The monkeys’ arrival at the seashore; their meeting and conversation with Sampātī (Jaṭāyu’s brother)

Dohas

dīkha jāi upavana bara sara bigasita bahu kaṃja.

maṃdira ēka rucira tahaom baiṭhi nāri tapa puṃja..24.. [4-24]

Going further they saw a lovely garden and a lake with many full-blown lotuses. There stood a beautiful temple close by, where sat a woman who was austerity incarnate.

Chaupais

dūri tē tāhi sabanhi sira nāvā. pūchēṃ nija bṛttāṃta sunāvā..

tēhiṃ taba kahā karahu jala pānā. khāhu surasa suṃdara phala nānā.. [4-24-1]

majjanu kīnha madhura phala khāē. tāsu nikaṭa puni saba cali āē..

tēhiṃ saba āpani kathā sunāī. maiṃ aba jāba jahāom raghurāī.. [4-24-2]

mūdahu nayana bibara taji jāhū. paihahu sītahi jani pachitāhū..

nayana mūdi puni dēkhahiṃ bīrā. ṭhāḍhaē sakala siṃdhu kēṃ tīrā.. [4-24-3]

sō puni gaī jahāom raghunāthā. jāi kamala pada nāēsi māthā..

nānā bhāomti binaya tēhiṃ kīnhī. anapāyanī bhagati prabhu dīnhī.. [4-24-4]

From a distance all bowed their head to her and in response to her enquiry told her all about themselves. She then said, “Go and drink water and partake of beautiful and luscious fruits of various kinds.” They bathed and took some delicious fruits and all came once more to her. She related to them her own story from the beginning to the end and added, “I will now go and see the Lord of Raghus. Close your eyes and you will find yourself outside the cavern. You shall find Sītā; you need not feel remorse.” The champions closed their eyes and looking again they found themselves standing on the sea-shore. She on her part went to the Lord of Raghus and drawing near to Him bowed her head at His lotus feet. She made supplication in diverse ways and the Lord granted to her unceasing Devotion.

Dohas

badarībana kahu sō gaī prabhu agyā dhari sīsa .

ura dhari rāma carana juga jē baṃdata aja īsa..25.. [4-25]

Bowing to the Lord’s command she left for the forest of Badrinatha (in the Himālayas), cherishing in her heart Śrī Rāma’s feet, that are adored by the unborn Brahma as well as by Lord Śaṅkara.

Chaupais

ihāom bicārahiṃ kapi mana māhīṃ. bītī avadhi kāja kachu nāhīṃ..

saba mili kahahiṃ paraspara bātā. binu sudhi laēom karaba kā bhrātā.. [4-25-1]

kaha aṃgada lōcana bhari bārī. duhu prakāra bhai mṛtyu hamārī..

ihāom na sudhi sītā kai pāī. uhāom gaēom mārihi kapirāī.. [4-25-2]

pitā badhē para mārata mōhī. rākhā rāma nihōra na ōhī..

puni puni aṃgada kaha saba pāhīṃ. marana bhayau kachu saṃsaya nāhīṃ.. [4-25-3]

aṃgada bacana sunata kapi bīrā. bōli na sakahiṃ nayana baha nīrā..

chana ēka sōca magana hōi rahē. puni asa vacana kahata saba bhaē.. [4-25-4]

hama sītā kai sudhi linhēṃ binā. nahiṃ jaiṃhaiṃ jubarāja prabīnā..

asa kahi lavana siṃdhu taṭa jāī. baiṭhē kapi saba darbha ḍasāī.. [4-25-5]

jāmavaṃta aṃgada dukha dēkhī. kahiṃ kathā upadēsa bisēṣī..

tāta rāma kahu nara jani mānahu. nirguna bramha ajita aja jānahu.. [4-25-6] [4-25-7]

On this side (standing on the sea-coast) the monkeys thought to themselves, “The time-limit (fixed by Sugrīva) has expired, yet nothing has been done.” Sitting together they all said to one another, “Without obtaining any news (about Sītā) what shall we gain by returning to Kiṣkindhā either?” Said Aṅgada with eyes full of tears, “It is death for us both ways.* Here we have failed to get tidings of Sītā and if we go home King Sugrīva (the lord of monkeys) will behead us. He would have finished me immediately my father was killed, had not Śrī Rāma protected me; hence I owe no gratitude to him.” Again and again Aṅgada told them all, “Our death has arrived: there is no doubt about it.” When the monkey chiefs heard Aṅgada’s words, they could make no answer and tears rolled from their eyes. For a moment they remained plunged in sorrow; but at last they spoke as follows: “We are not going to return without obtaining Sītā’s news, O sagacious prince!” So saying all the monkeys went to the sea-shore and spreading Kuśa grass there squatted on it. Seeing Aṅgada’s distress Jāmbavān (the old bear chief) gave a highly instructive discourse. “Imagine not Rāma to be a mortal, dear child; know Him to be the same as Brahma (the Supreme Spirit) without attributes, invincible and unborn. We, His servants, are all highly blessed in that we are ever devoted to the same Brahma endowed with a qualified form.

• * Failure to do one’s allotted duty is worse than death to a hero like Aṅgada. It is in this sense that he speaks of death in either case.
• † Our Scriptures enumerate as many as six varieties of final beatitude. They are: (1) Sālokya (residence in the abode of the supreme Deity), (2) Sārṣṭi (sharing the powers, enjoyments and splendour of the Deity), (3) Sāmīpya (close proximity to the Deity in Heaven), (4) Sārūpya (possessing a form exactly similar to the Deity), (5) Sāyujya (absorption into the Deity) and (6) Identity with the attributeless and formless Brahma (the Absolute).

Dohas

nija icchā prabhu avatarai sura mahi gō dvija lāgi.

saguna upāsaka saṃga tahaom rahahiṃ mōccha saba tyāgi..26.. [4-26]

“Of His own free will the Lord descends on earth for the sake of gods, Earth, cows and the Brāhmaṇas. Spurning all the varieties of final beatitude† the worshippers of His qualified form (come down and) remain with Him even on earth.

Chaupais

ēhi bidhi kathā kahahi bahu bhāomtī giri kaṃdarāom sunī saṃpātī..

bāhēra hōi dēkhi bahu kīsā. mōhi ahāra dīnha jagadīsā.. [4-26-1]

āju sabahi kahaom bhacchana karaūom. dina bahu calē ahāra binu maraūom..

kabahu na mila bhari udara ahārā. āju dīnha bidhi ēkahiṃ bārā.. [4-26-2]

ḍarapē gīdha bacana suni kānā. aba bhā marana satya hama jānā..

kapi saba uṭhē gīdha kahaom dēkhī. jāmavaṃta mana sōca bisēṣī.. [4-26-3]

kaha aṃgada bicāri mana māhīṃ. dhanya jaṭāyū sama kōu nāhīṃ..

rāma kāja kārana tanu tyāgī . hari pura gayau parama baḍa bhāgī.. [4-26-4]

suni khaga haraṣa sōka juta bānī . āvā nikaṭa kapinha bhaya mānī..

tinhahi abhaya kari pūchēsi jāī. kathā sakala tinha tāhi sunāī.. [4-26-5]

suni saṃpāti baṃdhu kai karanī. raghupati mahimā badhubidhi baranī.. [4-26-6]

Thus they discoursed among themselves in many ways. Sampātī* (Jaṭāyu’s elder brother) heard them from his cave in the mountain. When he came out of it and saw a host of monkeys, he said to himself, “God has provided me with a feast: I will devour them all today. I have been starving for many days past and have never had a full meal; today God has supplied me with abundant food all at a time.” The monkeys trembled with fear to hear the vulture’s words. “Our doom is now sealed, we are sure,” they said to themselves. All the monkeys rose when they saw the vulture; while Jāmbavān felt much perturbed at heart. Aṅgada reflected within himself and said: “There is no one so blessed as Jaṭāyu, who laid down his life in the service of Śrī Rāma and ascended to the abode of Śrī Hari, supremely lucky as he was.” When the bird (Sampātī) heard these words, which stirred in him a mixed feeling of joy and grief, he drew near to the monkeys, who felt alarmed by his presence. Assuring them of safety he went and enquired them about his younger brother and the monkeys told him the whole story. When Sampātī heard of his brother’s obsequies (performed by the Lord with His own hands), he glorified the Lord of Raghus in many ways.

• * We learn from Śrīmad Bhāgavata and other scriptures that the sage Kaśyapa, the progenitor of gods and demons as well as of the various sub-human species, begot two sons by Vinatā (the mother of the feathered creation)óAruṇa and Garuḍa by name. Of these Aruṇa serves as the charioteer of the sun-god, while Garuḍa was chosen by Bhagavān Viṣṇu as His own mount. Aruṇa is the father of Sampātī and Jaṭāyu, who thus belonged to the earliest period of the world’s history. Their enormous size and uncommon strength, their astounding longevity and their speaking and behaving like human beings will therefore, cause little wonder when it is remembered that the world has steadily deteriorated since its creation.

Dohas

mōhi lai jāhu siṃdhutaṭa dēu tilāṃjali tāhi .

bacana sahāi karavi maiṃ paihahu khōjahu jāhi ..27.. [4-27]

Take me to the sea-shore, so that I may make an offering of water with sesamum seeds (to my departed brother). I can help you only with my instructions, by following which you will succeed in recovering Her whom you seek.”

Chaupais

anuja kriyā kari sāgara tīrā. kahi nija kathā sunahu kapi bīrā..

hama dvau baṃdhu prathama tarunāī . gagana gaē rabi nikaṭa uḍāī.. [4-27-1]

tēja na sahi saka sō phiri āvā . mai abhimānī rabi niarāvā ..

jarē paṃkha ati tēja apārā . parēu bhūmi kari ghōra cikārā .. [4-27-2]

muni ēka nāma caṃdramā ōhī. lāgī dayā dēkhī kari mōhī..

bahu prakāra tēṃhi gyāna sunāvā . dēhi janita abhimānī chaḍaāvā .. [4-27-3]

trētāom brahma manuja tanu dharihī. tāsu nāri nisicara pati harihī..

tāsu khōja paṭhaihi prabhū dūtā. tinhahi milēṃ taiṃ hōba punītā.. [4-27-4]

jamihahiṃ paṃkha karasi jani ciṃtā . tinhahi dēkhāi dēhēsu taiṃ sītā..

muni kai girā satya bhai ājū . suni mama bacana karahu prabhu kājū.. [4-27-5]

giri trikūṭa ūpara basa laṃkā . tahaom raha rāvana sahaja asaṃkā ..

tahaom asōka upabana jahaom rahaī .. sītā baiṭhi sōca rata ahaī.. [4-27-6]

Having performed the after-death ceremonies in respect of his departed brother (Jaṭāyu) on the sea-shore Sampātī narrated his own story. “Listen, O monkey chiefs: in the prime of our youth we two brothers (Jaṭāyu and myself) soared in the heavens and approached the orb of the sun. Jaṭāyu could not bear the heat of the sun and came back; but I in my pride advanced nearer the sun. My wings were scorched with the inordinate heat and I fell to the ground with a fearful scream. A sage, Candrama by name, (who lived there) was moved with compassion when he saw me. He taught me spiritual wisdom in many ways and rid me of my identification with the body. ‘In the Tretā age the Supreme Spirit will take the form of a human being and the demon king (Rāvaṇa) will carry off His Spouse. The Lord will send out spies to search Her and you will be absolved of all sins by meeting them. Your wings will sprout again; worry not any longer on that account. You will have to do only this much: show them where Sītā may be.’ The sage’s predictions has come true today; therefore, follow my instructions and set about the business of your Lord. On the summit of the Trikūṭa hill stands the city of Laṅkā; Rāvaṇa, who is fearless by nature, lives there. There, in the Aśoka garden, is lodged Sītā, who sits there, plunged in grief, even now.