Kishkinda Kanda: Chapter 63

एतैरन्यैश्च बहुभिर्वाक्यैर्वाक्यविशारदः। मां प्रशस्याभ्यनुज्ञाप्य प्रविष्टः स स्वमालयम्॥
Having praised me with these and many other words, and bidden me adieu that one skilled in speech, entered his own habitation.

कन्दरात् तु विसर्पित्वा पर्वतस्य शनैः शनैः। अहं विन्ध्यं समारुह्य भवतः प्रतिपालये॥
Issuing out gently from the cave of that mountain, I, ascending Vindhya, was expecting you.

अद्य त्वेतस्य कालस्य वर्षे साग्रशतं गतम्। देशकालप्रतीक्षोऽस्मि हृदि कृत्वा मुनेर्वचः॥
The space covered by the time intervening between then and to-day is a little over an hundred years;* and laying up in my heart the speech of that ascetic I have been awaiting season and place. *The commentator says the period is one hundred and eight years.

महाप्रस्थानमासाद्य स्वर्गते तु निशाकरे।-मां निर्दहति संतापो वितर्कंबहुभिर्वृतम्॥
Setting out on his great journey, on Niśākara having gone to heaven, I distracted with various thoughts, have been consumed by grief. For the loss of my plumage.-

उदितां मरणे बुद्धिं मुनिवाक्यैर्निवर्तये। बुद्धिर्या तेन मे दत्ता प्राणानां रक्षणे मम॥ सा मेऽपनयते दुःखं दीप्तेवाग्निशिखा तमः।
My rising intention of doing away with myself I have suppressed in consideration of the words of the ascetic. The reason which he had imparted to me for preserving my life, has removed my pains even as a flaming fire (dispels darkness).

बुध्यता च मया वीर्यं रावणस्य दुरात्मनः॥ पुत्रः संतर्जितो वाग्भिर्न त्राता मैथिली कथम्।
And knowing the prowess of the impious Rāvana, I said in rage to my son, versed in speech,-'Hearing her lamentation, and knowing them bereft of Sītā, why didst you not deliver her?'

तस्या विलपितं श्रुत्वा तौ च सीतावियोजितौ॥ न मे दशरथस्नेहात् पुत्रेणोत्पादितं प्रियम्।
My son did not do this good office to Daſaratha, influenced by affection for him.

तस्य त्वेवं ब्रुवाणस्य संहतैर्वानरैः सह ॥ उत्पेततुस्तदा पक्षौ समक्षं वनचारिणाम्।
As he was speaking thus in the midst of the monkeys, his wings sprang up in presence of the rangers of the forest.

स दृष्ट्वा स्वां तनुं पक्षरुद्तैररुणच्छदैः॥ प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे वानरांश्चेदमब्रवीत्।
Thereupon, seeing his person furnished with grown pinions hued like the infant sun, he experienced incomparable raptures, and addressed the monkeys, saying,

निशाकरस्य राजर्षेः प्रसादादमितौजसः॥ आदित्यरश्मिनिर्दग्धौ पक्षौ पुनरुपस्थितौ।
By the grace of that Rājarși of immeasurable energy, my wings, which had been burnt up by the rays of the sun, have grown again.

यौवने वर्तमानस्य ममासीद् यः पराक्रमः॥ तमेवाद्यावगच्छामि बलं पौरुषमेव च।
To-day I have got back) the strength and prowess which I possessed while my youth was yet present.

सर्वथा क्रियतां यत्नः सीतामधिगमिष्यथ ॥ पक्षलाभो ममायं वः सिद्धिप्रत्ययकारकः।
Do you strive every way. You shall meet with Sītā. And my getting (back) my wings inspires (us) with confidence as to success.

इत्युक्त्वा तान्हरीन् सर्वान्सम्पाति: पतगोत्तमः॥ उत्पपात गिरेः शृङ्गाजिज्ञासुः खगमो गतिम्।
Having said this to all the monkeys, that ranger of the sky and best of birds. Sampāti, anxious to ascertain his power of flight, flew up from the mountain summits.

तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रतिसंहृष्टमानसाः। बभूवुर्हरिशार्दूला विक्रमाभ्युदयोन्मुखाः॥
Hearing his words, those powerful monkeys, with vigour (enhanced, seeing success before them, felt the height of joy.

अथ पवनसमानविक्रमाः प्लवगवराः प्रतिलब्धपौरुषाः। र्जनकसुतापरिमार्गणोन्मुखाः॥
Then those foremost of monkeys, in vigour resembling the Wind, getting occasion for displaying their prowess, intent upon searching the Janaka's daughter, set forward towards the quarter crested by Abhijit.* * Abhijitabhimukhan (acc.) Abhijit—the name of a star. Abhijit may also mean-he who is to be conquered. Then the sense would be the region in which Rāvana was.