Sloka & Translation

[ Angada relates the story of Jatayu's combat with Ravana to Sampati]

tattu śrutvā tathā vākyamaṅgadasya mukhōdgatam.

abravīdvacanaṅ gṛdhrastīkṣṇatuṇḍō mahāsvanaḥ৷৷4.57.1৷৷


tīkṣṇatuṇḍaḥ sharp-beaked, mahāsvanaḥ loud-voiced, gṛdhraḥ vulture, tathā like that, aṅgadasya of Angada, mukhōdgatam came from the mouth, tat vākyam those words, śrutvā after hearing, vacanam these words, abravīt said.

On hearing the words that came from Angada's mouth, the sharp-beaked, loud-voiced vulture (Sampati) said:
kō.yaṅ girā ghōṣayati prāṇaiḥ priyatamasya mē.

jaṭāyuṣō vadhaṅ bhrātuḥ kampayanniva mē manaḥ৷৷4.57.2৷৷


mē my, prāṇaiḥ with life, priyatamasya dearest, bhrātuḥ brother's, jaṭāyuṣaḥ Jatayu's, vadham death, mē my, manaḥ mind, kampayanniva shaking, girā with a word, ghōṣayati loudly proclaims, ayam this, kaḥ who is that?

'Who is it that was Pronouncing loudly the death of my dearest brother Jatayu? This news has shaken my mind.
kathamāsījjanasthānē yuddhaṅ rākṣasagṛdhrayōḥ.

nāmadhēyamidaṅ bhrātuścirasyādya mayā śrutam৷৷4.57.3৷৷


janasthānē at Janasthana, rākṣasagṛdhrayōḥ between the demon and the vulture, yuddham fight, katham how, āsīt took place, bhrātuḥ brother's, idaṅ nāmadhēyam this name, mayā by me, adya today, cirasya śrutam heard after a long time.

'I heard my brother's name today after a long time.I wish to know how the demon and the vulture fought at Janasthana.
icchēyaṅ giridurgācca bhavadbhiravatāritum.

yavīyasō guṇajñasya ślāghanīyasya vikramaiḥ৷৷4.57.4৷৷

atidīrghasya kālasya parituṣṭō.smi parikīrtanāt.


giridurgāt from the inaccessible mountain, bhavadbhi: by all of you, avatāritum to help to get down, icchēyam I wish, guṇajñasya of the virtuous, vikramaiḥ with valour, ślāghanīyasya of the praiseworthy, yavīyasaḥ younger brother, atidīrghasya after a long, kālasya time, kīrtanāt by a mention, parituṣṭaḥ asmi I am very glad.

'I wish to be brought down from this inaccessible mountain peak by all of you. I am glad to have heard from you the name of my younger brother after a long time. He is virtuous, valiant and praiseworthy.
tadicchēyamahaṅ śrōtuṅ vināśaṅ vānararṣabhāḥ৷৷4.57.5৷৷

bhrāturjaṭāyuṣastasya janasthānanivāsinaḥ.


vānararṣabhāḥ O bulls among monkeys, tat therefore, aham I, janasthānnivāsinaḥ of the inhabitant of Janasthana, bhrātuḥ brother's, tasya his, jaṭāyuṣaḥ Jatayu's, vināśam death, śrōtum to hear, icchēyam I am desirous.

'O bulls among monkeys I desire to hear about the death of my brother Jatayu, who was dwelling at Janasthana.
tasyaiva ca mama bhrātussakhā daśarathaḥ katham৷৷4.57.6৷৷

yasya rāmaḥ priyaḥ putrō jyēṣṭhō gurujanapriyaḥ.


gurujanapriyaḥ loved by elders, rāmaḥ Rama, yasya whose, priyaḥ favourite one, jyēṣṭhaḥ putraḥ eldest son, mama bhrātuḥ my brother's, tasyaiva of him alone, sakhā friend, daśarathaḥ Dasaratha, katham how.

'How did Dasaratha develop friendship with my brother? I hear that Rama who is the favourite first-born of Dasaratha has endeared himself to all elders.
sūryāṅśudagdhapakṣatvānna śaknōmyupasarpitum৷৷4.57.7৷৷

icchēyaṅ parvatādasmādavatartu marindamāḥ!.


arindamāḥ O tamers of enemies, sūryāṅśudagdhapakṣatvāt due to the burning of my wings by the Sun's rays, upasarpitum to move forward, na śaknōmi it is not possible for me, asmāt from this, parvatāt from the mountain, avatartum to get down, icchēyam I want.

'O tamers of foes! as my wings are burnt down by the Sun's rays it is not possible for me to move forward. I wish you help me to get down from this mountain'.
śōkādbhraṣṭasvaramapi śrutvā tē hariyūthapāḥ.

śraddadhurnaiva tadvākyaṅ karmaṇā tasya śaṅkitāḥ৷৷4.57.8৷৷


hariyūthapāḥ leaders among monkeys, śōkāt owing to grief, bhraṣṭasvaramapi even if he had his voice had been choked, tadvākyam his words, śrutvā on hearing, tasya his, karmaṇā by the intention, śaṅkitāḥ suspicious, naiva śraddadhuḥ they did not believe.

The leaders among monkeys did not trust his words even though his voice was choked with grief. They suspected his intentions.
tē prāyamupaviṣṭāstu dṛṣṭvā gṛdhraṅ plavaṅgamāḥ.

cakrurbuddhiṅ tadā raudrāṅ sarvānnō bhakṣayiṣyati৷৷4.57.9৷৷


prāyam fasting unto death, upaviṣṭāḥ seated, tē plavaṅgamāḥ those monkeys, gṛdhram vulture, dṛṣṭvā after seeing, tadā then, naḥ us, sarvān all, bhakṣayiṣyati he will eat away, raudram terribly, buddhim in their minds, cakruḥ thought .

On seeing the vulture, the monkeys fasting unto death got a terrible thought in their
minds that the vulture might eat them.
sarvathā prāyamāsīnānyadi nō bhakṣayiṣyati.

kṛtakṛtyā bhaviṣyāmaḥ kṣipraṅ siddhimitō gatāḥ৷৷4.57.10৷৷


prāyam āsīnān welcoming death, naḥ us, bhakṣayiṣyati yadi if he eats us away, itaḥ from here, kṣipram soon, siddhim accomplishment, gatāḥ attained, sarvathā by all means, kṛtakṛtyāḥ we succeed in our objective, bhaviṣyāmaḥ we will be.

'Since we wish to die, we will be accomplishing our objective successfully if he eats us soon'.
ētāṅ buddhiṅ tataścakrussarvē tē vānararṣabhāḥ.

avatārya girēśśṛṅgādgṛdhramāhāṅgadastadā৷৷4.57.11৷৷


tataḥ then, sarvē all, tē vānararṣābhāḥ those heroic monkeys, ētām this way, buddhim thought, cakruḥ they entertained, tadā then, aṅgadaḥ Angada, gṛdhram vulture, girēḥ mountain's, śṛṅgāt from the peak, avatārya having brought down, āha he said.

Thus thought the chief among the monkeys. Angada having helped the vulture come down the mountain peak, said:
babhūvarkṣarajā nāma vānarēndraḥ pratāpavān.

mamāryaḥ pārthivaḥ pakṣin! dhārmika stasya cātmajau৷৷4.57.12.

sugrīvaścaiva vālī ca putrāvōghabalāvubhau.

lōkēviśrutakarmābhūdrājā vālī pitā mama৷৷4.57.13৷৷


pakṣin O bird!, pratāpavān powerful, vānarēndraḥ king of monkeys, mama my, āryaḥ revered ancestor, ṛkṣarajā Riksharaja's, nāma named, pārthivaḥ a king, babhūva was, ōghabalau strong like flood water, ubhau both, sugrīvaścaiva Sugriva, vālī ca and Vali, tasya his, dhārmikau righteous, ātmajau putrau his
two sons, mama my, pitā father, vālī Vali, lōkē in the world, viśrutakarmā famous by his great deeds, rājā king, abhūt was.

'O powerful bird! my revered grandfather Riksharaja was a glorious king of monkeys. He had two sons called Sugriva and Vali.Both were strong like flood-waters. My father Vali was well-known in this world for his remarkable deeds.
rājā kṛtsnasya jagata ikṣvākūṇāṅ mahārathaḥ.

rāmō dāśarathiḥ śrīmānpraviṣṭō daṇḍakāvanam৷৷4.57.14৷৷

lakṣmaṇēna saha bhrātrā vaidēhyā cāpi bhāryayā.

piturnidēśaniratō dharmyaṅ panthānamāśritaḥ৷৷4.57.15৷৷


ikṣvākūṇām of Ikshvaku race, mahārathaḥ great warrior, kṛtsnasya of the entire, jagataḥ world, rājā king, śrīmān illustrious, dāśarathiḥ Dasaratha's son, rāmaḥ Rama's, pituḥ father's, nidēśanirataḥ obeying his command, dharmyam righteous, panthānam path, āśritaḥ seeking, bhrātrā with his brother, lakṣmaṇēna saha along with Lakshmana, bhāryayā with his wife, vaidēhyā cāpi and with Vaidehi, daṇḍakāvanam forest of Dandaka, praviṣṭaḥ he entered.

'The great warrior Rama is the son of Dasaratha, the scion of the Ikshvaku race and the king of the entire world. He entered Dandaka forest along with his brother Lakshmana and consort Vaidehi obeying his father's command following a righteous path.
tasya bhāryā janasthānādrāvaṇēna hṛtā balāt.

rāmasya tu piturmitraṅ jaṭāyurnāma gṛdhrarāṭ৷৷4.57.16৷৷

dadarśa sītāṅ vaidēhīṅ hriyamāṇāṅ vihāyasā.


tasya his, bhāryā wife, janasthānāt from Janasthana, rāvaṇēna by Ravana, balāt with force, hṛtā is abducted, rāmasya Rama's, pituḥ father's, mitram friend, jaṭāyurnāma called Jatayu, gṛdhrarāṭ king of vultures, vihāyasā flying through aerial region, hriyamāṇām forcibly taken away, vaidēhīm princess of Videha, sītām Sita, dadarśa he saw.

'His wife was abducted from Janasthana by Ravana. The king of vultures Jatayu, a friend of Rama's father observed princess of Videha, being forcibly carried away through the aerial region.
rāvaṇaṅ virathaṅ kṛtvā sthāpayitvā ca maithilīm.

pariśrāntaśca vṛddhaśca rāvaṇēna hatō raṇē৷৷4.57.17৷৷


rāvaṇam Ravana, viratham deprived of the chariot, kṛtvā after defeating, maithilīṅ ca and Maithili, sthāpayitvā putting her at a place, pariśrāntaśca exhausted one, vṛddhaśca and old one also, raṇē in combat, rāvaṇēna by Ravana, hataḥ was killed.

'Jatayu destroyed Ravana's aerial chariot and put Maithili in a (safe) place. But being old and exhausted, he was killed in a combat by Ravana.
ēvaṅ gṛdhrō hatastēna rāvaṇēna balīyasā.

saṅskṛtaścāpi rāmēṇa gataśca gatimuttamām৷৷4.57.18৷৷


gṛdhraḥ vulture, ēvam that way, balīyasā by a stronger one, tēna rāvaṇēna by that Ravana, hataḥ slain, rāmēṇa by Rama, saṅskṛtaścāsi cremated according to rites, uttamāṅ gatim supreme abode, gataśca reached.

'Thus the vulture was slain by Ravana who was stronger. Cremated by Rama and his last rites performed, he reached the supreme heavenly abode. (It was the luck of Jatayu, unlike Dasaratha, to be cremated by Rama.)
tatō mama pitṛvyēṇa sugrīvēṇa mahātmanā.

cakāra rāghavassakhyaṅ sō.vadhītpitaraṅ mama৷৷4.57.19৷৷


tataḥ then, rāghavaḥ Rama, mama my, pitṛvyēṇa with my father's brother, mahātmanā by the great self, sugrīvēṇa with Sugriva, sakhyam friendship, cakāra made, saḥ he, Rama, pitaram my father, avadhīt killed.

'Then Rama made friendship with my father's brother, great self Sugriva and killed my father.
mama pitrā viruddhō hi sugrīvassacivaissaha.

nihatya vālinaṅ rāmastatastamabhiṣēcayat৷৷4.57.20৷৷


sugrīvaḥ Sugriva, sacivaiḥ saha along with ministers, mama my, pitrā with my father's, viruddhaḥ was hostile, rāmaḥ Rama, vālinam Vali, nihatya having killed, tataḥ then, tam him, abhiṣēcayat installed as king.

'Sugriva and his ministers developed hostility towards my father. Rama killed Vali and installed Sugriva as king.
sa rājyē sthāpitastēna sugrīvō vānarādhipaḥ.

rājā vānaramukhyānāṅ yēna prasthāpitā vayam৷৷4.57.21৷৷


tēna by him, rājyē in the kingdom, sthāpitaḥ established, vānarēśvaraḥ lord of monkeys, saḥ sugrīvaḥ that Sugriva, vānaramukhyānām of all the great monkeys, rājā king, tēna by him, vayam we, prasthāpitāḥ we have been sent.

'Sugriva, the monkey king, was installed by him and crowned as king of the monkeys. Sugriva is the king of all great monkeys. We have been sent by him in search of Sita.
ēvaṅ rāmaprayuktāstu mārgamāṇāstatastataḥ.

vaidēhīṅ nādhigacchāmō rātrau sūryaprabhāmiva৷৷4.57.22৷৷


ēvam thus, rāmaprayuktāḥ at the behest of Rama, tatastataḥ here and there, mārgamāṇāḥ while we searched, rātrau at night, sūryaprabhāmiva like the Sun's radiance, vaidēhīm Vaidehi, nādhigacchāmaḥ could not reach.

find her just as one fails to see Sun's radiance at night.
tē vayaṅ daṇḍakāraṇyaṅ vicitya susamāhitāḥ৷৷4.57.23৷৷

ajñānāttu praviṣṭāssma dharmiṇyā vivṛtaṅ bilam.


tē vayam all of us, susamāhitāḥ attentive ones, daṇḍakāraṇyam forest of Dandaka, vicitya having searched, ajñānāt unknowingly, dharmiṇyāḥ of the ascetic, vivṛtam hole, bilam cave, praviṣṭāḥ sma we entered.

'Having searched the forest of Dandaka carefully, we all entered this large hole unknowingly.
mayasya māyāvihitaṅ tadbilaṅ ca vicinvatām৷৷4.57.24৷৷

vyatītastatra nō māsō yō rājñā samayaḥ kṛtaḥ.


mayasya by Maya's, māyāvihitam built by his magic, tat that, bilam cave, vicinvatām while we were searching, naḥ for us, yaḥ who, rājñā by the king, samayaḥ time limit, kṛtaḥ fixed, māsaḥ one month, tatra there, vyatītaḥ was exceeded.

tē vayaṅ kapirājasya sarvē vacanakāriṇaḥ৷৷4.57.25৷৷

kṛtāṅ saṅsthāmatikrāntā bhayātprāyamupāsmahē.


kapirājasya king Sugriva's, vacanakāriṇaḥ obedient, sarvē all, tē vayam of us, kṛtām fixed, saṅsthām condition, atikrāntāḥ we exceeded, bhayāt out of fear, prāyam death, upāsmahē fasting unto death.

'Because of the fear of king Sugriva all of us have decided to stay here fasting unto death,since we have exceeded the time fixed for us (to find Sita).
kruddhē tasmiṅstu kākutsthē sugrīvē ca salakṣmaṇē৷৷4.57.26৷৷

gatānāmapi sarvēṣāṅ tatra nō nāsti jīvitam.


tasmin when such, kākutsthē Rama of Kakutstha dynasty, salakṣmaṇē along with Lakshmana, sugrīvē ca and when Sugriva, kruddhē when he is angry, tatra there, gatā nāmapi even if we go, naḥ for us, sarvēṣām for all of us, jīvitam life, nāsti not there.

'Even if we go back, there is no hope of our survival before the anger of Sugriva and of Rama and Lakshmana of the Kakutstha dynasty.'
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē saptapañcaśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends of fiftyseventh sarga in Kishkindakanda of the first epic, the Holy Ramyana composed by sage Valmiki.