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Jatayu, who had been reborn as a diety in the fourth strata of the celestial world, saw Rama's plight and he descended on the earth in order to enlighten him. (1) He reached near Rama and began to water a dead tree. When Rama noticed his folly, he said, "Friend, no amount of water can bring this tree back to life. It will never ever bear leaves and fruits no matter what you do." (2) Then he spread fertile soil on the rock, added cowdung and other fertilizers to the soil and planted a sapling in the soil. When Rama saw him toiling, he said, "Friend ! you are wasting your time. The sapling will not remain alive on this rock, even if you spread the most fertile soil and fertilizer." (3) Later Jatayu poured some sand in a grind stone and be
gan to grind it. Rama inquired, "Brother, what are you upto ?" He answered, "I am crushing the sand in order to obtain oil." Rama said, "Why are you wasting your time and energy? This is impossible, inspite of your sincere and unceased efforts." (4) At last he yoked an dead ox and began to plough the field. Seeing this, Rama said, "Dear man, how can one plough the field with an dead ox." When Jatayu heard this, he smiled and said, "You are an enlightened person, then why are you carrying this corpse on your shoulder. This corpse symbolizes ignorance." When Räma heard this, he was angry. He clasped the body of Laksmana close to his heart and shouted, "Why are you calling my brother a corpse? Can't you see he is alive and sleeping. Go away before I slay you!"
you carrying the dead body of a man on your shoulder ?"
Rama's general and charioteer Kộtantavadana, who was reborn as a diety, learnt about Rama's plight through his Avadhigyāna. He assumed a human form and appeared before him. He was carrying a dead body of a woman on his shoulders. When Rāma saw him, he asked, "O foolish man! why, are you carrying a dead body on your shoulder ?" The diety answered, "Pray, do not talk such inauspicious words. Why are you calling my dear wife a dead body? and if you are aware that my wife is dead, why are
This necessitated Rāma to think seriously and finally, he accepted the truth that his brother Laksmana was no more. Jatayu and Krtantavadana again appeared before him and revealed their identity. Rāma, then cremated the mortal remains of Laksmana and performed the funerary rituals.
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