Saturday, February 7, 2015

Prof. Dr. Satya Vrat Shastri's Thai Ramayana 15. The brave bird Jatayu!

On the way, Dasharatha's friend, Jatayu, the Vulture Chief, though old, obstructed him. The chief of the birds struck Ravana fiercely with his sharp beak. Surprisingly, the attacks, like the thrust of a sword became highly unbearable for Ravana. Even after making many attempts, he could not slay the bird.

But Jatayu, praising himself revealed the secret! 'I have such a power that I cannot be killed in any way in all the three worlds by your sword or by your shaft or any other weapon of yours. Only the ring of Maheswara which is on Sita's finger can kill me. Therefore all your missiles and weapons are futile.' Having heard these words uttered in conceit, Ravana, took off the ring from Sita's finger and attacked Jatayu with it.  Alas! The brave bird gave up his dear life and went to the world earned by his virtues as Sita shed tears of grief.

Meanwhile the brave chiefs of the race of Raghu returned to the cottage. Not finding Sita there, they went searching. As they roamed the forest they saw the body of the lord of the vultures. Though killed, his divine soul had not left him. He informed them about Sita being carried away by Ravana. And after handing over the ring of Sita to Rama his satisfied soul rested in peace.

With a desire to perform the funeral rites of the virtuous Jatayu, Rama shot an arrow and a funeral pyre lit up by his side. With the help of another arrow he gently placed the body  of  the vulture on the funeral pyre. After the body had burned, he extinguished the fire with still another arrow. Thus having performed the unique funeral rites, Rama and Lakshamana set towards the southern region in search of Ravana. Seperated from Sita, fatigued and depressed, the noble scion of Dasharatha spent his time somehow absorbed in himself.

Raghunath said...
Modern day Ravanas have killed off Jatayu's progeny. The Ravana is called diclofenac and has decimated the vulture population upsetting ecology. Even Parsis are suffering as their dead are not consumed expeditiously!
R

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