“You fool, though I am giving you the most sublime teaching, yet you are not convinced and persist in endless arguments and counter arguments. You attach no credence to my authentic words and, like a crow, look an everything with distrust!

Fool, as your soul is so exceedingly self-opinionated, you shall this very moment take the opinionated, you shall this very moment take the form of a crow (the pariah among birds)’. I willingly took the curse on my head and felt neither alarmed nor mortified.

I was immediately transformed into a crow. Then I bowed my head before the sage’s feet again and, fixing my thoughts on Rama, the jewel of the house of Raghu, joyfully flew away.

O Uma, those who are devoted to Rama’s feet and abjure lust, vanity and anger look upon the whole world as full of their own Lord; to whom, then, can they be hostile?

Listen, king of birds; the seer was in no way at fault, for Rama, the jewel of the house of Raghu, prompts all hearts. The All-merciful had put my devotion to the test by clouding the sage’s mind.

When he perceived that I was his own devoted servant in thought and word and deed, the Blessed Lord restored the sage to his senses again. On beholding my forbearance and perfect confidence in Rama’s feet.

The seer was overwhelmed with astonishment and remorse and courteously summoned me near. He consoled me in every possible way and then gladly taught me the spell sacred to Rama.