SECTION LVI.
When the monkeys had been seated in that mountain, with the intention of putting a period to their existence through fasting, a king of vultures happened to come to that quarter. And that long-lived bird was named Sampāti, the beautiful brother of Jatāyu, famous for his strength and prowess. Issuing from a cavern of the mighty mountain Vindhya, he, seeing the monkeys seated, well pleased, said— "Verily man[178] reapeth the fruit of his former acts; and therefore it is that this food ordained to that end, comes to me after a long time. I shall feed on these monkeys, one by one, slaying them one after another." Eying those apes, the bird expressed himself thus. Hearing this speech of the bird coveting his food, Angada faintly spoke to Hanumān, "Behold! through Sitā's simplicity[179] this one—the very son of the Sun, Yama—hath come to this place, to exterminate the monkeys. Rāma's work hath not been done; nor the royal mandate. And this disaster hath arrived unthought of by the monkeys. Ye have in detail heard all that, inspired with the desire of doing what is good unto Vaidehi, that king of vultures, Jatāyu, did here. In this way, all creatures, even the brute species, compass the welfare of Rāma, renouncing their lives, as we do. It is because of the love and tenderness[180] they bear towards (Rāma), that people do good unto each other. And therefore the righteous Jatāyu, of his own accord laying down his life, hath done the pleasure of Rāma. We also, overcome with fatigue and (almost) dying, have come to this forest; but Mithilā's daughter we find not. Happy is that king of vultures, having been slain by Rāvana in battle. He hath got quit of the fear of Sugriva, and hath also attained supreme state. In consequence of the death of Jatāyu and that of king Daçaratha, as well as owing to the ravishment of Vaidehi, (the lives of) the monkeys have come into jeopardy. Rāma's and Lakshmana's abode in the forest with Sitā, Rāghava's slaying of Vāli with a shaft, the slaughter of innumerable Rākshasas by the enraged Rāma, and (finally) this mishap—all these owe their orgin to the bestowal of the boon on Kaikeyi." Seeing the monkeys stretched on the earth, and hearing their piteous words describing their grief, that magnanimous king of vultures, with his mind agitated, said (this). And hearing the words that issued from Angada's mouth, the sharp-beaked and high-toned vulture, said,— "Who is it that, making my mind tremble, speaketh of the death of my brother, Jatāyu, dearer unto me than life? How happened in Janasthāna the fight between the Rākshasa and the vulture? It is after a long time that to-day I hear the name of my brother. I wish to alight from this mountain-fastness. I have been well pleased by listening after a long time to the celebration of the virtues of my younger brother, cognizant of qualities and worthy of being extolled by reason of his prowess. Ye foremost of monkeys, I wish to hear of the destruction of Jatāyu, who dwelt in Janasthāna. And how could Daçaratha, whose beloved eldest son is Rāma, dear unto his superiors, be the friend of my brother? I can not move in consequence of my wings having been burnt by the solar rays. But I wish that ye may take me down from this mountain."