सौमित्रे हर काष्ठानि निर्मथिष्यामि पावकम्। गृध्रराजं दिधक्ष्यामि मत्कृते निधनं गतम्
Saumitri, bring wood; I will kindle a fire and cremate the king of vultures, who has met his end for my sake.
नाथं पतगलोकस्य चितिमारोपयाम्यहम्। इमं धक्ष्यामि सौमित्रे हतं रौद्रेण रक्षसा
I will lay this protector of the bird world upon the funeral pyre; I shall burn him, Saumitri, who was slain by the fierce demon.
या गतिर्यज्ञशीलानामाहिताग्नेश्च या गतिः। अपरावर्तिनां या च या च भूमिप्रदायिनाम्
The destiny attained by those devoted to sacrifice, by those who maintain sacred fires, by those who do not turn back, and by those who give away land—
मया त्वं समनुज्ञातो गच्छ लोकाननुत्तमान्। गृध्रराज महासत्त्व संस्कृतश्च मया व्रज
By me you are permitted: go to the highest worlds, O king of vultures, great in spirit; having been honored by me, depart.
एवमुक्त्वा चितां दीप्तामारोप्य पतगेश्वरम्। ददाह रामो धर्मात्मा स्वबन्धुमिव दुःखितः
Having spoken thus, Rama, righteous-souled and grieving as for a kinsman, placed the lord of birds on the blazing pyre and burned him.
रामोऽथ सहसौमित्रिर्वनं गत्वा स वीर्यवान्। स्थूलान् हत्वा महारोहीननुतस्तार तं द्विजम्
Then Rama, together with Saumitri, valiant, went into the forest, slew large, great-bodied animals, and offered them to that bird.
रोहिमांसानि चोद्धृत्य पेशीकृत्वा महायशाः। शकुनाय ददौ रामो रम्ये हरितशाद्वले
And having taken the flesh of those animals, cut into pieces, the illustrious Rama gave it to the bird on a beautiful green meadow.
यत् तत् प्रेतस्य मर्त्यस्य कथयन्ति द्विजातयः। तत् स्वर्गगमनं पित्र्यं तस्य रामो जजाप ह
That ancestral rite which the twice-born prescribe for the departed—Rama performed that funeral ritual for him, to send him to heaven.
ततो गोदावरीं गत्वा नदीं नरवरात्मजौ। उदकं चक्रतुस्तस्मै गृध्रराजाय तावुभौ
Then the two sons of the best of men went to the Godavari river and offered water to the king of vultures.
शास्त्रदृष्टेन विधिना जलं गृध्राय राघवौ। स्नात्वा तौ गृध्रराजाय उदकं चक्रतुस्तदा
Having bathed, the Raghavas performed the water-rite for the vulture king, according to the procedure prescribed in the scriptures.
स गृध्रराजः कृतवान् यशस्करं सुदुष्करं कर्म रणे निपातितः। महर्षिकल्पेन च संस्कृतस्तदा जगाम पुण्यां गतिमात्मनः शुभाम्
That king of vultures, having performed a glorious and exceedingly difficult deed, fell in battle; then, honored like a great sage, he attained a blessed state for himself.
कृतोदकौ तावपि पक्षिसत्तमे स्थिरां च बुद्धिं प्रणिधाय जग्मतुः। प्रवेश्य सीताधिगमे ततो मनो वनं सुरेन्द्राविव विष्णुवासवौ
Having performed the water-rite for the foremost of birds, the two, fixing their minds firmly on the search for Sita, entered the forest like Indra and Vishnu.
thumb|एकोनसप्ततितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनसप्ततितमः सर्गः ॥३-
Hear now the sixty-ninth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa.
कृत्वैवमुदकं तस्मै प्रस्थितौ राघवौ तदा। अवेक्षन्तौ वने सीतां जग्मतुः पश्चिमां दिशम्
Having performed the water-rite for him in this way, the two Raghavas then set out, searching for Sita in the forest, and went toward the western direction.
तां दिशं दक्षिणां गत्वा शरचापासिधारिणौ। अविप्रहतमैक्ष्वाकौ पन्थानं प्रतिपेदतुः
Having gone to the southern direction, bearing bow, arrows, and sword, the two Ikshvakus, undeterred, proceeded along the path.
गुल्मैर्वृक्षैश्च बहुभिर्लताभिश्च प्रवेष्टितम्। आवृतं सर्वतो दुर्गं गहनं घोरदर्शनम्
Thickly overgrown with bushes, trees, and many creepers, surrounded on all sides, difficult to traverse, dense, and terrifying to behold.
व्यतिक्रम्य तु वेगेन गृहीत्वा दक्षिणां दिशम्। सुभीमं तन्महारण्यं व्यतियातौ महाबलौ
Swiftly crossing it and taking the southern direction, those two mighty warriors passed through that very dreadful great forest.
ततः परं जनस्थानात् त्रिकोशं गम्य राघवौ। क्रौञ्चारण्यं विविशतुर्गहनं तौ महौजसौ
Then, going three krośas beyond Janasthana, the two Raghavas, of great energy, entered the dense Krauncha forest.
नानामेघघनप्रख्यं प्रहृष्टमिव सर्वतः। नानावर्णैः शुभैः पुष्पैर्मृगपक्षिगणैर्युतम्
Resembling masses of various clouds, delightful on all sides, adorned with flowers of many colors and filled with herds of deer and flocks of birds.
दिदृक्षमाणौ वैदेहीं तद् वनं तौ विचिक्यतुः। तत्र तत्रावतिष्ठन्तौ सीताहरणदुःखितौ
Desiring to see Vaidehi, those two wandered through that forest, stopping here and there, grieving over Sita's abduction.
ततः पूर्वेण तौ गत्वा त्रिक्रोशं भ्रातरौ तदा। क्रौञ्चारण्यमतिक्रम्य मतङ्गाश्रममन्तरे
Then, having gone three krośas eastward, the two brothers, passing through the Krauncha forest, came near the hermitage of Matanga.
दृष्ट्वा तु तद् वनं घोरं बहुभीममृगद्विजम्। नानावृक्षसमाकीर्णं सर्वं गहनपादपम्
There, seeing that dreadful forest, filled with many fearsome beasts and birds, crowded with various trees, and entirely dense with great trees.
ददृशाते गिरौ तत्र दरीं दशरथात्मजौ। पातालसमगम्भीरां तमसा नित्यसंवृताम्
There, the sons of Dasaratha saw on the mountain a cave, as deep as the underworld, always covered in darkness.
आसाद्य च नरव्याघ्रौ दर्यास्तस्याविदूरतः। ददर्शतुर्महारूपां राक्षसीं विकृताननाम्
Approaching that cave, the tiger-like men, not far from its entrance, saw a rakshasi of huge form and distorted face.
भयदामल्पसत्त्वानां बीभत्सां रौद्रदर्शनाम्। लम्बोदरीं तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रां करालीं परुषत्वचम्
Terrifying to the faint-hearted, hideous, dreadful in appearance, with a hanging belly, sharp fangs, fierce, and harsh-skinned.
भक्षयन्तीं मृगान् भीमान् विकटां मुक्तमूर्धजाम्। अवैक्षतां तु तौ तत्र भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ
Devouring fearsome animals, monstrous, with disheveled hair—there the two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, saw her.
सा समासाद्य तौ वीरौ व्रजन्तं भ्रातुरग्रतः। एहि रंस्यावहेत्युक्त्वा समालम्भत लक्ष्मणम्
Approaching those two heroes as they went, with the younger brother in front, she said, 'Come, let us enjoy,' and seized Lakshmana.
उवाच चैनं वचनं सौमित्रिमुपगुह्य च। अहं त्वयोमुखी नाम लाभस्ते त्वमसि प्रियः
Embracing Saumitri, she spoke these words: 'I am Ayomukhi by name; you are fortunate, you are dear to me.'
नाथ पर्वतदुर्गेषु नदीनां पुलिनेषु च। आयुश्चिरमिदं वीर त्वं मया सह रंस्यसे
'Lord, in the mountain fastnesses and on the riverbanks, you will enjoy a long life with me, O hero.'
एवमुक्तस्तु कुपितः खड्गमुद्धृत्य लक्ष्मणः। कर्णनासस्तनं तस्या निचकर्तारिसूदनः
Thus addressed, Lakshmana, enraged, drew his sword and, destroyer of foes, cut off her ears, nose, and breasts.