DR
C. L. PRABHAKAR
I
Ramayana
is invested with many episodes. Each contributed to the smooth run of the plot
of the text. Birds and animals are also major characters in this epic. Nature,
in general, supported the cause and purpose of Rama, the chief character about
whom the whole story is narrated. Among the episodes, the crow episode (Vaayasa Prakarana) deserves
our special attention. The author of this epic, viz., sage Valmiki,
has set a tradition in the art of poetry and in the event of characterisation. The various objects of nature inspire the
life and hope of human beings from time to time.
Valmiki is appreciated because
of his able delineation of various characters in the epic. Each character and
event contained share in the main sentiment of the epic. Karunarasa
which is regarded as the angirasa of
this Kavya,
is felt by readers automatically in view of the contents of this epic.
When
we consider instances wherein birds are involved, we might cite four episodes,
viz., 1) Crauncha (Cranes) episode, 2)
the Vaayasa (Crow) episode, 3) The Jatayu episode and 4) The Pampaati
episode. Chronologically, the crow episode occupied second place, but Valmiki mentioned it as the fast one for the sake of
propriety and convenience. The poet is justified also in such a situation.
It
is regarded that the crane episode formed the origin for Sanskrit poetic
composition (Kaavya), in general and Ramayana
in particular. This event moved the mind of Valmiki
very much. The Soka (grief) of the
female bird became the Soka of the poet
himself. As a result, without his knowledge, the sage cursed the killer (Vyaadha) of that male bird that was engaged in love
with its mate.
This
episode may be cited below quite briefly: Once sage Valmiki
proceeded towards Tamasa river for bathing along with
his pupil Bharadwaaja. But on the way he saw a couple
of cranes happily engaged in love over a tree. But suddenly a hunter shot the
male with an arrow. The male fell and began rolling on the ground suffering the
pain of death. The female mate of that bird was crying overpowered by sorrow. Valmiki, himself being a true Sahridaya
(connoiseur) cursed the hunter. The mind of the sage
was perturbed very much filled with remorse also. Looking at the plight of the
poet, Lord Brahma himself visited the sage’s hermitage and impelled him to
write the sacred story of Rama in verse. Sage Narada
provided a sketch of Rama’s life and the details of
the life further were realised by the poet by virtue
of Yoga. Herein one can see obviously that this episode was not without any
significance.
Wordsworth
defined poetry as “a powerful feeling recollected in tranquility.” Ramayana is
exactly the same. It is a powerful (sorrow) of the poet recollected in
tranquility. It is so because the sage never stopped to remain pensive over the
Crauncha episode.
Further
Anandavardhana, a famous Sanskrit poetician,
considered this episode to speak about the origin of poetry and a suggestion is
underlined that the whole plot of the epic sums up to the death of males and
subsequently misery to their respective consorts. For example, the chieftains,
viz., Vali and Ravana were
killed by Rama, while Tara and Mandodari were put to
sorrow respectively. The curse which Valmiki
pronounced is an eternal curse to Lord Vishnu himself. As a result Vishnu is
blamed and put to the cycle of Avataras.
The
descriptions connected with the brother-birds, viz., Jatayu
and Pampaati, have also a great significance. The
birds, however, belong to a bigger order among birds. Jatayu
gave hopes to Rama and Lakshmana by informing some
news regarding Sita at a time when they found
themselves in utter dismay and confusion. In like manner, at a different
situation, Pampaati rejuvenated the hopes of life of Vanaras who had resolved to commit to death, by describing
the abode of Ravana and the way to reach Lanka. Thus
it is evident that these episodes have a mine of importance in the easy run of
the epic.
It
may be noted that Valmiki showed a pathway also in
the art of literary criticism and story-writing. In fact to a scientific mind
it is not always the story that interests him but it is the method behind the
depiction of the plot of the text. Under such consideration, Valmiki seems to suggest that nature is grand and it is
there to educate man into right behaviour and right
knowledge. In the same strain the crow episode is a significant measure.
Further this is highly symbolic too. It symbolises a
mischievous act and consequent punishment. On the other hand, this crow episode
could be a preamble for the forthcoming major agony to which Rama and Sita would be subjected. A poet should suggest that way to
make his as a standard composition. Despite Rama’s
presence with Sita, Sita
was exposed to trouble twice in the epic. Once when Rama was asleep and at
another time when Rama was away from Sita. Valmiki indirectly pitches upon the inviolable impact of
Fate on characters.
When
a hunter, a human being, disturbed the privacy of two birds, in the Crauncha episode, here in the Crow episode, a bird disturbs
the privacy of Rama and Sita. Thus Kaakaprakarana in principle pertains to the
private situation of Rama and Sita.
This
episode is mentioned thrice in the Sundarakaanda of
Ramayana. In the thirty-seventh canto (slokas 13-38)
of the book, Sita at first narrates the incident to
Hanuman by way of token (Abhijnaana) to Rama
which Hanuman cursorily mentions again in the sixty-fifth canto (sloka 16) of the Sundarakaanda.
But on the request of Rama, Hanuman once again describes the same event quite
composed in the sixty-seventh canto (slokas 2-18) of
Ramayana. It would be a matter of interest if a comparison is made between the
narrations of the episode as found in the respective sargas.
One
can see a difference between Sita’s and Hanuman’s way
of narrations. Sita appeared filled with emotion
(grief) and therefore the style seems to be powerful, comparatively. This
episode seems to have originally taken place just at the beginning of Sitaramavanavasa, especially in a location
where Chitrakuta mountain
and river Mandakini inspired the couple.
A
textual comparison may be noted below. There is not very much repetition in
style although the details of the episode are the same in the Ramayana. In
general, Valmiki is an established writer noted for
novelty and freshness in the language and style always.
Verses 38.28 = 67.10. Here there is
replacement of one word only, i.e., sutah (67.10)
in place of putrah. Likewise verses
38.29 = 67.11 and 38.33 = 67.12, etc., deserve our attention since these are
very much similar. There are a few verses where part of the
verses are mutually common. However, the chief expression “Vidadaara stanaantare” is
commonly repeated in both the sargas. Likewise there
are a few more examples in these verses. These observations show that the style
of the poet principally abounded in variety, free from monotony and repetition.
Repetition is of course, a mode of style which is common even to Vedic Samhitas and the successive literature further.
It
is mentioned earlier that the verses at thirty-eighth canto reveal feelings of
emotion. Incidentally this piece refers to the crow and its food and other
habits. Sita showed her knowledge of crow in
this section. There are several expressions which refer to the
food. A crow eats bali
(that is offered outside the fire) and in seizing that food away the bird
is terrible. The term “grdhna” stands for
that. A crow is described to be fast in flight in sky matching the speed even
that of wind itself. It is a bird known for best wings (pakshi)
and best among the flying birds. The bird is twice born (dvijah). There is a reference to the sharp nails of the
bird. The sixty-seventh sarga adds to say a crow to
be khagah, meaning its aerial travel.
The
above details, in other words, contribute to imagine what a crow was in the
times of sage Valmiki. Moreover the description
points out the crow that attacked Sita was an extraordinary one.
Here
it may be said that that crow was not in any way a demon as per the notion in
the tradition. As per the epic, it was not Kakaasura
but it was only a Kaka. Valmiki simply
identifies the bird to be just the son of Sakra (Indra) who came to earth (dharataam
gatah). It is clear that there is no
scope to tell the purpose behind the deliberate mischief of the crow unto Sita. Of late a poet-musician conjectured the crow’s behaviour to be quite natural because, the bird mistook the
foot-finger of Sita to be a piece of flesh. Indeed
such a conjecture adds to heighten the beautiful complexion
of Sita.
Valmiki’s silence in respect of
the motive of the crow’s behaviour gave scope to the
imagination of later poets who projected their own reasons in their respective
versions of this episode. But it is an understanding that among all the
versions of Rama’s story, Valmiki’s
was always regarded as authentic and real.
Following is “The Crow
Episode” is brief:
Once
Sita and Rama had their sweet time on the slopes of Chitrakuta mountain under a
beautiful nature-setting. At that time, being tired, Rama slept on the lap of Sita. A crow approached Sita
repeatedly. But Sita drove the bird away with a lump
of mud. Again after sometime while Rama was fast asleep, that crow rashly
attacked Sita and caused an injury round her breasts
with its pointed nails. Out of pain and agony, Sita
woke her lord up. Rama immediately found a crow with blood stains on nails
lurking about the area. Rama was enraged and charged, with a Mantra of Brahmaastra, a blade of Darbha
grass plucking out from his seat (Prastara).
That grass became Brahma missile and chased the crow. The crow who was the son
of Sakra belonging to celestial region roamed all
about the regions seeking shelter and protection from Rama’s
arrow. Everybody including his father, great seers and others refused to stand
by against Rama’s missile. The crow
being thus disappointed, quite tired, helplessly sought shelter and protection
falling on the feet of Rama only. Rama pardoned the crow but relieved
the crow of its right eye and spared the crow’s life with that missile. As a
rule, his missiles never turn futile. The crow returned happily to its abode
thanking Rama and his father Dasaratha.
The
above is the version as narrated by Sita to Hanuman.
Indirectly by this narration Sita charged (Sun.
38-39) Rama with an allegation that he kept silent all the while over the foe
who lifted his wife herself away. But Hanuman, being intelligent (buddhimataam varishthah) immediately
answered Sita substantiating Rama and Lakshmana that they did not know about Ravana.
Sixty-seventh
canto which contains the narration of the same episode
by Hanuman to Rama repeats the story verbatim and there is no significant
difference between these cantos as was already mentioned. The difference could
be: Sita was emotional while Hanuman was composed while
narrating this crow episode as was mentioned.
Hereunder
let us consider the propriety and significance of the crow episode. It is
always the technique behind the story building that matters rather than the
story.
The
episode could be an obscene situation. It contains the mention of the solitary
love situation between Sita and Rama. Secondly the
breast of a noble man’s wife and its injury by a crow, etc., are mentioned. In
view of this, one may look at the episode with raised brows. Sita felt deeply that episode to be worth the abhijnaana. Valmiki
narrated this episode in full-length and the poet becomes justified in so
depicting.
This
episode throws light upon the character of Rama and also the sentiment of the
epic. The Kaka incident is but a piece of sorrow. Here the crow and the human
couple were put to grief and tension howsoever. This episode served a great
purpose too. It inspired Rama for immediate action and reminded him the
intensity of love that he had been showing unto Sita.
It may be remarked that war between Rama and Ravana
came into being due to on one hand, Rama was in grief
that Sita was stolen and on the other, Ravana desired to preserve Sita
for himself. Thus Sita was an object of inspiration
on either side. It is like Helen of Trojan war. Sita
herself proclaimed this episode to be the best among the events which would
tickle Rama’s conscience and
serve as a rejuvenation to the heroic spiritedness of
Rama. This episode reaches Rama through Hanuman, the trusted envoy of
Rama and Sugriva.
It is a well-known fact that ordinarily it is not possible to see through the significance of certain episodes appropriately as described by eminent poets, like Valmiki. But still an attempt is shown below to count the few points of significance.
A
crow is the ugliest and the meanest among birds. It is highly inauspicious too.
It is hardly regarded with respect. When such a petty bird
troubled Sita, Rama did not tolerate. He employed a powerful
missile. In Telugu there is a saying stating “employing a Brahma missile over a
sparrow.” Probably that is true in most of the other languages too The origin of that saying seems to be found due to this crow
episode. In view of Rama’s brisk response unto that
offended crow, it becomes a paradox how Rama tolerated long the mischief of Ravana.
Sita, having narrated this episode, implored
Hanuman to inform Rama all that definitely and thus help her. She picked up
this episode only for she knew well the personality of Rama (idam sreshtam abhijnaanam…).
The
character of Rama becomes very much revealed due to this
Kaakaprakarana. The infallibility of
the missile of Rama and it never missing its aim, etc., are established through
this instance. Moreover the sensitivity of Rama especially when his lady-love
is injured is revealed herein. The poet, however, leaves to the imagination of Sahridayas to calculate themselves the amount of anger
which Rama should get when his dear wife was abducted ultimately by Ravana. Hereby the poetic skill of the poet becomes very
much evident. Between the crow and the demon chief Ravana,
the two rivals to Rama one can see a great contrast. The relevant force which
Rama should employ at the demon becomes suggestive in this episode. In addition
to this the epithet to Rama, viz., Dhanusmataam
sreshtah becomes established even through this
incident. The irresistible strength of Rama up to the end was but due to the Soka out of the offended love unto his own
consort. At another context, Valmiki’s description of
Rama was unique even in speech (raamo dvirana bhasate).
Further
the crow episode contains a suggestion regarding the behaviour
among heroes like gods, seers and other great men. That crow,
that sought for protection and shelter other than
Rama being scared of the missile of Rama himself, had to resort to Rama only
for shelter. This fact of the episode establishes a tradition
that none should interfere when a hero is punishing a real sinner. This law is
true for all classes of beings. Rather it was a Dharma of a hero. This epic provides
another episode to reaffirm this principle.
The
crow episode suggests a moral that sinners would be punished definitely. The
punishment suggested through this event is death to anyone who disturbs the
privacy of couples (Mithunam). The crow was to
be killed but the punishment got reduced because it accepted its folly and
sought for protection from Rama himself.
Several
morals and other relevant lessons are passed on to readers by poets by making
animals as our instructors. This is exclusively an Indian method popularly utilised in works like Panchatantra
and Hitopadesa. The method of making use of birds and
animals could be traced to this epic and this episode would be an example for
that.
This
episode would further be a suggestion to Hanuman to try for saving Ravana by suggesting the demon chief to seek shelter with
Rama surrendering Sita.
Kaakaprakarana mentions the crow to
be the son of Indra. In view of this it is difficult
exactly to reason the purpose behind the mischief namely inflicting breast
injury to Sita. Nevertheless, it is possible to see
the traditional reasoning for the crows having vision in one eye while the
other standing dull (Kaana). That way this
episode is an explanation for such a traditional belief.
In
the manner above one can see a great propriety and significance in the crow
episode. Normally great minds depict only when they are to suggest something
useful to mankind.
This
crow episode is widely quoted and narrated whenever the story of Rama is
re-described. It could be so because that was the only abhijnaana
mentioned by Sita. Instances in literary
compositions wherein such abhijnaanas were
employed are several. For example, Kalidasa derived
inspiration from Valmiki and absorbed that poet’s
methodology in his works. In this connection “Abhijnaana
Shaakuntala” and “Meghasandesha”
are good examples. Mallinatha, commentator of “Meghasandesha”, clearly stated that Kalidasa
kept in mind the “Hanumat Sandesha”
of Sita unto Rama and accordingly the “Meghasandesha” was composed by the poet. Nobody can stand
on one’s own shoulders.
Before
it is concluded it may be said that the bird episodes in general formed a novel
approach introduced by Valmiki in the Sanskrit Kavya. The crow episode in particular is undoubtedly highly
significant.