Ramayana · Book IV · Kiṣkindhā Kāṇḍa
Ramayana, Book IV, Canto 63: Sampáti’s Storyकिष्किन्धाकाण्डम्
Ralph T. H. Griffith’s English verse (1870–74), beside the Sanskrit of sarga 4.63.
Sanskrit
मां प्रशस्याभ्यनुज्ञाप्य प्रविष्टः स स्वमालयम्॥ १॥
कन्दरात् तु विसर्पित्वा पर्वतस्य शनैः शनैः।
अहं विन्ध्यं समारुह्य भवतः प्रतिपालये॥ २॥
अद्य त्वेतस्य कालस्य वर्षं साग्रशतं गतम्।
देशकालप्रतीक्षोऽस्मि हृदि कृत्वा मुनेर्वचः॥ ३॥
महाप्रस्थानमासाद्य स्वर्गते तु निशाकरे।
मां निर्दहति संतापो वितर्कैर्बहुभिर्वृतम्॥ ४॥
उदितां मरणे बुद्धिं मुनिवाक्यैर्निवर्तये।
बुद्धिर्या तेन मे दत्ता प्राणानां रक्षणे मम॥ ५॥
सा मेऽपनयते दुःखं दीप्तेवाग्निशिखा तमः।
बुध्यता च मया वीर्यं रावणस्य दुरात्मनः॥ ६॥
पुत्रः संतर्जितो वाग्भिर्न त्राता मैथिली कथम्।
तस्या विलपितं श्रुत्वा तौ च सीतावियोजितौ॥ ७॥
न मे दशरथस्नेहात् पुत्रेणोत्पादितं प्रियम्।
तस्य त्वेवं ब्रुवाणस्य संहतैर्वानरैः सह॥ ८॥
उत्पेततुस्तदा पक्षौ समक्षं वनचारिणाम्।
स दृष्ट्वा स्वां तनुं पक्षैरुद्गतैररुणच्छदैः॥ ९॥
प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे वानरांश्चेदमब्रवीत्।
निशाकरस्य राजर्षेः प्रसादादमितौजसः॥ १०॥
आदित्यरश्मिनिर्दग्धौ पक्षौ पुनरुपस्थितौ।
यौवने वर्तमानस्य ममासीद् यः पराक्रमः॥ ११॥
तमेवाद्यावगच्छामि बलं पौरुषमेव च।
सर्वथा क्रियतां यत्नः सीतामधिगमिष्यथ॥ १२॥
पक्षलाभो ममायं वः सिद्धिप्रत्ययकारकः।
इत्युक्त्वा तान् हरीन् सर्वान् सम्पातिः पतगोत्तमः॥ १३॥
उत्पपात गिरेः शृङ्गाज्जिज्ञासुः खगमो गतिम्।
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रतिसंहृष्टमानसाः।
बभूवुर्हरिशार्दूला विक्रमाभ्युदयोन्मुखाः॥ १४॥
अथ पवनसमानविक्रमाः
प्लवगवराः प्रतिलब्धपौरुषाः।
अभिजिदभिमुखां दिशं ययु-
र्जनकसुतापरिमार्गणोन्मुखाः॥ १५॥
English Griffith
“With this and many a speech beside
My failing heart he fortified,
With glorious hope my breast inspired,
And to his holy home retired.
I scaled the mountain height, to view
The region round, and looked for you.
In ceaseless watchings night and day
A hundred seasons passed away,
And by the sage’s words consoled
I wait the hour and chance foretold.
But since Niśakar sought the skies.
And cast away all earthly ties,
Full many a care and doubt has pressed
With grievous weight upon my breast.
But for the saint who turned aside
My purpose I had surely died.
Those hopeful words the hermit spake,
That bid me live for Ráma’s sake,
Dispel my anguish as the light
Of lamp and torch disperse the night.”
He ceased: and in the Vánars’ view
Forth from his side young pinions grew,
And boundless rapture filled his breast
As thus the chieftains he addressed:
“Joy, joy! the pinions, which the Lord
Of Day consumed, are now restored
Through the dear grace & boundless might
Of that illustrious anchorite.
The fire of youth within me burns,
And all my wonted strength returns.
Onward, ye Vánars, toil strive,
And you shall find the dame alive.
Look on these new-found wings, and hence
Be strong in surest confidence.”
Swift from the crag he sprang to try
His pinions in his native sky.
His words the chieftains’ doubts had stilled,
And every heart with courage filled.778
Griffith’s notes (1)
- In the Bengal recension the fourth Book ends here, the remaining Cantos being placed in the fifth.