पूर्वजोऽप्युक्तमात्रस्तु लक्ष्मणेन सुभाषितम्। सारग्राही महासारं प्रतिजग्राह राघवः॥
After Laksmana had spoken these highly sound and pleasant words, Rāma, ever taking to what is sound, accepted them.
स निगृह्य महाबाहुः प्रवृद्धं रोषमात्मनः। अवष्टभ्य धनुश्चित्रं रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon that one, of mighty arms, slaking his flaming ire and reclining himself upon his beautiful bow, addressed Laksmana.
किं करिष्यावहे वत्स क्व वा गच्छाव लक्ष्मण। केनोपायेन पश्यावः सीतामिह विचिन्तय॥
Do you ponder over, O brother, where shall we repair, what shall we do and by what means shall we come by Sītā?
तं तथा परितापार्तं लक्ष्मणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। इदमेव जनस्थानं त्वमन्वेषितुमर्हसि॥ राक्षसैर्बहुभिः कीर्णं नानाद्रुमलतायुतम्। सन्तीह गिरिदुर्गाणि निर्दराः कन्दराणि च ॥
Whereto Lakşmaņa replied saying to the highly aggrieved Råma, It is proper for you to search this Janasthāna filled with a multitude of Rākṣasas and covered with diverse trees and creepers. Here are many strongholds in the midst of mountains, clefts of rocks, many caves and numerous cavities filled with various animals.
गुहाश्च विविधा घोरा नानामृगगणाकुलाः। आवासाः किंनराणां च गन्धर्वभवनानि च॥ तानि युक्तो मया सार्धं समन्वेषितुमर्हसि। त्वद्विधा बुद्धिसम्पन्ना महात्मानो नरर्षभाः॥ आपत्सु न प्रकम्पन्ते वायुवेगैरिवाचलाः।
Many are the abodes here belonging to the Kinnaras and Gandharvas. Do you, along with me, search all these places. Great men, of your calibre, do remain unagitated even in the midst of difficulties like to mountains never shaken by the velocity of the wind.
इत्युक्तस्तद् वनं सर्वं विचचार सलक्ष्मणः॥ क्रुद्धो रामः शरं घोरं संधाय धनुषि क्षुरम्।
Hearing these words, Rāma, enraged, fixing sharp and terrible arrows to his bow, began to range the forest with Lakşmaņa.
ततः पर्वतकूटाभं महाभागं द्विजोत्तमम्॥ ददर्श पतितं भूमौ क्षतजाद्रं जटायुषम्। तं दृष्ट्वा गिरिशृङ्गाभं रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon he beheld, fallen on ground, having his person bathed in blood, the king of birds-Jatayu, resembling a mountain peak, and spoke to Lakşmaņa.
अनेन सीता वैदेही भक्षति नात्र संशयः। गृध्ररूपमिदं व्यक्तं रक्षो भ्रमति काननम्॥
It is clear and beyond all doubt that Vaidehī has been devoured by this Rākşasa, assuming the shape of a vulture and ranging the forest.
भक्षयित्वा विशालाक्षीमास्ते सीतां यथासुखम्। एनं वधिष्ये दीप्ताग्रैः शरघोरैरजिह्मगैः॥
This Rākşasa has been reposing at ease after devouring that one of expansive eyes; I shall kill him with terrible straight coursing arrows, having flaming points.
इत्युक्त्वाभ्यपतद् द्रष्टुं संधाय धनुषि क्षुरम्। क्रुद्धो रामः समुद्रान्तां चालयन्निव मेदिनीम्॥
Fixing sharpened shafts to his bow, Rāma, enraged, darted towards the vulture, as if moving the sea-girt earth.
तं दीनदीनया वाचा सफेनं रुधिरं वमन्। अभ्यभाषत पक्षी स रामं दशरथात्मजम्॥
Vomiting frothy blood Jațāyu, the king of vultures, spoke to Rāma, the son of Dasaratha.
यामोषधीमिवायुष्मन्नन्वेषसि महावने। सा देवी मम च प्राणा रावणेनोभयं हृतम्॥
O you of long life, that goddess, whom you have been searching in this vast forest like to Os adhi, and my life have been carried away by Rāvana.
त्वया विरहिता देवी लक्ष्मणेन च राघव। ह्रियमाणा मया दृष्टा रावणेन बलीयसा॥
I saw her, O Rāghava, carried away stealthily by the powerful Rāvaņa, in your absence as well as that of Lakşmaņa.
सीतामभ्यवपन्नोऽहं रावणश्च रणे प्रभो। विध्वंसितरथच्छत्रः पतितो धरणीतले॥
Myself nearing Sītā, for her rescue, O Lord, Rāvaņa was thrown down on earth by me in conflict having his car and umbrella shattered.
एतदस्य धनुर्भग्नमेते चास्य शरास्तथा। अयमस्य रणे राम भग्नः सांग्रामिको रथः॥
This is his snapped bow and these are his broken shafts. And this is his war-car, O Rāma shattered in fight.
अयं तु सारथिस्तस्य मत्पक्षनिहतो भुवि। परिश्रान्तस्य मे पक्षौ छित्वा खङ्गेन रावणः॥ सीतामादाय वैदेहीमुत्पपात विहायसम्। रक्षसा निहतं पूर्वं मां न हन्तुं त्वमर्हसि ॥
This is his charioteer lying on earth being killed by the velocity of my wings. Having sundered my wings with his dagger, who had been exhausted, Rāvana taking Sītā, rose high up in the welkin. It behove you not to kill me who had been wounded before by the Rākşasa.
रामस्तस्य तु विज्ञाय सीतासक्तां प्रियां कथाम्। गृध्रराजं परिष्वज्य परित्यज्य महद् धनुः॥ निपपातावशो भूमौ रुरोद सहलक्ष्मणः। द्विगुणीकृततापा” रामो धीरतरोऽपि सन्॥
Hearing from him pleasant words relating to Sītā, Rāma, leaving aside, instantly, his mighty bow, embraced him, and rolling on earth having lost self-control through grief, began to lament with Lakşmaņa. Though highly composed by nature, he was overwhelmed with doubled grief.
एकमेकायने कृच्छ्रे नि:श्वसन्तं मुहुर्मुहुः। समीक्ष्य दुःखितो रामः सौमित्रिमिदमब्रवीत्॥
And beholding Jațāyu, sigh again and again and breathing with difficulty in a helpless plight, Rāma, highly aggrieved, spoke to Lakşmaņa.
राज्यं भ्रष्टं वने वासः सीता नष्टा मृतो द्विजः। ईदृशीयं ममालक्ष्मीर्दहेदपि हि पावकम्॥
I have lost my kingdom and have been living in this forest. My Sītā has been carried away and this bird has been killed (on my account). This misfortune of mine can burn even the very fire.
सम्पूर्णमपि चेदद्य प्रतरेयं महोदधिम्। सोऽपि नूनं ममालक्ष्म्या विशुष्येत् सरितां पतिः॥
If for assuaging my grief I do enter the mighty ocean, verily shall that misfortune dry up even that lord of rivers.
नास्त्यभाग्यतरो लोके मत्तोऽस्मिन् सचराचरे। येनेयं महती प्राप्ता मया व्यसनवागुरा॥
There is none so unfortunate as I, throughout this earth, mobile or immobile, and it is for this bad luck that I have confronted this mighty disaster.
अयं पितुर्वयस्यो मे गृध्रराजो महाबलः। शेते विनिहतो भूमौ मम भाग्यविपर्ययात्॥
This mighty king of vultures is our father's friend and he Leith on earth, killed through the evil turn of my fortune.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा बहुशो राघवः सहलक्ष्मणः। जटायुषं च पस्पर्श पितृस्नेहं निदर्शयन्॥
Uttering these and various other words, Rāghava, along with Lakşmaņa touched his body manifesting his paternal affection.
निकृत्तपक्षं रुधिरावसिक्तं तं गृध्रराजं परिगृह्य राघवः। क्व मैथिली प्राणसमा गतेति विमुच्य वाचं निपपात भूमौ ॥
Embracing the king of vultures, bathed in blood, having its wings cut off, Rāghava, fell on the ground, exclaiming where has Maithili gone like to my life?