Shloka 4.57.9

सम्पाति–अङ्गदसंवादः / Sampati and Angada: Genealogy, Jatayu, and the Search Vow

Devanagari script

ते प्रायमुपविष्टास्तु दृष्ट्वा गृध्रं प्लवङ्गमाः।चक्रुर्बुद्धिं तदा रौद्रां सर्वान्नो भक्षयिष्यति।।।।

Transliteration

te prāyam upaviṣṭās tu dṛṣṭvā gṛdhraṃ plavaṅgamāḥ | cakrur buddhiṃ tadā raudrāṃ sarvān no bhakṣayiṣyati ||

Translation

Those monkeys, seated in their resolve to fast unto death, saw the vulture and formed a dreadful thought: “He will devour all of us.”

Context

On seeing the vulture, the monkeys fasting unto death got a terrible thought in theirminds that the vulture might eat them.

Characters & Entities

• Vānara troop (plavaṅgamāḥ)
• Sampāti (as the vulture encountered)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma-oriented discernment warns against fear-driven conclusions; anxiety can distort judgment and lead to injustice.

What is the narrative situation?

While fasting to death due to failure in the search, the vānaras see Sampāti and assume he intends to eat them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative lesson: the need for steadiness of mind (dhairya) instead of panic.