Sundara Kanda · Sarga 38 of 68 · 70 verses
The Crow and the Jewel
Hanuman approves Sita’s reasons: they are worthy of a virtuous woman and of Rama’s wife, and he will tell Rama everything. He spoke only out of love and urgency. Since she will not come, let her give him a token Rama will recognise.
Weeping, Sita tells a story only she and Rama know. At Chitrakuta, near the Mandakini, after bathing, Rama rested in her lap. A crow kept pecking at her; she threw a clod at it, and while she was angry her garment slipped and Rama laughed at her. Later she slept in his lap and he in hers; the crow came again and tore at her breast until blood fell on Rama and woke him. Furious, he saw the crow, who was Indra’s son, with bloody claws. He took a blade of darbha grass from their bed, charged it with the Brahma weapon and loosed it; it pursued the crow through the three worlds. Abandoned by his father and the sages, the crow came back to Rama for refuge, and Rama, protector of refugees, spared him; since the Brahma weapon could not be in vain, it took the crow’s right eye. “For my sake you loosed a Brahma weapon on a mere crow,” let Hanuman say to Rama; “why do you forgive the one who carried me off? Use your weapons on the rakshasas. If you and Lakshmana are able, why do you neglect me? It must be some great sin of mine.”
Hanuman swears that Rama has turned from everything else in his grief, and Lakshmana suffers with him; soon they will burn the worlds to find her. Sita sends greetings to Rama and to Lakshmana, who treated Rama as a father and her as a mother: let Lakshmana end her sorrow. Let Rama know she will live one more month, no longer. Then she takes from her garment her heavenly crest-jewel and gives it to Hanuman for Rama. He slips it on his finger, bows, circles her, and stands ready to leave, his heart already with Rama.
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ततः स कपिशार्दूलस्तेन वाक्येन तोषितः । सीतामुवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः ॥ १ ॥
Then that tiger among monkeys, pleased by those words, skilled in speech, said to Sita on hearing them:
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युक्तरूपं त्वया देवि भाषितं शुभदर्शने । सदृशं स्त्रीस्वभावस्य साध्वीनां विनयस्य च ॥ २ ॥
“What you have said is fitting, goddess, lovely to see, suited to a woman’s nature and to the modesty of virtuous women.
स्त्रीत्वान्न त्वं समर्थासि सागरं व्यतिवर्तितुम् । मामधिष्ठाय विस्तीर्णं शतयोजनमायतम् ॥ ३ ॥
“Being a woman, you are not able to cross the ocean, wide and a hundred leagues long, riding on me.
द्वितीयं कारणं यच्च ब्रवीषि विनयान्विते । रामादन्यस्य नार्हामि संसर्गमिति जानकि ॥ ४ ॥
“And the second reason you give, modest one, that you should not touch anyone but Rama, Janaki:
एतत् ते देवि सदृशं पत्न्यास्तस्य महात्मनः । का ह्यन्या त्वामृते देवि ब्रूयाद् वचनमीदृशम् ॥ ५ ॥
“that is worthy of you, goddess, wife of that great soul. What other woman but you, goddess, would speak such words?
श्रोष्यते चैव काकुत्स्थः सर्वं निरवशेषतः । चेष्टितं यत् त्वया देवि भाषितं च ममाग्रतः ॥ ६ ॥
“Kakutstha will hear everything without omission, goddess: all you have done and all you have said before me.
कारणैर्बहुभिर्देवि रामप्रियचिकीर्षया । स्नेहप्रस्कन्नमनसा मयैतत् समुदीरितम् ॥ ७ ॥
“For many reasons, goddess, wanting to do what is dear to Rama, with a mind melted by love, I said this:
लङ्काया दुष्प्रवेशत्वाद् दुस्तरत्वान्महोदधेः । सामर्थ्यादात्मनश्चैव मयैतत् समुदीरितम् ॥ ८ ॥
“because Lanka is hard to enter and the great ocean hard to cross, and because of my own strength, I said it.
इच्छामि त्वां समानेतुमद्यैव रघुनन्दिना । गुरुस्नेहेन भक्त्या च नान्यथा तदुदाहृतम् ॥ ९ ॥
“I wanted to bring you to the delight of the Raghus today, out of love for my master and devotion; I said it for no other reason.
यदि नोत्सहसे यातुं मया सार्धमनिन्दिते । अभिज्ञानं प्रयच्छ त्वं जानीयाद् राघवो हि यत् ॥ १० ॥
“If you do not wish to go with me, blameless one, give me a token that Raghava will know.”
एवमुक्ता हनुमता सीता सुरसुतोपमा । उवाच वचनं मन्दं बाष्पप्रग्रथिताक्षरम् ॥ ११ ॥
Spoken to so by Hanuman, Sita, like a daughter of the gods, spoke softly, her words choked with tears:
इदं श्रेष्ठमभिज्ञानं ब्रूयास्त्वं तु मम प्रियम् । शैलस्य चित्रकूटस्य पादे पूर्वोत्तरे पदे ॥ १२ ॥
“This is the best token; tell it to my beloved: ‘At the foot of Mount Chitrakuta, in the north-eastern part,
तापसाश्रमवासिन्याः प्राज्यमूलफलोदके । तस्मिन् सिद्धाश्रिते देशे मन्दाकिन्यविदूरतः ॥ १३ ॥
“’when I lived in the ascetics’ hermitage, rich in roots, fruits and water, in that place where the siddhas lived, not far from the Mandakini,
तस्योपवनखण्डेषु नानापुष्पसुगन्धिषु । विहृत्य सलिले क्लिन्नो ममाङ्के समुपाविशः ॥ १४ ॥
“’in its groves fragrant with many flowers, after playing in the water, wet, you sat down in my lap.
ततो मांससमायुक्तो वायसः पर्यतुण्डयत् । तमहं लोष्टमुद्यम्य वारयामि स्म वायसम् ॥ १५ ॥
“’Then a crow, eager for meat, kept pecking at me. I raised a clod of earth and tried to drive the crow away.
दारयन् स च मां काकस्तत्रैव परिलीयते । न चाप्युपारमन्मांसाद् भक्षार्थी बलिभोजनः ॥ १६ ॥
“’But that crow, tearing at me, kept hiding right there, and the eater of offerings, wanting food, would not leave off the meat.
उत्कर्षन्त्यां च रशनां क्रुद्धायां मयि पक्षिणे । स्रंसमाने च वसने ततो दृष्टा त्वया ह्यहम् ॥ १७ ॥
“’As I pulled up my girdle, angry with the bird, and my garment slipped, you saw me then.
त्वया विहसिता चाहं क्रुद्धा संलज्जिता तदा । भक्ष्यगृद्धेन काकेन दारिता त्वामुपागता ॥ १८ ॥
“’And you laughed at me; I was angry and ashamed. Torn by the crow greedy for food, I came to you.
ततः श्रान्ताहमुत्सङ्गमासीनस्य तवाविशम् । क्रुध्यन्तीव प्रहृष्टेन त्वयाहं परिसान्त्विता ॥ १९ ॥
“’Then, tired, I lay in the lap of you as you sat; and you, delighted, comforted me as I went on being angry.
बाष्पपूर्णमुखी मन्दं चक्षुषी परिमार्जती । लक्षिताहं त्वया नाथ वायसेन प्रकोपिता ॥ २० ॥
“’My face full of tears, slowly wiping my eyes, I was noticed by you, my lord, enraged by the crow.
परिश्रमाच्च सुप्ता हे राघवाङ्केऽस्म्यहं चिरम् । पर्यायेण प्रसुप्तश्च ममाङ्के भरताग्रजः ॥ २१ ॥
“’And from weariness I slept for a long time in Raghava’s lap; and in turn Bharata’s elder brother slept in my lap.
स तत्र पुनरेवाथ वायसः समुपागमत् । ततः सुप्तप्रबुद्धां मां राघवाङ्कात् समुत्थिताम् । वायसः सहसागम्य विददार स्तनान्तरे ॥ २२ ॥
“’Then that crow came again. As I woke from sleep and rose from Raghava’s lap, the crow suddenly came and tore me between the breasts.
पुनः पुनरथोत्पत्य विददार स मां भृशम् । ततः समुत्थितो रामो मुक्तैः शोणितबिन्दुभिः ॥ २३ ॥
“’Again and again it flew up and tore at me badly. Then Rama woke, at the drops of blood that fell.
स मां दृष्ट्वा महाबाहुर्वितुन्नां स्तनयोस्तदा । आशीविष इव क्रुद्धः श्वसन् वाक्यमभाषत ॥ २४ ॥
“’Seeing me wounded on my breasts, the mighty-armed one, hissing like an angry serpent, said:
केन ते नागनासोरु विक्षतं वै स्तनान्तरम् । कः क्रीडति सरोषेण पञ्चवक्त्रेण भोगिना ॥ २५ ॥
“’”By whom, you with thighs like an elephant’s trunk, has the place between your breasts been wounded? Who plays with an angry five-headed serpent?”
वीक्षमाणस्ततस्तं वै वायसं समवैक्षत । नखैः सरुधिरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्मामेवाभिमुखं स्थितम् ॥ २६ ॥
“’Looking about, he saw that crow, its sharp claws bloody, facing me.
पुत्रः किल स शक्रस्य वायसः पततां वरः । धरान्तरं गतः शीघ्रं पवनस्य गतौ समः ॥ २७ ॥
“’That crow, best of birds, was said to be Shakra’s son; swift as the wind in its course, it had quickly come down to earth.
ततस्तस्मिन् महाबाहुः कोपसंवर्तितेक्षणः । वायसे कृतवान् क्रूरां मतिं मतिमतां वरः ॥ २८ ॥
“’Then the mighty-armed one, best of the wise, his eyes rolling with anger, set a cruel purpose against that crow.
स दर्भसंस्तराद् गृह्य ब्रह्मणोऽस्त्रेण योजयत् । स दीप्त इव कालाग्निर्जज्वालाभिमुखो द्विजम् ॥ २९ ॥
“’He took a blade of darbha from our grass bed and joined it to the Brahma weapon; it blazed like the fire at the end of time, facing the bird.
स तं प्रदीप्तं चिक्षेप दर्भं तं वायसं प्रति । ततस्तु वायसं दर्भः सोऽम्बरेऽनुजगाम ह ॥ ३० ॥
“’He hurled that blazing darbha at the crow, and the darbha pursued the crow through the sky.
अनुसृष्टस्तदा काको जगाम विविधां गतिम् । त्राणकाम इमं लोकं सर्वं वै विचचार ह ॥ ३१ ॥
“’Pursued, the crow took many courses; seeking a protector, it roamed this whole world.
स पित्रा च परित्यक्तः सर्वैश्च परमर्षिभिः । त्रीँल्लोकान् सम्परिक्रम्य तमेव शरणं गतः ॥ ३२ ॥
“’Abandoned by its father and by all the great sages, having gone round the three worlds, it went to him alone for refuge.
स तं निपतितं भूमौ शरण्यः शरणागतम् । वधार्हमपि काकुत्स्थः कृपया पर्यपालयत् ॥ ३३ ॥
“’When it fell on the ground before him, come for refuge, Kakutstha, the refuge of all, protected it out of compassion, though it deserved death.
परिद्यूनं विवर्णं च पतमानं तमब्रवीत् । मोघमस्त्रं न शक्यं तु ब्राह्मं कर्तुं तदुच्यताम् ॥ ३४ ॥
“’To it, worn out, pale, falling, he said: “The Brahma weapon cannot be made vain; say what is to be done.”
ततस्तस्याक्षि काकस्य हिनस्ति स्म स दक्षिणम् । दत्त्वा तु दक्षिणं नेत्रं प्राणेभ्यः परिरक्षितः ॥ ३५ ॥
“’Then it struck that crow’s right eye. Giving up its right eye, the crow was saved from death.
स रामाय नमस्कृत्वा राज्ञे दशरथाय च । विसृष्टस्तेन वीरेण प्रतिपेदे स्वमालयम् ॥ ३६ ॥
“’Bowing to Rama and to King Dasharatha, released by that hero, it went back to its home.
मत्कृते काकमात्रेऽपि ब्रह्मास्त्रं समुदीरितम् । कस्माद् यो माहरत् त्वत्तः क्षमसे तं महीपते ॥ ३७ ॥
“’For my sake you loosed the Brahma weapon even on a mere crow: why do you forgive the one who took me from you, lord of the earth?
स कुरुष्व महोत्साहां कृपां मयि नरर्षभ । त्वया नाथवती नाथ ह्यनाथा इव दृश्यते ॥ ३८ ॥
“’Then show me compassion with great energy, bull among men. Though I have a protector in you, my lord, I seem to have none.
आनृशंस्यं परो धर्मस्त्वत्त एव मया श्रुतम् । जानामि त्वां महावीर्यं महोत्साहं महाबलम् ॥ ३९ ॥
“’Kindness is the highest dharma: I learned it from you yourself. I know you to be of great valour, great energy and great strength,
अपारवारमक्षोभ्यं गाम्भीर्यात् सागरोपमम् । भर्तारं ससमुद्राया धरण्या वासवोपमम् ॥ ४० ॥
“’boundless, unshakeable, like the ocean in depth, lord of the sea-girt earth, like Vasava.
एवमस्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठो बलवान् सत्त्ववानपि । किमर्थमस्त्रं रक्षःसु न योजयसि राघव ॥ ४१ ॥
“’Being so, best of those who know weapons, strong and full of courage, why do you not use your weapons on the rakshasas, Raghava?’
न नागा नापि गन्धर्वा न सुरा न मरुद्गणाः । रामस्य समरे वेगं शक्ताः प्रतिसमीहितुम् ॥ ४२ ॥
“Neither nagas nor gandharvas, neither gods nor the hosts of Maruts can withstand Rama’s onrush in battle.
तस्य वीर्यवतः कच्चिद् यद्यस्ति मयि सम्भ्रमः । किमर्थं न शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः क्षयं नयति राक्षसान् ॥ ४३ ॥
“If that mighty one has any concern for me, why does he not destroy the rakshasas with his sharp arrows?
भ्रातुरादेशमादाय लक्ष्मणो वा परंतपः । कस्य हेतोर्न मां वीरः परित्राति महाबलः ॥ ४४ ॥
“Or why does Lakshmana, scorcher of foes, taking his brother’s command, the mighty hero, not rescue me?
यदि तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ वाय्विन्द्रसमतेजसौ । सुराणामपि दुर्धर्षौ किमर्थं मामुपेक्षतः ॥ ४५ ॥
“If those two tigers among men, with the splendour of the Wind and Indra, unassailable even by the gods, why do they neglect me?
ममैव दुष्कृतं किंचिन्महदस्ति न संशयः । समर्थावपि तौ यन्मां नावेक्षेते परंतपौ ॥ ४६ ॥
“Surely there is some great wrong of mine, no doubt of it, since those two scorchers of foes, though able, do not look to me.”
वैदेह्या वचनं श्रुत्वा करुणं साश्रु भाषितम् । अथाब्रवीन्महातेजा हनूमान् हरियूथपः ॥ ४७ ॥
Hearing Vaidehi’s piteous words, spoken in tears, radiant Hanuman, leader of monkey troops, said:
त्वच्छोकविमुखो रामो देवि सत्येन ते शपे । रामे दुःखाभिपन्ने तु लक्ष्मणः परितप्यते ॥ ४८ ॥
“Rama has turned away from everything in his grief for you, goddess; I swear it to you by the truth. And while Rama is plunged in sorrow, Lakshmana suffers.
कथंचिद् भवती दृष्टा न कालः परिशोचितुम् । इमं मुहूर्तं दुःखानामन्तं द्रक्ष्यसि शोभने ॥ ४९ ॥
“Somehow you have been found; this is no time for grieving. In this very hour you will see the end of your sorrows, lovely one.
तावुभौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ राजपुत्रौ महाबलौ । त्वद्दर्शनकृतोत्साहौ लोकान् भस्मीकरिष्यतः ॥ ५० ॥
“Those two tigers among men, the mighty princes, roused by the hope of seeing you, will turn the worlds to ash.
हत्वा च समरक्रूरं रावणं सहबान्धवम् । राघवस्त्वां विशालाक्षि स्वां पुरीं प्रति नेष्यति ॥ ५१ ॥
“And having killed Ravana, cruel in battle, with his kin, Raghava will take you to his own city, large-eyed one.
ब्रूहि यद् राघवो वाच्यो लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः । सुग्रीवो वापि तेजस्वी हरयो वा समागताः ॥ ५२ ॥
“Tell me what is to be said to Raghava and to mighty Lakshmana, or to radiant Sugriva, or to the assembled monkeys.”
इत्युक्तवति तस्मिंश्च सीता पुनरथाब्रवीत् । कौसल्या लोकभर्तारं सुषुवे यं मनस्विनी ॥ ५३ ॥
When he had said this, Sita spoke again: “Him whom high-minded Kausalya bore as lord of the world,
तं ममार्थे सुखं पृच्छ शिरसा चाभिवादय । स्रजश्च सर्वरत्नानि प्रियायाश्च वराङ्गनाः ॥ ५४ ॥
“ask after his welfare for me and bow your head to him. And he, by whom Sumitra is blessed in her son, who gave up garlands and all jewels and lovely, beloved women,
ऐश्वर्यं च विशालायां पृथिव्यामपि दुर्लभम् । पितरं मातरं चैव सम्मान्याभिप्रसाद्य च ॥ ५५ ॥
“and lordship hard to win even on the wide earth, honouring and pleasing his father and mother,
अनुप्रव्रजितो रामं सुमित्रा येन सुप्रजाः । आनुकूल्येन धर्मात्मा त्यक्त्वा सुखमनुत्तमम् ॥ ५६ ॥
“followed Rama into exile; the righteous one, giving up the highest happiness, out of loyalty,
अनुगच्छति काकुत्स्थं भ्रातरं पालयन् वने । सिंहस्कन्धो महाबाहुर्मनस्वी प्रियदर्शनः ॥ ५७ ॥
“follows Kakutstha, his brother, guarding him in the forest: lion-shouldered, mighty-armed, high-minded, pleasant to see,
पितृवद् वर्तते रामे मातृवन्मां समाचरत् । ह्रियमाणां तदा वीरो न तु मां वेद लक्ष्मणः ॥ ५८ ॥
“he behaves toward Rama as to a father and toward me as to a mother. The hero Lakshmana did not know that I was being carried off then.
वृद्धोपसेवी लक्ष्मीवान् शक्तो न बहुभाषिता । राजपुत्रप्रियश्रेष्ठः सदृशः श्वशुरस्य मे ॥ ५९ ॥
“He who serves his elders, splendid, able, not given to much talk, dearest and best to the prince, like my father-in-law,
मत्तः प्रियतरो नित्यं भ्राता रामस्य लक्ष्मणः । नियुक्तो धुरि यस्यां तु तामुद्वहति वीर्यवान् ॥ ६० ॥
“Lakshmana, Rama’s brother, always dearer to him than I am, the mighty one, carries whatever burden he is yoked to;
यं दृष्ट्वा राघवो नैव वृत्तमार्यमनुस्मरत् । स ममार्थाय कुशलं वक्तव्यो वचनान्मम ॥ ६१ ॥
“seeing whom Raghava does not even remember his dead noble father: ask after his welfare for me, in my words.
मृदुर्नित्यं शुचिर्दक्षः प्रियो रामस्य लक्ष्मणः । यथा हि वानरश्रेष्ठ दुःखक्षयकरो भवेत् ॥ ६२ ॥
“Gentle, always pure, capable, dear to Rama is Lakshmana. Do it so that he may bring my sorrow to an end, best of monkeys.
त्वमस्मिन् कार्यनिर्वाहे प्रमाणं हरियूथप । राघवस्त्वत्समारम्भान्मयि यत्नपरो भवेत् ॥ ६३ ॥
“You are the authority in carrying out this task, leader of monkey troops; by your effort Raghava may set himself to work for me.
इदं ब्रूयाश्च मे नाथं शूरं रामं पुनः पुनः । जीवितं धारयिष्यामि मासं दशरथात्मज ॥ ६४ ॥
“And tell my lord, heroic Rama, again and again: ‘I will keep my life for one month, son of Dasharatha.
ऊर्ध्वं मासान्न जीवेयं सत्येनाहं ब्रवीमि ते । रावणेनोपरुद्धां मां निकृत्या पापकर्मणा । त्रातुमर्हसि वीर त्वं पातालादिव कौशिकीम् ॥ ६५ ॥
“’After a month I will not live; I tell you this by the truth. Held prisoner by Ravana through wicked trickery, you must rescue me, hero, as Kaushiki was rescued from the underworld.’”
ततो वस्त्रगतं मुक्त्वा दिव्यं चूडामणिं शुभम् । प्रदेयो राघवायेति सीता हनुमते ददौ ॥ ६६ ॥
Then, untying from her garment her lovely heavenly crest-jewel, Sita gave it to Hanuman, saying, “This is to be given to Raghava.”
प्रतिगृह्य ततो वीरो मणिरत्नमनुत्तमम् । अङ्गुल्या योजयामास नह्यस्य प्राभवद् भुजः ॥ ६७ ॥
Receiving that peerless jewel, the hero put it on his finger, for his arm would not go through it.
मणिरत्नं कपिवरः प्रतिगृह्याभिवाद्य च । सीतां प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा प्रणतः पार्श्वतः स्थितः ॥ ६८ ॥
Having received the jewel, the best of monkeys bowed to Sita, walked round her keeping her on his right, and stood humbly at her side.
हर्षेण महता युक्तः सीतादर्शनजेन सः । हृदयेन गतो रामं लक्ष्मणं च सलक्षणम् ॥ ६९ ॥
Filled with the great joy that came from seeing Sita, he had already gone in his heart to Rama and to Lakshmana of the auspicious marks.
मणिवरमुपगृह्य तं महार्हं जनकनृपात्मजया धृतं प्रभावात् । गिरिवरपवनावधूतमुक्तः सुखितमनाः प्रतिसंक्रमं प्रपेदे ॥ ७० ॥
Taking that precious jewel, which the daughter of King Janaka had worn for its power, like a great mountain freed from the buffeting of the wind, happy at heart, he turned to go back.