Summary
Sampaati informs Angada about Seetha, Ravana, and Lanka after narrating his and his brother Jataayu's flights and plights. Sampaati narrates what he has seen when Seetha was abducted by Ravana and concludes her to be Seetha for she was incessantly calling for Rama's help. He gives an account of the lavish city Lanka as an eagle which has seen that city from this shore of ocean, though he cannot fly as the scorching sun previously burnt both of his wings. Then the return-less monkeys on getting a bare beacon of indication from the lighthouse called Sampaati, they feel highly rejoiced on the seashore.
Chapter [Sarga] 58 in Detail
iti uktah karunam vaakyam vaanaraih tyakta jiivitaih |
sa baaspo vaanaraan gridhrah pratyuvaaca mahaasvanah || 4-58-1
When those monkeys whose lives are almost purged spoke to Sampaati with such dreary words, that thunder-voiced eagle tearfully spoke to those Vanara-s. [4-58-1]
yaviiyaan mama sa bhraataa jataayuh naama vaanaraah |
yam aakhyaata hatam yuddhe raavanena baliiyasaa || 4-58-2
"Oh, Vanara-s, of whom it is enounced that mighty Ravana felled him in a combat, that one is my younger brother named Jataayu... [4-58-2]
vriddha bhaavaat apaksatvaat shrinvan tat api mar.hsaye |
na hi me shaktih adya asti bhraatuh vaira vimoksane || 4-58-3
"Even though I hear that my brother is slain I have to resign myself from any activity owing to my oldness and my winglessness, and presently I am indeed incapacitated to retaliate my brother's enemy... [4-58-3]
puraa vritra vadhe vritte sa ca aham ca jaya esinau |
aadityam upayaatau svo jvala.ntam rashmi maalinam || 4-58-4
"Once, when the elimination of demon Vritta was taking place at the hand of Indra, we two eagle-brothers sportively desiring to surpass each other flew sunward, and we have gone very near to the scorch-rayed sun... [4-58-4]
aavritya aakaasha maargena javena svar gatau bhrisham |
madhyam praapte ca suurye ca jataayuh avasiidati || 4-58-5
"Covering the skyway we have gone to firmament much speedily, then bechanced is noontide and thus bechanced is the scorching of the noontime sun, and then Jataayu started to founder... [4-58-5]
tam aham bhraataram dristvaa suurya rashmibhih arditam |
paksaabhyam chaadayaamaasa snehaat parama vihvalam || 4-58-6
"On seeing him who is being thwarted by scorching sunrays, then I started to cover my highly fretful brother with both of my wings in all my brotherliness... [4-58-6]
nirdagdha patrah patito vindhye aham vaanararsabhaah |
aham asmin vasan bhraatuh pravrittim na upalaksaye || 4-58-7
"And oh, Vanara-chiefs, when sunrays have utterly burned my wings I fell down on this Mt. Vindhya, and while living hereabouts constrainedly, I could pay no attention to my brother's experiences or, at least his existence, or otherwise..." So lamented old Sampaati. [4-58-7]
jataayusah tu evam ukto bhraatraa sampaatinaa tadaa |
yuva raajo mahaapraajnah pratyuvaaca a.ngadah tadaa || 4-58-8
When Sampaati the brother of Jataayu spoke in that way, then the highly discerning crown prince Angada replied him. [4-58-8]
jataayuso yadi bhraataa shrutam te gaditam mayaa |
aakhyaahi yadi jaanaasi nilayam tasya raksasah || 4-58-9
"If you are the brother of Jataayu, if you have heard whatever I have said in praise of Jataayu, and if you are aware of the whereabouts of Ravana... please tell it... [4-58-9]
adiirgha darshinam tam vaa raavanam raaksasaadhipam |
antike yadi vaa duure yadi jaanaasi sha.msa nah || 4-58-10
"If you are aware of the location of that bigoted and knavish demon Ravana, please inform us. Doesn't matter whether that location is nearby or far off as we can search far and wide..." Thus Angada asked Sampaati. [4-58-10]
tato abraviit mahaatejaa bhraataa jyestho jataayusah |
aatma anuruupam vacanam vaanaraan sa.mpraharsayan || 4-58-11
Then Sampaati, the high-spirited elder brother of Jataayu, spoke these words that are self-befitting and that would highly gladden the monkeys. [4-58-11]
nirdagdha pakso gridhro aham gata viiryah plavam gamaah |
vaan maatrena tu raamasya karisye saahyam uttamam || 4-58-12
"I am an eagle with utterly burnt wings and vanished valiance, even then, I wish to render a best service in the task of Rama, at least verbally... [4-58-12]
jaanaami vaarunaan lokaan visnoh traivikramaan api |
deva asura vimardaam ca hi amritasya ca ma.nthanam || 4-58-13
"I have seen the netherworlds of Rain-god viz., earth and its substrata like Atala. Vitala, Sutala, Paataala terrains... and I have even seen those empyrean worlds that were triply trodden by Vishnu, and the intermediary regions of upper and lower worlds where gods and demons combated ghastly, and because I am that aged I have also seen the un-seeable Milky Ocean when it was churned for ambrosia... [4-58-13]
raamasya yat idam kaaryam kartavyam prathamam mayaa |
jarayaa ca hatam tejah praanaah ca shithilaa mama || 4-58-14
"It is I who am to render service in this task of Rama firstly, than you Vanara-s, as the common enemy of Rama and Jataayu is my first enemy, but I am decrepit as oldness has marred my vigor and vitality... [4-58-14]
tarunii ruupa sa.mpannaa sarva aabharana bhuusitaa |
hriyamaanaa mayaa dristaa raavanena duraatmanaa || 4-58-15
kroshantii raama raama iti laksmana iti ca bhaaminii |
bhuusanaani apavidhyantii gaatraani ca vidhunvatii || 4-58-16
"I have seen a youngish lady while she is being stolen away by the black-hearted demon Ravana. She richly in her mien, embellished with every befitting jewelry for a princess, and that lady in fury was bewailing calling, 'Rama... Rama...' even calling 'Lakshmana...' and she was throwing her ornaments down and her limbs were highly wriggly to set herself free from that demon... [4-58-15, 16]
suurya prabhaa iva shaila agre tasyaah kausheyam uttamam |
asite raaksase bhaati yathaa vaa tadit a.mbude || 4-58-17
"In the flank of that blackish demon her best ochry silk-sari was dazzling like sunshine atop a blackish mountain, or like lighting athwart a blackish ocean... [4-58-17]
Thus expression ambude tadit yathaa is also said as Vidyut iva ambare - vidyut iva ambude in other mms, meaning 'lightning with a backdrop of blue-black sky or ocean...'
taam tu siitaam aham manye raamasya parikiirtanaat |
shruuyataam me kathayato nilayam tasya raksasah || 4-58-18
"Thus, I deem her to be Seetha by her excessive laudation of Rama, and let the location of that demon be heard from me while I say about it... [4-58-18]
putro vishravasah saaksaat bhraataa vaishravanasya ca |
adhyaaste nagariim lankaam raavano naama raakshasah || 4-58-19
"Literally, he is the son of Vishravasa and brother of Kubera, and he presides over the city named Lanka and he is known as Ravana... [4-58-19]
ito dviipe samudrasya sa.mpuurne shata yojane |
tasmin la.nkaa purii ramyaa nirmitaa vishvakarmanaa || 4-58-20
"There is a lavish city in the oceanic island afar a hundred yojana-s all in all from here, which Vishvakarma, the Divine-Architect, has built, and it is called Lanka. [4-58-20]
jaa.mbuunadamayaih dvaaraih citraih kaa.ncana vedikaih |
praasaadaih hema varnaih ca mahadbhih susamaakritaa || 4-58-21
praakaarena arka varnena mahataa ca samanvitaa |
"Its multi-storied buildings are built very symmetrically and they will be in golden tinge with completely golden doors. The golden podia of verandas are amazing. That city is securely enclosed in a gigantic rampart that will be dazzling in the color of sun... [4-58-21, 22a]
tasyaam vasati vaidehii diinaa kausheya vaasinii || 4-58-22
raavana antahpure ruddhaa raaksasiibhih suraksitaa |
janakasya aatmajaam raajnah tasyaam draksyatha maithiliim || 4-58-23
"Therein that Lanka pitiable Vaidehi wearing ochry silk sari is lodged in the palace-chambers of Ravana, highly sentinel [guarded] and baulked by demonesses, and you can find king Janaka's daughter Maithili in there... [4-58-22b, 23]
la.nkaayaam atha guptaayaam saagarena sama.ntatah |
sa.mpraapya saagarasya a.ntam sa.mpuurnam shata yojanam || 4-58-24
aasaadya daksinam tiiram tato draksyatha raavanam |
tatra eva tvaritaah ksipram vikramadhvam plava.mgamaah || 4-58-25
"Now, oh, fly-jumpers, first get to the other shore of the island in southern ocean, which ocean spans in an overall width of hundred yojana-s from this side of seashore, then landing on the other seashore you can see Lanka secluded all around by ocean, and in such a water-walled Lanka you can see Ravana... hence, hurry up, and promptly triumph over Lanka... [4-58-24, 25]
jnaanena khalu pashyaami dristvaa pratyaagamisyatha |
aadyah pa.nthaah kuli.ngaanaam ye ca anye dhaanya jiivinah || 4-58-26
dvitiiyo bali bhojaanaam ye ca vriksa phala ashinah |
bhaasaah tritiiyam gacchanti krauncaah ca kuraraih saha || 4-58-27
shyenaah caturtham gacchanti gridhraa gacchanti pa.ncamam |
"I foresee by my prognosis that your sighting Seetha is definite at that place, and definite is your return from there. The first flight level of birds is that of the small Kulinga birds, house sparrows, songbirds and the like subsisting on food-grains. The second flight level is that of the birds that are the eaters of leftovers like crows and doves, or the eaters of tree-fruits like parrots. The third flight level is that of the wading birds like Bhaasaa, Kraunca, Kurara birds and cranes, herons and the like. The fourth flight level is that of hawks and the fifth is that of the vultures. [4-58-26, 27, 28a]
bala viirya upapannaanaam ruupa yauvana shaalinaam || 4-58-28
sasthah tu panthaa ha.msaanaam vainateya gatih paraa |
vainateyaat ca nah janma sarvesaam vaanararsabhaah || 4-58-29
"And the sixth flight level is that of the swans which derive their valor, vigor, handsomeness and youthfulness by their majestic birth. But the uppermost path is that of the sons of Lady Vinata, namely the Divine Eagle Garuda, and Anuuru, the non-stopping charioteer of Sun. Because we eagles have our lineal descent from the Divine Eagle, we can soar to the uppermost flyable path and see keenly... [4-58-28b, 29]
garhitam tu kritam karma yena sma pishita ashanaah |
pratikaaryam ca me tasya vairam bhraatri kritam bhavet ||4-58-30
"By which raw-flesh-eating demon this deplorable deed of abducting Seetha is done, if that demon is retaliated by Rama and you all, my vendetta towards the very same demon, caused by his animosity towards my brother Jataayu will also be fulfilled... [4-58-30]
iha sthah aham prapashyaami raavanam jaanakiim tathaa |
asmaakam api sauparnam divyam caksur balam tathaa || 4-58-31
"Staying here I am clearly seeing Ravana and like that Janaki... even for us eagles, our sight and power will be excellent like that of Garuda, the Divine Eagle... [4-58-31]
tasmaat aahaara viiryena nisargena ca vaanaraah |
aayojana shataat saagraat vayam pashyaama nityashah || 4-58-32
"Thereby, oh, Vanara-s, dietetically and congenitally we eagles can always see till the end of hundred yojana-s, comprehensively... [4-58-32]
asmaakam vihitaa vrittih nisaargena ca duuratah |
vihitaa paada muule tu vrittih carana yodhinaam || 4-58-33
"The leg-fighters, namely cocks, are destined to have their livelihood just at the base of their feet, but our livelihood is to be obtained from the farthest... alas... [4-58-33]
upaayo drishyataam kashcit la.nghane lavana a.mbhasah |
abhigamya tu vaidehiim samriddha arthaa gamisyatha || 4-58-34
"Let some idea be searched to leap the salty ocean. For sure, you will return to Kishkindha on your finding Vaidehi and on your becoming productive of you objective... [4-58-34]
samudram netum icchaami bhavadbhih varuna aalayam |
pradaasyaami udakam bhraatuh svar gatasya mahaatmanah || 4-58-35
"I wish you would shift me to the residence of Rain-god, namely the ocean, for oblating water in respect of my great-souled brother Jataayu who departed to heaven..." Thus Sampaati spoke to the monkeys. [4-58-35]
tato niitvaa tu tam desham tiire nada nadii pateh |
nirdagdha paksam sa.mpaatim vaanaraah sumahauojasah || 4-58-36
tam punah pratyaanayitvaa vai tam desham pataga iishvaram |
babhuuvuh vaanaraa hristaah pravrittim upalabhya te || 4-58-37
Then those Vanara-s of utmost dynamism on taking wing-burnt-bird Sampaati to the husband rivulets and rivers, namely the ocean, placed him on the shoreline. Again, the Vanara-s sincerely brought back that king of birds, Sampaati, after his offering oblations to Jataayu, and lodged him as a returnee at his own place. On deriving indication form Sampaati regarding Seetha, Ravana and Lanka, those return-less Vanara-s returned to their search while their gladness returning to them. [4-58-36, 37]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye kiskindha kaande asta pancaashah sargah
Thus, this is the 58th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate