Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 63 of 67 · 15 verses
Sampati’s Wings Grow Again
“Having praised me with these and many other words and given me leave, that master of speech entered his own dwelling. Creeping slowly out of a cave of the mountain, I climbed the Vindhya and have been waiting for you. A hundred years and more have passed since that time; I have waited for the right place and time, keeping the sage’s words in my heart. Since Nishakara set out on the great journey and went to heaven, anguish burns me, surrounded by many doubts. When the thought of death rises, I turn it back with the sage’s words; the understanding he gave me for protecting my life removes my sorrow like a blazing flame removes darkness. Though I knew the power of wicked Ravana, I rebuked my son with words: how could Maithili not have been rescued? Having heard her lament, and knowing those two were separated from Sita, my son did nothing kind, out of love for Dasharatha.” As he speaks so with the assembled monkeys, his two wings spring up then, before the eyes of the forest-dwellers. Seeing his own body with risen wings of reddish feathers, he feels incomparable joy and says to the monkeys: “By the grace of the royal sage Nishakara of boundless might, my wings, burned by the sun’s rays, have returned. The valour I had in my youth, that same strength and manhood I feel today. Make every effort; you will find Sita. This gaining of my wings gives you confidence of success.” Having said this to all the monkeys, Sampati, best of birds, flies up from the mountain peak, wanting to know his flight. Hearing his words, the tigers among monkeys are glad at heart, eager for the rising of their valour. Then the best of leapers, with valour like the wind’s, their manhood regained, go toward the direction facing Abhijit, intent on searching for Janaka’s daughter.
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एतैरन्यैश्च बहुभिर्वाक्यैर्वाक्यविशारदः । मां प्रशस्याभ्यनुज्ञाप्य प्रविष्टः स स्वमालयम् ॥ १ ॥
“With these and many other words, the master of speech, having praised me and given me leave, entered his own dwelling.
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कन्दरात् तु विसर्पित्वा पर्वतस्य शनैः शनैः । अहं विन्ध्यं समारुह्य भवतः प्रतिपालये ॥ २ ॥
“And creeping slowly from the cave of the mountain, I, having climbed the Vindhya, wait for you.
अद्य त्वेतस्य कालस्य वर्षं साग्रशतं गतम् । देशकालप्रतीक्षोऽस्मि हृदि कृत्वा मुनेर्वचः ॥ ३ ॥
“But today a hundred years and more of this time have passed. I am waiting for place and time, having placed the sage’s word in my heart.
महाप्रस्थानमासाद्य स्वर्गते तु निशाकरे । मां निर्दहति संतापो वितर्कैर्बहुभिर्वृतम् ॥ ४ ॥
“And since Nishakara, having reached the great journey, has gone to heaven, anguish burns me, surrounded by many doubts.
उदितां मरणे बुद्धिं मुनिवाक्यैर्निवर्तये । बुद्धिर्या तेन मे दत्ता प्राणानां रक्षणे मम ॥ ५ ॥
“The thought risen toward death I turn back with the sage’s words. The understanding that was given me by him for the protection of my breaths,
सा मेऽपनयते दुःखं दीप्तेवाग्निशिखा तमः । बुध्यता च मया वीर्यं रावणस्य दुरात्मनः ॥ ६ ॥
“that removes my sorrow, as a blazing flame of fire removes darkness. And though I knew the might of wicked Ravana,
पुत्रः संतर्जितो वाग्भिर्न त्राता मैथिली कथम् । तस्या विलपितं श्रुत्वा तौ च सीतावियोजितौ ॥ ७ ॥
“my son was rebuked with words: how was Maithili not saved? Having heard her lament, and those two separated from Sita,
न मे दशरथस्नेहात् पुत्रेणोत्पादितं प्रियम् । तस्य त्वेवं ब्रुवाणस्य संहतैर्वानरैः सह ॥ ८ ॥
“no kindness was produced for me by my son out of love for Dasharatha.” As he spoke so, with the assembled monkeys,
उत्पेततुस्तदा पक्षौ समक्षं वनचारिणाम् । स दृष्ट्वा स्वां तनुं पक्षैरुद्गतैररुणच्छदैः ॥ ९ ॥
his two wings then sprang up before the eyes of the forest-dwellers. He, seeing his own body with wings risen, with reddish feathers,
प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे वानरांश्चेदमब्रवीत् । निशाकरस्य राजर्षेः प्रसादादमितौजसः ॥ १० ॥
felt incomparable joy and said this to the monkeys: “By the grace of the royal sage Nishakara of boundless might,
आदित्यरश्मिनिर्दग्धौ पक्षौ पुनरुपस्थितौ । यौवने वर्तमानस्य ममासीद् यः पराक्रमः ॥ ११ ॥
“my wings burned by the sun’s rays have come back again. The valour that was mine as I lived in youth,
तमेवाद्यावगच्छामि बलं पौरुषमेव च । सर्वथा क्रियतां यत्नः सीतामधिगमिष्यथ ॥ १२ ॥
“that same strength and manhood I feel today. Let effort be made in every way; you will find Sita.
पक्षलाभो ममायं वः सिद्धिप्रत्ययकारकः । इत्युक्त्वा तान् हरीन् सर्वान् सम्पातिः पतगोत्तमः ॥ १३ ॥
“This gaining of wings of mine is a cause of confidence of success for you.” Having said this to all those monkeys, Sampati, best of birds,
उत्पपात गिरेः शृङ्गाज्जिज्ञासुः खगमो गतिम् । तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रतिसंहृष्टमानसाः । बभूवुर्हरिशार्दूला विक्रमाभ्युदयोन्मुखाः ॥ १४ ॥
flew up from the mountain peak, the sky-goer wishing to know his flight. Hearing his words, the tigers among monkeys were gladdened at heart, facing the rising of valour.
अथ पवनसमानविक्रमाः प्लवगवराः प्रतिलब्धपौरुषाः । अभिजिदभिमुखां दिशं ययु- र्जनकसुतापरिमार्गणोन्मुखाः ॥ १५ ॥
Then the best of leapers, of valour equal to the wind, their manhood regained, went to the direction facing Abhijit, intent on searching for Janaka’s daughter.