Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 62 of 67 · 15 verses
Nishakara’s Prophecy
Having said this to the best of sages, deeply grieved, I wept. Then, having meditated for a moment, the blessed one said: “Your wings and their feathers will grow again, and your eyes, your breath, your valour and your strength. Long ago I heard in the Purana of a very great task to come; I have seen it by austerity and know it from hearing. There will be a king named Dasharatha, increaser of the Ikshvakus, and his son of great splendour will be named Rama. Appointed for that purpose by his father, he of true valour will go to the forest with his brother Lakshmana. A rakshasa named Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, not to be killed by gods or danavas, will carry off his wife in Janasthana. Though tempted with pleasures and with food of every kind, the very fortunate Maithili, glorious, sunk in sorrow, will not eat. Knowing this, Vasava will give Vaidehi the finest food, food like nectar, hard to get even for the gods. Receiving that food and knowing it comes from Indra, Maithili will take the first portion and place it on the ground for Rama: ‘If my husband is alive, or Lakshmana, my brother-in-law, or if they have gone to the state of gods, this food is for them.’ Rama’s messengers, monkeys, will come there, sent out. You must tell them about Rama’s queen, bird. Do not go anywhere; in such a state where would you go? Wait for the right place and time, and you will regain your wings. I could make you winged again today; but staying here you will do a task for the good of the worlds. You will do that task for the two princes, for the brahmanas, the elders, the sages and Vasava. I too would like to see the brothers Rama and Lakshmana; but I do not wish to hold on to life long; I will give up this body.” So the great seer spoke, he who saw the truth of things.
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एवमुक्त्वा मुनिश्रेष्ठमरुदं भृशदुःखितः । अथ ध्यात्वा मुहूर्तं च भगवानिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
Having said this to the best of sages, deeply grieved, I wept. Then, having meditated a moment, the blessed one said this:
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पक्षौ च ते प्रपक्षौ च पुनरन्यौ भविष्यतः । चक्षुषी चैव प्राणाश्च विक्रमश्च बलं च ते ॥ २ ॥
“Your two wings and their feathers will be other again, and your eyes and breaths, and your valour and strength.
पुराणे सुमहत्कार्यं भविष्यं हि मया श्रुतम् । दृष्टं मे तपसा चैव श्रुत्वा च विदितं मम ॥ ३ ॥
“In the Purana I heard of a very great task to come; it was seen by me by austerity, and is known to me having heard it.
राजा दशरथो नाम कश्चिदिक्ष्वाकुवर्धनः । तस्य पुत्रो महातेजा रामो नाम भविष्यति ॥ ४ ॥
“There will be a certain king named Dasharatha, increaser of the Ikshvakus. His son of great splendour will be named Rama.
अरण्यं च सह भ्रात्रा लक्ष्मणेन गमिष्यति । तस्मिन्नर्थे नियुक्तः सन् पित्रा सत्यपराक्रमः ॥ ५ ॥
“And he will go to the forest with his brother Lakshmana, appointed for that purpose by his father, of true valour.
नैर्ऋतो रावणो नाम तस्य भार्यां हरिष्यति । राक्षसेन्द्रो जनस्थाने अवध्यः सुरदानवैः ॥ ६ ॥
“A nairrita named Ravana will carry off his wife, the lord of the rakshasas, in Janasthana, not to be killed by gods and danavas.
सा च कामैः प्रलोभ्यन्ती भक्ष्यैर्भोज्यैश्च मैथिली । न भोक्ष्यति महाभागा दुःखमग्ना यशस्विनी ॥ ७ ॥
“And she, Maithili, though being tempted with pleasures and with foods and dishes, will not eat, the very fortunate, glorious one, sunk in sorrow.
परमान्नं च वैदेह्या ज्ञात्वा दास्यति वासवः । यदन्नममृतप्रख्यं सुराणामपि दुर्लभम् ॥ ८ ॥
“Knowing it, Vasava will give Vaidehi the finest food, food like nectar, hard to get even for the gods.
तदन्नं मैथिली प्राप्य विज्ञायेन्द्रादिदं त्विति । अग्रमुद्धृत्य रामाय भूतले निर्वपिष्यति ॥ ९ ॥
“Receiving that food, and knowing, ‘This is from Indra,’ Maithili, taking out the first portion, will set it on the ground for Rama:
यदि जीवति मे भर्ता लक्ष्मणो वापि देवरः । देवत्वं गच्छतोर्वापि तयोरन्नमिदं त्विति ॥ १० ॥
“’If my husband lives, or Lakshmana, my brother-in-law, or if the two have gone to the state of gods, this food is for them.’
एष्यन्ति प्रेषितास्तत्र रामदूताः प्लवङ्गमाः । आख्येया राममहिषी त्वया तेभ्यो विहङ्गम ॥ ११ ॥
“Rama’s messengers, leapers, sent out, will come there. Rama’s queen is to be told of by you to them, bird.
सर्वथा तु न गन्तव्यमीदृशः क्व गमिष्यसि । देशकालौ प्रतीक्षस्व पक्षौ त्वं प्रतिपत्स्यसे ॥ १२ ॥
“In no way are you to go; in such a state where will you go? Wait for place and time; you will regain your wings.
उत्सहेयमहं कर्तुमद्यैव त्वां सपक्षकम् । इहस्थस्त्वं हि लोकानां हितं कार्यं करिष्यसि ॥ १३ ॥
“I could undertake to make you winged today itself; but staying here you will do a task for the good of the worlds.
त्वयापि खलु तत् कार्यं तयोश्च नृपपुत्रयोः । ब्राह्मणानां गुरूणां च मुनीनां वासवस्य च ॥ १४ ॥
“Surely that task is to be done by you too, for those two princes, for the brahmanas, the elders, the sages and Vasava.
इच्छाम्यहमपि द्रष्टुं भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ । नेच्छे चिरं धारयितुं प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्ये कलेवरम् । महर्षिस्त्वब्रवीदेवं दृष्टतत्त्वार्थदर्शनः ॥ १५ ॥
“I too wish to see the brothers Rama and Lakshmana; I do not wish to hold my breaths long; I will give up this body.” So the great seer spoke, seer of the truth of things.