Chapter 1 — Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 1

Valmiki Ramayana — Kishkindha Kanda

Verse 1.51

तां विनाथ विहङ्गोऽसौ पक्षी प्रणदितस्तदा। वायसः पादपगतः प्रहृष्टमभिकूजति॥

tāṃ vinātha vihaṅgo'sau pakṣī praṇaditastadā| vāyasaḥ pādapagataḥ prahṛṣṭamabhikūjati||

English Meaning

This bird set up a cry in the sky at that time* and now in the absence of Sītā, that crow, sitting on the tree is crying delightedly. This refers to the time when Rāma was united with Sītā i.e. at the time of his wedding, At that time the bird, flying up in the sky set up an inauspicious cry indicating that in no distant time he should be separated form her; and now his sitting on the tree and cawing delightedly indicated that he should soon be re-united with her.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)