Shloka 4.58.26
सम्पातिवाक्यम् (Sampāti’s Counsel and the Revelation of Laṅkā)
ज्ञानेन खलु पश्यामि दृष्ट्वा प्रत्यागमिष्यथ।आद्यः पन्थाः कुलिङ्गानां ये चान्ये धान्यजीविनः।।4.58.26।।द्वितीयो बलिभोजानां ये च वृक्षफलाशिनः।भासास्तृतीयं गच्छन्ति क्रौञ्चाश्च कुररैस्सह।।4.58.27।।श्येनाश्चतुर्थं गच्छन्ति गृध्रा गच्छन्ति पञ्चमम्।
balavīryopapannānāṃ rūpayauvanaśālinām || 4.58.28 ||
ṣaṣṭhas tu panthā haṃsānāṃ vainateya-gatiḥ parā |
vainateyāc ca no janma sarveṣāṃ vānararṣabhāḥ || 4.58.29 ||
The sixth course belongs to the haṃsas—swans endowed with strength and vigor, with beauty and youth. Beyond that lies the supreme course of Vainateya, Garuḍa. Yet none of us is born of Vainateya, O best of vānaras.
'By intuition I know you would see Sita and return. On the first plane you will see sparrows and birds which live on grain. On the second, you will see crows living on the food offered to the dead and birds living on the fruits of trees, and then cocks, cranes and kraunchas moving on the third plane, on the fourth, hawks and falcons and on the fifth, vultures.
Dharma is honesty about status and capability: Sampāti recognizes higher powers (Garuḍa’s course) while affirming his group’s true lineage—truthful speech that prevents delusion and arrogance.
Continuing his explanation of aerial strata, Sampāti places swans in a higher course and notes an even higher course associated with Garuḍa, clarifying that the present group does not belong to that exalted line.
Satya (truthfulness) paired with humility: acknowledging greatness without falsely claiming it.