Sloka & Translation

[Each of the monkey leaders declares the distance they can fly --- Jambavan resolves not to send Angada but send Hanuman instead to cross.]

athāṅgadavacaśśrutvā tē sarvē vānararṣabhāḥ.

svaṅ svaṅ gatau samutsāhamūcustatra yathākramam৷৷4.65.1৷৷

gajō gavākṣō gavayaśśarabhō gandhamādanaḥ.

maindaśca dvividaścaiva suṣēṇō jāmbavāṅ stathā৷৷4.65.2৷৷


atha and then, aṅgadavacaḥ Angada's words, śrutvā after hearing, gajaḥ Gaja, gavākṣaḥ Gavaksha, gavayaḥ Gavaya, śarabhaḥ Sarabha, gandhamādanaḥ Gandhamadana, maindaśca Mainda, dvividaścaiva even Dvivida, suṣēṇaḥ Sushena, tathā so also, jāmbavān Jambavan, sarvē all, tē them, vānararṣabhāḥ bulls among monkeys, yathākramam following an order, tatra there, gatau in turn the scope for, svaṅ svam on their own, samutsāham capability (to leap), ūcuḥ expressed.

Thereafter, on hearing Angada, all the leaders among the monkeys, Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sarabha, Gandhamadana, Mainda, Dvivida, Sushena and Jambavan as well expressed one after the other their capability for leaping.
ābabhāṣē gajastatra plavēyaṅ daśayōjanam.

gavākṣō yōjananānyāha gamiṣyāmīti viṅśatim৷৷4.65.3৷৷


tatra after that, gajaḥ Gaja, daśayōjanam ten yojanas, plavēyam I can leap, ābabhāṣē said, gavākṣaḥ Gavaksha, viṅśatim twenty, yōjanāni yojanas, gamiṣyāmi I can go, iti thus, āha said.

Gaja said he can leap ten yojanas and Gavaksha said he can go upto twenty yojanas.
gavayō vānarastatra vānarāṅ stānuvāca ha.

triṅśataṅ tu gamiṣyāmi yōjanānāṅ plavaṅgamāḥ!৷৷4.65.4৷৷

śarabhastānuvācātha vānarān vānararṣabhaḥ.

catvāriṅśadgamiṣyāmi yōjanānāṅ plavaṅgamāḥ!৷৷4.65.5৷৷

vānarastu mahātējā abravīdgandhamādanaḥ.

yōjanānāṅ gamiṣyāmi pañcāśattu na saṅśayaḥ৷৷4.65.6৷৷

maindastu vānarastatra vānarāṅstānuvāca ha.

yōjanānāṅ paraṅ ṣaṣṭimahaṅ plavitumutsahē৷৷4.65.7৷৷

tatastatra mahātējā dvividaḥ pratyabhāṣata.

gamiṣyāmi na sandēhassaptatiṅ yōjanānyaham৷৷4.65.8৷৷

suṣēṇastu mahātējā:prōktavānharisattamān.

aśītiṅ yōjanānāṅ tu plavēyaṅ plavagēśvarāḥ!৷৷4.65.9৷৷


tatra there, gavayō Gava, vānaraḥ monkeys, tān vānarān the monkeys, uvāca ha said like that, plavaṅgamāḥ O leaping monkeys!, yōjanānām yojanas, triṅśatam thirty, gamiṣyāmi I can reach, tatra there, śarabhaḥ Sarabha, vānararṣabha great monkey, tān vānarān those monkeys, uvāca ha said, yōjanānām yojanas, catvāriṅśat forty, gamiṣyāmi can reach, saṅśayaḥ doubt, na without, mahātējāḥ bright, gandhamādanaḥ Ghandamadana, vānarān monkeys, abravīt said, yōjanānām yojanas, pañcāśat fifty, gamiṣyāmi I can go, saṅśayaḥ doubt, na no, tatra there, maindaḥ Mainda, vānarastu to the monkeys, tān vānarān those monkeys, uvāca ha said, aham I, yōjanānām of yojanas, ṣaṣṭiṅ param more than sixty, plavitum to leap, utsahē I am enthusiastic, tataḥ then, mahātējāḥ highly brilliant, dvividaḥ Dvivida, tatra there, pratyabhāṣata in turn spoke, aham I, saptati: seventy, yōjanāni yojanas, gamiṣyāmi I can go, sandēhaḥ doubt, na not, mahātējāḥ brilliant, sattvavān strong, suṣēṇaḥ Sushena, kapisattamaḥ best among the monkeys, aham I, parākramē capability, yōjanānām of yojanas, aśītim eighty, plavēyaṅ I can leap.

Then Gavaya said to the monkeys 'I can leap thirty yojanas; Sarabha said 'I can leap forty yojanas'; bright Ghandhamadana said 'I can leap as far as fifty yojanas without
any doubt'; Mainda said 'I can leap more than sixty yojanas'; highly brilliant Dvivida said in turn, 'I can no doubt leap seventy yojanas '; brilliant and best of the monkeys Sushena declared 'I can leap across eighty yojanas'.
tēṣāṅ kathayatāṅ tatra sarvāṅstānanumānya ca.

tatō vṛddhatamastēṣāṅ jāmbavānpratyabhāṣata৷৷4.65.10৷৷


tataḥ then, tēṣām among them, vṛddhatamaḥ oldest, jāmbavān Jambavan, tēṣām they, tatra there, kathayatām (when they were) saying, tān sarvān all the, anumānya inferred, pratyabhāṣata replied.

When the monkeys were talking (of their individual capacity) in that manner about their speed, Jambavan the oldest of the monkeys inferred (their capacity) and said:
pūrvamasmākamapyāsītkaścidgatiparākramaḥ.

tē vayaṅ vayasaḥ pāramanuprāptāssma sāmpratam৷৷4.65.11৷৷


pūrvam earlier, asmākamapi even I also, kaścit some, gatiparākramaḥ very courageous, āsīt had , tē vayam for me, sāmpratam attained, vayasaḥ (old) age, pāram fag end of life, anuprāptāḥ sma have reached.

'Earlier I was also very courageous, but now I have become old and reached the fag end of life.
kintu naivaṅ gatē śakyamidaṅ kāryamupēkṣitum.

yadarthaṅ kapirājaśca rāmaśca kṛtaniścayau৷৷4.65.12৷৷


kiṅ tu however, ēvaṅ gatē in this situation, yadartham order, kapirājaśca monkey king's, rāmaśca and Rama's, kṛtaniścayau are determined, idam this, kāryam task, upēkṣitum to neglect, na śakyam not possible.

'However in this situation, it is not possible for us to neglect (our task) as it is the order of the monkey-king and Rama who are determined to achieve the objective.
sāmprataṅ kālabhēdēna yā gatistāṅ nibōdhata.

navatiṅ yōjanānāṅ tu gamiṣyāmi na saṅśayaḥ৷৷4.65.13৷৷


sāmpratam at this age, kālabhēdēna due to advancement of age, yā that, gatiḥ movement, tām that, nibōdhata you know, yōjanānām of yojanas, navatim ninety,gamiṣyāmi I can leap, saṅśayaḥ doubt, na not.

tāṅśca sarvānhariśrēṣṭhāñjāmbavānpunarabravīt.

na khalvētāvadēvāsīdgamanē mē parākramaḥ৷৷4.65.14৷৷


sarvān all, tān of the monkeys, hariśrēṣṭhān distinguished among the monkeys, jāmbavān Jambavan, punaḥ again, abravīt said, mē my, gamanē in leaping, parākramaḥ valour, ētāvadēva only that much, na āsīt khalu was not.

Jambavan, the distinguished among the monkeys again said, 'My strength to leap into the sky was not only that much (I was stronger in my youth and could cover longer distances);'
mayā mahābalēścaiva yajñē viṣṇussanātanaḥ.

pradakṣiṇīkṛtaḥ pūrvaṅ kramamāṇastrivikramam৷৷4.65.15৷৷


mayā by myself, pūrvam earlier, mahābalēścaiva of Mahabali, yajñē in yagna, kramamāṇaḥ the advancing Lord, viṣṇuḥ Visnu, sanātanaḥ eternal, trivikramaḥ Visnu of three strides, pradakṣiṇīkṛtaḥ circumambulated.

'In the past, at the time of the well-known yagna (of king Bali) I was very strong. I circumambulated the eternal Vishnu while he was taking three strides (in his incarnation of Trivikrama- Vamana.)
sa idānīmahaṅ vṛddhaḥ plavanē mandavikramaḥ.

yauvanē ca tadā.sīnmē balamapratimaṅ paraiḥ৷৷4.65.16৷৷


idānīm now, vṛddhaḥ old, saḥ aham that I am, plavanē to leap, mandavikramaḥ my strength is denuded, tadā then, yauvanē in youth, mē balam my prowess, apratimam incomparable, paraiḥ by others, āsīt it was.

'Having grown old I do not have the same courage. In my youth my prowess was incomparable and none could excel me.
sampratyētāvatīṅ śaktiṅ gamanē tarkayāmyaham.

naitāvatā hi saṅsiddhiḥ kāryasyāsya bhaviṣyati৷৷4.65.17৷৷


samprati at this time, aham I have, śaktiṅ capacity, gamanē to fly, tarkayāmi I guess, ētāvatīṅ that much, śakyam possible, ētāvatā to this extent, asya of this, kāryasya of the objective, saṅsiddhiḥ success, na bhaviṣyati will not be.

'I guess that at this time I do not have the capacity to fly to that extent. Achieving the objective is out of question with this much of energy.
athōttaramudārārthamabravīdaṅgadastadā.

anumānya tathā prājñō jāmbavantaṅ mahākapim৷৷4.65.18৷৷


atha and now, tadā then, prājñaḥ wise, aṅgadaḥ Angada, mahākapim great monkey, jāmbavantam Jambavan, anumānya doubting, udārārtham in a gentle manner, uttaram reply, tadā then, abravīt said.

'Then the wise Angada said to great Jambavan, in a gentle manner about his own strength.
ahamētadgamiṣyāmi yōjanānāṅ śataṅ mahat.

nivartanē tu mē śaktissyānna vēti na niścitam৷৷4.65.19৷৷


aham I, mahat great, ētat this, yōjanānām of yojanas, śatam hundred, gamiṣyāmi I can go, nivartanē to return, mē my, śaktiḥ capacity, syāt may be, na vā or not, iti thus, niścitam certainly, na not known.

'I can certainly go to a distance of a hundred yojanas. However, I cannot say whether I will have enough capacity to return?
tamuvāca hariśrēṣṭhaṅ jāmbavānvākyakōvidaḥ.

jñāyatē gamanē śaktistava haryṛkṣasattama!৷৷4.65.20৷৷


vākyakōvidaḥ skilful at speech, jāmbavān Jambavan, tam him, hariśrēṣṭham best of monkeys, uvāca said, haryṛkṣasattama best among bears and monkeys, gamanē I am going to fly, tava your, śaktiḥ energy, jñāyatē is known.

Jambavan who was skilful in speech spoke to that great Angada, 'O leader among monkeys and bears! your energy to cover this distance is well-known to us'.
kāmaṅ śataṅ sahasraṅ vā na hyēṣa vidhirucyatē.

yōjanānāṅ bhavān śaktō gantuṅ pratinivartitum৷৷4.65.21৷৷


bhavān you, yōjanānām of yojanas, śataṅ sahasraṅ vā even a hundred or a thousand, gantum to go, pratinivartitum but to return, śaktaḥ kāmam you have the required energy, ēṣaḥ this, vidhiḥ duty, ucyatē hi not proper.

'You can go upto even a hundred thousand yojanas and have the required energy to return also. But it is not proper to send you (because you are the heir apparent).
na hi prēṣayitā tāta! svāmī prēṣyaḥ kathañcana.

bhavatā.yaṅ janassarvaḥ prēṣyaḥ plavagasattama৷৷4.65.22৷৷


tāta dear , prēṣayitā who orders, svāmī lord, kathañcana in any way, prēṣyaḥ a servant who is sent, na hi indeed, plavagasattama best of monkeys, sarvaḥ all, ayaṅ janaḥ this group, bhavatā by you, prēṣyaḥ to be sent.

bhavānkaḷatramasmākaṅ svāmibhāvē vyavasthitaḥ.

svāmī kaḷatraṅ sainyasya gatirēṣā parantapa!৷৷4.65.23৷৷


parantapa O scorcher of enemies, svāmibhāvē in a state of commander, vyavasthitaḥ you are established, bhavān you, asmākam for us, kalatram wife, svāmī lord, sainyasya army's, kalatram wife, ēṣā so that, gatiḥ proper.

'O scorcher of enemies, you are established as the commander of the army and it is proper for us to protect you as we protect our wives.
api caitasya kāryasya bhavānmūlamarindama!.

tasmātkaḷatravattāta! pratipālyassadā bhavān৷৷4.65.24৷৷


tāta O dear, arindama O subduer of enemies, ētasya of this, kāryasya of the task, bhavān you, mūlam the root, api vai and also, tasmāt therefore, bhavān you, kalatravat like the wife, sadā always, pratipālyaḥ should be taken care of.

'O subduer of enemies! in acomplishing this task you are the root. O dear! therefore you should always be taken care of by us just like the wife looked after.
mūlamarthasya saṅrakṣyamēṣa kāryavidāṅ nayaḥ.

mūlē sati hi siddhyanti guṇā phalō puṣpōdayāḥ৷৷4.65.25৷৷


arthasya the objective, mūlam root, saṅrakṣyam should be protected, ēṣaḥ this kāryavidām of the accomplishers, nayaḥ policy, mūlē when root, sati when it is intact, phalō puṣpōdayāḥ bearing flowers and fruits, guṇāḥ qualities, siddhyanti hi will result.

'The root of any objective should be protected well. This is the basis of an accomplisher. Only when the roots are intact, the trees have the ability to yield flowers and fruits.
tadbhavānasya kāryasya sādhanē satyavikrama!.

buddhivikramasampannō hēturatra parantapa৷৷4.65.26৷৷


satyavikrama! truely courageous one, tat that, bhavān you, asya kāryasya of this task, sādhanē in achieving, parantapa O subduer of enemies, atra there, buddhivikramasampannaḥ endowed with wisdom and valour, hētuḥ you are the cause.

'O warrior of proven valour! O subduer of enemies! in achieving this objective you are the source, being endowed with valour and wisdom.
guruśca guruputraśca tvaṅ hi naḥ kapisattama!.

bhavantamāśritya vayaṅ samarthā hyarthasādhanē৷৷4.65.27৷৷


kapisattama O best of monkeys, naḥ for us, guruputraḥ son of our teacher, tvam you are, guruśca and also a respectable guide, vayam we, bhavantam you, āśritya under your care, arthasādhanē in accomplishing our objective, samarthāḥ hi are capable also.

'O best of monkeys! you are the son of my guide (Vali) and respectable. We will be capable of accomplishing the goal only under your protection and guidance.
uktavākyaṅ mahāprājñaṅ jāmbavantaṅ mahākapiḥ.

pratyuvācōttaraṅ vākyaṅ vālisūnurathāṅgadaḥ৷৷4.65.28৷৷


atha now, mahākapiḥ great monkey, vālisūnuḥ Vali's son, aṅgadaḥ Angada, uktavākyam having
said that, mahāprājñam very wise, jāmbavantam Jambavan, uttaraṅ vākyam in reply, pratyuvāca said.

Jambavan, the wise monkey having said that, Angada, the great son of Vali, replied:
yadi nāhaṅ gamiṣyāmi nānyō vānarapuṅgavaḥ.

punaḥ khalvidamasmābhiḥ kāryaṅ prāyōpavēśanam৷৷4.65.29৷৷


aham I am, na gamiṣyāmi yadi if I will not go, anyaḥ other, vānarapuṅgavaḥ monkey leader, na not, asmābhiḥ by us, punaḥ again, idam this, prāyōpavēśanam fasting to death, kāryaṅ khalu have to do.

'If I do not go and no other monkey leader goes, then we have to resort to fasting unto death once again.
na hyakṛtvā haripatēssandēśaṅ tasya dhīmataḥ.

tatrāpi gatvā prāṇānāṅ paśyāmi parirakṣaṇam৷৷4.65.30৷৷


dhīmataḥ of the wise, tasya haripatēḥ of the lord of monkeys, sandēśam message, akṛtvā by not fulfilling, tatra there, gatvāpi even after going, prāṇānām of life, parirakṣaṇam protection, na paśyāmi I do not see.

'If I do not fulfil the objective of the wise king of monkeys I cannot save my life even after returning there (Kishkinda).
sa hi prasādē cātyarthaṅ kōpē ca harirīśvaraḥ.

atītya tasya sandēśaṅ vināśō gamanē bhavēt৷৷4.65.31৷৷


saḥ he, hariḥ monkey king, prasādē ca in showering grace, kōpē ca and vent anger, atyartham highly, īśvaraḥ all powerful, tasya his, sandēśam instruction, atītya in not fulfilling the task, gamanē in going, vināśaḥ total destruction, bhavēt will be.

'The monkey king has the authority to shower grace or give vent to his anger. If we go without fulfilling the task we will face destruction.
tadyathā hyasya kāryasya na bhavatyanyathā gatiḥ.

tadbhavānēva dṛṣṭārthassañcintayitu marhati৷৷4.65.32৷৷


tat tathāhi therefore, asya of this, kāryasya of the task, gatiḥ advancement, anyathā otherwise, na bhavati will not be, tat that, dṛṣṭārthaḥ well aware, bhavānēva you alone, sañcintayitum to think over well, arhati you should.

'Therefore, think over well so that we do not fail ultimately. You have a vision.You should suggest means by which this mission does not misfire.'
sō.ṅgadēna tadā vīraḥ pratyuktaḥ plavagarṣabhaḥ.

jāmbavānuttaraṅ vākyaṅ prōvācēdaṅ tatō.ṅgadam৷৷4.65.33৷৷


aṅgadēna by Angada, tadā then, pratyuktaḥ having been addressed, vīraḥ hero, plavagarṣabhaḥ bull among monkeys, saḥ jāmbavān that Jambavan, tataḥ then, aṅgadam to Angada, uttaram reply, idaṅ vākyam in these words, prōvāca said.

On listening to Angada's words, Jambavan, the bull among monkeys, replied this way:
asya tē vīra! kāryasya na kiñcitparihīyatē.

ēṣa sañcōdayāmyēnaṅ yaḥ kāryaṅ sādhayiṣyati৷৷4.65.34৷৷


vīra O hero, tē your, tasya kāryasya of this task, kiñcit even a little, na parihīyatē nothing is balked, ēṣaḥ here I am, kāryam task, yaḥ who, sādhayiṣyati who can achieve, sañcōdayāmi ēnam I will inspire him.

'O hero! this work will not be balked. I will now inspire one who can achieve this task.'
tataḥpratītaṅ plavatāṅvariṣṭham

ēkāntamāśritya susukhēpaviṣṭham

sañcōdayāmāsa haripravīrō

haripravīraṅ hanumantamēva৷৷4.65.35৷৷


tata: then, haripravīraḥ most eminent among monkeys, pratītaṅ renowned, plavatāṅ among monkeys, variṣṭham eminent one, ēkāntam alone, āśritya went to him, sukhēpaviṣṭham comfortably seated, haripravīraṅ best among the monkey leaders, hanumantamēva Hanumanta alone, sañcōdayāmāsa motivated.

Then Jambavan the most eminent among the monkeys went to Hanuman, the celebrated one among the monkey leaders and a renowned one, who was sitting alone quietly at some distance Jambavan motivated him.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē pañcaṣṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the sixtyfifth sarga in Kishkindakanda of the first poem, the Holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.