Summary
Sampaati hears about Jataayu's death when Angada cites it while lamenting for their misfortune. He praises that Jataayu is better off than the Vanara-s for he encountered Ravana and attained martyrdom. On listening his brother's name and news of his death, Sampaati, who firstly wanted to gluttonize [eat] all the Vanara-s, seeks their help to lower him down from mountain heights, to listen more of his brother Jataayu.
Chapter [Sarga] 56 in Detail
upavistaah tu te sarve yasmin praayam giri sthale |
harayo gridhra raajah ca tam desham upacakrame || 4-56-1
saa.mpaatih naama naamnaa tu cira jiivii viha.mgamah |
bhraataa jataayusah shriimaan prakhyaata bala paurusah || 4-56-2
At which mountain's tableland those monkeys sat down for self-immolation, to that area the elder brother of Jataayu, a kingly eagle known as Sampaati by name, one renowned one for his forcefulness and aggressiveness, and a celebrated and sempiternal sky-flying eagle has arrived. [4-56-1, 2]
kandaraat abhinis.hkramya sa vindhyasya mahaagireh |
upavistaan hariin dristvaa hristaatmaa giram abraviit || 4-56-3
On coming out of the cave of the great-mountain Vindhya, Sampaati is gladden at heart to see the monkeys sitting down there, and he spoke these words. [4-56-3]
vidhih kila naram loke vidhaanena anuvar.htate |
yathaa ayam vihito bhaksyah ciraat mahyam upaagatah || 4-56-4
"Whether it is good or bad, fate indeed follows humans in this world procedurally, why because, this fated and long-waited food has now come nigh of me... [4-56-4]
paramparaanaam bhaksisye vaanaraanaam mritam mritam |
uvaaca etat vacah paksii taan niriiksya plava.mgamaan || 4-56-5
"I wish to eat them frugally, killing one by one and eating one by one, preying on one on one day, and then preying upon the other on the other day..." thus that bird spoke those words on seeing the massy fly-jumpers. [4-56-5]
tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa bhaksa lubdhasya paksinah |
a.ngadah param aayasto hanuuma.ntam atha abraviit || 4-56-6
On hearing the words of that gormandizing [devouring] bird, Angada became highly breathless and then spoke to Hanuma. [4-56-6]
pashya siitaa - gridhraa - apadeshena saaksaat vaivasvato yamah |
imam desham anupraapto vaanaraanaam vipattaye || 4-56-7
"Look! In the name of an eagle, the son of the Sun, Yama, the Terminator, has manifestly arrived at this area for the fatality of monkeys... thus ill luck is still haunting us... [4-56-7]
raamasya na kritam kaaryam na kritam raaja shaashanam |
hariinaam iyam ajnaataa vipattih sahasaa aagataa || 4-56-8
"We fulfilled neither Rama's task, nor the decree of our king, but this unknown catastrophe has abruptly bechanced for the monkeys... [4-56-8]
vaidehyaah priya kaamena kritam karma jataayusaa |
gridhra raajena yat tatra shrutam vah tat ashesatah || 4-56-9
"You all have heard in its entirety what deed the kingly Jataayu has done wishing to do good to Vaidehi... [4-56-9]
tathaa sar.hvaani bhuutaani tiryak yoni gataani api |
priyam kur.hvanti raamasya tyaktvaa praanaan yathaa vayam || 4-56-10
"Like that all beings, even those birthed in animality [a quality or nature associated with animals], are doing what that is agreeable to Rama even on forgoing their own lives, as with us... [4-56-10]
anyonyam upakur.hvanti sneha kaarunya yantritaah |
tatah tasya upakaara artham tyajata aatmaanam aatmanaa || 4-56-11
"Even animals will be mutually succoring [relieving] by their instinct of concern and camaraderie [a spirit of friendly good-fellowship], therefore, let each of us leave off our souls, soulfully... [4-56-11]
priyam kritvaa hi raamasya dharmajnena jataayusaa |
raaghava arthe parishraantaa vayam sa.mtyakta jiivitaah || 4-56-12
kaa.ntaaraani prapannaah sma na ca pashyaama maithiliim |
"Conscientious Jataayu has done a deed much liked by Rama, and we too have been trekking the forests without caring even for our lives in the cause of Rama, but we have not seen Maithili... [4-56-12, 13a]
sa sukhii gridhra raajah tu raavanena hato rane |
muktah ca sugriiva bhayaat gatah ca paramaam gatim || 4-56-13
"He that kingly eagle Jataayu who is killed by Ravana is a happy soul, and he is even relieved from the fear of Sugreeva as he departed on the Avenue of Sublimity... [4-56-13b, c]
jataayuso vinaashena raajno dasharathasya ca |
haranena ca vaidehyaah sa.mshayam harayo gataah || 4-56-14
"By the ending of Jataayu and by the end of Dasharatha, also by the purloin of Vaidehi, all of the monkeys are piled into a predicament... [4-56-14]
raama laksmanayoh vaasaam aranye saha siitayaa |
raaghavasya ca baanena vaalinah ca tathaa vadhah || 4-56-15
raama kopaat ashesaanaam raaksasaam ca tathaa vadham |
kaikeyyaa vara daanena idam ca vikritam kritam || 4-56-16
"Just by giving boons to Kaikeyi, the quandaries like Rama's dwelling in forests along with Seetha and Lakshmana, as a result Rama's fury eliminating complete demons of Janasthaana, and as a result Raghava's arrow exterminating Val, have come to pass." Thus Angada is lamenting. [4-56-15,16]
tat asukham anukiirtitam vaco
bhuvi patitaan ca niriikshya vaanaraan |
bhrisha cakita matih mahaamatih
kripanam udaahritavaan sa gridhraraajah || 4-56-17
On observing the monkeys who lay recumbent on ground and on hearing them eulogizing the death of Jataayu he that king of eagles Sampaati is highly perturbed at that uncomfortable information about Jataayu, and that high minded Sampaati sorrowfully spelled out this word. [4-56-17]
tat tu shrutvaa tadaa vaakyam a.ngadasya mukha udgatam |
abraviit vacanam gridhrah tiiksna tundo mahaasvanah || 4-56-18
That shredder-billed eagle Sampaati said this sentence voicing thunderously on hearing words voiced by Angada. [4-56-18]
ko ayam giraa ghosayati praanaih priyatarasya me |
jataayuso vadham bhraatuh ka.mpayan iva me manah || 4-56-19
"Who speaks to announce as though to quake my heart that Jataayu, the more precious brother of mine than my own lives, is slain? [4-56-19]
katham aasiit janasthaane yuddham raaksasa gridhrayoh |
naamadheyam idam bhraatuh cirasya adya mayaa shrutam || 4-56-20
"How a combat occasioned between that eagle and a demon in Janasthaana, and how am I hearing this name of my brother after a long time... [4-56-20]
iccheyam giri durgaat ca bhavadbhih avataaritum |
yaviiyaso gunajnasya shlaaghaniiyasya vikramaih || 4-56-21
ati diirghasya kaalasya paritusto asmi kiirtitanaat |
"I wish you to get me down from these mountain soars. After a long time I have heard about my younger brother who is straightforward, praiseworthy for his valor, and I am glad that too spoke of him praise-fully... [4-56-21, 22a]
tat iccheyam aham shrotum vinaasham vaanara risabhaah || 4-56-22
bhraatuh jataayusah tasya janasthaana nivaasinah |
"Thereby, oh, best Vanara-s, I wish to listen about the death of my brother Jataayu when he was in Janasthaana... [4-56-22b, 23a]
tasya eva ca mama bhraatuh sakhaa dasharathah katham || 4-56-23
yasya raamah priyah putro jyestho guru jana priyah |
"Whose eldest and dear son is Rama, the creditable one for doyens, that Dasharatha is the friend of my brother Jataayu, but how did Dasharatha pass away? [4-56-25b, 24a]
suurya a.mshu dagdha paksatvaat na shaknomi visarpitum |
iccheyam parvataat asmaat avatartum arindamaah || 4-56-24
"I am incapable to spread my wings widely as they are burnt by Sun's rays, hence oh, enemy-chasteners, I wish you to lower me down from this mountain..." Thus Sampaati sought for the help of monkeys. [4-56-24b, c]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye kiskindha kaande sat pancaashah sargah
Thus, this is the 56th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate