Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 58 of 67 · 37 verses
Sampati Sees Lanka
Told these piteous words by the monkeys who have given up their lives, the loud-voiced vulture answers them with tears: “That younger brother of mine named Jatayu, monkeys, whom you say mighty Ravana killed in battle: through old age and winglessness I bear hearing even that, for today I have no power to avenge my brother. Long ago, when Vritra had been killed, he and I, wanting to win, went toward the blazing, ray-garlanded sun. Circling up by the path of the sky with great speed we went toward heaven; but when the sun reached the middle of the sky, Jatayu began to fail. Seeing my brother tormented by the sun’s rays, deeply distressed, I covered him with my wings out of love. My feathers burned, I fell on the Vindhya, bulls among monkeys; living here, I have had no news of my brother.” Spoken to so by Sampati, Jatayu’s brother, the very wise heir apparent Angada replies: “If you are Jatayu’s brother and have heard what I said, tell us, if you know, the dwelling of that rakshasa. That short-sighted Ravana, lowest of rakshasas, whether near or far, if you know, tell us.” Then Jatayu’s elder brother of great splendour speaks words worthy of himself, delighting the monkeys: “I am a vulture with burned wings, my strength gone, leapers; but with my words alone I will give Rama the best help. I know the worlds of Varuna and the three strides of Vishnu, the battles of gods and asuras and the churning of the nectar. This task of Rama’s I must do first, though old age has taken my splendour and my breath is weak. I saw a young woman, beautiful, adorned with every ornament, being carried off by wicked Ravana, the lovely one crying, ‘Rama! Rama!’ and ‘Lakshmana!’, throwing off her ornaments and shaking her limbs. Her fine silk garment shone on the dark rakshasa like sunlight on a mountaintop, or lightning on a cloud. I think she was Sita, because she called Rama’s name. Hear me tell you the dwelling of that rakshasa. The rakshasa named Ravana, son of Vishravas himself and brother of Vaishravana, rules the city of Lanka. From here, on an island in the ocean a full hundred yojanas off, is the lovely city of Lanka, built by Vishvakarman, well furnished with golden gates, wonderful golden altars and great golden-coloured palaces, encircled by a great wall the colour of the sun. There lives Vaidehi, wretched, dressed in silk, shut up in Ravana’s inner apartments, well guarded by rakshasis; there you will see Maithili, daughter of King Janaka. In Lanka, guarded by the ocean on every side, having reached the end of the ocean a full hundred yojanas off, reaching the southern shore, you will see Ravana. Go there quickly, leapers, and use your valour. By knowledge I see that you will see her and return. The first path in the sky is that of the kulinga birds and other grain-eaters; the second of the crows and fruit-eaters; the bhasas, curlews and ospreys go by the third; hawks by the fourth; vultures by the fifth; and the sixth path is that of the swans, endowed with strength, valour, beauty and youth; the highest is the path of Vainateya. All of us were born from Vainateya, bulls among monkeys. But a condemned deed was done, by which we became flesh-eaters; and this enmity my brother’s death has caused must be avenged by me. Staying here, I see Ravana and Janaki, for we too have the divine eye-power of Suparna’s line. So, by the power of our food and by nature, monkeys, we always see as far as a hundred yojanas and more. Our livelihood is ordained by nature far off; the livelihood of those who fight with their feet is at the foot of a tree. Look for some means of crossing the salt water. Having reached Vaidehi, you will go back with your aim achieved. I want you to carry me to the ocean, home of Varuna; I will offer water to my great-souled brother who has gone to heaven.” Then the very mighty monkeys carry Sampati, his wings burned, to that place on the shore of the lord of rivers and streams; and having brought the lord of birds back again to his place, the monkeys are delighted, having found the news.
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इत्युक्तः करुणं वाक्यं वानरैस्त्यक्तजीवितैः । सबाष्पो वानरान् गृध्रः प्रत्युवाच महास्वनः ॥ १ ॥
Told so these piteous words by the monkeys who had given up their lives, the vulture with a great voice, with tears, replied to the monkeys:
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यवीयान् स मम भ्राता जटायुर्नाम वानराः । यमाख्यात हतं युद्धे रावणेन बलीयसा ॥ २ ॥
“That younger brother of mine named Jatayu, monkeys, whom you tell was killed in battle by mighty Ravana,
वृद्धभावादपक्षत्वाच्छृण्वंस्तदपि मर्षये । नहि मे शक्तिरस्त्यद्य भ्रातुर्वैरविमोक्षणे ॥ ३ ॥
“through old age and winglessness, hearing even that, I bear it. For I have no power today in releasing my brother’s feud.
पुरा वृत्रवधे वृत्ते स चाहं च जयैषिणौ । आदित्यमुपयातौ स्वो ज्वलन्तं रश्मिमालिनम् ॥ ४ ॥
“Long ago, when the killing of Vritra had happened, he and I, wishing for victory, went toward the sun, blazing, garlanded with rays.
आवृत्याकाशमार्गेण जवेन स्वर्गतौ भृशम् । मध्यं प्राप्ते तु सूर्ये तु जटायुरवसीदति ॥ ५ ॥
“Circling by the path of the sky with speed, we went greatly toward heaven. But when the sun reached the middle, Jatayu began to sink.
तमहं भ्रातरं दृष्ट्वा सूर्यरश्मिभिरर्दितम् । पक्षाभ्यां छादयामास स्नेहात् परमविह्वलम् ॥ ६ ॥
“Seeing that brother tormented by the sun’s rays, extremely distressed, I covered him with my wings out of love.
निर्दग्धपत्रः पतितो विन्ध्येऽहं वानरर्षभाः । अहमस्मिन् वसन् भ्रातुः प्रवृत्तिं नोपलक्षये ॥ ७ ॥
“My feathers burned, I fell on the Vindhya, bulls among monkeys. Living on this, I have had no news of my brother.”
जटायुषस्त्वेवमुक्तो भ्रात्रा सम्पातिना तदा । युवराजो महाप्रज्ञः प्रत्युवाचाङ्गदस्तदा ॥ ८ ॥
Spoken to so by Jatayu’s brother Sampati then, the very wise heir apparent Angada then replied:
जटायुषो यदि भ्राता श्रुतं ते गदितं मया । आख्याहि यदि जानासि निलयं तस्य रक्षसः ॥ ९ ॥
“If you are Jatayu’s brother, and what was said by me has been heard by you, tell us, if you know, the dwelling of that rakshasa.
अदीर्घदर्शिनं तं वै रावणं राक्षसाधमम् । अन्तिके यदि वा दूरे यदि जानासि शंस नः ॥ १० ॥
“That short-sighted Ravana, lowest of rakshasas, whether near or far, if you know, tell us.”
ततोऽब्रवीन्महातेजा भ्राता ज्येष्ठो जटायुषः । आत्मानुरूपं वचनं वानरान् सम्प्रहर्षयन् ॥ ११ ॥
Then Jatayu’s elder brother of great splendour spoke words worthy of himself, delighting the monkeys:
निर्दग्धपक्षो गृध्रोऽहं गतवीर्यः प्लवङ्गमाः । वाङ्मात्रेण तु रामस्य करिष्ये साह्यमुत्तमम् ॥ १२ ॥
“I am a vulture with burned wings, my strength gone, leapers; but by words alone I will do Rama the best help.
जानामि वारुणाँल्लोकान् विष्णोस्त्रैविक्रमानपि । देवासुरविमर्दांश्च ह्यमृतस्य विमन्थनम् ॥ १३ ॥
“I know the worlds of Varuna and the three strides of Vishnu, and the battles of gods and asuras, and the churning of the nectar.
रामस्य यदिदं कार्यं कर्तव्यं प्रथमं मया । जरया च हृतं तेजः प्राणाश्च शिथिला मम ॥ १४ ॥
“This task of Rama’s is to be done first by me, though my splendour has been taken by old age and my breaths are weak.
तरुणी रूपसम्पन्ना सर्वाभरणभूषिता । ह्रियमाणा मया दृष्टा रावणेन दुरात्मना ॥ १५ ॥
“A young woman endowed with beauty, adorned with every ornament, was seen by me being carried off by wicked Ravana,
क्रोशन्ती रामरामेति लक्ष्मणेति च भामिनी । भूषणान्यपविध्यन्ती गात्राणि च विधुन्वती ॥ १६ ॥
“crying ‘Rama! Rama!’ and ‘Lakshmana!’, the lovely one, throwing off her ornaments and shaking her limbs.
सूर्यप्रभेव शैलाग्रे तस्याः कौशेयमुत्तमम् । असिते राक्षसे भाति यथा वा तडिदम्बुदे ॥ १७ ॥
“Her fine silk shone on the dark rakshasa like the sun’s radiance on a mountaintop, or like lightning on a cloud.
तां तु सीतामहं मन्ये रामस्य परिकीर्तनात् । श्रूयतां मे कथयतो निलयं तस्य रक्षसः ॥ १८ ॥
“I think her Sita, from the naming of Rama. Let it be heard as I tell the dwelling of that rakshasa.
पुत्रो विश्रवसः साक्षाद् भ्राता वैश्रवणस्य च । अध्यास्ते नगरीं लङ्कां रावणो नाम राक्षसः ॥ १९ ॥
“The son of Vishravas himself and brother of Vaishravana, the rakshasa named Ravana, rules the city of Lanka.
इतो द्वीपे समुद्रस्य सम्पूर्णे शतयोजने । तस्मिँल्लङ्का पुरी रम्या निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा ॥ २० ॥
“From here, on an island of the ocean a full hundred yojanas off, there is the lovely city Lanka, built by Vishvakarman,
जाम्बूनदमयैर्द्वारैश्चित्रैः काञ्चनवेदिकैः । प्रासादैर्हेमवर्णैश्च महद्भिः सुसमाकृता ॥ २१ ॥
“well furnished with golden gates, wonderful, with golden altars, and with great palaces of golden colour,
प्राकारेणार्कवर्णेन महता च समन्विता । तस्यां वसति वैदेही दीना कौशेयवासिनी ॥ २२ ॥
“and joined with a great wall of the colour of the sun. In it lives Vaidehi, wretched, dressed in silk,
रावणान्तःपुरे रुद्धा राक्षसीभिः सुरक्षिता । जनकस्यात्मजां राज्ञस्तस्यां द्रक्ष्यथ मैथिलीम् ॥ २३ ॥
“shut up in Ravana’s inner apartments, well guarded by rakshasis. There you will see Maithili, daughter of King Janaka.
लङ्कायामथ गुप्तायां सागरेण समन्ततः । सम्प्राप्य सागरस्यान्तं सम्पूर्णं शतयोजनम् ॥ २४ ॥
“Then in Lanka, guarded on every side by the ocean, having reached the end of the ocean, a full hundred yojanas,
आसाद्य दक्षिणं तीरं ततो द्रक्ष्यथ रावणम् । तत्रैव त्वरिताः क्षिप्रं विक्रमध्वं प्लवङ्गमाः ॥ २५ ॥
“and reaching the southern shore, then you will see Ravana. Hurry there quickly; use your valour, leapers.
ज्ञानेन खलु पश्यामि दृष्ट्वा प्रत्यागमिष्यथ । आद्यः पन्थाः कुलिङ्गानां ये चान्ये धान्यजीविनः ॥ २६ ॥
“By knowledge I surely see: having seen, you will return. The first path is of the kulingas and of others who live on grain;
द्वितीयो बलिभोजानां ये च वृक्षफलाशनाः । भासास्तृतीयं गच्छन्ति क्रौञ्चाश्च कुररैः सह ॥ २७ ॥
“the second of the eaters of offerings and those that eat the fruit of trees; the bhasas go by the third, and curlews with ospreys;
श्येनाश्चतुर्थं गच्छन्ति गृध्रा गच्छन्ति पञ्चमम् । बलवीर्योपपन्नानां रूपयौवनशालिनाम् ॥ २८ ॥
“hawks go by the fourth, vultures by the fifth; of those endowed with strength and valour, possessed of beauty and youth,
षष्ठस्तु पन्था हंसानां वैनतेयगतिः परा । वैनतेयाच्च नो जन्म सर्वेषां वानरर्षभाः ॥ २९ ॥
“the sixth path is of the swans; Vainateya’s is the highest course. And from Vainateya is the birth of all of us, bulls among monkeys.
गर्हितं तु कृतं कर्म येन स्म पिशिताशिनः । प्रतिकार्यं च मे तस्य वैरं भ्रातृकृतं भवेत् ॥ ३० ॥
“But a condemned deed was done, by which we are flesh-eaters. And that enmity caused by my brother’s death should be avenged by me.
इहस्थोऽहं प्रपश्यामि रावणं जानकीं तथा । अस्माकमपि सौपर्णं दिव्यं चक्षुर्बलं तथा ॥ ३१ ॥
“Staying here I see Ravana and Janaki too. For ours too is the divine eye-power of Suparna’s line.
तस्मादाहारवीर्येण निसर्गेण च वानराः । आयोजनशतात् साग्राद् वयं पश्याम नित्यशः ॥ ३२ ॥
“So, by the power of food and by nature, monkeys, we always see from a hundred yojanas and more.
अस्माकं विहिता वृत्तिर्निसर्गेण च दूरतः । विहिता वृक्षमूले तु वृत्तिश्चरणयोधिनाम् ॥ ३३ ॥
“Our livelihood is ordained by nature, from afar; but the livelihood of those who fight with feet is ordained at the foot of a tree.
उपायो दृश्यतां कश्चिल्लङ्घने लवणाम्भसः । अभिगम्य तु वैदेहीं समृद्धार्था गमिष्यथ ॥ ३४ ॥
“Let some means be seen for crossing the salt water. Having reached Vaidehi, you will go back with your aim achieved.
समुद्रं नेतुमिच्छामि भवद्भिर्वरुणालयम् । प्रदास्याम्युदकं भ्रातुः स्वर्गतस्य महात्मनः ॥ ३५ ॥
“I wish to be led by you to the ocean, home of Varuna. I will give water to my great-souled brother gone to heaven.”
ततो नीत्वा तु तं देशं तीरे नदनदीपतेः । निर्दग्धपक्षं सम्पातिं वानराः सुमहौजसः ॥ ३६ ॥
Then, leading Sampati, his wings burned, to that place on the shore of the lord of rivers and streams, the very mighty monkeys,
तं पुनः प्रापयित्वा च तं देशं पतगेश्वरम् । बभूवुर्वानरा हृष्टाः प्रवृत्तिमुपलभ्य ते ॥ ३७ ॥
and bringing the lord of birds back again to that place, the monkeys were delighted, having obtained the news.