Chapter 57 - Angada’s "Narrative

Though the voice of Sampati faltered on account of grief, the Chiefs of the Monkeys did not trust him, doubting his intentions.

Seated for the purpose of fasting to death, the monkeys, seeing that vulture, framed the following resolution, saying:—

“Let us help him to descend and he will then devour us all; should he do so, while we are seated here fasting, we shall have achieved our purpose and shall speedily attain success.”

Having thus resolved, they assisted the vulture to descend from the summit of the mountain and Angada addressed him saying:—

“There was a great King of the Monkeys named Riksharajas, the founder of our race; he was my grandsire, O Bird. He had two virtuous sons, Bali and Sugriva, both were exceedingly powerful. My father Bali, was famed throughout the world for his exploits.

“Now it happened that the Sovereign of the whole earth, the descendant of Ikshvaku, the great and illustrious car warrior, Rama, the son of King Dasaratha, obedient to the injunctions of his sire, fixed in the path of righteousness, entered the forest of Dandaka with his brother Lakshmana and his consort Vaidehi. His spouse was forcibly borne away from Janasthana by Ravana and the friend of Rama’s father, the Prince of Vultures, Jatayu, observed Sita, Videha’s daughter, being carried through the air. Having shattered Ravana’s chariot and released Maithili, that vulture being old and exhausted finally fell under Ravana’s blows. Slain by the powerful Ravana, he had his funeral rites performed by Rama himself and attained the celestial abode. Then Raghava allied himself with my paternal uncle, Sugriva, and slew my sire, who had banished him from the kingdom with his ministers.

“Having killed Bali, Rama installed Sugriva as Lord and Monarch of all the Monkeys. We have been sent by him in all directions under Rama’s orders to search for Sita but we have not found Vaidehi, as by night one is unable to perceive the splendour of the sun. Having explored the Dandaka Forest, we, through ignorance, penetrated into a cave through a rift in the earth. That cavern was constructed by the illusive power of Maya and there we passed the month fixed by the King of the Monkeys, as the term appointed; while executing the commands of Sugriva, we exceeded the time fixed and from fear have seated ourselves here, resolved to die of hunger, for, if we return to face the wrath of Kakutstha, Sugriva and Lakshmana, we shall surely be put to death!”