Sages & Others

Sampati

सम्पाति

The Vulture With the Burnt Wings

Who was Sampati?

Sampati (सम्पाति): The Vulture With the Burnt Wings, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. King of birds and elder brother of Jatayu.

Quick Facts

Key facts about Sampati
Sanskrit nameसम्पाति
Title / EpithetThe Vulture With the Burnt Wings
FactionSages & Others
Key traitswingless, grieving, knowing, generous
Notable relationshipsGuide: Hanuman, Unmet ally: Rama, Enemy known of old: Ravana
Featured in1 story

About Sampati

King of birds and elder brother of Jatayu. Racing his brother toward the sun in their youth, his wings burned away while Jatayu's did not, and he fell on a mountain above the southern sea and had lain there ever since. When Hanuman's search party sat down on that shore resolved to starve, he came out to devour them, heard them speaking of Jatayu's death, and gave them instead the one thing they needed: that Lanka stood across the water in a valley of the Trikuta hills.

In Their Words

I am Sampati, elder brother of Jatayu. Tell me how my brother died.

Sampati

Traits

  • wingless
  • grieving
  • knowing
  • generous

Story Appearances

Character Arc

  1. The Race to the SunTwo brothers climbing, and only one pair of wings left
  2. The Shore of the StarvingMonkeys who had given up, and a shadow above them
  3. The Direction GivenRavana is known to me, and Sita must be there

Key Relationships

Places in Sampati's Story

Drawn from the story Sampati appears in.

Others counted among the Sages & Others.