Chapter 59
Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
ततः तत् अमृत आस्वादम् गृध्र राजेन भाषितम्
निशम्य मुदितो हृष्टाः ते वचः प्लवगर्षभाः
tataḥ tat amṛta āsvādam gṛdhra rājena bhāṣitam
niśamya mudito hṛṣṭāḥ te vacaḥ plavagarṣabhāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
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]
जांबवान् वानर श्रेष्ठः सह सर्वैः प्लवंगमैः
भू तलात् सहसा उत्थाय गृध्र राजानम् अब्रवीत्
jāṃbavān vānara śreṣṭhaḥ saha sarvaiḥ plavaṃgamaiḥ
bhū talāt sahasā utthāya gṛdhra rājānam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
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]
क्व सीता केन वा दृष्टा को वा हरति मैथिलीम्
तत् आख्यातु भवान् सर्वम् गतिः भव वन ओकसाम्
kva sītā kena vā dṛṣṭā ko vā harati maithilīm
tat ākhyātu bhavān sarvam gatiḥ bhava vana okasām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
को दाशरथि बाणानाम् वज्र वेग निपातिनाम्
स्वयम् लक्ष्मणम् मुक्तानाम् न चिंतयति विक्रमम्
ko dāśarathi bāṇānām vajra vega nipātinām
svayam lakṣmaṇam muktānām na ciṃtayati vikramam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
स हरीन् प्रति संयुक्तान् सीता श्रुति समाहितान्
पुनः आश्वासयन् प्रीत इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्
sa harīn prati saṃyuktān sītā śruti samāhitān
punaḥ āśvāsayan prīta idam vacanam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
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]
श्रूयताम् इह वैदेह्या यथा मे हरणम् श्रुतम्
येन च अपि मम आख्यातम् यत्र च आयत लोचना
śrūyatām iha vaidehyā yathā me haraṇam śrutam
yena ca api mama ākhyātam yatra ca āyata locanā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
अहम् अस्मिन् गिरौ दुर्गे बहु योजनम् आयते
चिरात् निपतितो वृद्धः क्षीण प्राण पराक्रमः
aham asmin girau durge bahu yojanam āyate
cirāt nipatito vṛddhaḥ kṣīṇa prāṇa parākramaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
तम् माम् एवम् गतम् पुत्रः सुपार्श्वो नाम नामतः
आहारेण यथा कालम् बिभर्ति पतताम् वरः
tam mām evam gatam putraḥ supārśvo nāma nāmataḥ
āhāreṇa yathā kālam bibharti patatām varaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
तीक्ष्ण कामाः तु गंधर्वाः तीक्ष्ण कोपा भुजंगमाः
मृगाणाम् तु भयम् तीक्ष्णम् ततः तीक्ष्ण क्षुधा वयम्
tīkṣṇa kāmāḥ tu gaṃdharvāḥ tīkṣṇa kopā bhujaṃgamāḥ
mṛgāṇām tu bhayam tīkṣṇam tataḥ tīkṣṇa kṣudhā vayam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
स कदाचित् क्षुधा आर्तस्य मम आहार कान्क्षिणः
गत सूर्यो अहनि प्राप्तो मम पुत्रो हि अनामिषः
sa kadācit kṣudhā ārtasya mama āhāra kānkṣiṇaḥ
gata sūryo ahani prāpto mama putro hi anāmiṣaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
स मया आहार संरोधात् पीडितः प्रीति वर्धनः
अनुमान्य यथा तत्त्वम् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्
sa mayā āhāra saṃrodhāt pīḍitaḥ prīti vardhanaḥ
anumānya yathā tattvam idam vacanam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
अहम् तात यथा कालम् आमिष अर्थी खम् आप्लुतः
महेन्द्रस्य गिरेः द्वारम् आवृत्य च सुसमाश्रितः
aham tāta yathā kālam āmiṣa arthī kham āplutaḥ
mahendrasya gireḥ dvāram āvṛtya ca susamāśritaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" '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]
तत्र सत्त्व सहस्राणाम् सागर अन्तर चारिणाम्
पंथानम् एको अध्यवसम् संनिरोद्धुम् अवाङ् मुखः
tatra sattva sahasrāṇām sāgara antara cāriṇām
paṃthānam eko adhyavasam saṃniroddhum avāṅ mukhaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" '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]
तत्र कश्चित् मया दृष्टः सूर्य उदय सम प्रभाम्
स्त्रियम् आदाय गच्छन् वै भिन्न अंजन चय उपमः
tatra kaścit mayā dṛṣṭaḥ sūrya udaya sama prabhām
striyam ādāya gacchan vai bhinna aṃjana caya upamaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" '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]
सो अहम् अभ्यवहार अर्थम् तौ दृष्ट्वा कृत निश्चयः
तेन साम्ना विनीतेन पन्थानम् अनुयाचितः
so aham abhyavahāra artham tau dṛṣṭvā kṛta niścayaḥ
tena sāmnā vinītena panthānam anuyācitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" '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]
न हि साम उपपन्नानाम् प्रहर्ता विद्यते भुवि
नीचेषु अपि जनः कश्चित् किम् अङ्ग बत मत् विधः
na hi sāma upapannānām prahartā vidyate bhuvi
nīceṣu api janaḥ kaścit kim aṅga bata mat vidhaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" '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]
स यातः तेजसा व्योम संक्षिपन् इव वेगतः
अथ अहम् खे चरैः भूतैः अभिगम्य सभाजितः
sa yātaḥ tejasā vyoma saṃkṣipan iva vegataḥ
atha aham khe caraiḥ bhūtaiḥ abhigamya sabhājitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" '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]
दिष्ट्या जीवति सीत इति हि अब्रुवन् माम् महर्षयः
कथंचित् स कलत्रः असौ गतः ते स्वस्ति असंशयम्
diṣṭyā jīvati sīta iti hi abruvan mām maharṣayaḥ
kathaṃcit sa kalatraḥ asau gataḥ te svasti asaṃśayam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" '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]
PURPORT
एवम् उक्तः ततो अहम् तैः सिद्धैः परम शोभनैः
स च मे रावणो राजा रक्षसाम् प्रतिवेदितः
evam uktaḥ tato aham taiḥ siddhaiḥ parama śobhanaiḥ
sa ca me rāvaṇo rājā rakṣasām prativeditaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" '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]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" '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]
तत् श्रुत्वा अपि हि मे बुद्धिः न आसीत् काचित् पराक्रमे
tat śrutvā api hi me buddhiḥ na āsīt kācit parākrame
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
यत् तु शक्यम् मया कर्तुम् वाक् बुद्धि गुण वर्तिना
yat tu śakyam mayā kartum vāk buddhi guṇa vartinā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
वाक् मतिभ्याम् हि सार्वेषाम् करिष्यामि प्रियम् हि वः
vāk matibhyām hi sārveṣām kariṣyāmi priyam hi vaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
कामम् खलु दशग्रीवः तेजो बल समन्वितः
भवताम् तु समर्थानाम् न किंचित् अपि दुष्करम्
kāmam khalu daśagrīvaḥ tejo bala samanvitaḥ
bhavatām tu samarthānām na kiṃcit api duṣkaram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे एको न षष्टितमः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe eko na ṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"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]