Angada, overwhelmed by grief and tears, lay himself down upon the sacred darbha grass. The sight of the prince in such distress moved the foremost monkeys to weep alongside him, their sorrow deepening. Hot tears streamed from their eyes, and among them, some voices rose in blame against Sugriva, while others recalled and praised Vali’s virtues. Gathering around Angada, the monkeys resolved together to undertake a fast unto death, inspired by the words of Vali’s son. Facing east, they touched water in ritual, then sat down in unity upon the darbha grass at the riverbank. With hearts set upon death, these noble monkeys spoke, “This is fitting,” their minds reflecting upon Rama’s exile in the forest and the passing of King Dasharatha. As they sat, their thoughts wandered to the tragic events: the massacre at Janasthana, the killing of Jatayu, Sita’s abduction, Vali’s death, and the dread that filled the monkeys as they spoke of Rama’s wrath. Many monkeys, massive as mountain peaks, lay down in their anguish, and the mountain itself echoed with their loud cries, resounding like thunderclouds in the sky. Upon that mountain slope, as the monkeys and the king of vultures gathered, a visitor approached. It was Sampati, a mighty vulture renowned for his strength and valor, brother to the noble Jatayu. Emerging from a cave in the great Vindhya mountain, Sampati saw the monkeys assembled and spoke joyfully, “Truly, fate governs all in this world by its own law. After a long wait, this food, destined for me, has come.” Looking at the monkeys, he declared, “I shall eat, one after another, those who have died.” Hearing these words, Angada, deeply troubled, turned to Hanuman and said, “See, by Sita’s fate, Yama himself has come to destroy us monkeys. Rama’s task remains unfulfilled, and the king’s command undone; now, this unforeseen disaster has struck us, unknown and unexpected.” Angada reflected further, “Out of love for Vaidehi, the deed was done by Jatayu, king of vultures; what we heard from him has been recounted. Likewise, all beings—even those born in animal forms—do what is dear to Rama, giving up their lives as we have done. Compelled by affection and compassion, they help one another; thus, for the sake of service, one willingly gives up one’s life. Jatayu, who knew righteousness, acted for Rama’s sake; and now, exhausted, we too have abandoned our lives for Raghava.” He continued, “We have entered the wilderness and do not see Maithili; but the king of vultures was fortunate, slain in battle by Ravana, freed from fear of Sugriva, and has attained the highest state. With the destruction of Jatayu and King Dasharatha, and the abduction of Vaidehi, doubt has fallen upon the monkeys. The dwelling of Rama and Lakshmana in the forest with Sita, the slaying of Vali by Raghava’s arrow, the destruction of all the Rakshasas by Rama’s wrath, and the perversion brought about by Kaikeyi’s granting of boons—all these weigh upon us.” Having spoken these painful words and seeing the monkeys fallen to the ground, the great-minded king of vultures, Sampati, his heart agitated, uttered pitiful words. Hearing Angada’s account, Sampati, sharp-beaked and loud-voiced, questioned, “Who is it that proclaims with his voice the death of my brother Jatayu, dearer to me than life, shaking my heart? How did the battle at Janasthana unfold between the Rakshasa and the vulture? Only today, after so long, have I heard my brother’s name.” He pleaded, “I wish to be brought down from this mountain stronghold by you, who are young, virtuous, and praiseworthy for valor. After so long, I am satisfied by this narration; O best of monkeys, I wish to hear more about his destruction. Tell me of my brother Jatayu, who dwelt at Janasthana, and of his friend Dasharatha—how fares he? For whom Rama, the beloved eldest son, is so precious—alas, my wings are scorched by the sun’s rays and I cannot fly; O destroyers of foes, help me descend from this mountain.” The next chapter unfolds. Hearing Sampati’s voice, broken by grief, the leaders of the monkey troops remained suspicious, doubting his words because of his actions. Seeing the vulture as they sat down to fast, the monkeys resolved grimly, “He will devour us all. If, as we sit here fasting, he does not eat us, then our task will be accomplished and we will quickly attain success from here.” All the monkey leaders agreed on this course. Angada, descending from the mountain peak, addressed the vulture: “There was a powerful monkey king named Riksharaja, my noble ancestor. His two sons were righteous: Sugriva and Vali, both mighty. Vali, my father, became renowned in the world for his deeds. The king of the whole world, a great chariot-warrior of the Ikshvaku line, Rama, son of Dasharatha, entered the Dandaka forest.” Thus, amidst grief, suspicion, and hope, the monkeys and Sampati exchanged tales of sorrow and valor, bound together by their devotion to Rama and the tragic fate that had befallen them.