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6
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
The twice-born sage, seeing the female
bird piteously crying and realising the
unrighteousness of the act through his
compassionate nature, spoke the following
words :
 
मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वम् अगमश्शाश्वतीस्समाः।
यत् क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेक: अवधीः काममोहितः ॥
 
"O
 
" O hunter ! you shall have no good
name for endless years, since you have
killed one of the couple of Krauncha
birds whilst in the transport of love."
 
तस्यैवं ब्रुवतश्चिन्ता बभूव हृदि वीक्षतः ।
शोकार्तेनास्य शकुनेः किमिदं व्याहृतं मया ॥
 
As he thus spoke and looked, the
thought arose in his heart-what is it that
has been uttered by me in my sorrow for
this bird?
 
चिन्तय: स महाप्राशश चकार मतिमान् मतिम् ।
शिष्यं चैवाब्रवीद्वाक्यम् इदं स मुनिपुङ्गवः ॥
 
Thinking thus, the wise and intelligent
one came to a decision. And the foremost
of ascetics spoke these words to his pupil: