Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
Chapter Eighteen Hundred and Eighteen
The Devata with a troubled mind, having been bound by the law of karma, thought, "Oh, these great sages have attained liberation." ||66|| At that time, I, having blamed the pure-souled saints, have suffered great pain in the animal realm and in hell. ||67|| Even now, I am experiencing the consequences of that wicked enemy, but it is so small that I will not be deluded again into the long ocean of existence. ||68-69|| Thus, calming his mind, he introduced himself properly, bowed down with devotion, and sought forgiveness from the sages. ||70|| Having done so, he went to Ayodhya, where Rama, bewildered by the grief of his brother, was acting like a child. ||71|| There, he saw with great compassion that the Devata, Krtaantavaktra, was watering a dry tree, having changed his form to teach Rama. ||72|| Seeing this, the Devata, Jatayu, also placed a plow on the bodies of two dead oxen, took a seed in his hand, and began to sow it on the stony ground. ||73|| After some time, Krtaantavaktra began to churn a pot full of water in front of Rama, and Jatayu began to pound sand in a mortar. ||74|| Thus, these two Devata performed many other meaningless acts in front of Rama. Then, Rama asked them in turn, "Oh, fool! Why are you watering this dead tree? Why are you placing a plow on a dead body? Why are you wasting seeds on stone? How will you get butter by churning water? And, oh, child! Will oil be produced by pounding sand? In all these actions, only labor remains, not even an atom of the desired fruit. Why have you begun this useless effort?" ||75-78|| Then, in turn, the two Devata said, "We also ask you a truthful question."