Chapter summary
पक्षिभूतपुरमाहात्म्यम् Pakṣibhūta Pura Māhātmyam
The Glory of Pakṣibhūtapura
**The revered Sadguru said:**
In ages past, there lived a Prajāpati, a lord of creation, named Ariṣṭanemi. He had two wives, Kadrū and Vinatā. From Kadrū sprang the Nāgas, the serpent beings, while Vinatā gave birth to the birds, and also to Aruṇa, the charioteer of the Sun, and Garuḍa, the divine vehicle of Viṣṇu. Aruṇa, in turn, had two sons, Sampāti and Jaṭāyu, who were mighty and valorous lords among birds (v.1-3).
One day, desiring to behold their father, the Sun's charioteer, these two brothers soared swiftly into the sky, ascending towards the blazing solar orb. As they neared, the younger bird, Jaṭāyu, became weary from the intense heat. Sampāti, ever affectionate towards his brother, shielded him with his own wings. In that selfless act, the wings of the great-souled Sampāti were scorched and burnt. Overcome, the two birds fell unconscious to the earth, landing in separate regions. Sampāti descended upon a peak of the Vindhya mountain range, while Jaṭāyu fell senseless in the heart of the Daṇḍaka forest (v.4-7).
Searching for his elder brother, Jaṭāyu could not find the noble bird. Greatly saddened, he made his dwelling deep within that forest. Meanwhile, Sampāti, his heart heavy with grief and longing for the return of his wings, sought refuge with the great sage Niśākara. The wise sage then declared, "You shall regain your wings when you offer service to Rāghavendra [Lord Rāma] through your words" (v.8-10).
It so happened that Jaṭāyu, residing in Pañcavaṭī within the Daṇḍaka forest, chanced upon the company of Rāma, who was dwelling there during his forest exile. While Rāma lived in that region, a Rākṣasa [demon] named Rāvaṇa abducted the illustrious Jānakī Sītā, the beloved wife of Rāma. Distraught, Sītā cried out, "O Rāma, Rāma!" Hearing her piteous cries, the king of birds intercepted Rāvaṇa in his aerial path (v.11-13).
A terrible and arduous battle ensued between the bird and the Rākṣasa. Even by the might of Jaṭāyu, Rāvaṇa was defeated. Enraged, Rāvaṇa then seized his sword, Candrahasa, and swiftly struck the bird. Jaṭāyu fell, mortally wounded. Seizing Sītā once more, Rāvaṇa quickly departed through the sky, ultimately placing her in the Aśoka grove in Laṅkā (v.14-16).
Rāma, tormented by separation from Sītā, searched for her throughout the forest. The compassionate Lord Hari, Himself distressed, sought her everywhere. In his search, he discovered the king of birds, wretched and fallen, his wings clipped, with life flickering only in his throat. Seeing him, Lord Rāma cried out, lamenting profusely, his sorrow compounded by both the anguish of Sītā's abduction and the impending death of Jaṭāyu (v.17-19).
**With his last breaths, the lord of birds spoke:**
"My child, Rāma, may you live long! You shall regain Sītā and your kingdom. It was Rāvaṇa who abducted Sītā." As Rāma, with folded hands, pleaded, "Speak, speak!", the king of birds, placing his face upon Rāma's lap, breathed his last. Lamenting in many ways and recalling the virtues of the noble bird, Rāma performed the funeral rite known as Brahmamedha for him (v.20-22).
Thereafter, Daśaratha's son, continuing his search for Sītā in the forest, and placing Hanumān at the forefront, forged a friendship with Sugrīva. Having slain Vāli, the Lord bestowed the kingdom upon Sugrīva. The grateful Sugrīva, in turn, dispatched his monkey warriors to find Sītā. Learning from Hanumān's words that Sītā was held captive in the city of Laṅkā, the heroic Rāghava swiftly set forth with his army of monkeys (v.23-25).
On their journey, as the best of the Raghus reached the bank of the Sahyajātā [the river Kāverī], he desired to perform the śrāddha [ancestral rite] for Jaṭāyu, the king of birds. At that moment, the Lord of the universe remembered his companion Sītā, wishing to perform the śrāddha with cooked food, intending to fulfill the sacred rite. Lakṣmī, who eternally resides upon his chest, appeared in person swiftly and at that very instant prepared the food, including cooked vegetables and other dishes. Having performed the śrāddha in the forest on the bank of the Kāverī, Rāma then rested and lay down to sleep. That sacred spot subsequently became a holy city (v.26-29).
That excellent holy place became renowned by the name Pakṣibhūtapura. It is situated near Kumbhakoṇam, on the bank of the daughter of Sahya [the Kāverī]. This sacred site is as holy as Gayā and greatly enhances the delight of the ancestors. By performing śrāddha here, a person becomes free from all debts. By the grace of the ancestors and of Rāma, the Supreme Soul, one obtains the growth of lineage and all auspiciousness (v.30-32).
Thus ends the ninth chapter, named 'The Glory of Pakṣibhūtapura', in the Third Part of the Divyadeśavaibhavam, composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
