Sampati Hears of Jatayu's Death

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.56.1)

उपविष्टास्तु ते सर्वे यस्मिन् प्रायं गिरिस्थले। हरयो गृध्रराजश्च तं देशमुपचक्रमे ॥ 56.1 ॥

upaviṣṭāstu te sarve yasmin prāyaṃ giristhale| harayo gṛdhrarājaśca taṃ deśamupacakrame || 56.1 ||

To that mountain plateau where all those monkeys had sat down to give up their lives, there arrived the kingly vulture.

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.56.2)

सम्पातिर्नाम नाम्ना तु चिरजीवी विहंगमः। भ्राता जटायुषः श्रीमान् विख्यातबलपौरुषः ॥ 56.2 ॥

sampātirnāma nāmnā tu cirajīvī vihaṃgamaḥ| bhrātā jaṭāyuṣaḥ śrīmān vikhyātabalapauruṣaḥ || 56.2 ||

He was named Sampati, a long-lived bird, the glorious brother of Jatayu, renowned for his strength and valour.

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.56.3)

कन्दरादभिनिष्क्रम्य स विन्ध्यस्य महागिरेः। उपविष्टान् हरीन् दृष्ट्वा हृष्टात्मा गिरमब्रवीत् ॥ 56.3 ॥

kandarādabhiniṣkramya sa vindhyasya mahāgireḥ| upaviṣṭān harīn dṛṣṭvā hṛṣṭātmā giramabravīt || 56.3 ||

Emerging from a cave of the great mountain Vindhya, and seeing the monkeys seated there, he, gladdened at heart, spoke these words:

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.56.4)

विधिः किल नरं लोके विधानेनानुवर्तते। यथायं विहितो भक्ष्यश्चिरान्मह्यमुपागतः ॥ 56.4 ॥

vidhiḥ kila naraṃ loke vidhānenānuvartate| yathāyaṃ vihito bhakṣyaścirānmahyamupāgataḥ || 56.4 ||

"Truly, fate follows a man in this world according to its own ordinance; see how this food, long destined for me, has come to me at last.

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.56.5)

परम्पराणां भक्षिष्ये वानराणां मृतं मृतम्। उवाचैतद् वचः पक्षी तान् निरीक्ष्य प्लवंगमान् ॥ 56.5 ॥

paramparāṇāṃ bhakṣiṣye vānarāṇāṃ mṛtaṃ mṛtam| uvācaitad vacaḥ pakṣī tān nirīkṣya plavaṃgamān || 56.5 ||

I shall eat these monkeys, one line of them after another, as each of them dies." So spoke that bird, gazing upon the leaping monkeys.

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.56.6)

तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा भक्ष्यलुब्धस्य पक्षिणः। अङ्गदः परमायस्तो हनूमन्तमथाब्रवीत् ॥ 56.6 ॥

tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā bhakṣyalubdhasya pakṣiṇaḥ| aṅgadaḥ paramāyasto hanūmantamathābravīt || 56.6 ||

Hearing that speech of the bird greedy for prey, Angada, greatly distraught, then said to Hanuman:

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.56.7)

पश्य सीतापदेशेन साक्षाद् वैवस्वतो यमः। इमं देशमनुप्राप्तो वानराणां विपत्तये ॥ 56.7 ॥

paśya sītāpadeśena sākṣād vaivasvato yamaḥ| imaṃ deśamanuprāpto vānarāṇāṃ vipattaye || 56.7 ||

"Look — under the pretext of Sita, it is as though Yama, the son of the Sun himself, has come to this very place for the destruction of the vanaras.

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.56.8)

रामस्य न कृतं कार्यं न कृतं राजशासनम्। हरीणामियमज्ञाता विपत्तिः सहसाऽऽगता ॥ 56.8 ॥

rāmasya na kṛtaṃ kāryaṃ na kṛtaṃ rājaśāsanam| harīṇāmiyamajñātā vipattiḥ sahasā''gatā || 56.8 ||

We have accomplished neither Rama's task nor fulfilled the king's command, and now this unforeseen calamity has suddenly befallen the vanaras.

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.56.9)

वैदेह्याः प्रियकामेन कृतं कर्म जटायुषा। गृध्रराजेन यत् तत्र श्रुतं वस्तदशेषतः ॥ 56.9 ॥

vaidehyāḥ priyakāmena kṛtaṃ karma jaṭāyuṣā| gṛdhrarājena yat tatra śrutaṃ vastadaśeṣataḥ || 56.9 ||

You have already heard in full what deed the kingly vulture Jatayu performed, wishing to serve Vaidehi's welfare.

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.56.10)

तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि तिर्यग्योनिगतान्यपि। प्रियं कुर्वन्ति रामस्य त्यक्त्वा प्राणान् यथा वयम् ॥ 56.10 ॥

tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni tiryagyonigatānyapi| priyaṃ kurvanti rāmasya tyaktvā prāṇān yathā vayam || 56.10 ||

In the same way, even beings born in animal wombs do what pleases Rama, giving up their very lives — as we too are doing.

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.56.11)

अन्योन्यमुपकुर्वन्ति स्नेहकारुण्ययन्त्रिताः। ततस्तस्योपकारार्थं त्यजतात्मानमात्मना ॥ 56.11 ॥

anyonyamupakurvanti snehakāruṇyayantritāḥ| tatastasyopakārārthaṃ tyajatātmānamātmanā || 56.11 ||

Bound by affection and compassion, they help one another; therefore, for his sake, let each of us give up our own selves by our own will.

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.56.12)

प्रियं कृतं हि रामस्य धर्मज्ञेन जटायुषा। राघवार्थे परिश्रान्ता वयं संत्यक्तजीविताः ॥ 56.12 ॥

priyaṃ kṛtaṃ hi rāmasya dharmajñena jaṭāyuṣā| rāghavārthe pariśrāntā vayaṃ saṃtyaktajīvitāḥ || 56.12 ||

The righteous Jatayu has indeed accomplished a deed dear to Rama; we too, wearied in Raghava's cause, have abandoned all care for our own lives.

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.56.13)

कान्ताराणि प्रपन्नाः स्म न च पश्याम मैथिलीम्। स सुखी गृध्रराजस्तु रावणेन हतो रणे। मुक्तश्च सुग्रीवभयाद् गतश्च परमां गतिम् ॥ 56.13 ॥

kāntārāṇi prapannāḥ sma na ca paśyāma maithilīm| sa sukhī gṛdhrarājastu rāvaṇena hato raṇe| muktaśca sugrīvabhayād gataśca paramāṃ gatim || 56.13 ||

We have wandered through impenetrable forests and yet have not seen Maithili. That kingly vulture is indeed the fortunate one, slain by Ravana in battle — freed even from fear of Sugreeva, he has attained the highest state.

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.56.14)

जटायुषो विनाशेन राज्ञो दशरथस्य च। हरणेन च वैदेह्याः संशयं हरयो गताः ॥ 56.14 ॥

jaṭāyuṣo vināśena rājño daśarathasya ca| haraṇena ca vaidehyāḥ saṃśayaṃ harayo gatāḥ || 56.14 ||

By the death of Jatayu, by the passing of King Dasharatha, and by the abduction of Vaidehi, the vanaras have fallen into utter doubt and despair.

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.56.15)

रामलक्ष्मणयोर्वासमरण्ये सह सीतया। राघवस्य च बाणेन वालिनश्च तथा वधः ॥ 56.15 ॥

rāmalakṣmaṇayorvāsamaraṇye saha sītayā| rāghavasya ca bāṇena vālinaśca tathā vadhaḥ || 56.15 ||

Rama and Lakshmana's dwelling in the forest together with Sita, and the slaying of Vali by Raghava's arrow —

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.56.16)

रामकोपादशेषाणां रक्षसां च तथा वधम्। कैकेय्या वरदानेन इदं च विकृतं कृतम् ॥ 56.16 ॥

rāmakopādaśeṣāṇāṃ rakṣasāṃ ca tathā vadham| kaikeyyā varadānena idaṃ ca vikṛtaṃ kṛtam || 56.16 ||

and the slaying of all the rakshasas through Rama's fury — all this calamity has come to pass because of the boon granted to Kaikeyi.

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.56.17)

तदसुखमनुकीर्तितं वचो भुवि पतितांश्च निरीक्ष्य वानरान्। भृशचकितमतिर्महामतिः कृपणमुदाहृतवान् स गृध्रराजः ॥ 56.17 ॥

tadasukhamanukīrtitaṃ vaco bhuvi patitāṃśca nirīkṣya vānarān| bhṛśacakitamatirmahāmatiḥ kṛpaṇamudāhṛtavān sa gṛdhrarājaḥ || 56.17 ||

Having heard that unhappy speech thus lamented, and beholding the monkeys fallen upon the ground, that great-minded king of vultures, his mind sorely shaken, spoke these piteous words.

Shloka 18 (kishkindha.56.18)

तत् तु श्रुत्वा तथा वाक्यमङ्गदस्य मुखोद्गतम्। अब्रवीद् वचनं गृध्रस्तीक्ष्णतुण्डो महास्वनः ॥ 56.18 ॥

tat tu śrutvā tathā vākyamaṅgadasya mukhoda‍gatam| abravīd vacanaṃ gṛdhrastīkṣṇatuṇḍo mahāsvanaḥ || 56.18 ||

Hearing that speech which had issued from Angada's mouth, the sharp-beaked, thunderous-voiced vulture spoke these words:

Shloka 19 (kishkindha.56.19)

कोऽयं गिरा घोषयति प्राणैः प्रियतरस्य मे। जटायुषो वधं भ्रातुः कम्पयन्निव मे मनः ॥ 56.19 ॥

ko'yaṃ girā ghoṣayati prāṇaiḥ priyatarasya me| jaṭāyuṣo vadhaṃ bhrātuḥ kampayanniva me manaḥ || 56.19 ||

"Who is this that proclaims aloud, as though to make my very heart tremble, the death of Jatayu — my brother dearer to me than my own life?

Shloka 20 (kishkindha.56.20)

कथमासीज्जनस्थाने युद्धं राक्षसगृध्रयोः। नामधेयमिदं भ्रातुश्चिरस्याद्य मया श्रुतम् ॥ 56.20 ॥

kathamāsījjanasthāne yuddhaṃ rākṣasagṛdhrayoḥ| nāmadheyamidaṃ bhrātuścirasyādya mayā śrutam || 56.20 ||

"How did this battle between a rakshasa and a vulture occur in Janasthana? This is the name of my brother that I hear today after so very long.

Shloka 21 (kishkindha.56.21)

इच्छेयं गिरिदुर्गाच्च भवद्भिरवतारितुम्। यवीयसो गुणज्ञस्य श्लाघनीयस्य विक्रमैः ॥ 56.21 ॥

iccheyaṃ giridurgācca bhavadbhiravatāritum| yavīyaso guṇajñasya ślāghanīyasya vikramaiḥ || 56.21 ||

"I wish that you would bring me down from this mountain fastness — for having heard, of my younger brother, wise in virtue and praiseworthy in valour,

Shloka 22 (kishkindha.56.22)

अतिदीर्घस्य कालस्य परितुष्टोऽस्मि कीर्तनात्। तदिच्छेयमहं श्रोतुं विनाशं वानरर्षभाः ॥ 56.22 ॥

atidīrghasya kālasya parituṣṭo'smi kīrtanāt| tadiccheyamahaṃ śrotuṃ vināśaṃ vānararṣabhāḥ || 56.22 ||

"after so long a time, and I am gladdened merely to hear him spoken of; and now, O best of vanaras, I wish to hear of his destruction —

Shloka 23 (kishkindha.56.23)

भ्रातुर्जटायुषस्तस्य जनस्थाननिवासिनः। तस्यैव च मम भ्रातुः सखा दशरथः कथम् ॥ 56.23 ॥

bhrāturjaṭāyuṣastasya janasthānanivāsinaḥ| tasyaiva ca mama bhrātuḥ sakhā daśarathaḥ katham || 56.23 ||

of that brother of mine, Jatayu, who dwelt in Janasthana, and of Dasharatha, that same brother's friend — how did it come to pass?

Shloka 24 (kishkindha.56.24)

यस्य रामः प्रियः पुत्रो ज्येष्ठो गुरुजनप्रियः। सूर्यांशुदग्धपक्षत्वान्न शक्नोमि विसर्पितुम्। इच्छेयं पर्वतादस्मादवतर्तुमरिंदमाः ॥ 56.24 ॥

yasya rāmaḥ priyaḥ putro jyeṣṭho gurujanapriyaḥ| sūryāṃśudagdhapakṣatvānna śaknomi visarpitum| iccheyaṃ parvatādasmādavatartumariṃdamāḥ || 56.24 ||

he whose dear son, beloved of his elders, is Rama's eldest — since my wings are burnt by the sun's rays, I am unable to fly; I wish, O tormentors of foes, to descend from this very mountain.