Introduction

Sage Nishaakara asks Sampaati to wait for monkeys who arrive at the behest of Rama in search of Seetha. This sage also accords small wings and vigour to the eagle for survival until the arrival of harbinger monkeys of Rama, as this eagle has to guide the monkeys towards the location where Seetha is incarcerated.

Verse 1

एवम् उक्त्वा मुनिश्रेष्ठम् अरुदम् भृश दुःखितः |
अथ ध्यात्वा मुहूर्तम् तु भगवान् इदम् अब्रवीत् || ४-६२-१

“On informing the sage in this way I wept as I was highly despaired. Then on meditating for a while that sage said this…” Thus Sampaati continued his narration, and now he reports to Angada and others what that is said by Sage Nishaakara to him. [4-62-1]

1. evam munishreSTham uktvaa = that way, to sage the best, having said; bhR^isha duHkhitaH arudam = highly, despaired, I wept; atha = then; bhagavaan = that godly sage; muhuurtam dhyaatvaa idam abraviit = on meditating, for a while, this, said.

Verse 2

पक्षौ च ते प्रपक्षौ च पुनः अन्यौ भविष्यतः |
चक्षुषी चैव प्राणाः च विक्रमः च बलम् च ते || ४-६२-२

” ‘Again both of your wings will emerge as small wings anew, also thus your valour, power, and life-force will comeback…’ Thus Sage Nishaakara started to console Sampaati. [4-62-2]

2. te = to you; punaH anyau pakSau ca = again, other, wings; pra pakSau ca = good [small,] wings, also; bhaviSyataH = [anew] they become [they emerge]; te = your; cakSuSii ca praaNaaH ca vikramaH ca balam ca = eyes [sight,] also, lives’ [force,] also, valour, also, power, also; [bhaviSyanti = will be there, they comeback.]

Verse 3

पुराणे सुमहत् कार्यम् भविष्यम् हि मया श्रुतम् |
दृष्टम् मे तपसा चैव श्रुत्वा च विदितम् मम || ४-६२-३

” ‘In olden days I have heard that a very great happening is going to happen indeed, and it is known to me as I perceived it ascetically… [4-62-3]

3. su mahat kaaryam bhaviSyam hi = very, great, happening, will happen, indeed; puraaNe mayaa shrutam = in olden days, by me, heard; me tapasaa caiva = by me, ascetically, also thus; dR^iSTam = perceived; shrutvaa mama viditam = by hearing, to me, known.

Verse 4

राजा दशरथो नाम कश्चित् इक्ष्वाकु वर्धनः |
तस्य पुत्रो महातेजा रामो नाम भविष्यति || ४-६२-४

“There is some king known as Dasharatha, an enhancer of Ikshvaku dynasty, and to him there will be a great-resplendent a son who will be known as Rama… [4-62-4]

4. dasharathaH naama = Dasharatha, known as; ikSvaaku vardhanaH = Ikshvaku dynasty, enhancer of; kashcit raajaa = someone, a king – is there; tasya = to him; raamaH naama = Rama, known as; mahaatejaa putraH bhaviSyati = great-resplendent, son, will be there.

Verse 5

अरण्यम् च सह भ्रात्रा लक्ष्मणेन गमिष्यति |
तस्मिन् अर्थे नियुक्तः सन् पित्रा सत्य पराक्रमः || ४-६२-५

” ‘When his father assigns him for that objective of his going to forests, that truth-valiant Rama goes to forests along with his brother Lakshmana… [4-62-5]

5. satya para aakramaH = truth, valiant one – Rama; pitraa = by father; tasmin arthe niyuktaH san = in that, objective, assigned, he is; bhraatraa lakSmaNena saha = brother, Lakshmana, along with; araNyam gamiSyati = to forest, he goes.

Verse 6

नैर्ऋतो रावणो नाम तस्य भार्याम् हरिष्यति |
राक्षसेन्द्रो जनस्थानात् अवध्यः सुर दानवैः || ४-६२-६

” ‘A demon named Ravana, the chief of demons, and an unkillable one even for gods or demons abducts Rama’s wife from Janasthaana… [4-62-6]

6. janasthaanaat = from Janasthaana; tasya bhaaryaam = his [Rama’s,] wife; raakSasendraH = demons’, chief; sura daanavaiH a vadhyaH = [even] by gods, demons, an un, killable one; raavaNaH naama = Ravana, known as; nairR^itaH = demon; hariSyati = abducts.

Verse 7

सा च कामैः प्रलोभ्यन्ती भक्ष्यैः भोज्यैः च मैथिली |
न भोक्ष्यति महाभागा दुःख मग्ना यशस्विनी || ४-६२-७

” ‘She that Maithili, a highly privileged and prestigious lady does not touch any food, though she is highly lured by banquets and feasts by that Ravana, for she will be sunken in sorrow… [4-62-7]

7. mahaabhaagaa = highly privileged; duHkha magnaa = in sorrow, sunken; yashasvinii = prestigious lady; saa maithilii = she, that Maithili; kaamaiH = by desirable [items]; bhakSyaiH bhojyaiH ca = by masticatory, swallowable foods [feasts and banquets]; pralobhyantii = verily lured; na bhokSyati = not, enjoys them – does not touch them.

Verse 8

परमान्नम् च वैदेह्या ज्ञात्वा दास्यति वासवः |
यत् अन्नम् अमृत प्रख्यम् सुराणाम् अपि दुर्लभम् || ४-६२-८

” ‘On knowing Seetha’s plight Indra gives a nectarean food for Vaidehi, which food is renowned to be Nectarous and unattainable even by gods… [4-62-8]

8. vaasavaH j~naatvaa = Indra, on knowing [Seetha’s plight]; suraaNaam api dur labham = for gods, even, un, attainable – food; amR^ita prakhyam = nectarous, renowned as; yat annam = which food – is there in all three worlds, that; parama annam = nectarean, food; vaidehyaa daasyati = for Vaidehi, he gives.

Verse 9

तत् अन्नम् मैथिली प्राप्य विज्ञाय इन्द्रात् इदम् तु इति |
अग्रम् उद्धृत्य रामाय भू तले निर्वपिष्यति || ४-६२-९

” ‘But on getting that food, and on knowing that it is from Indra, Maithili takes up the first morsel and dispenses it on the surface of earth for Rama, saying… [4-62-9]

9. maithilii tat annam praapya = Maithili, that, food, on getting; idam indraat iti = this [food is,] from Indra, thus; vij~naaya = on knowing; agram uddhR^itya = first [part, first morsel,] taking up; raamaaya = for Rama; bhuu tale = on earth’s, surface; nirvapiSyati [nir vap iSyati] = out, sows, she dispenses it – she cedes it as seeds in sowing.

Verse 10

यदि जीवति मे भर्ता लक्ष्मणो वा अपि देवरः |
देवत्वम् गतयोः वा अपि तयोः अन्नम् इदम् तु इति || ४-६२-१०

” ‘If my husband is living, or even my younger brother-in-law Lakshmana is living, or even if they have attained godhood, this food belongs to both of them…’ Saying so Seetha offers oblation to them… [4-62-10

10. me bhartaa jiivati yadi = my, husband, is living, if; devaraH lakSmaNaH vaa api = younger brother-in-law, Lakshmana, or, even; [jiivati yadi = is living, if]; devatvam gatayoH vaa api = godhood, gone into [attained,] or, even; tayoH = to both of them; idam annam = this is, food; iti = thus – on saying she will offer food.

Verse 11

एष्यन्ति प्रेषिताः तत्र राम दूताः प्लवंगमाः |
आख्येया राम महिषी त्वया तेभ्यो विहंगम || ४-६२-११

” ‘Ushered by Rama, oh, sky-flyer Sampaati, fly-jumpers will be going over to the place where Seetha is captivated as harbingers of Rama, and you ought to tell those monkeys about the queen of Rama… [4-62-11]

11. vihan gama = oh, sky-flyer [Sampaati]; raama duutaaH plavan gamaaH = Rama’s, harbingers, fly-jumpers; preSitaaH = sent by [Rama]; tatra eSyanti = to there [where Seetha is,] will be coming; tvayaa = by you; tebhyaH = to them; raama mahiSii = [about] Rama’s, queen; aakhyeyaa = tellable – you inform them about her.

Verse 12

सर्वथा तु न गंतव्यम् ईदृशः क्व गमिष्यसि |
देश कालौ प्रतीक्षस्व पक्षौ त्वम् प्रतिपत्स्यसे || ४-६२-१२

” ‘In any case you ought not to go-as-you-please… a wingless eagle of your kind where you wish to go… await the times and scenes, you will regain both of your wings… [4-62-12]

12. sarvathaa na gantavyam = in any case, not, to be gone [go-as-you-please]; iidR^ishaH kva gamiSyasi = this kind [of a wingless eagle,] where, you wish to go; desha kaalau pratiikSasva = place [scene,] time, be awaiting for; tvam pakSau pratipatsyase = you, both wings, will regain.

Verse 13

उत्सहेयम् अहम् कर्तुम् अद्य एव त्वाम् स पक्षकम् |
इह स्थः त्वम् तु लोकानाम् हितम् कार्यम् करिष्यसि || ४-६२-१३

” ‘I am capable of making you a winged eagle now itself, but how can you stay here and do an agreeable deed to the worlds! So you have to wait. [4-62-13]

13. aham tvaam = I, you; adya eva sa pakSakam = now, itself, you as, with, wings [as a winged eagle]; kartum utsaheyam = to make, I am capable; tu = but; tvam iha sthaH = you, staying, here only; lokaanaam hitam kaaryam kariSyasi = for worlds, agreeable, deed, you do – can you do?

Verse 14

त्वया अपि खलु तत् कार्यम् तयोः च नृप पुत्रयोः |
ब्राह्मणानाम् गुरूणाम् च मुनीनाम् वासवस्य च || ४-६२-१४

” ‘That deed aimed at the wellbeing of both those princes, Rama and Lakshmana, and of Brahmans, teaches, sages and also of Indra is to be done by you alone, isn’t it! [4-62-14]

14. tvayaa api = by you, even; tayoH nR^ipa putrayoH = to both of, king’s, sons; braahmaNaanaam guruuNaam muniinaam = to Brahmans, to teachers, to sages; vaasavasya ca = of Indra, also; tat kaaryam = that, deed; khalu = is to be done, isn’t it.

Verse 15

इच्छामि अहम् अपि द्रष्टुम् भ्रातरौ राम लक्ष्मणौ |
न इच्छे चिरम् धारयितुम् प्राणान् त्यक्ष्ये कलेवरम् |
महर्षि तु तत् अब्रवीत् इदम् दृष्ट तत्त्व अर्थ दर्शिनः || ४-६२-१५

” ‘Even I wish to see those brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, but I do not wish to bear lives prolongedly, hence I castaway my mortal body…’ and thus that is what the great sage Nishakara said to me. Saying so that sage, who is a discerner who discerned the sum and substance of Supreme Person castaway his mortal body in his ascent to heaven.” Sampaati continued his narration in this way. [4-62-15]

15. aham api = I, even; bhraatarau raama lakSmaNau = brothers, Rama, Lakshmana; draSTum icChaami = to see, I wish to; ciram praaNaan dhaarayitum = prolongedly, lives, to bear; na icChe = not, I wish; kalevaram tyakSye = mortal body, I castaway; dR^iSTa tattva artha darshinaH = had discerned, of quintessence, essence [sum and substance,] a discerner; maharSi tu = great sage, on his part; tat idam abraviit = that, this, [- in this way,] said – to me.