Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Sage Nishaakara asks Sampaati to wait for monkeys who arrive at the behest of Rama in search of Seetha. This sage also accords small wings and vigour to the eagle for survival until the arrival of harbinger monkeys of Rama, as this eagle has to guide the monkeys towards the location where Seetha is incarcerated. |
evam uktv˜ muniþreÿ÷ham arudam bh®þa du×khita× |
atha dhy˜tv˜ muh¨rtam tu bhagav˜n idam abravŸt || 4-62-1
1. evam munishreSTham uktvaa = that way, to sage the best, having said; bhR^isha duHkhitaH arudam = highly, despaired, I wept; atha= then; bhagavaan= that godly sage; muhuurtam dhyaatvaa idam abraviit= on meditating, for a while, this, said.
"On informing the sage in this way I wept as I was highly despaired. Then on meditating for a while that sage said this..." Thus Sampaati continued his narration, and now he reports to Angada and others what that is said by Sage Nishaakara to him. [4-62-1]
pakÿau ca te prapakÿau ca puna× anyau bhaviÿyata× |
cakÿuÿŸ caiva pr˜õ˜× ca vikrama× ca balam ca te || 4-62-2
2. te= to you; punaH anyau pakSau ca= again, other, wings; pra pakSau ca= good [small,] wings, also; bhaviSyataH = [anew] they become [they emerge]; te= your; cakSuSii ca praaNaaH ca vikramaH ca balam ca= eyes [sight,] also, lives' [force,] also, valour, also, power, also; [bhaviSyanti= will be there, they comeback.]
" 'Again both of your wings will emerge as small wings anew, also thus your valour, power, and life-force will comeback...' Thus Sage Nishaakara started to console Sampaati. [4-62-2]
pur˜õe sumahat k˜ryam bhaviÿyam hi may˜ þrutam |
d®ÿ÷am me tapas˜ caiva þrutv˜ ca viditam mama || 4-62-3
3. su mahat kaaryam bhaviSyam hi= very, great, happening, will happen, indeed; puraaNe mayaa shrutam= in olden days, by me, heard; me tapasaa caiva= by me, ascetically, also thus; dR^iSTam= perceived; shrutvaa mama viditam = by hearing, to me, known.
" 'In olden days I have heard that a very great happening is going to happen indeed, and it is known to me as I perceived it ascetically... [4-62-3]
r˜j˜ daþaratho n˜ma kaþcit ikÿv˜ku vardhana× |
tasya putro mah˜tej˜ r˜mo n˜ma bhaviÿyati || 4-62-4
4. dasharathaH naama= Dasharatha, known as; ikSvaaku vardhanaH= Ikshvaku dynasty, enhancer of; kashcit raajaa= someone, a king - is there; tasya= to him; raamaH naama= Rama, known as; mahaatejaa putraH bhaviSyati= great-resplendent, son, will be there.
"There is some king known as Dasharatha, an enhancer of Ikshvaku dynasty, and to him there will be a great-resplendent a son who will be known as Rama... [4-62-4]
araõyam ca saha bhr˜tr˜ lakÿmaõena gamiÿyati |
tasmin arthe niyukta× san pitr˜ satya par˜krama× || 4-62-5
5. satya para aakramaH = truth, valiant one - Rama; pitraa= by father; tasmin arthe niyuktaH san= in that, objective, assigned, he is; bhraatraa lakSmaNena saha = brother, Lakshmana, along with; araNyam gamiSyati= to forest, he goes.
" 'When his father assigns him for that objective of his going to forests, that truth-valiant Rama goes to forests along with his brother Lakshmana... [4-62-5]
nair®to r˜vaõo n˜ma tasya bh˜ry˜m hariÿyati |
r˜kÿasendro janasth˜n˜t avadhya× sura d˜navai× || 4-62-6
6. janasthaanaat= from Janasthaana; tasya bhaaryaam= his [Rama's,] wife; raakSasendraH= demons', chief; sura daanavaiH a+ vadhyaH = [even] by gods, demons, an un, killable one; raavaNaH naama= Ravana, known as; nairR^itaH = demon; hariSyati= abducts.
" 'A demon named Ravana, the chief of demons, and an unkillable one even for gods or demons abducts Rama's wife from Janasthaana... [4-62-6]
s˜ ca k˜mai× pralobhyantŸ bhakÿyai× bhojyai× ca maithilŸ |
na bhokÿyati mah˜bh˜g˜ du×kha magn˜ yaþasvinŸ || 4-62-7
7. mahaabhaagaa= highly privileged; duHkha magnaa= in sorrow, sunken; yashasvinii= prestigious lady; saa maithilii= she, that Maithili; kaamaiH= by desirable [items]; bhakSyaiH bhojyaiH ca = by masticatory, swallowable foods [feasts and banquets]; pralobhyantii= verily lured; na bhokSyati= not, enjoys them - does not touch them.
" 'She that Maithili, a highly privileged and prestigious lady does not touch any food, though she is highly lured by banquets and feasts by that Ravana, for she will be sunken in sorrow... [4-62-7]
param˜nnam ca vaidehy˜ jñ˜tv˜ d˜syati v˜sava× |
yat annam am®ta prakhyam sur˜õ˜m api durlabham || 4-62-8
8. vaasavaH j~naatvaa= Indra, on knowing [Seetha's plight]; suraaNaam api dur labham= for gods, even, un, attainable - food; amR^ita prakhyam= nectarous, renowned as; yat annam= which food - is there in all three worlds, that; parama annam= nectarean, food; vaidehyaa daasyati= for Vaidehi, he gives.
" 'On knowing Seetha's plight Indra gives a nectarean food for Vaidehi, which food is renowned to be Nectarous and unattainable even by gods... [4-62-8]
tat annam maithilŸ pr˜pya vijñ˜ya indr˜t idam tu iti |
agram uddh®tya r˜m˜ya bh¨ tale nirvapiÿyati || 4-62-9
9. maithilii tat annam praapya= Maithili, that, food, on getting; idam indraat iti= this [food is,] from Indra, thus; vij~naaya= on knowing; agram uddhR^itya= first [part, first morsel,] taking up; raamaaya = for Rama; bhuu tale= on earth's, surface; nirvapiSyati [nir vap iSyati]= out, sows, she dispenses it - she cedes it as seeds in sowing.
" 'But on getting that food, and on knowing that it is from Indra, Maithili takes up the first morsel and dispenses it on the surface of earth for Rama, saying... [4-62-9]
yadi jŸvati me bhart˜ lakÿmaõo v˜ api devara× |
devatvam gatayo× v˜ api tayo× annam idam tu iti || 4-62-10
10. me bhartaa jiivati yadi = my, husband, is living, if; devaraH lakSmaNaH vaa api= younger brother-in-law, Lakshmana, or, even; [jiivati yadi = is living, if]; devatvam gatayoH vaa api = godhood, gone into [attained,] or, even; tayoH= to both of them; idam annam= this is, food; iti= thus - on saying she will offer food.
" 'If my husband is living, or even my younger brother-in-law Lakshmana is living, or even if they have attained godhood, this food belongs to both of them...' Saying so Seetha offers oblation to them... [4-62-10
eÿyanti preÿit˜× tatra r˜ma d¨t˜× plavaðgam˜× |
˜khyey˜ r˜ma mahiÿŸ tvay˜ tebhyo vihaðgama || 4-62-11
11. vihan gama= oh, sky-flyer [Sampaati]; raama duutaaH plavan gamaaH= Rama's, harbingers, fly-jumpers; preSitaaH= sent by [Rama]; tatra eSyanti= to there [where Seetha is,] will be coming; tvayaa= by you; tebhyaH= to them; raama mahiSii= [about] Rama's, queen; aakhyeyaa= tellable - you inform them about her.
" 'Ushered by Rama, oh, sky-flyer Sampaati, fly-jumpers will be going over to the place where Seetha is captivated as harbingers of Rama, and you ought to tell those monkeys about the queen of Rama... [4-62-11]
sarvath˜ tu na gantavyam Ÿd®þa× kva gamiÿyasi |
deþa k˜lau pratŸkÿasva pakÿau tvam pratipatsyase || 4-62-12
12. sarvathaa na gantavyam= in any case, not, to be gone [go-as-you-please]; iidR^ishaH kva gamiSyasi= this kind [of a wingless eagle,] where, you wish to go; desha kaalau pratiikSasva= place [scene,] time, be awaiting for; tvam pakSau pratipatsyase= you, both wings, will regain.
" 'In any case you ought not to go-as-you-please... a wingless eagle of your kind where you wish to go... await the times and scenes, you will regain both of your wings... [4-62-12]
utsaheyam aham kartum adya eva tv˜m sa pakÿakam |
iha stha× tvam tu lok˜n˜m hitam k˜ryam kariÿyasi || 4-62-13
13. aham tvaam= I, you; adya eva sa pakSakam= now, itself, you as, with, wings [as a winged eagle]; kartum utsaheyam = to make, I am capable; tu= but; tvam iha sthaH= you, staying, here only; lokaanaam hitam kaaryam kariSyasi= for worlds, agreeable, deed, you do - can you do?
" 'I am capable of making you a winged eagle now itself, but how can you stay here and do an agreeable deed to the worlds! So you have to wait. [4-62-13]
tvay˜ api khalu tat k˜ryam tayo× ca n®pa putrayo× |
br˜hmaõ˜n˜m gur¨õ˜m ca munŸn˜m v˜savasya ca || 4-62-14
14. tvayaa api= by you, even; tayoH nR^ipa putrayoH= to both of, king's, sons; braahmaNaanaam guruuNaam muniinaam= to Brahmans, to teachers, to sages; vaasavasya ca= of Indra, also; tat kaaryam= that, deed; khalu= is to be done, isn't it.
" 'That deed aimed at the wellbeing of both those princes, Rama and Lakshmana, and of Brahmans, teaches, sages and also of Indra is to be done by you alone, isn't it! [4-62-14]
icch˜mi aham api draÿ÷um bhr˜tarau r˜ma lakÿmaõau |
na icche ciram dh˜rayitum pr˜õ˜n tyakÿye kalevaram |
maharÿi tu tat abravŸt idam d®ÿ÷a tattva artha darþina× || 4-62-15
15. aham api= I, even; bhraatarau raama lakSmaNau= brothers, Rama, Lakshmana; draSTum icChaami = to see, I wish to; ciram praaNaan dhaarayitum = prolongedly, lives, to bear; na icChe= not, I wish; kalevaram tyakSye = mortal body, I castaway; dR^iSTa tattva artha darshinaH= had discerned, of quintessence, essence [sum and substance,] a discerner; maharSi tu= great sage, on his part; tat idam abraviit = that, this, [- in this way,] said - to me.
" 'Even I wish to see those brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, but I do not wish to bear lives prolongedly, hence I castaway my mortal body...' and thus that is what the great sage Nishakara said to me. Saying so that sage, who is a discerner who discerned the sum and substance of Supreme Person castaway his mortal body in his ascent to heaven." Sampaati continued his narration in this way. [4-62-15]
iti v˜lmŸki r˜m˜yaõe ˜di k˜vye kiÿkindha k˜õýe dvi ÿaÿ÷itama× sarga×
Thus, this is the 62nd chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Mar, 2003, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : December 04]