhaiḥ dīnaḥ saumitrim
abravīt

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

He who is worsened by very many mishaps that Rama, on seeing the mountainous eagle whose eyes are bloodshot and whose lives have gone, said this way to Soumitri... [3-68-19]

VERSE 20

बहूनि रक्षसाम् वासे वर्षाणि वसता सुखम्
अनेन दण्डकारण्ये विशीर्णम् इह पक्षिणा

bahūni rakṣasām vāse varṣāṇi vasatā sukham
anena daṇḍakāraṇye viśīrṇam iha pakṣiṇā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"This bird which for years together lived fearlessly in Dandaka forest, a habitat of demons, that bird wilted to death, because of me... [3-68-20]

VERSE 21

अनेक वार्षिको यः तु चिर काल समुत्थितः
सो अयम् अद्य हतः शेते कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः

aneka vārṣiko yaḥ tu cira kāla samutthitaḥ
so ayam adya hataḥ śete kālo hi duratikramaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"He who has longevity over many years, who actively strived for a long for rectitude, he is now killed and prostrating before the Time, because of me... alas... it is indeed impossible to infringe the Time... [3-68-21]

VERSE 22

पश्य लक्ष्मण गृध्रो अयम् उपकारी हतः च मे
सीताम् अभ्यवपन्नो हि रावणेन बलीयसा

paśya lakṣmaṇa gṛdhro ayam upakārī hataḥ ca me
sītām abhyavapanno hi rāvaṇena balīyasā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Lakshmana, this eagle which has dashed to rescue Seetha in order to render help to me is slain by that brute-forced Ravana, only because of me, you see... [3-68-22]

VERSE 23

गृध्र राज्यम् परित्यज्य पितृ पैतामहम् महत्
मम हेतोः अयम् प्राणान् मुमोच पतगेश्वरः

gṛdhra rājyam parityajya pitṛ paitāmaham mahat
mama hetoḥ ayam prāṇān mumoca patageśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"On abandoning great empire of eagles belonging to his father and forefathers this lord of bird has now abandoned his lives too, only for my sake... [3-68-23]

VERSE 24

सर्वत्र खलु दृश्यन्ते साधवो धर्म चारिणः
शूराः शरण्याः सौमित्रे तिर्यक् योनि गतेषु अपि

sarvatra khalu dṛśyante sādhavo dharma cāriṇaḥ
śūrāḥ śaraṇyāḥ saumitre tiryak yoni gateṣu api

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Universally noticeable are the protective, prepotent, principled ones that are the followers of probity, oh, Soumitri, even though their births are avian or bestial... [3-68-24]

VERSE 25

सीता हरणजं दुःखम् न मे सौम्य तथा गतम्
यथा विनाशो गृध्रस्य मत् कृते च परंतप

sītā haraṇajaṃ duḥkham na me saumya tathā gatam
yathā vināśo gṛdhrasya mat kṛte ca paraṃtapa

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"To me, oh, enemy-inflamer, oh, gentle Lakshmana, anguish caused by Seetha's abduction is not that much, when compared with the anguish caused by the perish of this eagle, that too, because of me... [3-68-25]

VERSE 26

राजा दशरथः श्रीमान् यथा मम मया यशाः
पूजनीयः च मान्यः च तथा अयम् पतगेश्वरः

rājā daśarathaḥ śrīmān yathā mama mayā yaśāḥ
pūjanīyaḥ ca mānyaḥ ca tathā ayam patageśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"As to how the celebrated and highly renowned king Dasharatha is venerable and honourable for me, likewise this lord of birds is also a venerable and honourable one to me... [3-68-26]

VERSE 27

सौमित्रे हर काष्ठानि निर्मथिष्यामि पावकम्
गृध्र राजम् दिधक्षामि मत् कृते निधनम् गतम्

saumitre hara kāṣṭhāni nirmathiṣyāmi pāvakam
gṛdhra rājam didhakṣāmi mat kṛte nidhanam gatam

SYNONYMS

saumitre kāṣṭhāni hara: oh, Soumitri, firewood, get | pāvakam nirmathiṣyāmi: fire, churn out [produce by friction] | mat kṛte: me, because of | nidhanam gatam: expiry, went into [expired] | gṛdhra rājam didhakṣāmi = eagle's, lord, ī viś to incinerate: cremate. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Soumitri, get the firewood and I will produce fire by friction of two sticks, as I wish to cremate this lord of birds who expired because of me... [3-68-27]

PURPORT

The fire produced in ritual acts is called araNi where a small concavity is made on one stick, and a pointed end to the other, and this pointed end is rubbed in churning mode in the concavity of the other stick, and then both the dry wood-sticks give out a small fire, which then is taken on cotton, to lit a huge pyre.

VERSE 28

नाथम् पतग लोकस्य चिताम् आरोपयामि अहम्
इमम् धक्ष्यामि सौमित्रे हतम् रौद्रेण रक्षसा

nātham pataga lokasya citām āropayāmi aham
imam dhakṣyāmi saumitre hatam raudreṇa rakṣasā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Soumitri, I will mount this lord of realm of birds onto the pyre and cremate him who is killed by a feral demon..." Thus saying to Lakshmana, Rama said this to dead eagle Jataayu. [3-68-28]

VERSE 29

या गतिः यज्ञ शीलानाम् आहित अग्नेः च या गतिः
अ पर आवर्तिनाम् या च या च भूमि प्रदायिनाम्

yā gatiḥ yajña śīlānām āhita agneḥ ca yā gatiḥ
a para āvartinām yā ca yā ca bhūmi pradāyinām

SYNONYMS

, 30| mahā sattva gṛdhra raja: oh, great, mighty, eagle, king | mayā: by me | sam anujñātaḥ: aptly, consented to | tvam: you | yā gatiḥ: which, worlds, [destined] | a para āvartinām: not, return, comers [to sanyasi-s, loners, anchorites in forests, or, those that do not retreat in combats] | yā ca = vhic, is also: the course / worlds | bhūmi pradāyinām yā ca = to land, donors, vhic, also: is the course / worlds | āhita agneḥ [: to those who practices amid five Ritual-fires | yā gatiḥ = vhic, is also: the course / worlds | gaccha: you go | mayā sanskṛtaḥ: by me, ritually cremated | an uttamān lokān vraja: to un, excelled, worlds, you go. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, greatly mighty king of eagles, by me cremated ritually and by me aptly consented to, you depart to the unexcelled heavenly worlds... you depart to those worlds that are destined for the virtuosos of Vedic-rituals, and to those worlds that are destined for the practisers of ascesis amid Five-Ritual-fires, and to those that are destined for un-retreating combatants, and to those worlds that destined for the donors of lands..." So said Rama to the departed Jataayu. [3-68-29, 30]

PURPORT

'When a Vedic-ritual is performed the resultant factor is undoubtedly puNya 'merit' for those, yaj~naaH shiilam sadvR^ittam yeSaam te and the worlds yaa gatiH gamyata iti gatiH - lokaH . And this is different to that of practising ascesis amid Five-Fires. ahita agne, ahitaaH paristhaapitaaH agnayaH yaH pancaagnayoH yasya saH... 'But animals or birds have no faculty to perform those rituals and they have their own course of lifecycle after their demise. Then where is the question of a bird going to heaven, which heaven is scheduled to some specialists...' is the objection. But Jataayu acquired all those 'merits' when he combated without any retreat a paraa vartinaam and he is getting a short cut without undergoing too many other kinds of births, and he is given mukti 'emancipation' from lifecycles, for his action on behalf of a godlike Rama is justifiable and befitting to get a final release, by word of Rama by me cremated ritually and by me aptly consented to... where He alone can transcend the manmade rules. 'Then the cremation, that too ritualistic one, is unavailable for birds and animals, how then can Rama perform funerals for birds, or get them performed for monkeys, as in the case of Vali...' For this it is said, 'that's why Rama had to cremate Jataayu and further said by me cremated ritually and by me aptly consented to... as sort of special sanction of mukti , because the animality has no authority in scriptures or its rites. Taking some action, endeavouring to protect dharma, or obstructing a dharma , itself is superior to mere reverencing a god, or performing a daily rot of yaj~na, yaaga-s, , etc., which in itself is a subjective performance. Here Jataayu did not attack Ravana keeping Rama or Seetha in view, but attacked Ravana only to play his part in stalling a dharma , which is not that easy, like purchasing some temple tickets to perform some ritual, for and on behalf of ticket holders and their families. For this it is said in nR^simha puraaNa says that mat kR^ite nidhan yasmaat tvayaa praaptaa tam dvijottama | tasmaat mama prasaadena viShNu lokam avaapyasi || 'because of me you attained your demise, thereby you get the realms of Vishnu...' where 'because of me' is to be taken not as an individual godhood, but as dharma , 'because of dharma...' itself. Hence the special sanctions to Jataayu, where such sanctions are absent in the case of Vali, as he followed the course of a dharma and there are many scripts that say Rama gave this emancipation to Jataayu, in chorus uvaaca gaccha bhadram te mama viShNo paramam padam - aadhyaatma raamaayana - raaghavasya prasaadena sa gR^idhraH paramam padam - padma puraaNa - sugrivo hanumaan R^ikSho gajo grdhrio vaNik patha - tilaka -teShu bhagavad a~NsheShu anuraagiNaH kosala nagara janapadaaH te api tan manasaaH satsaalokyataam aapuH || viShnu puraaNa 'Has this Rama got no other work than weeping for his beloved ones and patiently performing obsequies to all lowborn, lowly subjects like dead monkey, birds, or even each individual demonic soldiers... they are all shuudra-s' is haunted feeling to some. For this it is said na shuudraa bhagavat bhaktaa vipraa bhaagavataa smR^itaa | te shuudraa ye hi a bhaktaa janaardane || 'one who is devotee of Vishnu cannot be called a shuudra... he is to be called vipra, Bhaagavata... but a non-devotee, may he be in any caste, he is a shuudra...' And shuudra is upa lakshaNa to birds or animals, thereby even animals and birds are on an even footing, if it comes to paying deference to god, and god alone is capable to decree emancipation to every or any being. 'Again it is said that Rama is god, but yet he weeps... is it not self-contradictory...' Not so, when a neighbour weeps for the hardships of his neighbour, won't the neighbourly god weep...' that too on incarnating as a human... vyasaneShu manuShyaaNaam bhR^isham bhavati duHkhitaH 'when humans are in difficulties, He wails much...' but waits much also, till those humans can correct or come over their problems on their own, keeping a little faith on Him...' Here also, the sobbing of Rama is comparatively nothing when compared to the sobbing for Seetha, because the action of Jataayu is not that sob-ful, in encountering a dharma... thus Valmiki is aware of 'good' sobbing and 'bad' sobbing in this sob-stuff, called Ramayana. And for this Dharmaakuutam says: anena mahad anuj~nayaa uttamaa gatiH bhavati it suucitam | tathaa ca adharvaNii shrutiH - yam yam lokam manasaa sa~Nvibhaati vishuddha sattvaH kaamayate yaashca kaamaan | tam tam lokam jayate taam ca kaamaaan tasmaat aatmaj~nam hi arcayet bhuuti kaamaH - bhaaShyam - ukta lakShaNam sarvaatmanam aatmatvena pratipannaH | tasya sarva aatmatvaat eva sarvaa avaapti lakShaNam phalam aaha - - - aatmaj~nam aatmaj~natena vishuddha antaHkaraNam hi arcet puujayet - ataH puujaarha eva asau |

VERSE 31

एवम् उक्त्वा चिताम् दीप्ताम् आरोप्य पतगेश्वरम्
ददाह रामो धर्मात्मा स्व बन्धुम् इव दुःखितः

evam uktvā citām dīptām āropya patageśvaram
dadāha rāmo dharmātmā sva bandhum iva duḥkhitaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

On saying that way, that ethical-souled Rama mounted that lord of birds onto the pyre and he sorrowfully incinerated that eagle in a flaring fire of pyre, as he would do in respect of his own deceased relative. [3-68-31]

VERSE 32

रामो अथ सह सौमित्रिः वनम् यात्वा स वीर्यवान्
स्थूलान् हत्वा महा रोहीन् अनु तस्तार तम् द्विजम्

rāmo atha saha saumitriḥ vanam yātvā sa vīryavān
sthūlān hatvā mahā rohīn anu tastāra tam dvijam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Then that resolute Rama on going into forest along with Soumitri hunted a robust-bodied, big Rohi animal, or, Kesari animal, and then he spread sacred grass on ground to place that offering to the deceased soul of that bird. [3-68-32]

VERSE 33

रोहि मांसानि च उद्धृत्य पेशी कृत्वा महायशाः
शकुनाय ददौ रामो रम्ये हरित शाद्वले

rohi māṃsāni ca uddhṛtya peśī kṛtvā mahāyaśāḥ
śakunāya dadau rāmo ramye harita śādvale

SYNONYMS

mahāyaśāḥ = highly renovned one: for his observance of religious ceremonies | rāmaḥ: Rama | rohi māmsāni: Rohi animal's, meat | uddhṛtya: pulling out | peśī kṛtvā: to gobbets, on lumping it | ramye harita śādvale: on pleasant, greenish, on pastures | śakunāya dadau: for the bird [Jataayu,] gave [as offering.] |

TRANSLATION

On drawing up the flesh of that Rohi animal and lumping it to gobbets, that highly observant Rama placed those gobbets on pleasant greenish pasturelands as obsequial offerings in respect of that bird Jataayu. [3-68-33]

VERSE 34

यत् तत् प्रेतस्य मर्त्यस्य कथयन्ति द्विजातयः
तत् स्वर्ग गमनम् पित्र्यम् क्षिप्रम् रामो जजाप
ह

yat tat pretasya martyasya kathayanti dvijātayaḥ
tat svarga gamanam pitryam kṣipram rāmo jajāpa
ha

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Rama immediately chanted Vedic hymns that are employed in such funerals of one's own paternal people, as Brahmans say that those hymns are employable in such rites as they lead the soul of the departed to heaven. [3-68-34]

PURPORT

Rama chants two Vedic passages yaamya suukta, naaraayaNa suukta - aapastamba sutra-s as they are usually recited by Brahmans in such funeral rites. Here it is 'so imperfectly conducted, because it is for an ineligible bird, that too by an unrelated highborn Kshatriya Rama, reciting unconcerned Vedic hymns...' is the objection. Jataayu is beyond any caste or creed by way his devotion to duty and by his self-sacrifice while on duty. Hence, he is beyond eligibility or opposite of it. Funerals are to be conducted by one's own sons or nearest relatives. If none of the relatives of the dead is present to cremate, they are to be undertaken by the king of that kingdom. When Rama blessed the soul of Jataayu to go to highest realms, which are far beyond the Veda-s of mortals, it is a sacrosanct act to chant those hymns... on human level; hence, Rama's action is clearly pro-Vedic. And in Vaishnavaite tenets everything culminates into one - Vishnu. 'the adherents of Vishnu, may it be an animal, like Gajendra, the elephant, or humans, like Shabari et al., or a bird, like Jataayu, by Him, by Vishnu alone, they are led to the Ultimate course of the realm of Vishnu...'

VERSE 35

ततो गोदावरीम् गत्वा नदीम् नर वर आत्मजौ
उदकम् चक्रतुः तस्मै गृध्र राजाय तौ उभौ

tato godāvarīm gatvā nadīm nara vara ātmajau
udakam cakratuḥ tasmai gṛdhra rājāya tau ubhau

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | ubhau tau: both, of them | nara vara ātmajau = among men, notable one, sons of: Dasharatha's sons | godāvarīm nadīm gatvā: to Godavari, to river, on going | tasmai gṛdhra rājāya: for him, to eagle's, for king | udakam cakratuḥ: water [oblations] they did [offered.] = |

TRANSLATION

Then both the sons of that notable man, namely Dasharatha, on going to River Godavari they have oblated waters for that king of eagles, Jataayu. [3-68-35]

VERSE 36

शास्त्र दृष्टेन विधिना जले गृधाय राघवौ
स्नात्वा तौ गृध्र राजाय उदकम् चक्रुः तदा

śāstra dṛṣṭena vidhinā jale gṛdhāya rāghavau
snātvā tau gṛdhra rājāya udakam cakruḥ tadā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Both of the Raghava-s took funeral baths in the waters of River Godavari and then made water oblations to the king of eagles. [3-68-36]

VERSE 37

स गृध्र राजः कृतवान् यशस्करम्
सु दुष्करम् कर्म रणे निपातितः
महर्षि कल्पेन च संस्कृतः
तदा
जगाम पुण्याम् गतिम् आत्मनः शुभाम्

sa gṛdhra rājaḥ kṛtavān yaśaskaram
su duṣkaram karma raṇe nipātitaḥ
maharṣi kalpena ca saṃskṛtaḥ
tadā
jagāma puṇyām gatim ātmanaḥ śubhām

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

That king of eagle Jataayu, who has performed a creditworthy deed of stalling and combating Ravana, but who is felled by that Ravana, went away to the merited and auspicious heavenly realms of his own, as and when consecrated by sublime sage like Rama. [3-68-37]

VERSE 38

कृतोदकौ तौ अपि पक्षि सत्तमे
स्थिराम् च बुद्धिम् प्रणिधाय जग्मुतुः
प्रवेश्य सीता अधिगमने
ततो मनो
वनम् सुरेन्द्रौ इव विष्णु वासवौ

kṛtodakau tau api pakṣi sattame
sthirām ca buddhim praṇidhāya jagmutuḥ
praveśya sītā adhigamane
tato mano
vanam surendrau iva viṣṇu vāsavau

SYNONYMS

tau api: those two, even | kṟ^ ita udakau: having performed, water oblations | pakśi sattame: regarding bird, best one | sthirām buddhim praṇidhāya: firmed up [assertively,] thought, on keeping [giving thought to Jataayu's information] | tataḥ: then | sītā adhigamane: Seetha, to get at [in searching for] | manaḥ praveśya: mind, entering [mindset to] | sura indrau: gods', chiefs | viṣṇu vāsavau iva: Vishnu, Indra, like | [ellipt| dakśiṇām ] vanam jagmutuḥ: to [southern] woods, went. |

TRANSLATION

Even those two, Rama and Lakshmana, on performing water oblations in respect of that best bird Jataayu, and on assertively giving thought to the information given by Jataayu, they like the chiefs of gods, namely Vishnu and Indra, went to southerly woods when their mind is set to search for Seetha. [3-68-38]

VERSE 39

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे अष्ट षष्टितमः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe aṣṭa ṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ