Kākāsura
This episode comes from the Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, in the early part of the forest exile. Jayanta, the son of Indra, took the form of a crow and pecked Sītā’s foot to test the power of Bhagavān Rāma. Bhagavān Rāma sent a Brahmāstra, made from a blade of grass, after him. No one in the three worlds would shelter Jayanta. In the end he gave himself up at Rāma’s feet and lost the sight of one eye.
Setting
During the exile, Bhagavān Rāma, Sītā and Lakshmaṇa lived in the forests. They moved from āśrama to āśrama and protected the ṛshis who were troubled by rākshasa attacks. At one moment of tenderness, Bhagavān Rāma gathered a fragrant garland of flowers and put it around Sītā’s neck with his own hands. The mood was peaceful, happy and close.
Jayanta’s test
Jayanta, son of Indra (Śacīpati), was seized by a foolish wish to test the power of Rāmachandra. He wondered, like a small ant trying to find the depth of the ocean, whether the strength people spoke of in this prince of the Solar dynasty was real. He took the form of a crow (kāka), flew down to where Sītā sat, and sharply pecked her foot with his beak, so that it bled.
Then he flew off.
The Brahmāstra follows him
Bhagavān Rāma had been calm and gentle a moment before. Now he was moved to just anger by this deliberate wound to Sītā. He took a blade of grass from the ground, charged it with a mantra, and let it go as a Brahmāstra.
The Brahmāstra of grass became a terrible fire that chased Jayanta. He gave up his crow form and showed his true divine shape, and fled in fear. He went first to his father Indra (Śacīpati). Indra understood how serious it was to wrong a devotee of Bhagavān Rāma. He scolded his son and drove him away.
Jayanta then fled to Brahmaloka. Brahmā would not receive him. He fled to Kailāsa. Bhagavān Śiva would not shelter one who had offended Rāmachandra. He ran in every direction, but the Brahmāstra followed him without rest through all the realms.
The tradition of Kākabhuśuṇḍi speaks of this:
For one who plots against Dāśarathi, even a mother becomes death itself, a father becomes Yama, amṛta becomes hālāhala poison, a friend becomes an enemy, and the Gaṅgā becomes the Vaitaraṇī.
Durvāsa Maharshi once fled in terror through all the worlds from the Sudarśana Cakra and found no refuge. In the same way, Jayanta found no shelter anywhere.
Nārada’s advice
Tired and terrified, with no choice left, Jayanta met Nārada Maharshi. Nārada saw his trouble with pity and understood at once what had happened. He told him:
“O Jayanta! The only one who can protect you from this Brahmāstra is the very one who sent it, Rāmachandra of the Solar dynasty. Go at once and take full refuge at his feet.”
Surrender and what followed
With nothing else left, Jayanta went before Rāmachandra, fell at his lotus feet, and begged for mercy with a surrendered heart. Bhagavān Rāma is by nature full of karuṇā (compassion) and of śaraṇāgati-vatsalatā (tenderness toward those who take refuge). He chose not to destroy Jayanta. Jayanta was a durgātmā (one who had done wrong), but he was now also a śaraṇāgata (one who had taken refuge).
Bhagavān Rāma did not let him go without consequence, for the wrong against Sītā was real. He took away the sight of one of Jayanta’s eyes and made him eka-aksha (one-eyed), as the least punishment that was needed. Then the Brahmāstra was called back, and Jayanta went away, carrying both the lesson and its mark.
Sources
- Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇya Kāṇḍa