Sloka & Translation

[Sampati sees Angada and other monkeys --- hears about the death of his brother Jatayu.]

upaviṣṭāstu tē sarvē yasminprāyaṅ giristhalē.

harayō gṛdhrarājaśca taṅ dēśamupacakramē৷৷4.56.1৷৷

sampātirnāma nāmnā tu cirañjīvī vihaṅgamaḥ.

bhrātā jaṭāyuṣaḥ śrīmānvikhyātabalapauruṣaḥ৷৷4.56.2৷৷


tē they, sarvē all, harayaḥ monkeys, yasmin that, giristhalē on the plateau of the mountain, prāyam upaviṣṭāḥ seated preparing to die by fasting unto death, taṅ dēśam that location, gṛdhrarājaḥ king of vultures, nāmnā by name, sampātirnāma as Sampati, cirañjīvī long-lived, jaṭāyuṣa: Jatayu, bhrātā brother, śrīmān prosperous, vikhyātabalapauruṣaḥ widely known for his strength, vihaṅgamaḥ a vulture, upacakramē came there.

While the monkeys were preparing to fast unto death on the plateau of the mountain, Sampati, the prosperous king of vultures, the long-lived elder brother of Jatayu widely known for his strength, appeared there.
kandarādabhiniṣkramya sa vindhyasya mahāgirēḥ.

upaviṣṭānharīndṛṣṭvā hṛṣṭātmā giramabravīt৷৷4.56.3৷৷


saḥ he, mahāgirēḥ of the great mountain, vindhyasya Vindhya's, kandarāt from the cave, abhiniṣkramya emerging, upaviṣṭān seated, harīn monkeys, dṛṣṭvā after seeing, hṛṣṭātmā delighted, giram word, abravīt spoke.

Coming out of the cave of the great mount Vindhya, Sampati was glad to see the monkeys seated there and said to himself:
vidhiḥ kila naraṅ lōkē vidhānēnānuvartatē.

yathā.yaṅ vihitō bhakṣyaścirānmahyamupāgataḥ৷৷4.56.4৷৷


lōkē in this world, vidhiḥ destiny, vidhānēna in accordance with, naram anuvartatē kila said to follow, yathā as, cirāt for long, mahyam for me, vihitaḥ fixed, ayam this, bhakṣyaḥ eatable, upāgataḥ has come.

'Destiny rules the world of men in accordance with a divine arrangement. Or else, it would not have brought me food after a long time (of fasting)'. (The monkeys are food for Sampati)'
paramparāṇāṅ bhakṣiṣyē vānarāṇāṅ mṛtaṅ mṛtam.

uvācēdaṅ vacaḥ pakṣī tānnirīkṣya plavaṅgamān৷৷4.56.5৷৷


vānarāṇām of monkeys, paramparāṇām one after the other, mṛtaṅ mṛtam as and when they die, bhakṣiṣyē I will eat, tān them, plavaṅgamān monkeys, nirīkṣya looking at them, pakṣī the vulture, idaṅ these, vacaḥ words, uvāca spoke.

Looking at them, the vulture continued, 'I will eat these monkeys one after the other as and when they die'.
tasya tadvacanaṅ śrutvā bhakṣyalubdhasya pakṣiṇaḥ.

aṅgadaḥ paramāyastō hanūmantamathābravīt৷৷4.56.6৷৷


bhakṣyalubdhasya of the greedy for food, tasya pakṣiṇaḥ of the vulture, tat vacanam that words, śrutvā on hearing, atha then, aṅgadaḥ Angada, paramāyastaḥ highly dejected, hanūmantam to Hanumanta, abravīt said.

Hearing the words of the vulture greedily waiting for food, deeply dejected Angada spoke to Hanuman:
paśya sītāpadēśēna sākṣādvaivasvatō yamaḥ.

imaṅ dēśamanuprāptō vānarāṇāṅ vipattayē৷৷4.56.7৷৷


sītāpadēśēna in the name of Sita, vaivasvataḥ Vaivasvata, yamaḥ Yama, sākṣāt himself in person, vānarāṇām to monkeys, vipattayē to kill, imaṅ dēśam this place, anuprāptaḥ has come, paśya see.

'See, Yama, son of Vaivasvata, has arrived here in person to destroy the monkeys in the name of Sita. (Sita became the direct agent for causing the destruction of monkeys).
rāmasya na kṛtaṅ kāryaṅ rājñō na ca vacaḥ kṛtam.

harīṇāmiyamajñātā vipattissahasāgatā৷৷4.56.8৷৷


rāmasya Rama's, kāryam task, na kṛtam not carried out, rājña: the king's, vacaḥ words, na ca kṛtam not carried out, harīṇām for the monkeys, iyam this, ajñātā unknown, vipatti: calamity, sahasā suddenly, āgatā has set in.

'Rama's task has not been performed. Sugriva's order has not been excuted. And (now) suddenly this calamity has overtaken the monkeys unawares.
vaidēhyāḥ priyakāmēna kṛtaṅ karma jaṭāyuṣā.

gṛdhrārājēna yattatra śrutaṅ vastadaśēṣataḥ৷৷4.56.9৷৷


vaidēhyāḥ the princess of Videha, priyakāmēna in order to please her, gṛdhrarājēna by the king of vultures, jaṭāyuṣā by Jatayu, tatra there, yat karma whatever task, kṛtam has been accomplished, tat that, aśēṣataḥ fully, vaḥ for you, śrutam heard.

'We have heard in detail about the task accomplished by Jatayu, the king of vultures, in order to please Sita, the princess of Videha.
tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni tiryagyōnigatānyapi.

priyaṅ kurvanti rāmasya tyaktvā prāṇānyathā vayam৷৷4.56.10৷৷


tathā that way, tiryagyōnigatānyapi those born as animals even, sarvāṇi all, bhūtāni creatures, prāṇān life, tyaktvā risking, vayaṅ yathā like us, rāmasya for Rama, priyam please, kurvanti you will.

anyō.nyamupakurvanti snēhakāruṇyayantritāḥ.

tēna tasyōpakārārthaṅ tyajatā.tmānamātmanā৷৷4.56.11৷৷


snēhakāruṇyayantritāḥ bound by friendship and compassion, anyōnyam mutually, upakurvanti help, tēna by him, tasya Rama's, upakārārtham for well-being, ātmānam his life, ātmanā by himself, tyajata by giving up.

'Bound by friendship and compassion each one helps the other. In fact, Jatayu did this by giving up his life on his own, for the sake of Rama.
priyaṅ kṛtaṅ hi rāmasya dharmajñēna jaṭāyuṣā.

rāghavārthē pariśrāntā vayaṅ santyaktajīvitāḥ৷৷4.56.12৷৷

kāntārāṇi prapannāḥ sma na ca paśyāma maithilīm.


dharmajñēna by the righteous, jaṭāyuṣā by Jatayu, rāmasya Rama's, priyam well-being, kṛtaṅ hi is done, vayam we, rāghavārthē for Rama's sake, pariśrāntāḥ exhausted, santyaktajīvitāḥ all of us are giving up life, kāntārāṇi forests, prapannāḥ ventured, sma we, maithilīm Maithili, na ca paśyāma we have not seen.

'Jatayu, the knower of dharma, has laid down his life for the well-being of Rama. We are exhausted in the process of helping Rama. We have lost hope of our lives after entering these forests. Yet we have failed to find the princess from Mithila.
sa sukhī gṛdhrarājastu rāvaṇēna hatō raṇē৷৷4.56.13৷৷

muktaśca sugrīvabhayādgataśca paramāṅ gatim.


raṇē in combat, rāvaṇēna by Ravana, hataḥ was slain, saḥ he, gṛdhrarājastu king of vultures, sukhī is happy, sugrīvabhayāt fear of Sugriva, muktaśca relieved, paramām supreme, gatim status, gataśca attained.

'The king of vultures was slain by Ravana in a combat. He attained supreme status. He had no fear for Sugriva (as we have).
jaṭāyuṣō vināśēna rājñō daśarathasya ca৷৷4.56.14৷৷

haraṇēna ca vaidēhyā ssaṅśayaṅ harayō gatāḥ.


jaṭāyuṣaḥ Jatayu's, vināśēna by the death, rājñaḥ king's, daśarathasya ca and Dasaratha's, vaidēhyāḥ princess from Videha, haraṇēna ca by abducting, harayaḥ monkeys, saṅśayaṅ gatāḥ are caught in doubtful situation.

'The survival of monkeys has become doubtful due to the death of Jatayu, death of king Dasaratha and the abduction of the princess from Videha.
rāmalakṣmaṇayōrvāsaśca araṇyē saha sītayā৷৷4.56.15৷৷

rāghavasya ca bāṇēna vālinaśca tathā vadhaḥ.

rāmakōpādaśēṣāṇāṅ rakṣasānāṅ tathā vadhaḥ৷৷4.56.16৷৷

kaikēyyā varadānēna idaṅ ca vikṛtaṅ kṛtam.


kaikēyyāḥ to Kaikeyi, varadānēna the granting of boons, sītayā saha along with Sita, araṇyē in the forest, rāmalakṣmaṇayōḥ of Rama and Lakshmana, vāsaḥ residence, tathā so also, rāghavasya Rama's, bāṇēna with arrow, vālinaḥ Vali's, vadhaśca death, tathā so also, rāmakōpāt due to Rama's anger, aśēṣāṇām of the entire lot, rakṣasānām demons, vadhaśca death, idam this, vikṛtaṅ ca unwanted consequence, kṛtam was done.

'The exile of Rama and Lakshmana into the forest along with Sita, so also the death of Vali and of the demons in the hands of Rama due to his anger are all evil
consequences of a boon granted to Kaikeyi.'
tadasukhamanukīrtitaṅ vacō

bhuvi patitāṅśca samīkṣya vānarān.

bhṛśacalitamatirmahāmatiḥ

kṛpaṇamudāhṛtavān sa gṛdhrarāṭ৷৷4.56.17৷৷


anukīrtitam which was described, asukham unhappy , tat that, vacaḥ words, bhuvi on the earth, patitān fallen, vānarān monkeys, samīkṣya observing, mahāmatiḥ wise, saḥ he, gṛdhrārāṭ the king of vultures, bhṛśacalitamatiḥ shaken up mentally, kṛpaṇam wretched, udāhṛtavān narrated.

The wise king of vultures was shaken up mentally on seeing the monkeys lying on the ground and hearing the unhappy narration of Angada.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ātikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē ṣaṭapañcāśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the fiftysixth sarga in Kishkindakanda of the first epic, the Holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.