Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 60 of 67 · 21 verses
Sampati and the Sage Nishakara
Then, when the vulture has bathed and offered water, the leaders of monkey troops sit around him on the lovely mountain. To Angada, sitting there surrounded by all the monkeys, Sampati, his trust established, speaks again with joy: “Be silent, monkeys, attentive, and listen. I will tell you truly how I know of Maithili. Long ago, sinless one, I fell on the peak of this Vindhya, my limbs overcome by the sun’s heat, burned by its rays. Regaining consciousness after six nights, helpless and reeling, I looked in every direction and could make out nothing. Then, looking at oceans, mountains, all the rivers and lakes, forests and regions, my mind came back, and I knew: this is the Vindhya on the shore of the southern ocean, with its caves, hollows and peaks crowded with joyful flocks of birds. There was a holy hermitage here, honoured even by the gods, where a seer named Nishakara practised fierce austerity. For eight thousand years I lived on this mountain with that seer; and after Nishakara, who knew dharma, went to heaven, having come down slowly and with difficulty from the rough peak of the Vindhya, I came back with pain to ground covered with sharp darbha grass. I wanted to see that seer, and came to him in great pain; Jatayu and I had visited him many times. Near his hermitage fragrant winds were blowing; no tree there was without flowers or fruit. Reaching the holy hermitage, I sheltered at the foot of a tree and waited, wanting to see the blessed Nishakara. Then I saw the seer in the distance, blazing with splendour, invincible, returning after bathing, facing north. Bears, srimaras, tigers, lions and many kinds of reptiles surround him and come to him as living beings come to a giver. Then, knowing the seer had arrived, those creatures went away, as the whole army with the ministers withdraws when the king has entered. The seer, pleased to see me, went back into his hermitage, and coming out after a moment asked me my business: ‘Gentle one, seeing the loss of your feathers, I do not recognise you. Your two wings are burned by fire, and life barely remains in your body. Long ago I saw two vultures, equal to the wind in speed, two brothers, kings of the vultures, who took any form at will. You, Sampati, are the elder, and Jatayu is your younger brother; taking human form, you two used to clasp my feet. What sickness has come upon you? How did your wings fall? Or who has inflicted this punishment? Tell me everything I ask.’”
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ततः कृतोदकं स्नातं तं गृध्रं हरियूथपाः । उपविष्टा गिरौ रम्ये परिवार्य समन्ततः ॥ १ ॥
Then, when the vulture had offered water and bathed, the leaders of monkey troops sat on the lovely mountain, surrounding him on every side.
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Sampati and the Sage Nishakara 1 min read.
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तमङ्गदमुपासीनं तैः सर्वैर्हरिभिर्वृतम् । जनितप्रत्ययो हर्षात् सम्पातिः पुनरब्रवीत् ॥ २ ॥
To that Angada sitting near, surrounded by all those monkeys, Sampati, his trust produced, with joy spoke again:
कृत्वा निःशब्दमेकाग्राः शृण्वन्तु हरयो मम । तथ्यं संकीर्तयिष्यामि यथा जानामि मैथिलीम् ॥ ३ ॥
“Making silence, attentive, let the monkeys listen to me. I will tell truly how I know of Maithili.
अस्य विन्ध्यस्य शिखरे पतितोऽस्मि पुरानघ । सूर्यतापपरीताङ्गो निर्दग्धः सूर्यरश्मिभिः ॥ ४ ॥
“I fell long ago on the peak of this Vindhya, sinless one, my limbs overcome by the sun’s heat, burned by the sun’s rays.
लब्धसंज्ञस्तु षड्रात्राद् विवशो विह्वलन्निव । वीक्षमाणो दिशः सर्वा नाभिजानामि किंचन ॥ ५ ॥
“Regaining consciousness after six nights, helpless, as if reeling, looking at all the directions, I recognised nothing.
ततस्तु सागरान् शैलान् नदीः सर्वाः सरांसि च । वनानि च प्रदेशांश्च निरीक्ष्य मतिरागता ॥ ६ ॥
“But then, looking at oceans, mountains, all rivers and lakes, forests and regions, my mind came.
हृष्टपक्षिगणाकीर्णः कन्दरोदरकूटवान् । दक्षिणस्योदधेस्तीरे विन्ध्योऽयमिति निश्चितः ॥ ७ ॥
“Crowded with flocks of joyful birds, with caves, hollows and peaks: ‘This is the Vindhya on the shore of the southern ocean,’ I decided.
आसीच्चात्राश्रमं पुण्यं सुरैरपि सुपूजितम् । ऋषिर्निशाकरो नाम यस्मिन्नुग्रतपाऽभवत् ॥ ८ ॥
“And there was a holy hermitage here, well honoured even by the gods, in which a seer named Nishakara was of fierce austerity.
अष्टौ वर्षसहस्राणि तेनास्मिन्नृषिणा गिरौ । वसतो मम धर्मज्ञे स्वर्गते तु निशाकरे ॥ ९ ॥
“For eight thousand years I lived on this mountain with that seer; and when Nishakara, knower of dharma, had gone to heaven,
अवतीर्य च विन्ध्याग्रात् कृच्छ्रेण विषमाच्छनैः । तीक्ष्णदर्भां वसुमतीं दुःखेन पुनरागतः ॥ १० ॥
“having come down slowly with difficulty from the rough Vindhya peak, I came again with pain to the earth with sharp darbha grass.
तमृषिं द्रष्टुकामोऽस्मि दुःखेनाभ्यागतो भृशम् । जटायुषा मया चैव बहुशोऽधिगतो हि सः ॥ ११ ॥
“Wishing to see that seer, I came with great pain; for he had been visited many times by Jatayu and by me.
तस्याश्रमपदाभ्याशे ववुर्वाताः सुगन्धिनः । वृक्षो नापुष्पितः कश्चिदफलो वा न दृश्यते ॥ १२ ॥
“Near his hermitage fragrant winds were blowing; no tree is seen there not in flower, or without fruit.
उपेत्य चाश्रमं पुण्यं वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितः । द्रष्टुकामः प्रतीक्षे च भगवन्तं निशाकरम् ॥ १३ ॥
“Approaching the holy hermitage, sheltering at the foot of a tree, wishing to see the blessed Nishakara, I waited.
अथ पश्यामि दूरस्थमृषिं ज्वलिततेजसम् । कृताभिषेकं दुर्धर्षमुपावृत्तमुदङ्मुखम् ॥ १४ ॥
“Then I see the seer standing far off, of blazing splendour, having bathed, invincible, returned, facing north.
तमृक्षाः सृमरा व्याघ्राः सिंहा नानासरीसृपाः । परिवार्योपगच्छन्ति दातारं प्राणिनो यथा ॥ १५ ॥
“Bears, srimaras, tigers, lions and many kinds of reptiles surround him and approach, as living beings a giver.
ततः प्राप्तमृषिं ज्ञात्वा तानि सत्त्वानि वै ययुः । प्रविष्टे राजनि यथा सर्वं सामात्यकं बलम् ॥ १६ ॥
“Then, knowing the seer had arrived, those creatures went away, as when the king has entered, the whole army with the ministers.
ऋषिस्तु दृष्ट्वा मां तुष्टः प्रविष्टश्चाश्रमं पुनः । मुहूर्तमात्रान्निर्गम्य ततः कार्यमपृच्छत ॥ १७ ॥
“But the seer, seeing me, pleased, entered the hermitage again, and coming out after a moment, then asked my business:
सौम्य वैकल्यतां दृष्ट्वा रोम्णां ते नावगम्यते । अग्निदग्धाविमौ पक्षौ प्राणाश्चापि शरीरके ॥ १८ ॥
“’Gentle one, seeing the loss of your feathers, you are not recognised. These two wings are burned by fire, and your breaths in your little body.
गृध्रौ द्वौ दृष्टपूर्वौ मे मातरिश्वसमौ जवे । गृध्राणां चैव राजानौ भ्रातरौ कामरूपिणौ ॥ १९ ॥
“’Two vultures were seen by me before, equal to the wind in speed, two kings of the vultures, brothers, taking forms at will.
ज्येष्ठोऽवितस्त्वं सम्पाते जटायुरनुजस्तव । मानुषं रूपमास्थाय गृह्णीतां चरणौ मम ॥ २० ॥
“’The elder is you, Sampati, and Jatayu is your younger. Taking human form, you two used to clasp my feet.
किं ते व्याधिसमुत्थानं पक्षयोः पतनं कथम् । दण्डो वायं धृतः केन सर्वमाख्याहि पृच्छतः ॥ २१ ॥
“’What sickness has risen in you? How was the falling of your wings? Or by whom was this punishment inflicted? Tell everything as I ask.’”