विवेश चाङ्गदो भूमौ रुदन् दर्भेषु दुर्मनाः। तस्य संविशतस्तत्र रुदन्तो वानरर्षभाः
Angada, distressed and weeping, lay down on the ground upon the darbha grass; as he lay there, the foremost monkeys wept as well.
नयनेभ्यः प्रमुमुचुरुष्णं वै वारि दुःखिताः। सुग्रीवं चैव निन्दन्तः प्रशंसन्तश्च वालिनम्
Sorrowful, tears of hot water flowed from their eyes; some blamed Sugriva, while others praised Vali.
परिवार्याङ्गदं सर्वे व्यवसन् प्रायमासितुम्। तद् वाक्यं वालिपुत्रस्य विज्ञाय प्लवगर्षभाः
All of them surrounded Angada and resolved to undertake the fast unto death; recognizing the words of Vali's son,
उपस्पृश्योदकं सर्वे प्राङ्मुखाः समुपाविशन्। दक्षिणाग्रेषु दर्भेषु उदक्तीरं समाश्रिताः
All the foremost monkeys, facing east, touched water and sat down together on darbha grass at the riverbank.
मुमूर्षवो हरिश्रेष्ठा एतत् क्षममिति स्म ह। रामस्य वनवासं च क्षयं दशरथस्य च
Desiring death, the best of the monkeys said, 'This is fitting,' recalling Rama's exile in the forest and the death of Dasharatha.
जनस्थानवधं चैव वधं चैव जटायुषः। हरणं चैव वैदेह्या वालिनश्च वधं तथा। रामकोपं च वदतां हरीणां भयमागतम्
They also remembered the slaughter at Janasthana, the killing of Jatayu, the abduction of Sita, the death of Vali, and the fear that came upon the monkeys as they spoke of Rama's wrath.
स संविशद्भिर्बहुभिर्महीधरो महाद्रिकूटप्रतिमैः प्लवंगमैः। बभूव संनादितनिर्दरान्तरो भृशं नदद्भिर्जलदैरिवाम्बरम्
As many monkeys, resembling mountain peaks, lay down, the mountain itself echoed with their loud cries, like the sky resounding with thunderclouds.
thumb|षट्पञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे किष्किन्धाकाण्डे षट्पञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥४-
Let the fifty-sixth chapter be heard.
उपविष्टास्तु ते सर्वे यस्मिन् प्रायं गिरिस्थले। हरयो गृध्रराजश्च तं देशमुपचक्रमे
As all of them sat in that place on the mountain slope, the monkeys and the king of vultures, that place was approached.
सम्पातिर्नाम नाम्ना तु चिरजीवी विहंगमः। भ्राता जटायुषः श्रीमान् विख्यातबलपौरुषः
A vulture named Sampati, renowned for his strength and valor, long-lived and the brother of Jatayu, came there.
कन्दरादभिनिष्क्रम्य स विन्ध्यस्य महागिरेः। उपविष्टान् हरीन् दृष्ट्वा हृष्टात्मा गिरमब्रवीत्
Emerging from a cave of the great Vindhya mountain, and seeing the monkeys sitting there, he spoke joyfully.
विधिः किल नरं लोके विधानेनानुवर्तते। यथायं विहितो भक्ष्यश्चिरान्मह्यमुपागतः
'Indeed, fate governs a man in this world according to its own law; just so, this food, destined for me, has come after a long time.'
परम्पराणां भक्षिष्ये वानराणां मृतं मृतम्। उवाचैतद् वचः पक्षी तान् निरीक्ष्य प्लवंगमान्
'I shall eat, one after another, the monkeys who have died,' said the bird, looking at the monkeys as he spoke.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा भक्ष्यलुब्धस्य पक्षिणः। अङ्गदः परमायस्तो हनूमन्तमथाब्रवीत्
Hearing those words from the bird, greedy for food, Angada, greatly distressed, spoke to Hanuman.
पश्य सीतापदेशेन साक्षाद् वैवस्वतो यमः। इमं देशमनुप्राप्तो वानराणां विपत्तये
'See, by Sita's fate, Yama, the god of death himself, has come to this place for the destruction of the monkeys.'
रामस्य न कृतं कार्यं न कृतं राजशासनम्। हरीणामियमज्ञाता विपत्तिः सहसाऽऽगता
Rāma's task is not accomplished, nor has the king's command been fulfilled; this unforeseen disaster has suddenly come upon the monkeys, unknown to them.
वैदेह्याः प्रियकामेन कृतं कर्म जटायुषा। गृध्रराजेन यत् तत्र श्रुतं वस्तदशेषतः
Out of love for Vaidehī, the deed was done by Jaṭāyu, the king of vultures; what was heard there from him has been fully recounted.
तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि तिर्यग्योनिगतान्यपि। प्रियं कुर्वन्ति रामस्य त्यक्त्वा प्राणान् यथा वयम्
In the same way, all beings, even those born in animal forms, do what is dear to Rāma, giving up their lives as we have done.
अन्योन्यमुपकुर्वन्ति स्नेहकारुण्ययन्त्रिताः। ततस्तस्योपकारार्थं त्यजतात्मानमात्मना
Compelled by affection and compassion, they help one another; therefore, for the sake of service, one gives up one's life willingly.
प्रियं कृतं हि रामस्य धर्मज्ञेन जटायुषा। राघवार्थे परिश्रान्ता वयं संत्यक्तजीविताः
Indeed, Jaṭāyu, who knows righteousness, did what was dear to Rāma; for Rāghava's sake, we too, exhausted, have abandoned our lives.
कान्ताराणि प्रपन्नाः स्म न च पश्याम मैथिलीम्। स सुखी गृध्रराजस्तु रावणेन हतो रणे। मुक्तश्च सुग्रीवभयाद् गतश्च परमां गतिम्
We have entered the wilderness and do not see Maithilī; but the king of vultures is fortunate, for he was slain in battle by Rāvaṇa, freed from fear of Sugrīva, and has attained the highest state.
जटायुषो विनाशेन राज्ञो दशरथस्य च। हरणेन च वैदेह्याः संशयं हरयो गताः
With the destruction of Jaṭāyu and King Daśaratha, and the abduction of Vaidehī, the monkeys have fallen into doubt.
रामलक्ष्मणयोर्वासमरण्ये सह सीतया। राघवस्य च बाणेन वालिनश्च तथा वधः
The dwelling of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa in the forest with Sītā, the slaying of Vāli by Rāghava's arrow—
रामकोपादशेषाणां रक्षसां च तथा वधम्। कैकेय्या वरदानेन इदं च विकृतं कृतम्
And the destruction of all the Rākṣasas by Rāma's wrath, and this perversion brought about by Kaikeyī's granting of boons—
तदसुखमनुकीर्तितं वचो भुवि पतितांश्च निरीक्ष्य वानरान्। भृशचकितमतिर्महामतिः कृपणमुदाहृतवान् स गृध्रराजः
Then, having spoken these painful words and seeing the monkeys fallen to the ground, the great-minded king of vultures, his mind greatly agitated, uttered these pitiful words.
तत् तु श्रुत्वा तथा वाक्यमङ्गदस्य मुखोद्गतम्। अब्रवीद् वचनं गृध्रस्तीक्ष्णतुण्डो महास्वनः
Hearing those words spoken from Aṅgada's mouth, the sharp-beaked, loud-voiced vulture spoke these words:
कोऽयं गिरा घोषयति प्राणैः प्रियतरस्य मे। जटायुषो वधं भ्रातुः कम्पयन्निव मे मनः
Who is this who proclaims with his voice the death of my brother Jaṭāyu, dearer to me than life, shaking my heart?
कथमासीज्जनस्थाने युद्धं राक्षसगृध्रयोः। नामधेयमिदं भ्रातुश्चिरस्याद्य मया श्रुतम्
How did the battle take place at Janasthāna between the Rākṣasa and the vulture? Only today, after a long time, have I heard my brother's name.
इच्छेयं गिरिदुर्गाच्च भवद्भिरवतारितुम्। यवीयसो गुणज्ञस्य श्लाघनीयस्य विक्रमैः
I wish to be brought down from this mountain stronghold by you, who are younger, virtuous, and praiseworthy for your valor.
अतिदीर्घस्य कालस्य परितुष्टोऽस्मि कीर्तनात्। तदिच्छेयमहं श्रोतुं विनाशं वानरर्षभाः
After a very long time, I am satisfied by this narration; I wish to hear, O best of monkeys, about his destruction.