Ramayana Condensed in the Poet's Own Words /240

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THE RAMAYANA
 
त्वत्प्रियां जानकीं हृत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः ।

झषवद्वबडिशं गृह्य क्षिप्रमेव विनश्यति ॥
 

Ravana the lord of the Rakshasas, car-

rying away your beloved Janaki, will soon

meet with destruction like the fish that

swallows a hook."
 

 
इत्युत्तवा दुर्लेलभान् प्राणान् मुमोच पतगेश्वरः ॥

So saying, the lord of the birds,

Jatayu, gave up his precious life.
 

 
तं गृध्ररं प्रेक्ष्य ताम्राक्षं रामस्सौमित्रिमब्रवीत् ।

गृध्रराजं दिधक्षामि मत्कृते निधनं गतम् ॥

Looking at the red-eyed vulture, Rama

spoke to Lakshmana : I wish to cremate

him who has been killed on my account.
 

 
मया त्वं समनुज्ञातो गच्छ लोकाननुत्तमान् ।

गृध्रराज महासत्त्व संस्कृतश्च मया व्रज ॥
 

With my leave, proceed to the exceed-

ingly high regions of bliss : "Omighty and

powerful Lord of Vultures, being purified

(on the funeral pyre) by me, proceed

thither."
 

 
एवमुत्तवा चितां दीप्तामारोप्य पतगेश्वरम् ।

ददाह रामो धर्मात्मा स्ववबन्धुमिव दुःखितः ॥