Summary
Sampaati narrates his legend to Angada and others. He explains how he has fallen on Mt. Vindhya and how he reached a sage called Nishaakara descending Mt. Vindhya with great difficulty.
Chapter [Sarga] 60 in Detail
tatah krita udakam snaatam tam gridhram hari yuuthapaah |
upavistaa girau ramye parivaarya samantatah || 4-60-1
Then the monkey commanders sat on that beautiful mountain surrounding the eagle from all over, after that eagle has offered water-oblations for his deceased Jataayu and bathed for purification. [4-60-1]
tam angadam upaasiinam taih sarvaih haribhih vritam |
janita pratyayo harsaat sa.mpaatih punah abraviit || 4-60-2
Sampaati who earned trustworthiness of monkeys, and who is sitting surrounded by all monkeys, again gladly spoke to Angada who sat at his close by. [4-60-2]
kritvaa nihshabdam eka agraah shrinvantu harayo mama |
tathyam sa.mkiir.htayisyaami yathaa jaanaami maithiliim || 4-60-3
"Oh, monkeys, you all be quiet and listen to my words alertly as I wish to recount the actuality as to how I came to know about Maithili... [4-60-3]
asya vindhyasya shikhare patito asmi puraa anagha |
suurya taapa pariita a.ngo nir.hdagdhah suurya rashmibhih || 4-60-4
"Oh, impeccable Angada, once I have fallen on the peak of this Mt. Vindhya when sunrays completely burned my wings and limbs scorching in sun's heat... [4-60-4]
labdha sa.njnah tu sad raatraat vivasho vihvalan iva |
viiksamaano dishah sarvaa na abhijaanaami ki.mcana || 4-60-5
"On getting sensitivity after six days, and on looking in all directions I could not recognize anything in the least, as I was helpless and frantic... [4-60-5]
tatah tu saagaraan shailaan nadiih sarvaah saraa.msi ca |
vanaani ca pradeshaan ca samiiksya matih aagataam || 4-60-6
"But then on observing all the oceans, mountains, rivers, lakes, provinces and forests, I could regain senses... [4-60-6]
hrista paksi gana aakiirnah kandara udara kuutavaan |
daksinasya udadheh tiire vindhyo ayam iti nishcitah || 4-60-7
"Since this mountain is teeming with teams of birds, caves in its midriffs, and it is with peaks of its own kind, thus I resolved this to be Mt. Vindhya at the coast of southern ocean... [4-60-7]
aasiit ca atra aashramam punyam suraih api supuujitam |
risih nishaakaro naama yasmin ugra tapaa abhavat || 4-60-8
"There was a sacred hermitage belonging to a sage of intense ascesis known as Sage Nishaakara which was reverenced even by gods. [4-60-8]
astau varsa sahasraani tena asmin risinaa girau |
vasato mama dharmajno svar gate tu nishaakare || 4-60-9
"Eight thousand years have lapsed while I was living here on this mountain after the departure of that probity knowing sage Nishaakara to heaven. [4-60-9]
avatiirya ca vindhya agraat kricchrena visamaat shanaih |
tiiksna darbhaam vasumatiim duhkhena punar aagatah || 4-60-10
'I again reached the earth descending from the lopsided peak of Mt. Vindhya, onerously and slowly, whereat the sacred-grass-blades are thorny... [4-60-10]
tam risim drastu kaamo asmi duhkhena abhyaagato bhrisham |
jataayusaa mayaa caiva bahusho abhigato hi sah || 4-60-11
"As I was desiring to see that sage I neared that place with much anguish, because I and Jataayu approached that sage for many a time in earlier times... [4-60-11]
tasya aashrama padaabhyaashe vavuh vaataah sugandhinah |
vrikso na apuspitah kashcit aphalo vaa na drishyate || 4-60-12
"Near about his hermitage wind whiffles [to blow unsteadily or in gusts] with a sweet-smell, and no tree is flowerless and no tree is fruitless, whatsoever it is... [4-60-12]
upetya ca aashramam punyam vriksa muulam upaashritah |
drastu kaamah pratiikse ca bhagava.ntam nishaakaram || 4-60-13
"On nearing that sacred hermitage and sheltering myself at the base of a tree, I waited there desirous to see that godly Nishaakara... [4-60-13]
atha pashyami duurastham risim jvalita tejasam |
krita abhisekam durdharsam upaavrittam udan mukham || 4-60-14
"Then I saw the sage available distantly, returning facing north after performing his holy bath, an unassailable sage irradiating the ambience with his radiance... [4-60-14]
tam riksaah srimaraa vyaaghraah si.mhaa naanaa sarii sripaah |
parivaarya upagacchanti daataaram praanino yathaa || 4-60-15
"Bears, antelopes, tigers, lions, and diverse reptiles and snakes are following him at his heel, as with living beings following a donor, or all-donating Brahma... [4-60-15]
tatah praaptam risim jnaatvaa taani sattvaani vai yayuh |
praviste raajani yathaa sarvam sa amaatyakam balam || 4-60-16
"As to how the ministerial and military staff retrace steps when a king enters his place-chambers, so also the animals and other beings on knowing the sage's entry into his hermitage, retraced their steps and went away... [4-60-16]
risih tu dristvaa maam tustah pravistah ca aashramam punah |
muhuurta maatraan nirgamya tatah kaaryam apricchata || 4-60-17
"But the sage is gladdened on seeing me and though he has entered into his hermitage he again came out in a moment and asked about the objective of my visit... [4-60-17]
saumya vaikalyataam dristvaa romnaam te na avagamyate |
agni dagdhau imau paksau praanaah caapi shariirake || 4-60-18
“‘On seeing the deformity of your feathers, oh, gentle Sampaati, you unidentifiable. These two wings of yours are fire burnt, but lives are let out in your body...' Thus, the sage started to talk to me... [4-60-18]
gridhrau dvau drista puurvau me maatarishva samau jave |
gridhraanaam caiva raajaanau bhraatarau kaama ruupinau || 4-60-19
“‘I have earlier seen you two eagle brothers, kingly eagles among eagles, similar in your speed to Wind-god and form-changers by your wish... [4-60-19]
jyestho avita stvam tu sa.mpaate jataayuh anujah tava |
maanusam ruupam aasthaaya grihniitaam caranau mama || 4-60-20
“‘You are the elder, isn't it! And Jataayu is your younger brother. You used to touch my feet taking up human forms... [4-60-20]
kim te vyaadhi samutthaanam paksayoh patanam katham |
dando vaa ayam dhritah kena sarvam aakhyaahi pricchatah || 4-60-21
"Is this falling of wings a result of any illness, if so what is it... or is this any scourge imposed on you, if so, who is he... tell me all who am inquiring into those details... [4-60-21]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye kiskindha kaande sastitamah sargah
Thus, this is the 60th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate