Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
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Sampaati details his narration telling monkeys as to how he knew the abduction of Seetha. He says that his son Supaarshva is the eyewitness in her abduction and narrates that account to monkeys, which his son narrated to him. A word about this and next four chapters. These chapters from 59 to 63 do not find place in various other mms, besides having some contradictory statements in their verses. Hence, these are said to be interpolated chapters. However, if it is questioned as to why they are still being incorporated in translations, in spite of the irregularities noticed, for this the reply is 'because most ancient commentators have given elaborate commentaries on them they are stetted...' and thus these chapters are held valid. |
tataH tat amR^ita aasvaadam gR^idhra raajena bhaaSitam |
nishamya mudito hR^iSTaaH te vacaH plavagarSabhaaH || 4-59-1
1. tataH= then; amR^ita aasvaadam= ambrosia [like,] relishable; gR^idhra raajena bhaaSitam= by eagle, king, spoken; tat vacaH= that, word - about Seetha; nishamya= on listening; plavagarSabhaaH= fly-jumpers, the best; muditaH hR^iSTaaH= are gladdened, rejoiced.
On hearing the words of that kingly eagle Sampaati that are relishable like ambrosia, then those best fly-jumpers are gladdened and rejoiced. [4-59-1]
jaa.mbavaan vaanara shreSThaH saha sarvaiH plava.mgamaiH |
bhuu talaat sahasaa utthaaya gR^idhra raajaanam abraviit || 4-59-2
2. vaanara shreSThaH jaambavaan= among vanara-s, best one, Jambavanta; sarvaiH plavam gamaiH saha= all, fly-jumpers, along with; bhuu talaat= from land's, surface; sahasaa utthaaya= quickly, on getting up; gR^idhra raajaanam abraviit= to eagle, kingly, spoke to.
Then the best fly-jumper Jambavanta got up along with all of the fly-jumpers from the surface of earth on which they sat for self-immolation, and spoke to kingly eagle Sampaati. [4-59-2]
kva siitaa kena vaa dR^iSTaa ko vaa harati maithiliim |
tat aakhyaatu bhavaan sarvam gatiH bhava vana okasaam || 4-59-3
3. siitaa kva= Seetha, where is; kena vaa dR^iSTaa= by whom, or, she is [actually] seen; maithiliim kaH vaa harati= Maithili is, abducts, or, who - who abducted her; bhavaan tat sarvam aakhyaatu= you, that, all [vividly,] tell; vana okasaam= for forest, dwellers; gatiH bhava= recourse, you become you help them out.
"You please tell vividly as to where is Seetha, who has actually seen her, who has abducted Maithili, and thus you help all these forest-dwellers. [4-59-3]
ko daasharathi baaNaanaam vajra vega nipaatinaam |
svayam lakSmaNam muktaanaam na ci.ntayati vikramam || 4-59-4
4. vajra vega nipaatinaam= thunderbolt, as with the speed of, falling; daasharathi baaNaanaam= Dasharatha's son Rama's, of arrows; svayam lakSmaNam muktaanaam= personally, by Lakshmana, bolted [of arrows]; vikramam= onslaught [of arrows]; kaH who; na cintayati= not, thinking [inadvertent]
"Who is inadvertent of the onslaught of Rama's arrows, or of those that are personally bolted by Lakshmana, which arrows will be falling with the speed of thunderbolts?" Thus, Jambavanta and others asked Sampaati. [4-59-4]
sa hariin prati sa.myuktaan siitaa shruti samaahitaan |
punaH aashvaasayan priita idam vacanam abraviit || 4-59-5
5. saH= he [Sampaati]; priitaH= is gladdened; prati samyuktaan= to them who refrained from self-immolation; siitaa shruti samaahitaan= about Seetha, to listen, contemplating; hariin= to monkeys; aashvaasayan= cheering them up; punaH idam vacanam abraviit= again, this, sentence, said.
Sampaati is gladdened at the monkeys who refrained from self-immolation, and he gladly said this sentence to them so as to cheer them up who are now contemplating to listen about Seetha. [4-59-5]
shruuyataam iha vaidehyaa yathaa me haraNam shrutam |
yena ca api mama aakhyaatam yatra ca aayata locanaa || 4-59-6
6. vaidehyaa haraNam= of Vaidehi, abduction; me yathaa shrutam= by me, as to how, listened; yena ca api= by whom, also, even; mama aakhyaatam= to me, said; aayata locanaa yatra ca= wide, eyed Seetha, where she is, also; iha shruuyataam= now, I will narrate.
"I will now narrate as to how I have listened about the abduction of Vaidehi, by whom it is said to me, and where that wide-eyed Seetha is... [4-59-6]
aham asmin girau durge bahu yojanam aayate |
ciraat nipatito vR^iddhaH kSiiNa praaNa paraakramaH || 4-59-7
7. bahu yojanam aayate= many, yojana-s, in breadth; asmin girau durge= in this, mountain, impassable one; ciraat nipatitaH= at one time, fell down; aham= I am; vR^iddhaH= with advanced age; kSiiNa praaNa paraakramaH= slackened, liveliness, forcefulness.
"At one time I fell down on this impassable mountain which is breadth-wise in many yojana-s, whereupon my age has advanced and my liveliness and forcefulness have slackened... [4-59-7]
tam maam evam gatam putraH supaarshvo naama naamataH |
aahaareNa yathaa kaalam bibharti patataam varaH || 4-59-8
8. evam gatam= this way [dire straits,] gone in [deteriorated]; tam maam= such, me; patataam varaH= among all birds, the best one; naamataH supaarshvaH naama= by name, Supaarshva, named; putraH= son; yathaa kaalam= as per, time; aahaareNa bibharti= with food, he is sustaining.
"My son who is the best one among all birds, and who is named as Supaarshva by his name is sustaining me who am deteriorated to dire straits, with timely sustenance... [4-59-8]
tiikSNa kaamaaH tu ga.ndharvaaH tiikSNa kopaa bhuja.mgamaaH
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mR^igaaNaam tu bhayam tiikSNam tataH tiikSNa kSudhaa vayam || 4-59-9
9. gandharvaaH tiikSNa kaamaaH= gandharva-s, are with exigent, passion; bhujam gamaaH= by shoulder, goers [snakes]; tiikSNa kopaa= are with exigent, aggression; mR^igaaNaam= to deer; bhayam tiikSNam= exigent, is fear; tataH= like that; vayam= we [eagles]; tiikSNa kSudhaa= are with exigent, hunger.
"Passion is exigent to the celestial-artists gandharva-s, aggression is exigent to snakes, fear is exigent to deer, like that hunger is exigent to us, the eagles... [4-59-9]
sa kadaacit kSudhaa aartasya mama aahaara kaankSiNaH |
gata suuryo ahani praapto mama putro hi anaamiSaH || 4-59-10
10. kadaacit= on some day; mama putraH= my, son; saH= he that Supaarshva; mama= I was; aahaara kaankSiNaH= for food, one awaiting for; kSudhaa aartasya= hunger, aching by; ahani gata suuryaH= in day, went away, sun - till sun is down on that day; an+ aamiSaH= without, flesh; praaptaH= he turned up.
"On some day when hunger was aching me and I was aching for food, my son Supaarshva turned up without flesh when the sun of the day went down... [4-59-10]
sa mayaa aahaara sa.mrodhaat piiDitaH priiti vardhanaH |
anumaanya yathaa tattvam idam vacanam abraviit || 4-59-11
11. aahaara samrodhaat= food, deprived of; mayaa piiDitaH= by me, reproved; saH= he [my son]; priiti vardhanaH= [to me] gladness, enhancer; anumaanya= [me] pacifying; yathaa tattvam= as has happened; idam vacanam abraviit= this, sentence, said.
"I reproved him as I was deprived of food, and my son who is an enhancer of my gladness pacified me and said this sentence about what has actually happened ... [4-59-11]
aham taata yathaa kaalam aamiSa arthii kham aaplutaH |
mahendrasya gireH dvaaram aavR^itya ca susamaashritaH || 4-59-12
12. taata= oh, father; aham= I; aamiSa arthii= of flesh, as a desirer; yathaa kaalam= as per, time; kham aaplutaH= to sky, flew up; mahendrasya gireH= Mahendra, mountain's; dvaaram aavR^itya ca= entrance, overspreading; su sam aashritaH= very, well, depended [hovered on it.]
" 'Oh, father, I as a desirer of flesh flew up to skies in time and overspreading the Mt. Mahendra, I very well hovered on it... [4-59-12]
tatra sattva sahasraaNaam saagara antara caariNaam |
pa.nthaanam eko adhyavasam sa.mniroddhum avaa~N mukhaH || 4-59-13
13. tatra= there; saagara antara caariNaam= in ocean, under, moving [underwater beings]; sattva sahasraaNaam= beings, thousands of; panthaanam= pathway; sam niroddhum= completely, to impede; ekaH= I by myself; avaa~N mukhaH= down, with face [looking down]; adhyavasam [adhi avasan]= while staying - I hovered.
" 'I have been hovering there looking downward to completely impede the pathway of thousands of underwater beings of the ocean on my own... [4-59-13]
tatra kashcit mayaa dR^iSTaH suurya udaya sama prabhaam |
striyam aadaaya gacChan vai bhinna a.njana caya upamaH || 4-59-14
14. suurya udaya sama prabhaam== sun, dawn - aurora, equal, in shine; striyam aadaaya gacChan vai=lady; on taking [captivating,] going away, really; bhinna anjana caya upamaH= shoved, mascara, heap, in simile; kashcit= someone; maya=by me; tatra= there; dR^iSTaH= is seen.
" 'There I have seen someone who in simile is like a shoved heap of mascara and he is going away captivating a lady who equals the aurora in her shine. [4-59-14]
so aham abhyavahaara artham tau dR^iSTvaa kR^ita nishcayaH |
tena saamnaa viniitena panthaanam anuyaacitaH || 4-59-15
15. saH aham= such as I am; tau= them two; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; abhyavahaara [abhi ava haara] artham= food, for purpose of; kR^ita nishcayaH= making, resolution - decided to us them up; vi niitena= without, moral dignity [basely]; tena= by him - the abductor; saamnaa= benignly; panthaanam= way - way-leave - for their traversal; anu yaacitaH= sincerely [beggarly,] besought.
" 'On seeing two of them I resolved to use them up for the purpose of food, but he benignly, basely and beggarly besought way-leave for their traversal... [4-59-15]
na hi saama upapannaanaam prahartaa vidyate bhuvi |
niiceSu api janaH kashcit kim a~Nga bata mat vidhaH || 4-59-16
16. saama upapannaanaam= one who amiably, derives - one who is entreating beggarly; prahartaa janaH= assaulting, person - who assaults; niiceSu api= basely people, even among; kashcit= someone; bhuvi= on earth; na vidyate hi= will not be, evident, isn't it; then; mat vidhaH= [about] my, type of [noble ones]; kim a~Nga= what, [else is there] to say; bata= aha!
" 'There will be none assaulting those that entreat in a beggarly manner, even someone among basely people, isn't it! Then what else is to be said of my kind, aha! [4-59-16]
sa yaataH tejasaa vyoma sa.mkSipan iva vegataH |
atha aham khe caraiH bhuutaiH abhigamya sabhaajitaH || 4-59-17
17. saH= he; vegataH= hastily; tejasaa vyoma samkSipan iva= by [his] vigour, sky, enshrouding, as though; yaataH= went away; atha aham= then, I was; khe caraiH bhuutaiH= in firmament, moving, beings; abhigamya sabhaajitaH= [I was] approached, [I was] applauded.
" 'He hastily went away as though enshrouding the skies with his vigour, and then the beings that move in the firmament have approached and applauded me... [4-59-17]
diSTyaa jiivati siita iti hi abruvan maam maharSayaH |
katha.mcit sa kalatraH asau gataH te svasti asa.mshayam || 4-59-18
18. siita diSTyaa jiivati hi= Seetha is, by fortune, living, indeed; asau= he [Ravana]; sa kalatraH= along with, one who is to be protected - Seetha; kathamcit= somehow; gataH= gone away; te a+samshayam svasti= to you, without, doubt, safeness will be there; iti= in this way; maharSayaH maam abruvan= great-sages, to me, said - blessed.
" 'The great-sages who approached me in firmament have said to me, 'fortunately Seetha is alive, somehow he that Ravana has gone away with Seetha who in fact is to be protected by one and all like you, anyhow your are blest without a doubt... [4-59-18]
Some other mms contain the wording diSTyaa jiivasi taata where taata 'my boy...' is an addressing to the son of Sampaati and then the meaning is: 'my boy, though Seetha is a saveable, defendable person and though you have shown your concern to stall Ravana like your paternal uncle Jataayu... you have not done it and left him off, then unhurt by Ravana you are living, fortunately...'
evam uktaH tato aham taiH siddhaiH parama shobhanaiH |
sa ca me raavaNo raajaa rakSasaam prativeditaH || 4-59-19
pashyan daasharatheH bhaaryaam raamasya janaka aatmajaam |
bhraSTa aabharaNa kausheyaam shoka vega paraajitaam || 4-59-20
raama lakSmaNayoH naama kroshantiim mukta muurdhajaam |
19, 20, 21a. tataH aham= then, I; parama shobhanaiH= really, divine; taiH siddhaiH= by those, siddha-s; evam uktaH= thus, said; pashyan= on their seeing - and on showing to me; daasharatheH raamasya bhaaryaam= Dasharatha's, Rama's, wife; janaka aatmajaam= Janaka's, daughter; bhraSTa= disorderly; aabharaNa= ornments; kausheyaam= silk sari; shoka vega paraajitaam= by anguish, speediness, vanquished; mukta muurdhajaam= released [tousle,] haired; raama lakSmaNayoH= Rama, Lakshmana; naama= names; kroshantiim= yelling; such as she is; [haran= abducting her]; saH ca= him, also; rakSasaam raajaa= demons, king; raavaNaH= Ravana; [iti= thus]; me= to me; prati veditaH= towards [to me,] I was informed [by siddha-s.]
" 'Then those siddha-s, the celestial sages, have informed me on showing her whose ornaments and ochry-silk-sari are disorderly, and who is vanquished by the speediness of her anguish, and who is yelling both the names of Rama and Lakshmana, as the wife of Dasharatha's Rama, the daughter of Janaka. They have also informed on showing him who is abducting her as Ravana, the king of demons. [4-59-19, 20, 21a]
eSa kaala atyayaH taata iti vaakyavidaam varaH || 4-59-21
etat artham samagram me supaarshvaH pratyavedayat |
21b, 22a. taata= oh, father; eSa= this is - hence; kaala atyayaH= time, lapse of - in my coming home; iti vaakyavidaam varaH= thus, sentence maker the best; supaarshvaH= Supaarshva; etat artham= all this, drift; samagram= in entirety; me pratyavedayat= to me, informed.
" 'And hence, oh, father, the lapse of time in my returning home...' thus that best sentence maker Supaarshva informed me all the drift in its entirety..." Thus Sampaati is continuing his narration to monkeys. [4-59- 21b, 22a]
tat shrutvaa api hi me buddhiH na aasiit kaacit paraakrame
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apakSo hi katham pakSii karma ki.mcit samaarabhet |
22b, 223a. tat shrutvaa api hi= that, on listening, even, indeed; me= to me; paraakrame= in daring [Ravana]; kaacit= in the least; buddhiH na aasiit= mind, not, is there - no thought occurred to me; a + pakSaH= without, wings; pakSii= a bird; kimcit karma= any, action; katham samaarabhet hi= how, initiates, indeed.
"Even on listening that it has not come to my mind to dare Ravana. How a wingless bird can initiate any action, indeed! [4-59-22b, 23a]
yat tu shakyam mayaa kartum vaak buddhi guNa vartinaa ||
4-59-23
shruuyataam tatra vakSyaami bhavataam pauruSa aashrayam |
23b, 24a. vaak buddhi guNa vartinaa= talking [advising,] thinking, qualities, a votary of; maya= by me [I advise]; yat tu kartum shakyam= what, but, to do, possible to; bhavataam= by your; pauruSa aashrayam= on [your,] bravery, dependent - an action; tatra= in this matter; vakSyaami= I narrate; shruuyataam= let it be heard.
"But that which is possible for me to do is advising as a votary with the qualities of thinking and advising. Let it be heard as I narrate and in that matter of translating my information into action it certainly depends on your bravery. [4-59-23b, 24a]
vaak matibhyaam hi saarveSaam kariSyaami priyam hi vaH ||
4-59-24
yat hi daasharatheH kaaryam mama tat na atra sa.mshayaH |
24b, 25a. saarveSaam vaH= to all, of you; vaak matibhyaam priyam kariSyaami hi= with words [information,] mind [ analysis,] exuberant, I wish to make [you,] indeed; yat daasharatheH kaaryam= which is, of Rama of Dasharatha, task; tat mama= that [task,] is mine [too]; na atra samshayaH= no, in that matter, doubt.
"Indeed with my analysis and information to you I wish to make all of you exuberant as I deem that I have done my bit, because whatever task of Rama, the son of Dasharatha, is there that task is mine too. There is no doubt bout it. [4-59-24b, 25a]
tat bhavanto mati shreSThaa balavanto manasvinaH || 4-59-25
prahitaaH kapi raajena devaiH api duraasadaaH |
25b, 26a. tat= thereby; mati shreSThaa= in aptitude, best ones; manasvinaH= good at attitude; balavantaH= having fortitude; devaiH api duraasadaaH= by gods, even, invincible ones; bhavantaH= such as you are; kapi raajena= by monkeys, king Sugreeva; prahitaaH= you are shepherded.
"Thereby, I reckon you as the best ones by your aptitude, fortitude and attitude, and as invincible ones even for gods, hence Sugreeva, the king of monkeys, shepherded you... [4-59-25, 26a]
raama lakSmaNa baaNaaH ca nishitaaH ka.nka patriNaH ||
4-59-26
trayaaNaam api lokaanaam paryaaptaaH traaNa nigrahe |
26b, 27a. kanka patriNaH= eagle, feathered ones; nishitaaH= excruciating ones; raama lakSmaNa baaNaaH ca= by Rama's, by Lakshmana's, arrows, what is more; trayaaNaam lokaanaam api= three, worlds, even for; traaNa nigrahe= for defending, and for offending; paryaaptaaH= are enough.
"What is more, the excruciating eagle-feathered arrows of Rama and Lakshmana are enough to give defence or offence to all the three worlds. [4-59-26b, 27a]
kaamam khalu dashagriivaH tejo bala samanvitaH |
bhavataam tu samarthaanaam na ki.mcit api duSkaram || 4-59-27
27b, c. dashagriivaH= Decahedral demon; tejaH bala samanvitaH khalu kaamam= power, pride, possessor of, definitely, perchance; tu= but; samarthaanaam bhavataam= capable ones, by you; duSkaram= impossible; kimcit api= in the least, even; na= is not there.
"Perchance that Decahedral demon is definitely a powerful and prideful demon. But, as capable vanara-s there is nothing impossible to you, even in the least. [4-59-27]
tat alam kaala sa.ngena kriyataam buddhi nishcayaH |
na hi karmasu sajjante buddhimanto bhavat vidhaaH || 4-59-28
28. tat= thereby; kaala sangena= with time, lapse; alam= enough; buddhi nishcayaH kriyataam= mental, determination, be done; bhavat vidhaaH= your, like - adventurers; buddhimantaH= prudent ones; karmasu na sajjante hi= in tasks, will not, backslide, isn't it.
"Thereby, enough is the time-lapse and make a mental determination. Adventurers and prudent souls of your kind with not backslide in tasks, isn't it! [4-59-28]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe eko na SaSTitamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 59th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Feb, 2003, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : December 04]