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Chapter 56

Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

VERSE 1

उपविष्टाः तु ते सर्वे यस्मिन् प्रायम् गिरि स्थले
हरयो गृध्र राजः च तम् देशम् उपचक्रमे

upaviṣṭāḥ tu te sarve yasmin prāyam giri sthale
harayo gṛdhra rājaḥ ca tam deśam upacakrame

SYNONYMS

, 2| te sarve harayaḥ: those, all, monkeys | yasmin giri sthale: at which, mountain, tableland | prāyam upaviṣṭāḥ tu: self-immolation, sat down | tam deśam: to that, area | cira jīvī: long, lived [sempiternal] | gṛdhra rājaḥ: eagle, kingly | nāmnā sāmpātiḥ nāma: by name, Sampaati, known as | jaṭāyuṣaḥ bhrātā: Jataayu's, brother | śrīmān: celebrated one | prakhyāta bala pauruṣaḥ: one renowned, for forcefulness, aggressiveness | vihamgamaḥ upacakrame: sky-flyer [eagle,] arrived there. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 3

कंदरात् अभिनिष्क्रम्य स विन्ध्यस्य महागिरेः
उपविष्टान् हरीन् दृष्ट्वा हृष्टात्मा गिरम् अब्रवीत्

kaṃdarāt abhiniṣkramya sa vindhyasya mahāgireḥ
upaviṣṭān harīn dṛṣṭvā hṛṣṭātmā giram abravīt

SYNONYMS

saḥ: he [Sampaati] | mahā gireḥ: from great-mountain | vindhyasya: of Vindhya | kandarāt: from cave | abhi niṣ kramya: on coming out | upaviṣṭān harīn dṛṣṭvā: those who sat down, monkeys, on seeing | hṛṣṭa atmā giram abravīt: gladdened, at heart, words, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 4

विधिः किल नरम् लोके विधानेन अनुवर्तते
यथा अयम् विहितो भक्ष्यः चिरात् मह्यम् उपागतः

vidhiḥ kila naram loke vidhānena anuvartate
yathā ayam vihito bhakṣyaḥ cirāt mahyam upāgataḥ

SYNONYMS

loke: in world | vidhiḥ: fate / god | vidhānena: procedurally [fatefully] | naram: after human | anuvartate kila: follows, indeed | yathā: why because | cirāt: long-awaited | mahyam vihitaḥ: to me, fated | ayam bhakṣyaḥ upa āgataḥ: this, food, came nigh of me. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 5

परंपराणाम् भक्षिष्ये वानराणाम् मृतम् मृतम्
उवाच एतत् वचः पक्षी तान् निरीक्ष्य प्लवंगमान्

paraṃparāṇām bhakṣiṣye vānarāṇām mṛtam mṛtam
uvāca etat vacaḥ pakṣī tān nirīkṣya plavaṃgamān

SYNONYMS

vānarāṇām paramparāṇām: of vanara-s, in the series | mṛtam mṛtam = dead one, on dying: whoever is dead while fasting, or, whomever I kill sequentially | bhakṣiṣye: I wish to eat | tān plavamgamān nirīkṣya: them, fly-jumpers, on seeing | pakṣī: bird Sampaati | etat vacaḥ uvāca: these, words spoke. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

PURPORT

Here some translate this as 'I wish to eat the one by one as and when that monkey falls dead, then the next, on its falling dead...' In such a case, Angada would not have bothered or feared for this eagle, because it wants to vulture upon a cadaver. No need to fear if death occurs prior to their becoming prey to Sampaati. He feared to become the prey of eagle, whereby their sacred immolation is also going to fail along with other failures like searching Seetha, transgressing timeframe, hiding in Black Hole etc. Besides, a vulture is the most unpredictable bird, if it comes to it food.
VERSE 6

तस्य तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा भक्ष लुब्धस्य पक्षिणः
अंगदः परम् आयस्तो हनूमंतम् अथ अब्रवीत्

tasya tat vacanam śrutvā bhakṣa lubdhasya pakṣiṇaḥ
aṃgadaḥ param āyasto hanūmaṃtam atha abravīt

SYNONYMS

bhakṣa lubdhasya: food, greedy [gormandising] | tasya pakṣiṇaḥ tat vacanam śrutvā: that, bird's, that, word, on hearing | atha: then | angadaḥ param āyastaḥ: Angada, becoming highly, breathless | hanūmantam abravīt: to Hanuma, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing the words of that gormandising bird, Angada became highly breathless and then spoke to Hanuma. [4-56-6]

VERSE 7

पश्य सीता गृध्रा अपदेशेन साक्षात् वैवस्वतो यमः
इमम् देशम् अनुप्राप्तो वानराणाम् विपत्तये

paśya sītā - gṛdhrā - apadeśena sākṣāt vaivasvato yamaḥ
imam deśam anuprāpto vānarāṇām vipattaye

SYNONYMS

sītā apadeśena: Seetha, in the name of | [or, gṛdhrā apadeśena: eagle, in the name of] | vaivasvataḥ yamaḥ: Sun's son, Yama, the Terminator | sākṣāt: manifestly | vānarāṇām vipattaye: for monkeys', fatality | imam deśam anuprāptaḥ: to this, area, arrived | paśya: look. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

PURPORT

Some mms have the name of Seetha compared to Yama, saying that Yama come in the name of Seetha, while some say it is Sampaati. Here Sampaati is taken as the manifestation of Death, rather than Seetha.
VERSE 8

रामस्य न कृतम् कार्यम् न कृतम् राज शाशनम्
हरीणाम् इयम् अज्ञाता विपत्तिः सहसा आगता

rāmasya na kṛtam kāryam na kṛtam rāja śāśanam
harīṇām iyam ajñātā vipattiḥ sahasā āgatā

SYNONYMS

rāmasya kāryam na kṛtam: Rama's, task, not, done | rāja śāśanam na kṛtam: king's, decree, not, done | harīṇām: for monkeys | iyam a jñātā vipattiḥ: this, not, known, catastrophe | sahasā āgatā: abruptly, bechanced. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 9

वैदेह्याः प्रिय कामेन कृतम् कर्म जटायुषा
गृध्र राजेन यत् तत्र श्रुतम् वः तत् अशेषतः

vaidehyāḥ priya kāmena kṛtam karma jaṭāyuṣā
gṛdhra rājena yat tatra śrutam vaḥ tat aśeṣataḥ

SYNONYMS

vaidehyāḥ priya kāmena: for Vaidehi, to please [to do good,] wishing to | gṛdhra rājena: eagle, by kingly | jaṭāyuṣā: by Jataayu | tatra: there [in Janasthaana] | yat karma kṛtam: which, deed, is done | tat = that: deed of confronting Ravana | a śeṣataḥ: without, remainder [completely] | vaḥ śrutam: by you al, heard. |

TRANSLATION

"You all have heard in its entirety what deed the kingly Jataayu has done wishing to do good to Vaidehi... [4-56-9]

VERSE 10

तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि तिर्यक् योनि गतानि अपि
प्रियम् कुर्वन्ति रामस्य त्यक्त्वा प्राणान् यथा वयम्

tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni tiryak yoni gatāni api
priyam kurvanti rāmasya tyaktvā prāṇān yathā vayam

SYNONYMS

tathā: like that | tiryak yoni gatāni api: in animal, uterus, gone in [birthed in animality,] even | sarvāṇi bhūtāni: all, beings | prāṇān tyaktvā: lives. o forgoing | rāmasya priyam kurvanti: for Rama, agreeable things, are doing | yathā vayam: as with, us. |

TRANSLATION

"Like that all beings, even those birthed in animality, are doing what that is agreeable to Rama even on forgoing their own lives, as with us... [4-56-10]

VERSE 11

अन्योन्यम् उपकुर्वन्ति स्नेह कारुण्य यन्त्रिताः
ततः तस्य उपकार अर्थम् त्यजत आत्मानम् आत्मना

anyonyam upakurvanti sneha kāruṇya yantritāḥ
tataḥ tasya upakāra artham tyajata ātmānam ātmanā

SYNONYMS

sneha kāruṇya yantritāḥ: camaraderie, concern, by instinct | [tiryak yoni gatāni api: in animal, uterus, birthed in, even] | anyonyam upakurvanti: mutually, succouring | tataḥ: therefore | tasya: for his [Rama's] | upakāra artham: succour, for purpose of | ātmānam ātmanā tyajata: one's self [soul,] by oneself [soulfully,] may leave off. |

TRANSLATION

"Even animals will be mutually succouring by their instinct of concern and camaraderie, therefore, let each of us leave off our souls, soulfully... [4-56-11]

VERSE 12

प्रियम् कृत्वा हि रामस्य धर्मज्ञेन जटायुषा
राघव अर्थे परिश्रान्ता वयम् संत्यक्त जीविताः

priyam kṛtvā hi rāmasya dharmajñena jaṭāyuṣā
rāghava arthe pariśrāntā vayam saṃtyakta jīvitāḥ

SYNONYMS

, 13a| dharmajñena jaṭāyuṣā: right, knowing [conscientious,] by Jataayu | rāmasya priyam kṛtvā hi: for Rama, likable [act,] is done, isn't it | vayam: we [too] | rāghava arthe: = Raghava, in the cause of | pariśrāntā: overtired | samtyakta jīvitāḥ = on leaving [the fear of,] our lives: without caring for our lives | kāntārāṇi prapannāḥ sma: in forests, obtained, we have | maithilīm na ca paśyāma: Maithili, not, even, we saw. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 13

स सुखी गृध्र राजः तु रावणेन हतो रणे
मुक्तः च सुग्रीव भयात् गतः च परमाम् गतिम्

sa sukhī gṛdhra rājaḥ tu rāvaṇena hato raṇe
muktaḥ ca sugrīva bhayāt gataḥ ca paramām gatim

SYNONYMS

b, 13c| raṇe rāvaṇena hataḥ: in combat, by Ravana, one who is killed | saḥ gṛdhra rājaḥ tu: he that, eagle, kingly one, on his part | sukhī: a happy [soul] | sugrīva bhayāt muktaḥ ca: from Sugreeva, fear of, relieved, also | paramām gatim gataḥ ca: Sublimity, on Avenue, departed, also. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

PURPORT

Sugreeva is not only the sovereign of monkeys but to all animal worlds also, and even to all birds of Aves kingdom, nidificatis aves, apes, oves... as Virgil would say. So slain by Ravana, Jataayu is absolved of sin and fear of Sugreeva, as well. Maheshvara Tiirtha.
VERSE 14

जटायुषो विनाशेन राज्ञो दशरथस्य च
हरणेन च वैदेह्याः संशयम् हरयो गताः

jaṭāyuṣo vināśena rājño daśarathasya ca
haraṇena ca vaidehyāḥ saṃśayam harayo gatāḥ

SYNONYMS

jaṭāyuṣaḥ vināśena: Jataayu's, by the ending | rājñaḥ daśarathasya ca: king, Dasharatha's [end,] also | vaidehyāḥ haraṇena ca: of Vaidehi, purloin, also | harayaḥ samśayam gatāḥ: monkeys, in doubt [predicament,] piled into. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

PURPORT

Vividly: 'If Jataayu is not killed Seetha would not be abducted, even if Seetha is abducted, should Jataayu be living he might have detailed that abduction, and Rama might not have come to Kishkindha, but would have gone to Lanka straightaway. At least, if Dasharatha is not dead he would have called Rama and others back to Ayodhya, thus the question of Seetha's abduction does not arise. Because these two are dead, Seetha is abducted and their deaths became a deadly predicament for us... the monkeys...'
VERSE 15

राम लक्ष्मणयोः वासाम् अरण्ये सह सीतया
राघवस्य च बाणेन वालिनः च तथा वधः

rāma lakṣmaṇayoḥ vāsām araṇye saha sītayā
rāghavasya ca bāṇena vālinaḥ ca tathā vadhaḥ

SYNONYMS

, 16| kaikeyyā vara dānena: to Kaikeyi, boon, by giving | sītayā saha: Seetha, along with | araṇye: in forest | rāma lakṣmaṇayoḥ: of Rama, Lakshmana | vāsām: dwelling | tathā: as a result | rāghavasya bāṇena: by Raghava's, arrow | vālinaḥ vadhaḥ ca: Vali's, slaying, also | rāma kopāt: Rama, by fury | a śeṣāṇām: without, leftovers | rākṣasām vadham ca: of demons, eliminating, also | idam vi kṛtam ca: this, wrong, deed [quandary,] also | kṛtam: is done [bechanced.] |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 17

तत् असुखम् अनुकीर्तितम् वचो
भुवि पतितान् च निरीक्ष्य वानरान्
भृश चकित मतिः महामतिः
कृपणम् उदाहृतवान् स गृध्रराजः

tat asukham anukīrtitam vaco
bhuvi patitān ca nirīkṣya vānarān
bhṛśa cakita matiḥ mahāmatiḥ
kṛpaṇam udāhṛtavān sa gṛdhrarājaḥ

SYNONYMS

anu kīrtitam: eulogised | a sukham: not, comfortable | tat vacaḥ = that, vord: that information | [śrutvā: on hearing] | bhuvi patitān vānarān nirīkśya: on ground, fallen [lay recumbent,] at monkeys, on observing | mahāmatiḥ: high, minded | saḥ gṛdhra rajaḥ [rāṭ]: he, eagles, king | bhṛśa: highly | cakita: perturbed | matiḥ: with mind | kṛpaṇam udāhṛtavān = sorrovfully, spelled out: said word to the wise. |

TRANSLATION

On observing the monkeys who lay recumbent on ground and on hearing them eulogising the death of Jataayu he that king of eagles Sampaati is highly perturbed at that uncomfortable information about Jatayu, and that high minded Sampaati sorrowfully spelled out this word. [4-56-17]

PURPORT

Some versions of Valmiki Ramayana end this chapter with this verse and continue next verses in the next chapter.
VERSE 18

तत् तु श्रुत्वा तदा वाक्यम् अंगदस्य मुख उद्गतम्
अब्रवीत् वचनम् गृध्रः तीक्ष्ण तुण्डो महास्वनः

tat tu śrutvā tadā vākyam aṃgadasya mukha udgatam
abravīt vacanam gṛdhraḥ tīkṣṇa tuṇḍo mahāsvanaḥ

SYNONYMS

tīkṣṇa tuṇḍaḥ: sharp [shredder,] billed | mahā svanaḥ: thunderously, voicing | gṛdhraḥ: eagle | angadasya mukha udgatam: from Angada's, mouth, came out | tadā: thus | tat vākyam śrutvā: that, sentence, on hearing | vacanam abravīt: sentence, said. |

TRANSLATION

That shredder-billed eagle Sampaati said this sentence voicing thunderously on hearing words voiced by Angada. [4-56-18]

VERSE 19

को अयम् गिरा घोषयति प्राणैः प्रियतरस्य मे
जटायुषो वधम् भ्रातुः कंपयन् इव मे मनः

ko ayam girā ghoṣayati prāṇaiḥ priyatarasya me
jaṭāyuṣo vadham bhrātuḥ kaṃpayan iva me manaḥ

SYNONYMS

prāṇaiḥ priya tarasya: by lives, precious, more than | bhrātuḥ jaṭāyuṣaḥ vadham: of [my] bother, Jataayu's, about slaying | me manaḥ kampayan iva: my, heart, to quake, as though | girā ghoṣayati: by speech, who announces | ayam kaḥ: this one, who is. |

TRANSLATION

"Who speaks to announce as though to quake my heart that Jatayu, the more precious brother of mine than my own lives, is slain? [4-56-19]

VERSE 20

कथम् आसीत् जनस्थाने युद्धम् राक्षस गृध्रयोः
नामधेयम् इदम् भ्रातुः चिरस्य अद्य मया श्रुतम्

katham āsīt janasthāne yuddham rākṣasa gṛdhrayoḥ
nāmadheyam idam bhrātuḥ cirasya adya mayā śrutam

SYNONYMS

janasthāne: in Janasthaana | rākśasa gṛdhrayoḥ: between demon, eagle | yuddham: combat | katham āsīt: how, occasioned | bhrātuḥ idam nāmadheyam: of brother this, name | mayā adya: by me, today | cirasya śrutam: after a long time, heard. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 21

इच्छेयम् गिरि दुर्गात् च भवद्भिः अवतारितुम्
यवीयसो गुणज्ञस्य श्लाघनीयस्य विक्रमैः

iccheyam giri durgāt ca bhavadbhiḥ avatāritum
yavīyaso guṇajñasya ślāghanīyasya vikramaiḥ

SYNONYMS

, 22a| giri durgāt: from mountain, soars | bhavadbhiḥ ava tāritum: by you, to down, lowered | iccheyam: I wish to | guṇa jñasya = virtue, knover: straightforward | vikramaiḥ ślāghanīyasya: by valour, praiseworthy | yavīyasaḥ: of younger brother | ati dīrghasya kālasya: after much, long, time | kīrtitanāt: by [your] praising | parituṣṭaḥ asmi: gladdened, I am. |

TRANSLATION

"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 valour, and I am glad that too spoke of him praisefully... [4-56-21, 22a]

VERSE 22

तत् इच्छेयम् अहम् श्रोतुम् विनाशम् वानर ऋषभाः

tat iccheyam aham śrotum vināśam vānara ṛṣabhāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 23a| vānara ṛṣabhāḥ = oh, vanara, bulliś ones: best ones | tat: thereby | aham: I | janasthāna nivāsinaḥ = in zanasthāna, dveller: when he was in bhraatuH = [as he is my] brother | tasya jaṭāyuṣaḥ: of his, of Jataayu | vināśam śrotum iccheyam: of death, to listen, I wish to. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 23

तस्य एव च मम भ्रातुः सखा दशरथः कथम्

tasya eva ca mama bhrātuḥ sakhā daśarathaḥ katham

SYNONYMS

b, 24a| guru jana priyaḥ rāmaḥ: for doyen, people, pleasant [creditable to,] Rama | yasya: whose [Dasharatha's] | priyaḥ putraḥ jyeṣṭhaḥ: dear, son, eldest one | daśarathaḥ: [such a] Dasharatha | mama bhrātuḥ tasya eva ca sakhā: my, bother, his [to Jataayu,] alone, also, friend | katham [mṛtam]: how, [died.] |

TRANSLATION

"Whose eldest and dear son is Rama, the creditable one for doyens, that Dasharatha is the friend of my brother Jatayu/ But how did Dasharatha pass away? [4-56-23b, 24a]

VERSE 24

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे षट् पंचाशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe ṣaṭ paṃcāśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, c| arindamāḥ: oh, enemy-chasteners | sūrya amśu dagdha pakṣatvāt: by Sun's, rays, burnt, owing to such wings | vi sarpitum = to videly, spread: lessened wing-spread | na śaknomi: not, capable I am | [tasmāt: therefore] | asmāt parvatāt: from this, mountain | ava tartum: down, climb | iccheyam: I wish to. |

TRANSLATION

"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]