उपविष्टास्तु ते सर्वे यस्मिन् प्रायं गिरिस्थले। हरयो गृध्रराजश्च तं देशमुपचक्रमे॥ सम्पातिर्नाम नाम्ना तु चिरजीवी विहंगमः। भ्राता जटायुषः श्रीमान् विख्यातबलपौरुषः॥
When the monkeys had been seated in that mountain, with the intention of putting a period to their existence through fasting a king of vultures happened to come to that quarter. And that long-lived bird was named Sampāti, the beautiful brother of Jaţāyu, famous for his strength and prowess.
कन्दरादभिनिष्क्रम्य स विन्ध्यस्य महागिरेः। उपविष्टान् हरीन् दृष्ट्वा हृष्टात्मा गिरमब्रवीत्॥
Issuing from a cavern of the mighty mountain Vindhya, he, seeing the monkeys seated, well pleased, said.
विधिः किल नरं लोके विधानेनानुवर्तते। यथायं विहितो भक्ष्यश्चिरान्मह्यमुपागतः॥ परम्पराणां भक्षिष्ये वानराणां मृतं मृतम्। उवाचैतद् वचः पक्षी तान् निरीक्ष्य प्लवङ्गमान्॥
Verily man reapeth the fruit of his former acts; and therefore it is that this food ordained to that end, comes to me after a long time. I shall feed on these monkeys, one by one, slaying them one after another. Eyeing those apes, the bird expressed himself thus.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा भक्ष्यलुब्धस्य पक्षिणः। अङ्गदः परमायस्तो हनूमन्तमथाब्रवीत्॥
Hearing this speech of the bird coveting his food, Argada faintly spoke to Hanumān.
पश्य सीतापदेशेन साक्षाद् वैवस्वतो यमः। इंग देशमनुप्राप्ते वानराणां विपत्तये॥
Behold! through Sita's simplicity* this onethe very son of the Sun, Yama-has come to this place, to exterminate the monkeys. *Another reading is Gridhra padesana— through the vultur's cunning. This the commentator consider as preferrable.
रामस्य न कृतं कार्यं न कृतं राजशासनम्। हरीणामियमज्ञाता विपत्तिः सहसाऽऽगता॥
Rāma's work has not been done; nor the royal mandate. And this disaster has arrived unthought of by the monkeys.
वैदेह्याः प्रियकामेन कृतं कर्म जटायुषा। गृध्रराजेन यत् तत्र श्रुतं वस्तदशेषतः॥
You have in detail heard all that, inspired with the desire of doing what is good to Vaidehi, that king of vultures, Jatayu, did here.
तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि तिर्यग्योनिगतान्यपि। प्रियं कुर्वन्ति रामस्य त्यक्त्वा प्राणान्यथा वयम्॥
In this way, all creatures, even the brute species, compass the welfare of Rāma, renouncing their lives, as we do.
अन्योन्यमुपकुर्वन्ति स्नेहकारुण्ययन्त्रिताः। ततस्तस्योपकारार्थं त्यजतात्मानमात्मना ॥
It is because of the love and tenderness* they bear towards (Rāma), that people do good to each other. *The commentator explains in pure orthodox fashion: Because every-thing is in Rama, people serve each other from the love and tenderness, which partain to him.
प्रियं कृतं हि रामस्य धर्मज्ञेन जटायुषा। राघवार्थे परिश्रान्ता तयं संत्यक्तजीविताः॥ कान्ताराणि प्रपन्नाः स्म न च पश्याम मैथिलीम्।
Therefore the righteous Jațãyu, of his own accord laying down his life, has done the pleasure of Rāma. We also, overcome with fatigue and (almost) dying, have come to this forest; but Mithila's daughter we find not.
स सुखी गृध्रराजस्तु रावणेन हतो रणे। मुक्तश्च सुग्रीवभयाद् गतश्च परमां गतिम्॥
Happy is that king of vultures, having been slain by Rāvaņa in battle. He has got quit of the fear of Sugrīva, and has also attained supreme state.
जटायुषो विनाशेन राज्ञो दशरथस्य च। हरणेन च वैदेह्याः संशयं हरयो गताः॥
In consequence of the death of Jațāyu and that of king Dasaratha, as well as owing to the ravishment of Vaidehi, (the lives of) the monkeys have come into jeopardy.
रामलक्ष्मणयोर्वासमरण्ये सह सीतया। राघवस्य च बाणेन वालिनश्च तथा वधः।। रामकोपादशेषाणां रक्षसां च तथा वधम्। कैकेय्या वरदानेन इदं च विकृतं कृतम्॥
Rama's and Laksmana's abode in the forest with Sītā, Rāghava's slaying of Vāli with a shaft, the slaughter of innumerable Räksasas by the enraged Rama, and (finally) this mishap-all these owe their origin to the bestowal of the boon on Kaikeyi.
तदसुखमनुकीर्तितं वचो भुवि पतितांश्च निरीक्ष्य वानरान्। भृशचकितमतिर्महामतिः कृपणमुदाहृतवान् स गृध्रराजः॥
Seeing the monkeys stretched on the earth, and hearing their piteous words describing their grief, that magnanimous king of vultures, with his mind agitated said (this).
तत् तु श्रुत्वा तथा वाक्यमङ्गदस्य मुखोद्गतम्। अब्रवीद् वचनं गृध्रस्तीक्ष्णतुण्डो महास्वनः॥
Hearing the words that issued from Angada's mouth, the sharp-beaked and high-toned vulture, said,
कोऽयं गिरा घोषयति प्राणैः प्रियतरस्य मे। जटायुषो वधं भ्रातुः कम्पयन्निव मे मनः॥
Who is it that, making my mind tremble, speak of the death of my brother, Jațāyu, dearer to me than life.
कथमासीञ्जनस्थाने युद्धं राक्षसगृध्रयोः। नामधेमिदं भ्रातुश्चिरस्याद्य मया श्रुतम्॥
How happened in Janasthāna the fight between the Rākṣasa and the vulture? It is after a long time that to-day I hear the name of my brother.
इच्छेयं गिरिदुर्गाच्च भवद्भिरवतारितम्। यवीयसो गुणज्ञस्य श्लाघनीयस्य विक्रमैः॥ अतिदीर्घस्य कालस्य परितुष्योऽस्मि कीर्तनात्। तदिच्छेयमहं श्रोतुं विनाशं वानरर्षभाः॥ भ्रातुर्जटायुषस्तस्य जनस्थाननिवासिनः। तस्यैव च मम भ्रातुः सखा दशरथः कथम्॥ यस्य रामः प्रियः पुत्रो ज्येष्ठो गुरुजनप्रियः।
I wish to alight from this mountain-fastness. I have been well pleased by listening after a long time to the celebration of the virtues of my younger brother, cognizant of qualities and worthy of being extolled by reason of his prowess. You foremost of monkeys, I wish to hear of the destruction of Jaţāyu, who dwelt in Janasthāna. And how could Dasaratha, whose beloved eldest son is Rāma, dear to his superiors, be the friend of my brother?
सूर्यांशुदाधपक्षत्वान्न शक्नोमि विसर्पितम्। इच्छेयं पर्वतादस्मादवतर्तुमरिंदमाः॥
I can not move in consequence of my wings having been burnt by the solar rays. But I wish that you may take me down from this mountain.