query

[Matthew Kapstein]

I don't have the Valmiki citation  at hand, but the
theme is clearly a popular one in Ramayana traditions.
Here's the parallel from the 15th c. Tibetan Ramayana
by Zhang-zhung-ba Chos-dbang-grags-pa, a work almost
certainly NOT influenced by Valmiki:



Well-conveyed by his well-brightened chariot,
Ramana, blazing lustrous light,
And she who'd been delivered by her river friend [=Sita]
Met together in the time of their flowering.
Their eyes fell as do those of the offering-eater [=balibhuj, crow]
On meeting the owl's guttural cry.

This Ramayana was certainly inspired by earlier Tibetan
Ramayana-s that can be traced back to the 9th c., and which
interestingly resemble Jaina and southeast Asian Ramayanas
in many points of detail, but crucially diverge from Valmiki.

Matthew Kapstein