Sampati, the other vulture

All who are learnt about stories of Ramayan are familiar with the heroic vulture bird Jatayu. The one who fought Ravana valiantly when it saw the that he was forcibly carrying Godess Sita after kidnapping her from Panchvati.

Much has been talked and written about the bravado shown by Jatayu in that the fight with Ravana, clipping of its wings, waiting for Lord Rama and informing him about the identity of his wife’s kidnapper. But the information provided by Jatayu ends at the, who was the kidnapper and in what direction did he fly.

Considering Panchvati is near modern day central Indian town Nashik, the group of vanaras including Angada, Hanuman and Jambuvanta who left for south, had the whole of south India southwards of Panchavati or Kishkindha (Modern Day Hampi). It is not surprising that in scanning this large region of land downsouth, Vanaras were unsuccesful of finding anymore clues of whereabouts of Ravana and/or Sita. At this crucial juncture when, vanaras were almost giving up on the search, is the first time Sampati is refered to in Ramayana.

Sampati was the brother of Jatayu, who got separated in their youth. The reason behind separation is written about to be one of their youthful adenture when both of them raced to reach the highest point in the skies and ended up too close to Surya-lok (Sun’s kingdom). Being so close to Sun, the one ahead in the race, Jatayu, was about to bear the burnt, literally. Sampati having realised this, acted immediately to protect his Jatayu by spreading his own wings and thus protecting his brother. On losing his wings, he fell down onto the earth in southern direction, and not being able to fly anymore got separated from his brother.

While that is an interesting story about the two vulture brothers, the importance of Sampati in Ramayan is of higher stature. When vanaras were tired and defeaed in the search of Sita, Sampati is known to have spotted them and taken them to be bnch of vanaras who are about to die and thus present themselves as a feast for the vulture. On knowing Sampati’s plans, Jambuvanta is believed to have made reference to Jatayu in almost a helpless utterance of contrasting comparison between two vultures. One who sacrificed its life for the protecting Sita and in service of Rama, and other planning to destroy the vanaras who are out with the purpose of service. On hearing the name of its long lost brother Jatayu, Sampati enquired about him and got to know of the heroic life and death and Jatayu. At this moment, is when Sampati is inspired to commit itself to the same noble service of Lord Rama that Jatayu sacrificed life for. Sampati who had the knowledge of southern region and beyon seas, is know to have told Vanaras about Lanka and its exact location across the sea.

Sampati, is critical to the story of Ramayana, considering if vanaras hadn’t found him, and had discontinued their so far fruitless search of sita, the Ramayana we know today would have been entirely different.