Lord Shiva had narrated the whole story of Sri Rama to Parvati - the story which was originally narrated by Kakbhusundi to Garuda. Parvati was wondering why did a scholar like Kakbhusundi have a body of crow? Parvati also wondered how did Kakbhusundi come to know about the tale of Sri Rama? She also inquired Lord Shiva as to how did he know about Sri Rama's tale
Parvati said-
"Garuda was himself a great scholar, then why did he go to Kakbhusundi to seek knowledge?"
Lord Shankar was very pleased. He narrated the whole story-
"O Parvati! In your first incarnation, you were the daughter of Daksha. Disrespect was shown to you during the Yagya performed by Daksha. You left your mortal body commiting self immolation. My Ganas had then destroyed the Yagya and beheaded Daksha. You know this whole story."
"I was wandering from this mountain that, unable to bear the sorrow caused by your separation. I saw a beautiful mountain, which had a beautiful lake beside it. Numerous colourful birds were summering in the lake. There were three trees on the bank of that lake - a fig tree, a Banyan tree and a 'Pakar' tree. The water of the lake was very cool. A crow also passed his life there meditating and chanting the name of God. He used to narrate the divine tales of Sri Hari to all the other birds. When I saw this extremely religious and virtuous crow, I decided to spend some time with him. So in the guise of a swan, I remained with him for some time and then returned back to Kailash. Parvati, this way I met Kakbhusundi."
"Now I will narrate how Garuda met Kakbhusundi. While the battle between Sri Rama and Ravan was on, Meghnaad had tied Sri Rama with Nagapash. Narad had requested Garuda to go and free Sri Rama from the Nagapash. Garuda devoured all the snakes and freed Sri Rama but had become arrogant. A doubt cropped up in his mind regarding Sri Rama's divinity. He thought that if Sri Rama could be tied in the Nagapash of a demon, then how could he be considered as an almighty God. Narad sent Garuda to Lord Brahma who sent him to me. At that time I was going to meet Kuber so I told him to go and meet Kakbhusundi, where all of his doubts would be cleared."
"Garuda then went to Nilgiri Mountains where Kakbhusundi lived. When he reached there he took bath in a lake. Kakbhusundi was just about to commence the story of Sri Rama when he saw Garuda coming. He asked about the reason for his sudden arrival. Garuda then requested him to narrate the tale of Sri Rama, so that all of his delusion could be cleared. Kakbhusundi narrated the whole story. He also told Garuda that only the feet of Sri Raghunath were capable of liberating and salving."
Garuda then inquired Kakbhusundi about the reason for the persistance of doubts in his mind and their removal as soon as he reached his hermitage. Kakbhusundi then narrated the tales of his numerous births. He said -
"In the Kaliyuga of previous Kalpa, I was born at Ayodhya, in the family of a Shudra. I was a devotee of Lord Shiva and I used to show disrespect to all the other deities, except Lord Shiva. Once Ayodhya faced a draught so I migrated to Ujjain where I met a Vedic Brahmin, who was a great devotee of Lord Shiva, but he did not show disrespect to Sri Hari. He engaged me as his servant but used to treat me like his own son. He taught me Shiva-mantra. I used to do worship of Lord Shiva but became very arrogant. When he saw my arrogant nature, he became very sad. He would try to convince me to change my ways, but without any effect. Once, I was worshiping in the temple, right then my guru arrived. I did not greet him. Though he himself did not become angry but Lord Shiva cursed me to take birth as a python. My teacher prayed to Lord Shiva to have mercy on me. At his request Lord Shiva blessed me with immortality. This way I took thousand of births."
Kakbhusundi continuing with his narration said-
"I was then born in a Brahmin family. In this birth I was a great devotee of Sri Rama. When my parents died, I went to forest. The sages preached me on the formless qualities of God, which were not to my liking, because I wanted to listen only to the glories of Sri Rama. The sages became angry with me for my inablity to understand the real nature of God. They cursed me to become a crow. I became a crow, but they had mercy on me and advised me to meditate on the child form of Sri Rama. They also blessed me that my place of residence would be free from all kinds of delusions. I came to this hermitage and I have been living here since then and twenty-seven Kalpas have passed during this period. Here I engage myself in singing in praise of Sri Rama. Whenever Sri Rama takes his incarnation at Ayodhya I make a point to visit it."
When Kakbhusundi completed his story, Garuda said-
'Now all of my doubts have been cleared."
He greeted Kakbhusundi and went back to lord Vishnu's abode.
Tulsidas while elaborating on the importance of Rama's name says that nothing but only the name of Rama is capable of salvaing in this Kaliyug.
Parvati said-
"Garuda was himself a great scholar, then why did he go to Kakbhusundi to seek knowledge?"
Lord Shankar was very pleased. He narrated the whole story-
"O Parvati! In your first incarnation, you were the daughter of Daksha. Disrespect was shown to you during the Yagya performed by Daksha. You left your mortal body commiting self immolation. My Ganas had then destroyed the Yagya and beheaded Daksha. You know this whole story."
"I was wandering from this mountain that, unable to bear the sorrow caused by your separation. I saw a beautiful mountain, which had a beautiful lake beside it. Numerous colourful birds were summering in the lake. There were three trees on the bank of that lake - a fig tree, a Banyan tree and a 'Pakar' tree. The water of the lake was very cool. A crow also passed his life there meditating and chanting the name of God. He used to narrate the divine tales of Sri Hari to all the other birds. When I saw this extremely religious and virtuous crow, I decided to spend some time with him. So in the guise of a swan, I remained with him for some time and then returned back to Kailash. Parvati, this way I met Kakbhusundi."
"Now I will narrate how Garuda met Kakbhusundi. While the battle between Sri Rama and Ravan was on, Meghnaad had tied Sri Rama with Nagapash. Narad had requested Garuda to go and free Sri Rama from the Nagapash. Garuda devoured all the snakes and freed Sri Rama but had become arrogant. A doubt cropped up in his mind regarding Sri Rama's divinity. He thought that if Sri Rama could be tied in the Nagapash of a demon, then how could he be considered as an almighty God. Narad sent Garuda to Lord Brahma who sent him to me. At that time I was going to meet Kuber so I told him to go and meet Kakbhusundi, where all of his doubts would be cleared."
"Garuda then went to Nilgiri Mountains where Kakbhusundi lived. When he reached there he took bath in a lake. Kakbhusundi was just about to commence the story of Sri Rama when he saw Garuda coming. He asked about the reason for his sudden arrival. Garuda then requested him to narrate the tale of Sri Rama, so that all of his delusion could be cleared. Kakbhusundi narrated the whole story. He also told Garuda that only the feet of Sri Raghunath were capable of liberating and salving."
Garuda then inquired Kakbhusundi about the reason for the persistance of doubts in his mind and their removal as soon as he reached his hermitage. Kakbhusundi then narrated the tales of his numerous births. He said -
"In the Kaliyuga of previous Kalpa, I was born at Ayodhya, in the family of a Shudra. I was a devotee of Lord Shiva and I used to show disrespect to all the other deities, except Lord Shiva. Once Ayodhya faced a draught so I migrated to Ujjain where I met a Vedic Brahmin, who was a great devotee of Lord Shiva, but he did not show disrespect to Sri Hari. He engaged me as his servant but used to treat me like his own son. He taught me Shiva-mantra. I used to do worship of Lord Shiva but became very arrogant. When he saw my arrogant nature, he became very sad. He would try to convince me to change my ways, but without any effect. Once, I was worshiping in the temple, right then my guru arrived. I did not greet him. Though he himself did not become angry but Lord Shiva cursed me to take birth as a python. My teacher prayed to Lord Shiva to have mercy on me. At his request Lord Shiva blessed me with immortality. This way I took thousand of births."
Kakbhusundi continuing with his narration said-
"I was then born in a Brahmin family. In this birth I was a great devotee of Sri Rama. When my parents died, I went to forest. The sages preached me on the formless qualities of God, which were not to my liking, because I wanted to listen only to the glories of Sri Rama. The sages became angry with me for my inablity to understand the real nature of God. They cursed me to become a crow. I became a crow, but they had mercy on me and advised me to meditate on the child form of Sri Rama. They also blessed me that my place of residence would be free from all kinds of delusions. I came to this hermitage and I have been living here since then and twenty-seven Kalpas have passed during this period. Here I engage myself in singing in praise of Sri Rama. Whenever Sri Rama takes his incarnation at Ayodhya I make a point to visit it."
When Kakbhusundi completed his story, Garuda said-
'Now all of my doubts have been cleared."
He greeted Kakbhusundi and went back to lord Vishnu's abode.
Tulsidas while elaborating on the importance of Rama's name says that nothing but only the name of Rama is capable of salvaing in this Kaliyug.
