त्यक्तजीवितैः who had given up hope of life, वानरैः by monkeys, इति thus, करुणम् pathetic, वाक्यम् words, उक्तः spoken, महास्वनः loudvoiced, गृध्रः vulture, सबाष्पः with tears, वानरान् the monkeys, प्रत्युवाच replied.
Meaning
On hearing the pathetic words from the monkeys who had given up hope of life, the loudvoiced vulture wailing replied:
वानराः O monkeys, यम् whom, बलीयसा by a strong, रावणेन by Ravana, युद्धे in the combat, हतम् killed, आख्यात you told, जटायुः नाम called Jatayu, सः he is, मम my, यवीयान् younger, भ्राता brother.
Meaning
'O monkeys, the one you said to have been killed by mighty Ravana in a combat was my younger brother, Jatayu.
vṛddhabhāvādapakṣatvācchṛṇvṃstadapi marṣaye| na hi me śaktirastyadya bhrāturvairavimokṣaṇe||4.58.3||
Translation
तत् that, श्रुण्वन् अपि even after hearing , वृद्धभावात् due to old age, अपक्षत्वात् since I have no wings, मे to me, अद्य now, भ्रातुः brother's, वैरविमोक्षणे to avenge the death, शक्तिः energy, नास्ति हि I do not have.
Meaning
'Even after I have heard this, I cannot avenge my brother's death as I am old, I have no wings, and I have no energy enough (to fight).
purā vṛtravadhe vṛtte parasparajayaiṣiṇau| ādityamupayātau svo jvalantṃ raśmimālinam||4.58.4||
Translation
पुरा in olden days, वृत्रवधे at the time of the death of Vrutra, वृत्ते परस्पर when Vrutra and Indra, जयैषिणौ wishing to win, ज्वलन्तम् blazing, रश्मिमालिनम् with a garland of beams, आदित्यम् to Sun, उपयातौ both went, स्वः we both.
Meaning
'In olden days, when Indra killed Vrutra we (Jatayu and I) seeking to challenge him reached the Sun blazing with a garland of beams.
āvṛttyā'kāśamārge tu javena sma gatau bhṛśam| madhyṃ prāpte dinakare jaṭāyuravasīdati||4.58.5||
Translation
आकाशमार्गे in the sky, आवृत्य surrounding, भृशम् violently, जवेन at high speed, गतौ स्म both of us reached, मध्यम् in the midst, प्राप्ते when reached, दिनकरे when the Sun, जटायुः Jatayu's, अवसीदति became weak.
Meaning
'Flying in the sky at a violently high speed, we reached the meridian of the Sun when, unable to bear the heat, Jatayu became weak.
भ्रातरम् my brother, तम् him, सूर्यरश्मिभिः with Sun's radiance, अर्दितम् tormented, दृष्ट्वा on seeing, परमविह्वल: overwhelmed, अहम् I, स्नेहात् lovingly, पक्षाभ्याम् with both my wings, छादयामास I covered.
Meaning
'Seeing my brother tormented due to the Sun's radiance I was overwhelmed with grief. Out of love I covered him with both my wings.
वानरर्षभाः O bulls among monkeys, अहम् I am, निर्दग्धपत्रः with burnt wings, विन्ध्ये on Vindhya, पतितः dropped down, अस्मिन् in this place, वसन् while I lived, अहम् I, भ्रातुः brother's, प्रवृत्तिम् news, नोपलक्षये not known to me.
Meaning
'O bulls among monkeys, consequently my wings were burnt and I dropped down on Vindhya. Here I have been living, knowing not my brother's whereabouts.'
jaṭāyuṣo yadi bhrātā śrutṃ te gaditṃ mayā| ākhyā hi yadi jānāsi nilayṃ tasya rakṣasḥ||4.58.9||
Translation
ते your, गदितम् word, मया by me, श्रुतम् is heard, जटायुषः Jatayu's, भ्राता यदि if you are brother, जानासि यदि if you know, तस्य his, रक्षसः demon's निलयम् residence, आख्याहि tell.
Meaning
'I have heard you. If you are the brother of Jatayu, tell us about the abode of that demon if you know.
अदीर्घदर्शिनम् one who is not farsighted, राक्षसाधिपम् king of demons, तं रावणम् that Ravana, अन्तिके near, दूरे यदि वा far away, जानासि यदि if you know, नः us, शंस tell.
Meaning
'Tell us about Ravana, king of the demons who is unaware of the consequences. If you know his residence, tell us if it is near or far.'
nirdagdhapakṣo gṛdhro'hṃ hīnavīrya: plavaṅgamāḥ| vāṅmātreṇa tu rāmasya kariṣye sāhyamuttamam||4.58.12||
Translation
प्लवङ्गमाः O monkeys, निर्दग्धपक्षः my wings are totally burnt, हीनवीर्यः my strength is reduced, गृध्रः vulture, अहम् I, वाङ्मात्रेणा only by my words, रामस्य to Rama, उत्तमम् substantial, साह्यम् help, करिष्ये I will do.
Meaning
'O monkeys I am a vulture. My wings are burnt and my strength is depleted. The only substantial help I can render Rama is through my words.
jānāmi vāruṇānlokānviṣṇostrai vikramānapi| mahāsuravimardanvā śca hyamṛtasya ca manthanam||4.58.13||
Translation
वारुणान् Varuna's, लोकान् world, त्रैविक्रमान् three strides, विष्णोः Visnu's, लोकान् worlds, महासुरविमर्दान् the fricton between gods and demons, अमृतस्य for the nectar , च मन्थनम् and the churning, जानामि I know, अपि indeed.
Meaning
'I know Varuna's worlds(seas and oceans) and all the three worlds measured by three strides by Vamana. Indeed I also know about the friction between the great gods and demons and the churning of the ocean for nectar.
रामस्य Rama's, यत् if, इदं कार्यम् this task, मया by me, प्रथमम् first, कर्तव्यम् duty, हृतम् should be done, प्राणाश्च vitality, शिथिलाः reduced, मम my, जरया due to old age, तेज: strength.
Meaning
'Rama's work is my primary duty. (But) my strength is drained by age and I have lost my vitality.
taruṇī rūpasampannā sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā| hriyamāṇā mayā dṛṣṭā rāvaṇena durātmanā||4.58.15|| krośantī rāma rāmeti lakṣmaṇeti ca bhāminī| bhūṣaṇānyapavidhyantī gātrāṇi ca vidhunvatī||4.58.16||
Translation
दुरात्मना by the evilminded, रावणेन by Ravana, ह्रियमाणा being borne away, तरुणी young lady, रूपसम्पन्ना beautiful in appearance, सर्वाभरणभूषिता adorned with all kinds of jewels, रामरामेति calling out 'Rama, Rama', लक्ष्मणेति च and calling out 'Lakshmana', क्रोशन्ती crying aloud, भूषणानि ornaments, अपविध्यन्ती thrown down, गात्राणि limbs,विधून्वती wriggling to get out, भामिनी a dainty lady, मया by me, दृष्टा was seen.
Meaning
'I saw a young lady of beautiful appearance, adorned with all kinds of ornaments borne away by the evilminded Ravana. That dainty lady was calling out, 'O Rama, O Lakshmana' and was crying aloud. She was throwing away her ornaments and was wriggling to get out of Ravana's grip.
असिते in dark, राक्षसे on the demon, तस्याः her, उत्तमम् fine, कौशेयम् silken cloth, शैलाग्रे on the peak of the mountain, सूर्यप्रभेव like the radiance of Sun, अम्बुदे in the dark cloud, यथा like that, वा तटित् यथा like lightning, भाति shining.
Meaning
'Her fine silk garment was shining like the radiance of the Sun on the mountain peak, like lightning against the dark cloud. (That was Ravana).
tāṃ tu sītāmahṃ manye rāmasya parikīrtanāt| śrūyatāṃ me kathayato nilayṃ tasya rakṣasḥ||4.58.18||
Translation
रामस्य Rama's, परिकीर्तनात् was uttering, ताम् her, सीताम् Sita, अहम् I, मन्ये I think, तस्य his, रक्षसः demon's, निलयम् abode, कथयतः described, मे by me, श्रूयताम् you may listen.
Meaning
'Since she was uttering Rama's name I think she is Sita. (Now) I will tell you about the demon's abode. Listen
ito dvīpassamudrasya sampūrṇe śatayojane| tasminlaṅkāpurī ramyā nirmitā viśvakarmaṇā||4.58.20||
Translation
इतः from here, सम्पूर्णे when completed, शतयोजने a hundred yojanas, द्वीपः island, तस्मिन् in it, विश्वकर्मणा by Visvakarma, निर्मिता built, रम्या beautiful, लङ्कापुरी capital of Lanka.
Meaning
'The beautiful city of Lanka is an island, a hundred yojanas away from here.It was built by Visvakarma.
jāmbūnadamayairdvāraiścitraiḥ kāñcanavedikaiḥ| prāsādairhemavarṇaiśca mahadbhiḥ susamā kṛtā||4.58.21|| prākāreṇārkavarṇena mahatā ca samānvitā|
Translation
जाम्बूनदमयैः made of gold, चित्रैः wonderful, द्वारैः doors, काञ्चनवेदिकैः with golden platforms, हेमवर्णैश्च of golden colour, महद्भिः with a huge, प्रासादैः mansions, सुसमाः uniformly built, आवृता covered, अर्कवर्णेन in the colour of Sun light, महता प्राकारेण with a tall boundary wall, समन्विता endowed.
Meaning
'The city has golden gates, golden platforms, huge, goldencoloured, uniformly built mansions surrounded by a tall boundary wall of the colour of sunlight.
दीना dejected, कौशेयवासिनी lady wearing silk garment, वैदेही Vaidehi, तस्याम् in the city, रावणान्तःपुरे in the harem, रुद्धा confined, राक्षसीभिः by demonesses, सुरक्षिता well protected, वसति lives, तस्याम् in that city, राज्ञः the king's, जनकस्य Janaka's, आत्मजाम् daughter, मैथिलीम् Maithili, द्रक्ष्यथ you will see.
Meaning
'You will see in the city of Lanka, the princess from Videha, daughter of Janaka, a picture of dejection, robed in silk, confined in the harem of Ravana, wellprotected by demonesses.
प्लवङ्गमाः O monkeys, सम्पूर्णम् a complete, शतयोजनम् hundred yojanas, सागरस्य of the sea, अन्तम् end, सम्प्राप्य having reached, अथ then, दक्षिणं तीरम् southern coast, आसाद्य on reaching, ततः then, समन्ततः all around, सागरेण by the sea, गुप्तायाम् protected, लङ्कायाम् at Lanka, रावणम् Ravana, द्रक्ष्यथ will see, त्वरिताः swiftly, तत्रैव there, क्षिप्रम् at once, विक्रमध्वम् prove your strength.
Meaning
'O monkeys traverse a hundred yojanas across the sea. On reaching the southern coast you will be able to see Ravana's Lanka defended and surrounded by the sea. Now proceed swiftly and prove your strength.
jñānena khalu paśyāmi dṛṣṭvā pratyāgamiṣyatha| ādyḥ panthāḥ kuliṅgānāṃ ye cānye dhānyajīvinḥ||4.58.26|| dvitīyo balibhojānāṃ ye ca vṛkṣaphalāśinḥ| bhāsāstṛtīyṃ gacchanti krauñcāśca kuraraissaha||4.58.27|| śyenāścaturthṃ gacchanti gṛdhrā gacchanti pañcamam|
Translation
ज्ञानेन by intuition, पश्यामि खलु I can see, दृष्टवा seeing, प्रत्यागमिष्यथ you will return, कुलिङ्गानाम् of sparrows, अन्ये and other, धान्यजीविनः living on grain, ये those, आद्यः first, पन्थाः path, बलिभोजानाम् crows living on the offerings of food, वृक्षफलाशनाः eating the fruits of trees, ये those, द्वितीयः second, भासाः cocks, कुररैस्सह along with cranes, क्रौञ्चाश्च and Kraunchas, तृतीयम् third, गच्छन्ति move about, श्येनाः hawks and falcons, चतुर्थम् fourth, गच्छन्ति move about, गृध्राः vultures, पञ्चमम् fifth, गच्छन्ति moving.
Meaning
'By intuition I know you would see Sita and return. On the first plane you will see sparrows and birds which live on grain. On the second, you will see crows living on the food offered to the dead and birds living on the fruits of trees, and then cocks, cranes and kraunchas moving on the third plane, on the fourth, hawks and falcons and on the fifth, vultures.
वानरर्षभाः O bulls among monkeys बलवीर्योपपन्नानाम् endowed with strength and vigour, रूपयौवनशालिनाम् with beauty and youth, हंसानाम् of swans, षष्ठः the sixth, पन्थाः path, वैनतेयगतिः the path of Garuda, परा is over that, सर्वेषाम् of all, नः of us, जन्म birth, वैनतेयात् from the son of Vinata (Garuda).
Meaning
'O bulls among monkeys swans blessed with strength, vigour, beauty and youth move in the sixth region. Beyond, on the seventh plane, you will see the descendants of Garuda.
इहस्थः from here, अहम् I am, रावणम् Ravana, तथा so also, जानकीम् Janaki also, प्रपश्यामि I can see, अस्माकमपि for us also, सौवर्णम् golden, दिव्यम् divine, चक्षुः vision, तथा so also, बलम् power.
Meaning
'From here I see Ravana and Janaki. We (vultures) have a divine golden vision and great power.
tasmādāhāravīryeṇa nisargeṇa ca vānarāḥ| āyojanaśatātsāgrādvayṃ paśyāma nityaśḥ||4.58.31||
Translation
वानराः O monkeys, तस्मात् therefore, वयम् we, आहारवीर्येण with the strength of our food, निसर्गेण च and by nature, साग्रात् from the edge, आयोजनशतात् up to a hundred yojanas, नित्यशः always, पश्याम we can see.
Meaning
'O monkeys therefore, by the strength of food and by nature we can always see beyond a hundred yojanas from this edge.
asmākṃ vihitā vṛttirnisargeṇa ca dūratḥ| vihitā pādamūle tu vṛttiścaraṇayodhinām||4.58.32||
Translation
अस्माकम् for us, वृत्ति: movement, निसर्गेण by nature, दूरतः at a distance, विहिता is fixed (by destiny), चरणयोधिनाम् for those fighting on foot, पादमूले at their feet, वृत्ति: movement, विहिता is fixed.
Meaning
'Our movement and vision naturally extends to distant places. For those fighting on foot, the movement is restricted to the extent of foot movement.
garhitṃ tu kṛtṃ karma yena sma paśitāśinā| pratīkāryṃ ca me tasya vairṃ bhrātṛkṛtṃ bhavet||4.58.33||
Translation
येन by whomsoever, गर्हितम् despised, कर्म action, कृतम् done, तस्य पिशिताशिनाः by that flesheater (demon), भ्रातृकृतं due to my brother's, वैरं enmity, च and, प्रतिकार्यम् deserves retaliation, भवेत् it will be.
upāyo dṛśyatāṃ kaścillaṅghane lavaṇāmbhasḥ| abhigamya tu vaidehīṃ samṛddhārthā gamiṣyatha||4.58.34||
Translation
लवणाम्भसः of the salt ocean, लङ्घने in crossing, कश्चित् some, उपायः means, दृश्यताम् you may look for, वैदेहीम् Vaidehi, अभिगम्य after approaching her, समृद्धार्थाः as accomplished ones, गमिष्यथ you will return.
Meaning
'Look out for some means to cross the salty ocean. You will see Vaidehi, and return, your mission accomplished.
भवद्भिः by you, वरुणालयम् abode of Varuna, समुद्रम् ocean, नेतुम् to lead, इच्छामि I intend, स्वर्गतस्य for him who is in heaven, महात्मनः of the great soul, भ्रातुः to my brother, उदकम् oblation, प्रदास्यामि I will offer.
Meaning
'Take me to the ocean, the abode of Varuna. I intend to offer oblation to my brother, a great soul who is in heaven.'
tato nītvā tu tṃ deśṃ tīrṃ nadanadīpateḥ| nirdagdhapakṣṃ sampātiṃ vānarāssumahaujasḥ||4.58.36|| punḥ pratyānayitvā ca tṃ deśṃ patageśvaram| babhūvurvānarā hṛṣṭāḥ pravṛttimupalabhya te||4.58.37||
Translation
सुमहौजसः mightiest, वानराः monkeys, निर्दग्धपक्षम् whose wings were totally burnt, सम्पातिम् Sampati, ततः then, नदनदीपतेः of lord of rivers, तीरं shore, तं देशम् that place, नीत्वा after taking, पतगेश्वरम् the king of vultures, पुनः again, प्रत्यानयित्वा after bringing him back, वानराः monkeys, प्रवृत्तिम् all the information, उपलभ्य having obtained, हृष्टाः pleased, ते बभूवु they were.
Meaning
Th mightiest of monkeys carried Sampati, whose wings were totally burnt, to the sea shore and after he had offered oblations took him back to the same place. Having obtained all information from the king of vultures the monkeys were very happy. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये किष्किन्धाकाण्डे अष्टपञ्चशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the fiftyeighth sarga in Kishkindakanda of the first epic, the Holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.