Śrī Rāma’s lament; His meeting with Jaṭāyu

Chaupais

raghupati anujahi āvata dēkhī. bāhija ciṃtā kīnhi bisēṣī..

janakasutā pariharihu akēlī. āyahu tāta bacana mama pēlī.. [3-29(B)-1]

nisicara nikara phirahiṃ bana māhīṃ. mama mana sītā āśrama nāhīṃ..

gahi pada kamala anuja kara jōrī. kahēu nātha kachu mōhi na khōrī.. [3-29(B)-2]

anuja samēta gaē prabhu tahavāom. gōdāvari taṭa āśrama jahavāom..

āśrama dēkhi jānakī hīnā. bhaē bikala jasa prākṛta dīnā.. [3-29(B)-3]

hā guna khāni jānakī sītā. rūpa sīla brata nēma punītā..

lachimana samujhāē bahu bhāomtī. pūchata calē latā taru pāomtī.. [3-29(B)-4]

hē khaga mṛga hē madhukara śrēnī. tumha dēkhī sītā mṛganainī..

khaṃjana suka kapōta mṛga mīnā. madhupa nikara kōkilā prabīnā.. [3-29(B)-5]

kuṃda kalī dāḍaima dāminī. kamala sarada sasi ahibhāminī..

baruna pāsa manōja dhanu haṃsā. gaja kēhari nija sunata prasaṃsā.. [3-29(B)-6]

śrīphala kanaka kadali haraṣāhīṃ. nēku na saṃka sakuca mana māhīṃ..

sunu jānakī tōhi binu ājū. haraṣē sakala pāi janu rājū.. [3-29(B)-7]

kimi sahi jāta anakha tōhi pāhīṃ . priyā bēgi pragaṭasi kasa nāhīṃ..

ēhi bidhi khaujata bilapata svāmī. manahu mahā birahī ati kāmī.. [3-29(B)-8]

pūranakāma rāma sukha rāsī. manuja carita kara aja abināsī..

āgē parā gīdhapati dēkhā. sumirata rāma carana jinha rēkhā.. [3-29(B)-9]

When the Lord of Raghus saw His younger brother coming, He outwardly expressed much concern. “Alas! You have left Janaka’s daughter alone and come here against my instructions. Hosts of demons are roaming about in the forest; I, therefore, suspect Sītā is not at the hermitage.” Lakṣmaṇa clasped Śrī Rāma’s lotus feet and replied with joined palms, “Lord, it is no fault of mine.” Accompanied by His younger brother, the Lord went back to His hermitage on the bank of the Godāvarī. When He saw the hermitage bereft of Janaka’s Daughter, He felt as perturbed and afflicted as any common man. ” Alas! Sītā, Janaka’s daughter, the very mine of virtues, of such flawless beauty, character, austerity and devotion!” Lakṣmaṇa consoled Him in many ways. He questioned all the creepers and trees (that stood on the way ) as He went along (in search of Her): ” O birds and deer, O string of bees, have you seen the fawn-eyed Sītā? The wagtail, the parrot, the pigeon, the deer, the fish, the swarms of bees, the clever cuckoo, the jasmine buds, the pomegranate, the lightning, the lotus, the autumnal moon, the gliding serpent, the noose of Varuṇa (the god of water), the bow of Cupid, the swan, the elephant and the lion now hear themselves praised. The Bilva fruit and the gold banana rejoice and do not feel the least misgiving or bashfulness* Listen, Janaka’s daughter : in your absence today they are all glad as if they have got a Kingdom. How can you bear such rivalry? Why do you not reveal yourself quickly, my darling?” In this way the Lord searched and lamented like an uxorious husband sore smitten with pangs of separation. Śrī Rāma, who is Bliss personified and has all His wishes accomplished, and who is both unborn and immortal, behaved like a mortal. Further on they saw the king of vultures lying, with his thoughts fixed on Śrī Rāma’s feet which bear characteristic marks on their soles.†

• * Śrī Rāma here well-nigh exhausts the list of birds and beasts as well as of inanimate objects to which Indian poets usually liken the limbs of a charming lady. Of these the eyes are compared to the fish and the wagtail as well as to the eyes of a fawn, the nose to the parrot’s beak, the neck to that of the pigeon, the curly hair to a swarm of bees, the voice to the notes of a cuckoo, the teeth to the jasmine buds and the seeds of the pomegranate, the complexion to the lightning, the eyes and the face as well as the hand and feet to the lotus, the face to the autumnal moon, the braid of hair hanging on the back to a gliding serpent, the smile to the noose of Varuṇa, the eyebrows to Cupid’s bow, the gait to that of the swan and the elephant, the waist to that of the lion, the breasts to the Bilva fruit and the thigh to the gold banana. The idea here is that though models of beauty so far as earthly women are concerned, none of these analogues stood comparison with Sītā’s limbs and hence they dare not face the latter out of shame. Now that Sītā was no more to be seen, they all regained their supremacy and exulted over their good fortune.
• † The scriptures mention 48 marks on the soles of the Lord’s feet, 24 on each. Those on the left are: (1) a vertical line (Urdhvarekhā), (2) a Svastika, (3) an Aṣṭakoṇa ( a figure consisting of a pair of squares intersecting each other), (4) Goddess Lakṣmī (represented by a golden coil describing two and a half concentric circles), (5) a plough, (6) a pestle, (7) a figure of Śeṣa (the serpent-god), (8) an arrow, (9) the sky (represented by a cipher), (10) a lotus, (11) a chariot, (12) a thunderbolt, (13) a grain of barley, (14) the wish-yielding tree in heaven, (15) a goad, (16) a flag, (17) a crown, (18) the discus ( Sudarśana), (19) a throne, (20) the staff of Yama (the god of death), (21) a chowrie, (22) an umbrella, (23) a human figure and (24) a wreath of victory (placed by a bride round the neck of the suitor of her choice); while those borne on the right sole are: (1) the river Sarayū, (2) a cow’s hoof, (3) the earth, (4) a pitcher, (5) a small flag, (6) a Jambu fruit (the black plum), (7) the crescent, (8) a conchshell, (9) a Ṣaṭkoṇa ( a figure consisting of a pair of triangles intersecting each other), (10) a triangle, (11) a mace, (12) a Jīva or the individual soul (represented by a point illustrating its atomic size), (13) Vindu ( a point) and (14) Śakti ( represented by a semi-circle and forming the base of the Vindu), (15) a reservoir of nectar, (16) three horizontal lines like the folds of the belly, (17) a fish, (18) the full-moon, (19) a lute, (20) a flute, (21) a bow, (22) a quiver, (23) a swan and (24) an ornament for the head of a lady. It should be remembered here that Śrī Sītā also bears the same marks in Her soles, with this difference that the marks on Śrī Rāma’s right sole are borne by Sītā on Her left and vice-versa.

Dohas

kara sarōja sira parasēu kṛpāsiṃdhu radhubīra..

nirakhi rāma chabi dhāma mukha bigata bhaī saba pīra..30.. [3-30]

The Hero of Raghu’s line, the ocean of mercy, stroked Jaṭāyu’s head with His lotus hands. As the bird gazed on Śrī Rāma’s countenance, the home of loveliness, all his pain disappeared.

Chaupais

taba kaha gīdha bacana dhari dhīrā . sunahu rāma bhaṃjana bhava bhīrā..

nātha dasānana yaha gati kīnhī. tēhi khala janakasutā hari līnhī.. [3-30-1]

lai dacchina disi gayau gōsāī. bilapati ati kurarī kī nāī..

darasa lāgī prabhu rākhēṃu prānā. calana cahata aba kṛpānidhānā.. [3-30-2]

rāma kahā tanu rākhahu tātā. mukha musakāi kahī tēhiṃ bātā..

jā kara nāma marata mukha āvā. adhamau mukuta hōī śruti gāvā.. [3-30-3]

sō mama lōcana gōcara āgēṃ. rākhauṃ dēha nātha kēhi khāomgēṃ..

jala bhari nayana kahahiṃ raghurāī. tāta karma nija tē gatiṃ pāī.. [3-30-4]

parahita basa jinha kē mana māhīṃ. tinha kahu jaga durlabha kachu nāhīṃ..

tanu taji tāta jāhu mama dhāmā. dēu kāha tumha pūranakāmā.. [3-30-5]

The vulture now recovered himself and spoke as follows: “Listen, Rāma, the allayer of the fear of transmigration: it was the ten-headed Rāvaṇa, my lord, who reduced me to this plight; it was the same wretch who carried off Janaka’s daughter. He took Her away, holy sir, to the south while she kept screaming loudly as an osprey. I have survived, my lord, only to behold You, my life now is about to depart, O fountain of mercy.” Said Śrī Rāma, “Live yet more, father.” He, however, replied with a smile on his countenance, “He whose very name, so declare the Vedas, redeems the most depraved soul even if it appears on his lips at the moment of his death, is present before me in a visible form ! What more is wanting now, for which I should retain my body any longer?” With His eyes full of tears the Lord of Raghus replied, “Dear father, you have attained to an enviable state by virtue of your own noble deeds. Nothing is difficult of attainment in this world to those who have others’ interests at heart. Casting off your body, dear father, proceed now to My divine abode. What shall I give you, when you have all your desires already accomplished ?

Dohas

sītā harana tāta jani kahahu pitā sana jāi..

jauṃ maiṃ rāma ta kula sahita kahihi dasānana āi..31.. [3-31]

“But on reaching there, sire, tell not my father about Sītā’s abduction. If I am no other than Rāma ( if I am what I am), the ten-headed Rāvaṇa and his whole house will go and say everything to him.”

Chaupais

gīdha dēha taji dhari hari rupā. bhūṣana bahu paṭa pīta anūpā..

syāma gāta bisāla bhuja cārī. astuti karata nayana bhari bārī..

The vulture now dropped his body and assumed Śrī Hari’s own form, bedecked with many jewels and clad in a yellow attire of matchless splendour, and possessed of a dark hue and four long arms; and with his eyes full of tears he burst into praises of his lord.

Chhands

jaya rāma rūpa anūpa nirguna saguna guna prēraka sahī.

dasasīsa bāhu pracaṃḍa khaṃḍana caṃḍa sara maṃḍana mahī..

pāthōda gāta sarōja mukha rājīva āyata lōcanaṃ.

nita naumi rāmu kṛpāla bāhu bisāla bhava bhaya mōcanaṃ..1.. [3-31-1]

balamapramēyamanādimajamabyaktamēkamagōcaraṃ.

gōbiṃda gōpara dvaṃdvahara bigyānaghana dharanīdharaṃ..

jē rāma maṃtra japaṃta saṃta anaṃta jana mana raṃjanaṃ.

nita naumi rāma akāma priya kāmādi khala dala gaṃjanaṃ..2. [3-31-2]

jēhi śruti niraṃjana brahma byāpaka biraja aja kahi gāvahīṃ..

kari dhyāna gyāna birāga jōga anēka muni jēhi pāvahīṃ..

sō pragaṭa karunā kaṃda sōbhā bṛṃda aga jaga mōhaī.

mama hṛdaya paṃkaja bhṛṃga aṃga anaṃga bahu chabi sōhaī..3.. [3-31-3]

jō agama sugama subhāva nirmala asama sama sītala sadā.

pasyaṃti jaṃ jōgī jatana kari karata mana gō basa sadā..

sō rāma ramā nivāsa saṃtata dāsa basa tribhuvana dhanī.

mama ura basau sō samana saṃsṛti jāsu kīrati pāvanī..4.. [3-31-4]

Glory to Śrī Rāma of incomparable beauty, who is absolute as well as qualified and the true impeller of Guṇas (Māyā) too. His fierce arrows are potent enough to cut off the terrible arms of the ten-headed Rāvaṇa. I incessantly adore the all-merciful Śrī Rāma, the ornament of the earth, who is endowed with a form dark as the rain-cloud, a face resembling the blue lotus and large eyes resembling the red lotus. Possessed of long arms, He rids His devotees of the fear of transmigration. His strength is immeasurable; He is without beginning and unborn, the one (without a second), unmanifest and imperceptible, beyond the reach of the senses, though attainable with the help of the Vedic hymns, the dispeller of pairs of opposites (such as joy and sorrow, birth and death, pleasure and pain etc.,) consciousness personified, the supporter of the earth, death and the delighter of the soul of countless saints and devotees who repeat the sacred Name of Rāma. I ever extol Śrī Rāma, who loves and is loved by those who are free from desire and curbs the host of vicious propensities such as lust and so on. He, whom the Vedas glorify under the name of Brahma, pure (free from the taint of Māyā), all-pervading, passionless and unborn, whom the sages attain to through manifold practices such as meditation, discretion, dispassion and Yoga (self-discipline), that fountain of mercy has become manifest as the very incarnation of beauty and enraptures the whole animate and inanimate creation. He is the bee that resides in the lotus of my heart and through every limb of His shines the splendour of many a god of love. He, who is at once inaccessible and easily accessible, who has a guileless disposition and is both partial and impartial and ever placid, whom the Yogīs perceive with great effort subduing their senses and mind, that Rāma, the abode of Rāma (Goddess Lakṣmī) and the Lord of the three spheres (the entire creation) is ever at the beck and call of His devotees. May He abide in my heart, whose holy praises put a stop to transmigration.”

Dohas

abirala bhagati māgi bara gīdha gayau haridhāma.

tēhi kī kriyā jathōcita nija kara kīnhī rāma..32.. [3-32]

Asking the boon of uninterrupted devotion the vulture (Jaṭāyu) ascended to Śrī Hari’s Abode. Śrī Rāma performed his funeral rites with due ceremony and with His own hands.

Chaupais

kōmala cita ati dīnadayālā. kārana binu raghunātha kṛpālā..

gīdha adhama khaga āmiṣa bhōgī. gati dīnhi jō jācata jōgī.. [3-32-1]

sunahu umā tē lōga abhāgī. hari taji hōhiṃ biṣaya anurāgī..

puni sītahi khōjata dvau bhāī. calē bilōkata bana bahutāī.. [3-32-2]

saṃkula latā biṭapa ghana kānana. bahu khaga mṛga tahaom gaja paṃcānana..

āvata paṃtha kabaṃdha nipātā. tēhiṃ saba kahī sāpa kai bātā.. [3-32-3]

durabāsā mōhi dīnhī sāpā. prabhu pada pēkhi miṭā sō pāpā..

sunu gaṃdharba kahau mai tōhī. mōhi na sōhāi brahmakula drōhī.. [3-32-4]

The Lord of Raghus is most tender-hearted and compassionate to the humble and shows His mercy even where there is no occasion for it. On a vulture, who is a most unclean and carnivorous bird, He conferred a state which is solicited even by Yogīs. Listen, Umā: those people are unfortunate indeed, who abandon Śrī Hari and become attached to the object of sense. The two brothers proceeded further in quest of Sītā and marked the thickening of the forest even as they went. The thicket was full of creepers and trees and inhabited by many birds and deer, elephants and lions, Śrī Rāma overthrew the demon Kabandha even as the latter met Him on the way; he told Him the whole story about the curse pronounced on him: “The sage Dūrvāsa had imprecated me; the sin has now been wiped out by the sight of the Lord’s feet.” “Listen, O Gandharva, to what I tell you: I cannot tolerate an enemy of the Brāhmaṇas.”

Dohas

mana krama bacana kapaṭa taji jō kara bhūsura sēva.

mōhi samēta biraṃci siva basa tākēṃ saba dēva..33.. [3-33]

He who without guile in thought, word and deed does service to the Brāhmaṇas (the very gods on earth), wins over Brahma, Śiva, Myself and all other divinities.

Chaupais

sāpata tāḍata paruṣa kahaṃtā. bipra pūjya asa gāvahiṃ saṃtā..

pūjia bipra sīla guna hīnā. sūdra na guna gana gyāna prabīnā.. [3-33-1]

kahi nija dharma tāhi samujhāvā. nija pada prīti dēkhi mana bhāvā..

raghupati carana kamala siru nāī. gayau gagana āpani gati pāī.. [3-33-2]

tāhi dēi gati rāma udārā. sabarī kēṃ āśrama pagu dhārā..

sabarī dēkhi rāma gṛhaom āē. muni kē bacana samujhi jiyaom bhāē.. [3-33-3]

sarasija lōcana bāhu bisālā. jaṭā mukuṭa sira ura banamālā..

syāma gaura suṃdara dōu bhāī. sabarī parī carana lapaṭāī.. [3-33-4]

prēma magana mukha bacana na āvā. puni puni pada sarōja sira nāvā..

sādara jala lai carana pakhārē. puni suṃdara āsana baiṭhārē.. [3-33-5]

A Brāhmaṇa, even though he curse you, beat you or speak harsh words to you, is still worthy of adoration: so declare the saints. A Brāhmaṇa must be respected, though lacking in amiability and virtue; not so a Śūdra, though possessing a host of virtues and rich in knowledge.” The Lord instructed Kabandha in His own cult ( the cult of Devotion) and was delighted at heart to see his devotion to His feet. Having regained his original form (that of a Gandharva ) he bowed his head to the lotus feet of Śrī Rāma (the Lord of Raghus) and ascended to the heaven. Having conferred on him his own (Gandharva) state the beneficent Rāma repaired to the hermitage of Śabarī*. When Śabarī saw that Śrī Rāma had called at her abode, she recalled the words of the sage (Matanga)† and was glad of heart. With lotus-like eyes, long arms, a tuft of matted hair adorning their head like a crown and a garland of wild flowers hanging upon their breast, the two brothers looked most charming-the one dark of hue and the other fair; Śabarī fell prostrate and embraced their feet. She was so owerwhelmed with love that no words came to her lips. Again and again she bowed her head at their lotus feet. Presently she look some water and reverently laved their feet and then conducted them to a seat of honour.

• * Śabarī was known by the name of the wild tribe (Śabaras) to which she belonged. Though low-born, she had already acquired some celebrity for her piety and devotion; hence the poet has chosen to call her abode a hermitage ( a name generally applied to the abode of sages and hermits). This can easily serve as an illustration of the catholicity of the great Hindu religion, which, though rigid in social matters, does not fail to give proper recognition to individual merit and virtue. The whole of this episode is a great eye-opener in this respect.
• † From other sources it can be gathered that the sage, who was Śabarī’s own Guru, had predicted to her, on the eve of his demise long before, that the Lord would visit her. It is this prediction of the sage that has been referred to above.