Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 67: Rāma Meets Jaṭāyu
Text 3.67.25
राज्याद्भ्रंशो वने वासः सीता नष्टा द्विजो हतः।
ईदृशीयं ममालक्ष्मीर्निर्दहेदपि पावकम्॥
rājyād bhraṁśo vane vāsaḥ sītā naṣṭā dvijo hataḥ
īdṛśīyaṁ mamālakṣmīr nirdahed api pāvakam
rājyāt = from the kingdom; bhraṁśaḥ = exile; vane = in the forest; vāsaḥ = residence; sītā = Sītā; naṣṭā = the loss of; dvijaḥ = [this] bird; hataḥ = [and] the slaughter of; īdṛśī = is such that; iyam = here; mama = My; alakṣmīḥ = misfortune; nirdahet = it can burn; api = even; pāvakam = fire.
Exile from the kingdom, residence in the forest, the loss of Sītā [and] the slaughter of [this] bird! My misfortune here is such that it can even burn fire!
It was stated earlier that Lord Rāma’s loss of the kingdom and His residence in the forest were to His liking:
na cāsya mahatīṁ lakṣmīṁ rājya-nāśo ’pakarṣati
loka-kāntasya kāntatvāc chīta-raśmer iva kṣapā
“Rāma’s loss of kingdom did not take away the great beauty of His lotus face just as the night [does not take away the beauty] of the cool-rayed moon that pleases the entire world because of its intrinsic beauty.” (Rāmāyaṇa 2.19.32)1
mā ca lakṣmaṇa santāpaṁ kārṣīr lakṣmyā viparyaye
rājyaṁ vā vana-vāso vā vana-vāso mahodayaḥ
“Lakṣmaṇa, do not lament at this reversal of prosperity. A kingdom or residence in the forest—both are equal to Me. [Actually], residence in the forest is more beneficial [for Me].” (Rāmāyaṇa 2.22.29)2
But since the loss of His kingdom and residence in the forest have now separated Sītā-devī from Him and brought about His separation from Jaṭāyu, Lord Rāmacandra considered that His loss of kingdom and residence in the forest had become disastrous.
He had been suddenly thrown out of the kingdom that He had [just] received. Even if one loses his kingdom, he can subsist as a beggar in the kingdom. But Lord Rāma could not do that. He had to reside in a forest. Even if one resides in a forest, he can live there happily if he is not separated from a person dear to him. But Lord Rāma couldn’t experience that. Sītā-devī was lost. Even if one is separated from a person dear to him, in the presence of a friend, it is possible to alleviate one’s distress. But that didn’t happen to Śrī Rāma. The bird [Jaṭāyu] was slain.
[Therefore] Lord Rāma considered that His bad luck had led Him to such distress that it could even burn fire which can burn everything. It is implied that it can even bring about His separation from Lakṣmaṇa who is never in favor of it.