October 1 - Sargas 55 and 56 of Kishkindha Kanda.
Angada rejects Hanuman's suggestion, citing Sugriva's track record which was lacking in righteousness. He and the vanaras lie down on darbha grass on the seashore and recount amidst much wailing how their fate has been blighted. Angada loudly recounts to Hanuman the story of Kaikeyi's misconduct triggering a whole series of wretched events leading to Jataayu's martyrdom and Sita's abduction and how now they are laying down their lives.
All this is heard by a giant bird, ancient and deathless, emerging from a cave on the mountain. He is Sampati, elder brother of Jataayu. He announces himself and asks the vanaras to carry him down as he has lost his wings long ago, and tell him everything, leaving no detail however small.
***
Today happens to be the 164th day of my Valmiki Ramayana parayana which started on Sri Rama Navami.
Around 330 sargas have been covered -we are more than halfway along the glorious path of Sri Rama's life journey (that is the literal meaning of Ramayana).
***
Although Hanuman's advice was rooted in Dharma and based on statesmanship, Angada is too distraught to listen to him. He has a ready answer; Sugriva is bad and will never do good by Angada.
स्थैर्यमात्ममनःशौचमानृशंस्यमथार्जवम् ।
विक्रमश्चैव धैर्यं च सुग्रीवे नोपपद्यते ॥
विस्मृतो राघवो येन स कस्य सुकृतं स्मरेत् ।
राज्ये पुत्रः प्रतिष्ठाप्यः सुगुणो निर्गुणोऽपि वा ।
कथं शत्रुकुलीनं मां सुग्रीवो जीवयिष्यति ॥
"Dear Hanuman, it seems you do not know Mr.Sugriva. Noble qualities like steadfastness, purity of mind and soul, compassion, transparency, valour, and forbearance are foreign to his nature.
"He did the heinous act of incest by cohabiting with my mother Tara, who was his elder brother's wife. He forgot the promise he made solemnly to Sri Rama and he had to be reminded harshly by a furious Lakshmana to start Sita's search. Such a man would do no good ever by me. I am his enemy Vali's son.
"Hanuman, I tell you. I know what Sugriva will do as soon as he begets a son. Whether that son is worthy or totally useless, he will install him as his successor. So there is no chance of his wanting to see me alive.
"My death at his hands is certain. So dear vanaras and veteran heroes here! I bid you all goodbye. I shall lay down my life here and now. You will have to help Sri Rama find Sita.
"Please go back and report everything and convey my respects to King Sugriva, Queen Ruma, and my pitiable mother, such a noble and wise soul, Tara. She will surely die of distress at my going this way."
All the vanaras decide, amidst loud wailing, that they would also rather die along with Angada than go and face the tyrant, the evil Sugriva. They all start remembering Vali and tell one another how great he was as their king.
They all say their prayers with water ablutions, and lie down on darbha grass, facing east but with their mats facing south, the direction of Death.
***
The vanaras could not stop telling one another the sad stories of how Sri Rama was wrongly banished to the forest, of Dasharatha's death, of Sri Rama's killing the rakshasas who were terrorizing Janasthana, then Ravana's trickery and abduction of Sita, then the heroic Jataayu's martyrdom, then the alliance between Sri Rama and their king Sugriva, the subsequent death of Vali, and now their fruitless search for Sita.
Their loud wailings amidst hot tears resonated from all the mountains around and created a rather frighteningly loud cacophony.
And as if that was not enough, they now saw a huge bird on the hill. He was unbelievably large and old. They could sense his relishing the prospect of devouring them. He had stirred out of his cave hearing their noises.
They heard him say this to himself:
विधिः किल नरं लोके विधानेनानुवर्तते ।
यथायं विहितो भक्ष्यश्चिरान्मह्यमुपागतः ॥
परम्पराणां भक्षिष्ये वानराणां मृतं मृतम् ।
उवाचैतद् वचः पक्षी तान् निरीक्ष्य प्लवङ्गमान् ॥
The vanaras heard the big bird muttering to himself, "Indeed, Destiny rules men's lives as pre-ordained. See how life has now provided me food after my long period of starvation.
"I see these vanaras are laying down their lives. I shall eat one by one as they die. "
***
Angada now was even more distressed and turned to Hanuman.
"What Hanuman, in the name of Sita, the god of Death Yama seems to have arrived in the form of this bird! Sri Rama's task remains unaccomplished, Sugriva's order is unfulfilled. And now this attack from this bird of prey!"
"I remember how the great bird Jataayu fought Ravana heroically to prevent his carrying off Sita. He gave up his life for Sri Rama. But where are we? We have failed Sri Rama and now are drained of energy and hope. If only Jataayu had not died, all this would not have happened! Sri Rama would have arrived in time to deal with Ravana. I blame Kaikeyi roundly for setting this chain of adverse events in motion - Sri Rama's banishment, Dasharatha's death, the abduction of Sita, the death of my father Vali..."
***
That ancient bird Sampati was deeply distressed to hear that his younger brother Jataayu had lost his life. He addressed the vanaras.
तदिच्छेयमहं श्रोतुं विनाशं वानरर्षभाः ॥
भ्रातुर्जटायुषस्तस्य जनस्थाननिवासिनः ।
तस्यैव च मम भ्रातुः सखा दशरथः कथम् ॥
यस्य रामः प्रियः पुत्रो ज्येष्ठो गुरुजनप्रियः ।
सूर्यांशुदग्धपक्षत्वान्न शक्नोमि विसर्पितुम् ॥
इच्छेयं पर्वतादस्मादवतर्तुमरिंदमाः ।
Sampati called out to the vanaras: "Oh mighty vanaras! I wish to know how the demise of my brother Jataayu came about. He lived in Janasthana in Dandakaranya. King Dasharatha was a close ally of my brother's. I also know that the eldest son of Dasharatha is the noble Sri Rama, beloved of all elders and wise people.
"My wings were burnt by Surya-the sun god's rays. Therefore I cannot come down on my own. Please help me get down to be in your midst."
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
