किष्किन्धा-काण्ड > सम्पाती की आत्मकथा



Sampaati narrates his legend to Angada and others. He explains how he has fallen on Mt. Vindhya and how he reached a sage called Nishaakara descending Mt. Vindhya with great difficulty.

ततः कृत उदकम् स्नातम् तम् गृध्रम् हरि यूथपाः |
उपविष्टा गिरौ रम्ये परिवार्य समन्ततः || ४-६०-१
Then the monkey commanders sat on that beautiful mountain surrounding the eagle from all over, after that eagle has offered water-oblations for his deceased Jataayu and bathed for purification. [4-60-1]
तम् अंगदम् उपासीनम् तैः सर्वैः हरिभिः वृतम् |
जनित प्रत्ययो हर्षात् संपातिः पुनः अब्रवीत् || ४-६०-२
Sampaati who earned trustworthiness of monkeys, and who is sitting surrounded by all monkeys, again gladly spoke to Angada who sat at his close by. [4-60-2]
कृत्वा निःशब्दम् एक अग्राः शृण्वन्तु हरयो मम |
तथ्यम् संकीर्तयिष्यामि यथा जानामि मैथिलीम् || ४-६०-३
"Oh, monkeys, you all be quiet and listen to my words alertly as I wish to recount the actuality as to how I came to know about Maithili... [4-60-3]
अस्य विन्ध्यस्य शिखरे पतितो अस्मि पुरा अनघ |
सूर्य ताप परीत अंगो निर्दग्धः सूर्य रश्मिभिः || ४-६०-४
"Oh, impeccable Angada, once I have fallen on the peak of this Mt. Vindhya when sunrays completely burned my wings and limbs scorching in sun's heat... [4-60-4]
लब्ध संज्ञः तु षड् रात्रात् विवशो विह्वलन् इव |
वीक्षमाणो दिशः सर्वा न अभिजानामि किंचन || ४-६०-५
"On getting sensitivity after six days, and on looking in all directions I could not recognise anything in the least, as I was helpless and frantic... [4-60-5]
ततः तु सागरान् शैलान् नदीः सर्वाः सरांसि च |
वनानि च प्रदेशान् च समीक्ष्य मतिः आगताम् || ४-६०-६
"But then on observing all the oceans, mountains, rivers, lakes, provinces and forests, I could regain senses... [4-60-6]
हृष्ट पक्षि गण आकीर्णः कन्दर उदर कूटवान् |
दक्षिणस्य उदधेः तीरे विन्ध्यो अयम् इति निश्चितः || ४-६०-७
"Since this mountain is teeming with teams of birds, caves in its midriffs, and it is with peaks of its own kind, thus I resolved this to be Mt. Vindhya at the coast of southern ocean... [4-60-7]
आसीत् च अत्र आश्रमम् पुण्यम् सुरैः अपि सुपूजितम् |
ऋषिः निशाकरो नाम यस्मिन् उग्र तपा अभवत् || ४-६०-८
"There was a sacred hermitage belonging to a sage of intense ascesis known as Sage Nishaakara which was reverenced even by gods. [4-60-8]
अष्टौ वर्ष सहस्राणि तेन अस्मिन् ऋषिणा गिरौ |
वसतो मम धर्मज्ञो स्वर् गते तु निशाकरे || ४-६०-९
"Eight thousand years have lapsed while I was living here on this mountain after the departure of that probity knowing sage Nishakara to heaven. [4-60-9]
अवतीर्य च विन्ध्य अग्रात् कृच्छ्रेण विषमात् शनैः |
तीक्ष्ण दर्भाम् वसुमतीम् दुःखेन पुनर् आगतः || ४-६०-१०
'I again reached the earth descending from the lopsided peak of Mt. Vindhya, onerously and slowly, whereat the sacred-grass-blades are thorny... [4-60-10]
तम् ऋषिम् द्रष्टु कामो अस्मि दुःखेन अभ्यागतो भृशम् |
जटायुषा मया चैव बहुशो अभिगतो हि सः || ४-६०-११
"As I was desiring to see that sage I neared that place with much anguish, because I and Jataayu approached that sage for many a time in earlier times... [4-60-11]
तस्य आश्रम पदाभ्याशे ववुः वाताः सुगन्धिनः |
वृक्षो न अपुष्पितः कश्चित् अफलो वा न दृश्यते || ४-६०-१२
"Near about his hermitage wind wiffles with a sweet-smell, and no tree is flowerless and no tree is fruitless, whatsoever it is... [4-60-12]
उपेत्य च आश्रमम् पुण्यम् वृक्ष मूलम् उपाश्रितः |
द्रष्टु कामः प्रतीक्षे च भगवंतम् निशाकरम् || ४-६०-१३
"On nearing that sacred hermitage and sheltering myself at the base of a tree, I waited there desirous to see that godly Nishaakara... [4-60-13]
अथ पश्यमि दूरस्थम् ऋषिम् ज्वलित तेजसम् |
कृत अभिषेकम् दुर्धर्षम् उपावृत्तम् उदन् मुखम् || ४-६०-१४
"Then I saw the sage available distantly, returning facing north after performing his holy bath, an unassailable sage irradiating the ambience with his radiance... [4-60-14]
तम् ऋक्षाः सृमरा व्याघ्राः सिंहा नाना सरी सृपाः |
परिवार्य उपगच्छन्ति दातारम् प्राणिनो यथा || ४-६०-१५
"Bears, antelopes, tigers, lions, and diverse reptiles and snakes are following him at his heel, as with living beings following a donor, or all-donating Brahma... [4-60-15]
ततः प्राप्तम् ऋषिम् ज्ञात्वा तानि सत्त्वानि वै ययुः |
प्रविष्टे राजनि यथा सर्वम् स अमात्यकम् बलम् || ४-६०-१६
"As to how the ministerial and military staff retrace steps when a king enters his place-chambers, so also the animals and other beings on knowing the sage's entry into his hermitage, retraced their steps and went away... [4-60-16]
ऋषिः तु दृष्ट्वा माम् तुष्टः प्रविष्टः च आश्रमम् पुनः |
मुहूर्त मात्रान् निर्गम्य ततः कार्यम् अपृच्छत || ४-६०-१७
"But the sage is gladdened on seeing me and though he has entered into his hermitage he again came out in a moment and asked about the objective of my visit... [4-60-17]
सौम्य वैकल्यताम् दृष्ट्वा रोम्णाम् ते न अवगम्यते |
अग्नि दग्धौ इमौ पक्षौ प्राणाः चापि शरीरके || ४-६०-१८
" 'On seeing the deformity of your feathers, oh, gentle Sampaati, you unidentifiable. These two wings of yours are fire burnt, but lives are let out in your body...' Thus, the sage started to talk to me... [4-60-18]
गृध्रौ द्वौ दृष्ट पूर्वौ मे मातरिश्व समौ जवे |
गृध्राणाम् चैव राजानौ भ्रातरौ काम रूपिणौ || ४-६०-१९
" 'I have earlier seen you two eagle brothers, kingly eagles among eagles, similar in your speed to Wind-god and form-changers by your wish... [4-60-19]
ज्येष्ठो अवित स्त्वम् तु संपाते जटायुः अनुजः तव |
मानुषम् रूपम् आस्थाय गृह्णीताम् चरणौ मम || ४-६०-२०
" 'You are the elder, isn't it! And Jataayu is your younger brother. You used to touch my feet taking up human forms... [4-60-20]
किम् ते व्याधि समुत्थानम् पक्षयोः पतनम् कथम् |
दण्डो वा अयम् धृतः केन सर्वम् आख्याहि पृच्छतः || ४-६०-२१
"Is this falling of wings a result of any illness, if so what is it... or is this any scourge imposed on you, if so, who is he... tell me all who am inquiring into those details... [4-60-21]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे षष्टितमः सर्गः