The Vanaras Reach the Seashore, Meet Sampati, and Learn of Sita
At the seashore, the despairing vanaras meet Sampati. He reveals that Sita is in Lanka, making the path of their mission clear.
Kishkindha Kand · Episode 12 / 14
Episode Text
इहाँ बिचारहिं कपि मन माहीं। बीती अवधि काज कछु नाहीं॥ सब मिलि कहहिं परस्पर बाता। बिनु सुधि लएँ करब का भ्राता॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ihāṃ bicārahīṃ kapi mana māhīṃ। bītī avadhi kāja kachu nāhīṃ॥ saba mili kahahīṃ paraspara bātā। binu sudhi leṃ karaba kā bhrātā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Here the monkeys were thinking in their hearts: the allotted time had passed, yet nothing had been accomplished. They all began to talk among themselves: 'Brother, what can we do now without bringing news of Sita?'
कह अंगद लोचन भरि बारी। दुहुँ प्रकार भइ मृत्यु हमारी॥ इहाँ न सुधि सीता कै पाई। उहाँ गएँ मारिहि कपिराई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaha aṃgada locana bhari bārī। duhuṃ prakāra bhaī mṛtyu hamārī॥ ihāṃ na sudhi sītā kai pāī। uhāṃ gaeṃ mārihi kapirāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Angada, with tears in his eyes, said, 'In either case our death is certain. Here we have found no news of Sita, and if we go there, the lord of the monkeys will kill us.'
पिता बधे पर मारत मोही। राखा राम निहोर न ओही॥ पुनि पुनि अंगद कह सब पाहीं। मरन भयउ कछु संसय नाहीं॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pitā badhe para mārata mohī। rākhā rāma nihora na ohī॥ puni puni aṃgada kaha saba pāhīṃ। marana bhayau kachu saṃsaya nāhīṃ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
'They would have killed me when my father was slain. Rama alone protected me; Sugriva has no favor in this at all.' Angada kept saying again and again to everyone, 'Death has come; there is no doubt about it.'
अंगद बचन सुनत कपि बीरा। बोलि न सकहिं नयन बह नीरा॥ छन एक सोच मगन होइ रहे। पुनि अस बचन कहत सब भए॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
aṃgada bacana sunata kapi bīrā। boli na sakahiṃ nayana baha nīrā॥ chana eka soca magana hoi rahe। puni asa bacana kahata saba bhae॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing Angada's words, the monkey warriors could not speak; tears flowed from their eyes. For a moment they remained absorbed in thought. Then all began to speak such words as these—
हम सीता कै सुधि लीन्हें बिना। नहिं जैहैं जुबराज प्रबीना॥ अस कहि लवन सिंधु तट जाई। बैठे कपि सब दर्भ डसाई॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hama sītā kai sudhi līnheṃ binā। nahiṃ jāhẽ jubarāja prabīnā॥ asa kahi lavaṇa siṃdhu taṭa jāī। baiṭhe kapi saba darbha ḍasāī॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
'O capable prince, we will not return without finding news of Sita.' Saying this, the monkeys went to the shore of the salt ocean and sat down, laying kusha grass.
जामवंत अंगद दुख देखी। कहीं कथा उपदेस बिसेषी॥ तात राम कहुँ नर जनि मानहु। निर्गुन ब्रह्म अजित अज जानहु॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jāmavaṃta aṃgada dukha dekhī। kahīṃ kathā upadesa visesī॥ tāta rāma kahuṃ nara jani mānahu। nirguna brahma ajita aja jānahu॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing Angada’s distress, Jambavan gave a special discourse. [He said:] 'Dear one, do not take Rama to be merely human; know Him as the attributeless Brahman, unconquerable and unborn.'
निज इच्छाँ प्रभु अवतरइ सुर महि गो द्विज लागि। सगुन उपासक संग तहँ रहहिं मोच्छ सब त्यागि॥ २६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nija icchāṃ prabhu avatarai sura mahi go dvija lāgi। saguna upāsaka saṃga tahaṃ rahahiṃ moccha saba tyāgi॥ 26 ॥
Meaning:
For the sake of the gods, the earth, cows, and brahmins, the Lord descends of His own will. There, devotees of the manifest form remain with Him, renouncing all forms of liberation.
एहि बिधि कथा कहहिं बहु भाँती। गिरि कंदराँ सुनी संपाती॥ बाहेर होइ देखि बहु कीसा। मोहि अहार दीन्ह जगदीसा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ehi bidhi kathā kahahiṃ bahu bhāṃtī। giri kaṃdarāṃ sunī saṃpātī॥ bāhera hoi dekhi bahu kīsā। mohi ahāra dīnha jagadīsā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
In this way Jambavan was speaking of the story in many ways. Sampati heard it in his mountain cave. Coming out and seeing many monkeys, he thought, 'The Lord of the universe has sent me plenty of food to eat!'
आजु सबहि कहँ भच्छन करऊँ। दिन बहु चले अहार बिनु मरऊँ॥ कबहुँ न मिल भरि उदर अहारा। आजु दीन्ह बिधि एकहिं बारा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
āju sabahi kahuṃ bhachchana karauṃ। dina bahu cale ahāra binu marauṃ॥ kabahuṃ na mila bhari udara ahārā। āju dīna bidhi ekahiṃ bārā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
'Today I shall devour all of them. Many days have passed; I have been dying without food. I never get enough to fill my belly. Today Fate has given me a feast all at once.'
डरपे गीध बचन सुनि काना। अब भा मरन सत्य हम जाना॥ कपि सब उठे गीध कहँ देखी। जामवंत मन सोच बिसेषी॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ḍarape gīdha bacana suni kānā। aba bhā marana satya hama jānā॥ kapi saba uṭhe gīdha kahuṃ dekhī। jāmavaṃta mana soca visesī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing the vulture’s words, they all became frightened and knew, 'Now death has indeed come.' Then, seeing that vulture (Sampati), all the monkeys rose up. A deep concern arose in Jambavan’s mind.
कह अंगद बिचारि मन माहीं। धन्य जटायू सम कोउ नाहीं॥ राम काज कारन तनु त्यागी। हरि पुर गयउ परम बड़भागी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaha aṃgada bicāri mana māhīṃ। dhanya jaṭāyū sama kou nāhīṃ॥ rāma kāja kārana tanu tyāgī। hari pura gayau parama baṛabhāgī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Angada reflected in his heart and said, 'Ah! No one is as blessed as Jatayu. For Rama’s work he gave up his body and, most fortunate, went to the supreme abode of Hari.'
सुनि खग हरष सोक जुत बानी। आवा निकट कपिन्ह भय मानी॥ तिन्हहि अभय करि पूछेसि जाई। कथा सकल तिन्ह ताहि सुनाई॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
suni khaga haraṣa soka juta bānī। āvā nikaṭa kapinha bhaya mānī॥ tinha hi abhaya kari pūchesi jāī। kathā sakala tinha tāhi sunāī॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing the news filled with joy and sorrow, the bird came near the monkeys. The monkeys were afraid. Granting them safety, he went and asked them about Jatayu, and they told him the whole story.
मोहि लै जाहु सिंधुतट देउँ तिलांजलि ताहि। बचन सहाइ करबि मैं पैहहु खोजहु जाहि॥ २७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mohi lai jāhu siṃdhutaṭa deūṃ tilāṃjali tāhi। bacana sahāi karabi maiṃ paihahu khojahu jāhi॥ 27 ॥
Meaning:
[He said:] 'Take me to the seashore; I shall offer sesame libations for him. In return for this service, I will help you with my word—that is, I will tell you where Sita is. You will find the one you seek.'
अनुज क्रिया करि सागर तीरा। कहि निज कथा सुनहु कपि बीरा॥ हम द्वौ बंधु प्रथम तरुनाई। गगन गए रबि निकट उड़ाई॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
anuja kriyā kari sāgara tīrā। kahi nija kathā sunahu kapi bīrā॥ hama dvau bandhu prathama taruṇāī। gagana gae rabi nikaṭa uḍāī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
After performing the funeral rites for his younger brother Jatayu on the seashore, Sampati began to tell his own story: "Hear me, brave monkeys! We two brothers, in the first bloom of youth, once flew up into the sky and went near the sun."
तेज न सहि सक सो फिरि आवा। मैं अभिमानी रबि निअरावा॥ जरे पंख अति तेज अपारा। परेउँ भूमि करि घोर चिकारा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
teja na sahi saka so phiri āvā। maiṃ abhimānī rabi niarāvā॥ jare paṅkha ati teja apārā। pareuṃ bhūmi kari ghora cīkārā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
He could not endure the heat, so he turned back. But I was proud, and so I went near the sun. My wings were burned by that immense, unbearable heat. I fell to the earth with a terrible cry.
मुनि एक नाम चंद्रमा ओही। लागी दया देखि करि मोही॥ बहु प्रकार तेहिं ग्यान सुनावा। देहजनित अभिमान छड़ावा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
muni eka nāma candramā ohī। lāgī dayā dekhi kari mohī॥ bahu prakāra tehiṃ gyāna sunāvā। dehajanita abhimāna chhaḍāvā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
There was a sage there named Chandrama. Seeing me, he felt great compassion. In many ways he instructed me in spiritual knowledge and freed me from my bodily pride.
त्रेताँ ब्रह्म मनुज तनु धरिही। तासु नारि निसिचर पति हरिही॥ तासु खोज पठइहि प्रभु दूता। तिन्हहि मिलें तैं होब पुनीता॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tretāṃ brahma manuja tanu dharihī। tāsu nāri nisichara pati harihī॥ tāsu khoja paṭha'ihi prabhu dūtā। tinhahi mileṃ taiṃ hoba punītā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
In the Treta age, the Supreme Brahman will take human form. The king of demons will carry off His wife. The Lord will send messengers to search for her. By meeting them, you will become purified.
जमिहहिं पंख करसि जनि चिंता। तिन्हहि देखाइ देहेसु तैं सीता॥ मुनि कइ गिरा सत्य भइ आजू। सुनि मम बचन करहु प्रभु काजू॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jamihahiṃ paṅkha karasi jani cintā। tinhahi dekhāi dehesu taiṃ sītā॥ muni kai girā satya bhaī ājū। suni mama bacana karahu prabhu kājū॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
And your wings will grow again; do not worry. Show them to Sita. The sage's words have come true today. Now listen to my words and do the Lord's work.
गिरि त्रिकूट ऊपर बस लंका। तहँ रह रावन सहज असंका॥ तहँ असोक उपबन जहँ रहई। सीता बैठि सोच रत अहई॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
giri trikuṭa ūpara basa laṅkā। tahaṃ raha rāvana sahaja asaṅkā॥ tahaṃ asoka upabana jahaṃ rahai। sītā baiṭhi soca rata ahai॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
Lanka is situated on the summit of Mount Trikuta. There lives Ravana, naturally without fear. There is an Ashoka grove there, where Sita dwells. [Even now] she sits immersed in sorrow and thought.
मैं देखउँ तुम्ह नाहीं गीधहि दृष्टि अपार। बूढ़ भयउँ न त करतेउँ कछुक सहाय तुम्हार॥ २८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
maiṃ dekhauṃ tumha nāhīṃ gīdhahi dṛṣṭi apāra। būḍha bhayauṃ na ta karateuṃ kachuka sahāya tumhāra॥ 28 ॥
Meaning:
I can see them, though you cannot, because the vulture's sight is immense and reaches very far. What can I do? I have grown old; otherwise I would certainly have helped you in some way.