Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 2: Lord Brahmā Instructs Vālmīki
Text 1.2.28

पापात्मना कृतं कष्टं वैरग्रहणबुद्धिना।
यस्तादृशं चारुरवं क्रौञ्चं हन्यादकारणात्॥

pāpātmanā kṛtaṁ kaṣṭaṁ vaira-grahaṇa-buddhinā
yas tādṛśaṁ cāruravaṁ krauñcaṁ hanyād akāraṇāt

pāpa-ātmanā = by that personification of sins; kṛtam = committed; kaṣṭam = an abominable act; vaira-grahaṇa-buddhinā = his intelligence fixed on taking that bird violently; yaḥ = a hunter who; tādṛśam = while hankering to mate with its companion; cāru-ravam = singing in melodious notes; krauñcam = a krauñca bird; hanyāt = could kill; akāraṇāt = for no reason.

An abominable act has been committed by that personification of sins, his intelligence fixed on taking that bird violently, a hunter who, for no reason, could kill a krauñca bird singing in melodious notes while hankering to mate with its companion.