ततस्तदमृतास्वादं गृध्रराजेन भाषितम्। निशम्य वदता हृष्टास्ते वचः प्लवगर्षभाः॥
Then hearing that ambrosial speech of the vulture-king, the monkey-chiefs, being delighted, kept on parleying (on that topic).
जाम्बवान् वानरश्रेष्ठः सह सर्वैः प्लवङ्गमैः। भूतलात् सहसोत्थाय गृध्रराजानमब्रवीत्॥
Then Jāmbavān-foremost of monkeystogether with all the monkeys, arising suddenly from the ground, spoke to the vulture-king, saying,
क्व सीता केन वा दृष्टा को वा हरति मैथिलीम्। तदाख्यातुं भवान् सर्वं गतिर्भव वनौकसाम्॥
Where is Sītā? By whom has she been seen? And who has carried away Mithila's daughter? Do you tell us all about this, and (thus) prove the path of these rangers of the woods.
को दाशरथिबाणानां वज्रवेगनिपातिनाम्। स्वयंलक्ष्मणमुक्तानां न चिन्तयति विक्रमम्॥
Who is there that does not take heed of the force of Dasarathi's* and Laksmana's arrows, speeding with the vehemence of thunder? *Lit. Dasaratha's son. The term is applied in especial to Rāma.
स हरीन् प्रतिसम्मुक्तान् सीताश्रुतिसमाहितान्। पुनराश्वासयन् प्रीत इदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Thereat, cheering up those monkeys, who had risen from their attitudes of fasting, and who were all attention to hear news concerning Sītā, he (Sampāti), well pleased, said these words,
श्रूयतामिह वैदेह्या यथा मे हरणं श्रुतम्। येन चापि ममाख्यातं यत्र चायतलोचना ॥
Listen as to how I came to know of the ravishment of Vaidehī, Sītā, at this place; and who it was that told me where that one of expansive eyes is.
अहमस्मिन् गिरौ दुर्गे बहुयोजनमायते। चिरान्निपतितो वृद्धः क्षीणप्राणपराक्रमः॥ तं मामेवङ्गतं पुत्रः सुपार्यो नाम नामतः। आहारेण यथाकालं विभर्ति पततां वरः॥
For a long time I lay here, old, and of feeble life and energy. that best of birds, my son named Supārswa, coming to me, at the proper hour maintained me with food.
तीक्ष्णकामास्तु गन्धर्वास्तीक्ष्णकोपा भुजङ्गमाः। मृगाणां तु भयं तीक्ष्णं ततस्तीक्ष्णक्षुधा वयम्॥
Gandharvas exceedingly lascivious; serpents are exceedingly wrathful; fear is excessive in deer; and we have excessive hunger.
स कदाचित् क्षुधार्तस्य ममाहाराभिकाङ्क्षिणः। गतसूर्येऽहनि प्राप्तो मम पुत्रो ह्यनामिषः॥
Once on a time my son, going forth about sunrise to procure food for me who was suffering from hunger and (accordingly) eager for it, came back in the evening without any flesh. are
स मयाऽऽहारसंरोधात् पीडितः प्रीतिवर्धनः। अनुमान्य यथातत्वमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Hurt (by my speech uttered) in consequence of my non-receipt of food, that enhancer of my joy, asking my forgiveness, said these words fraught with fact,
अहं तात यथाकालमामिषार्थी खमाप्लुतः। महेन्द्रस्य गिरेरमावृत्य सुसमाश्रितः॥
'Father, taking to my wings at the proper time for procuring flesh, I (went) and stood, obstructing the pass of the Mahendra mountain.
तत्र सत्त्वसहस्राणां सागरान्तरचारिणाम्। पन्थानमेकोऽध्यवसं संनिरोद्धमवाङ्मुखः॥
There stood I looking down, obstructing the way of thousands of creatures ranging the sea.
तत्र कश्चिन्मया दृष्टः सूर्योदयसमप्रभाम्। स्त्रियमादाय गच्छन् वै भिन्नाञ्जनचयोपमः॥
There I saw somebody resembling a mass of crushed collyrium, going away, taking a female resembling the rising sun in splendour.
सोऽहमभ्यवहारार्थं तौ दृष्ट्वा कृतनिश्चयः। तेन साम्ना विनीतेन पन्थानमनुयाचितः॥
Seeing them I had made up my mind that they should serve for your fare, when he humbly in a pacific manner begged for way.
नहि सामोपपन्नानां प्रहर्ता विद्यते भुवि।' नीचेष्वपि जनः कश्चित् किमङ्ग बत मद्विधः॥
Even among the mean, there is none on earth that can slay people who assume a mild attitude. What shall I say, alas! of superior ones like myself?
स यातस्तेजसा व्योम संक्षिपन्निव वेगितः। अथाहं खेचरैर्भूतैरभिगम्य सभाजितः॥
And summoning celerity, he went on as if pushing off the sky by his energy. Then the rangers of the air and other beings worshipped me.
दिष्ट्या जीवति सीतेति ह्यब्रुवन् मां महर्षयः। कथंचित् सकलत्रोऽसौ गतस्ते स्वस्त्यसंशयम्॥
And the Maharsis said to me,-By luck it is that Sītā is still living' — he together with a female, having passed by you, certainly augurs good fortune to you. 1. The commentator supplies the elipsis thus,-Coming within your ken by fuck, Sītā is living. 2. The passage is obscure. The commentator has glossed over this sloka, and the meaning is lone the clear for his explanation.
एवमुक्तस्ततोऽहं तैः सिद्धैः परमशोभनैः। स च मे रावणो राजा रक्षसां प्रतिवेदितः॥
Then those eminently handsome Siddhas spoke thus to me.-This is Ravana, the king of the Rākşasas, said they to me.
पश्यन् दाशरथेर्भार्यां रामस्य जनकात्मजाम्। भ्रष्टाभरणकौशेयां शोकवेगपराजिताम्॥ रामलक्ष्मणयोर्नाम क्रोशन्ती मुक्तमूर्धजाम्। एष कालात्ययस्तात इति वाक्यविदां वरः॥ एतदर्थं समग्रं मे सुपार्श्वः प्रत्यवेदयत्। तच्छ्रुत्वापि हि मे बुद्धिर्नासीत् काचित् पराक्रमे॥
I (stood), beholding the wife of Rama, son to Dasaratha,—throwing off her ornaments and silken apparel, overwhelmed by might of sorrow, with hair dishevelled crying out the names of Rāma and Lakşmaņa. This O father, is the reason of my passing the time.' That best of those skilled in speech, Suparswa, said all this to me. Even hearing of this, I could not think of putting forth prowess.
अपक्षो हि कथं पक्षी कर्म किंचित् समारभेत्। यत् तु शक्यं मया कर्तुं वाग्बुद्धिगुणवर्तिना॥ श्रूयतां तत्र वक्ष्यामि भवतां पौरुषाश्रयम्।
How can a bird bereft of wings, undertake any thing? But listen! I will tell you as to what I am capable of through speech, intellect and merit, and what you can exèrt your manliness in.
वाङ्मतिभ्यां हि सर्वेषां करिष्यामि प्रियं हि वः॥ यद्धि दाशरथेः कार्यं मम तन्नात्र संशयः।
I will do what is agreeable to you by my words and my and my intention. That which is Dasarathi's work is also mine. Of this there is no doubt.
तद् भवन्तो मतिश्रेष्ठा बलवन्तो मनस्विनः॥ प्रहिताः कपिराजेन देवैरपि दुरासदाः।
You, foremost in intelligence, strong, intellectual, and incapable of being overcome by the gods themselves, have been despatched by the monarch of monkeys.
रामलक्ष्मणबाणाश्च विहिताः कङ्कपत्रिणः॥ त्रयाणामपि लोकानां पर्याप्तास्त्राणनिग्रहे।
Rama's and Laksmana's shafts furnished with the feathers of the Kanka, are competent to afflict or save the three worlds.
कामं खलु दशग्रीवस्तेजोबलसमन्वितः। भवतां तु समर्थानां न किंचिदपि दुष्करम्॥
And although the Ten-necked one is endowed with strength and energy, yet to you who are competent, nothing is hard to accomplish.
तदलं कालसङ्गेन क्रियतां बुद्धिनिश्चयः। नहि कर्मसु सज्जन्ते बुद्धिमन्तो भवद्विधाः॥
There is no need of delay. Make up 'yo minds. Persons like you do not give way to laziness in enterprise.