Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 61

Meaning

Thereupon Sampāti related in the following words to the sage Niśākara all about that impetuous act (in the form of discomfiting Indra), which was so hard to accomplish and had been rashly undertaken, as also about their wild goose chase after the sun : (1)

Meaning

“Due to my being afflicted with wounds inflicted by the thunderbolt of Indra and my mind being confused through shame (at my humiliation and frustration that followed in the wake of my chasing the sun) and exhausted by my arduous journey to your hermitage, I cannot narrate my story at length. O venerable sage ! (2)

Meaning

“Having taken a vow on a peak of Mount Kailāsa in the presence of hermits that the sun must be followed till it reached the huge Western Mountain (where the sun is supposed to set), Jaṭāyu, my younger brother, and myself too, who were anxious to test our relative strength, infatuated as we were with pride (occasioned by our having worsted Indra in an encounter), flew far into the sky in a spirit of emulation. (3-4)

Meaning

“Nay, having reached the sky together, we distinctly perceived cities on the earth’s surface, equal in size to the wheel of a chariot. (5)

Meaning

“In one region of the sky was heard the sound of musical instruments, while in another could be heard the jingling of ornaments. In a third region we found singing numerous young ladies clad in red. (6)

Meaning

“Nay, speedily rising above the region immediately below the path of the sun and having reached the path of the sun, we found the forest below looking like a grassy plot. (7)

Meaning

“Thickly covered with mountains, the earth looked as though strewn with pebbles; nay, surrounded by rivers, the terrestrial globe appeared entwined with threads. (8)

Meaning

“The Himalayan range as well as the Vindhyan range and the huge mountain Meru too vividly appeared on the earth’s surface as so many elephants in a pond. (9)

Meaning

“Intense perspiration and fatigue as well as fear presently came upon us. Nay, confusion and then violent unconsciousness too overcame us. (10)

Meaning

“Neither the southern quarter presided over by Yama, the god of retribution, nor the south-eastern corner presided over by the god of fire nor again the western quarter presided over by Varuṇa (the god of water) could be distinguished between. The world, which is governed by laws of nature and could not perish before the appointed time, seemed to have been consumed by fire as at the time of universal destruction (lit., the end of a Kalpa or cycle). (11)

Meaning

“Nay, falling back upon the sense of vision as its medium, my mind for its part got lost (due to the failure of my vision). Fixing once more my mind and eyes on the sun with great effort, of course, the sun could at least be seen with great effort. The sun appeared to us to be equal in size to the earth. (12-13)

Meaning

“Without taking leave of me, Jaṭāyu then descended to the earth. Seeing him descend, I too speedily let myself fall from the sky. (14)

Meaning

“Having been protected by me with my wings, Jaṭāyu was not burnt; I, however; got my wings badly burnt at that time due to my recklessness. While falling down from the sky I suspected Jaṭāyu to have dropped somewhere in Janasthāna; while I fell down unconscious on the Vindhyan range, my wings having been burnt. (15-16)

Meaning

“Deprived of my rulership of the feathered kingdom and my brother, and shorn of my wings and prowess, and, therefore, seeking death alone under all circumstances, I will fall down from a mountain-peak.” (17)