Hari Om.
Let us begin the sixty eighth sarga of the araNya kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Inspired by lakshmaNa’s counsel, rAma gathers himself from grief of sItA’s loss and the duo search through the forest. The first clue came from unbelievable quarters – the flock of deer which showed the southern direction. As they proceeded, they came across the debris of a chariot and its paraphernalia, the dead charioteer and blood splashes here and there. There were foot prints, purportedly that of a woman chased by a giant demon! It was getting clear that they were on the right track in their search. That is when they come across a vulture, badly wounded and struggling for breath. His vision clouded by grief and apprehension, rAma mistakes the vulture jaTAyu for a demon who harmed sItA and gets ready to slay it when the vulture king feebly reports the happenings! rAma’s grief doubled and he lamented his own misfortune that seems to coming in surging waves! The gentle and sensitive one that he is, he felt extremely agitated for the brunt that jaTAyu has bore for his sake and was ready to pay for it with its own life!! He casts aside the bow and embraces jaTAyu. With its head on his lap, he stroked the bird gently and spoke to it. Onwards…
Beholding the vulture thus cruelly felled on the ground, rAma addressed lakshmaNa, who befriended all –
“This bird fought the demon for my sake and was fatally felled down in the battle and about to give up the dear life. In the badly battered body of his, very little life is left and is fast running out, his voice is faltering and feeble”.
Then he spoke to jaTAyu –
“O jaTAyu, may you b well, if you are able to speak, can you please tell me again about what happened to sItA and how were you felled? For what reason did rAvaNa abduct sItA; how was he offended by me to do this? O best of birds, how did the beautiful moon-like face of sItA look at that time and what did she speak at that time? And what valor does that demon posses, how does he look, what does he do, where does he live? Please do answer my questions, O jaTAyu!”
As rAma sobbed through these questions, stung badly at this dual blows, jaTAyu feebly responded –
“The lord of the demons, rAvaNa, creating terrible winds and clouds through his deceitful wizardry, abducted her away in the skies and flew in the southern direction. As I grew tired of the battle, he clipped my wings with his sword and took her away. O rAma, my life is ebbing out and my vision is failing. I beholden golden trees which is a certain sign of my death!
The time during which rAvaNa abducted sItA is called vinda. The characteristic of this auspicious time is that whatever is lost during this time rightfully goes back to it’s rightful owner. rAvaNA was ignorant of this!
येन याति मुहूर्तेन सीतामादाय रावणः ।
विप्रणष्टं धनं क्षिप्रम् तत्स्वामी प्रतिपद्यते ।
विन्दो नाम मुहूर्तोऽयम् स च काकुत्स्थ नाबुधत् ॥ 3.68.13
Abducting and taking jAnakI away is akin to a fish taking the bait and that will bring rAvaNa’s destruction just like that of the fish. Worry not about sItA, O rAma, you shall soon destroy the demon and revel in the reunion with your beloved”.
Even as the dying jaTAyu, recounted the happenings, in a feeble voice, it began to vomit blood. The bird continued – “verily, the son of visravas and the brother of kubEra…………………….” and as he was revealing the identity of the demon, he passed out!!! As rAma with folded hands, said “tell me, tell me” anxiously, the vulture, dropped its head down and fell flat on earth and its life escaped the body and soared high into the skies. rAma was shattered to see the vulture die thus and become immovable like a mountain and said grievingly to lakshmaNa –
“Alas, having dwelled in the region of demons for several thousands of years, the vulture, my benefactor, died in the hands of the mighty rAvaNa while trying to rescue sItA from him! Alas, destiny is inescapable, he left his kingdom of vultures for my sake!!!
सर्वत्र खलु दृश्यन्ते साधवो धर्मचारिणः।।3.68.24।।
शूराश्शरण्यास्सौमित्रे तिर्यग्योनिगतेष्वपि।
Indeed lakshmaNa, dhArmic and righteous ones can be found everywhere, even among the birds, who provide protection through valor and refuge to the helpless!
सीताहरणजं दुःखं न मे सौम्य तथाविधम्।।3.68.25।।
यथा विनाशे गृध्रस्य मत्कृते च परन्तप।
O saumitri, the death of the vulture on my account hurts me far more than losing sItA. This king of vultures is as worship-worthy for me as was illustrious king and my father daSaratha. O saumitri, I shall make fire, you get the wood and get the pyre ready, I shall perform the last rites of this vulture, the king of the birds, right here”.
गतिर्यज्ञशीलानामाहिताग्नेश्च या गतिः।।3.68.29।।
अपरावर्तिनां या च या च भूमिप्रदायिनाम्।
मया त्वं समनुज्ञातो गच्छ लोकाननुत्तमान्।।3.68.30।।
गृध्रराज महासत्त्व संस्कृतश्च मया व्रज।
“O king of vultures, the exalted worlds attained by those engaged in yajnas, by those ever engaged in the worship of the sacrificial fire, by those who never run away from the battle field and by those who have given the earth to others in charity; permitted and cremated by me, may you dwell in those exalted worlds”.
With these emphatic words, rAma performed the last rites of jaTAyu and wailed like he has lost his own kin. Then, having slain a deer and making balls of its meat, rAma offered to the departed bird while chanting mantras appropriate for those of departed ancestors as laid down by the learned brAhmins. Then both dhArmic brothers went to the river gOdAvarI and having taken bath, they offered libations to the king of vultures as prescribed in the scriptures.
The king vultures won fame through its martyrdom as he fought valiantly with the demon and laid down its life. Then having received last rites from a sagely rAma deservedly ascended the exalted worlds.
कृतोदकौ तावपि पक्षिसत्तमे स्थिरां च बुद्धिं प्रणिधाय जग्मतुः ।
प्रवेश्य सीताधिगमे ततो मनो वनं सुरेन्द्राविव विष्णुवासवौ ॥
Having performed the last rites of the king of the birds, the duo resembling vishNu and indra, with a firm mind, entered the forests and focused on the search of sItA.
Here we conclude the sixty eighth sarga of the araNya kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
