Sri Valmiki Ramayanam - Kishkindah Kanda (Book 4) Sarga 16 to 23

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar, 

 Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 16

Introduction

Vali dismissing Tara's words, who is dissuading him to confront Rama, starts out to fight out Sugreeva. A ghastly fight ensues in which Vali depletes Sugreeva's strength by the boon and Indra's chest-plate, and thus Sugreeva seeks Rama's help. Rama shoots his arrow which hits Vali on chest, but does not render him dead immediately. Thus that great mighty and unassailable Vali is brought down to ground

taam evam bruvatiim taaraam taaraadhipa nibha aananaam |
vaalii nirbhartsayaamaasa vacanam ca idam abraviit || 4-16-1

1. evam bruvatiim taaraa adhipa nibha aananaam= stars', lord's [moon,] in shine, faced one; taam taaraam= to her, to Tara; vaalii nirbhartsayaamaasa= Vali, daunted; idam vacanam abraviit= this, word, said.

While Tara with a face that shines like the lord of stars is speaking thus, Vali dauntingly spoke to her with these words. [4-16-1]

garjato asya ca susa.mrabdham bhraatuH shatror visheSataH |
ma.rSayiSyaami kena kaaraNena varaanane || 4-16-2

2. vara aanane= oh, pretty, faced one - Tara; bhraatuH= [younger] brother; visheSataH shatroH= particularly, an adversary; asya su samrabdham garjataH= he, very frenetically, while raving; kena api kaaraNena= by which [by any,] even, by reason; marSayiSyaami= I can tolerate [tell me.]

"He is an younger brother and an adversary in particular, oh, pretty-faced Tara, can I by any reason tolerate him when he kept raving on frenetically, tell me. [4-16-2]

adharSitaanaam shuuraaNaam samareSu anivartinaam |
dharSaNaam arSaNam bhiiru maraNaat atiricyate || 4-16-3

3. bhiiru= oh, shyly one; samareSu a+nivartinaam= in battle, not, retreating ones; a+dharSitaanaam= un, assailed ones [not get assailed by their incompetence]; shuuraaNaam= [to such] valorous ones; dharSaNaam arSaNam= confrontation [overweening calls,] endurance of; maraNaat atiricyate= death, more than.

"To those valiant ones who neither give ground nor get assailed in wars, oh, shyly, endurance of a overweening war-whoop is more than death. [4-16-3]

soDhum na ca samartho aham yuddha kaamasya sa.myuge |
sugriivasya ca sa.mra.mbham hiina griivasya garjatam || 4-16-4

4. aham samyuge= I, in duel; yuddha kaamasya= brawl, desiring, hiina griivasya= feeble, voiced [dumbly]; garjatam= bawling; sugriivasya= of Sugreeva; samrambham= commotion; soDhum na ca samarthaH= to withstand, not, also, I am capable.

"I am incapable of withstanding that dumbly Sugreeva's bawling commotion desiring a brawling duel. [4-16-4]

na ca kaaryo viSaadaH te raaghavam prati mat kR^ite |
dharmaj~naH ca kR^itaj~naH ca katham paapam kariSyati || 4-16-5

5. mat kR^ite= in my, respect - some harm to me; raaghavam prati= Raghava, about [running co; te viSaadaH na ca kaaryaH= to you, botheration, not, also, to be done - you need not bother; dharmaj~naH ca kR^itaj~naH ca= virtue-knower, diligent one; paapam katham kariSyati= sin, how, can do - I wonder.

"Also, you need not bother about Raghava's doing some harm to me, as I wonder how a diligent man and knower of virtue can commit sin. [4-16-5]

nivartasva saha striibhiH katham bhuuyo anugacChasi |
sauhR^idam darshitam taavat mayi bhak{}tiH tvayaa kR^itaa || 4-16-6

6. saha striibhiH nivartasva= with, [other] females, you return; bhuuyaH katham anugacChasi= again, how, you follow me; tvayaa sauhR^idam darshitam taavat= by you, friendliness, is shown - expressed, truly; mayi bhaktiH kR^itaa= in me, devotion, owing to.

"How do you follow me again, you return with all these females, truly you have expressed your friendliness owing to your devotion to me. [4-16-6]

prati yotsyaami aham gatvaa sugriivam jahi sa.mbhramam |
darpam ca asya vineSyaami na ca praaNair viyokSyate || 4-16-7

7. aham gatvaa sugriivam prati yotsyaami= I, on going, with Sugreeva, counter, attack - retaliate; sambhramam jahi= perplexity, do away with; asya darpam ca vi neSyaami= his, arrogance, also, I will drive out; praaNaiH na viyokSyate= by lives, not, [he will] be released - his lives will not be released.

"You may do away with your perplexity as I will retaliate Sugreeva on my going there only to drive him and his arrogance out, but without letting his lives loose. [4-16-7]

aham hi aji sthitasya asya kariSyaami yat iipsitam |
vR^ikshaiH muSTi prahaaraiH ca piiDitaH prati yaasyati || 4-16-8

8. aham hi= I, indeed; aji sthitasya= in combat, firmed up; asya yat iipsitam= his, which, desired; [that= that]; kariSyaami= I wish to effectuate; vR^ikshaiH muSTi prahaaraiH ca= [ by caning] with trees, fist, fights, also; piiDitaH prati yaasyati= roughed up, return, he goes.

"As he is firmed up for a combat, I will indeed have to effectuate what his desire is, by caning with trees and fistfights, by which roughed up he returns. [4-16-8]

na me garvitam aayastam sahiSyati duraatmavaan |
kR^itam taare sahaayatvam darshitam sauhR^idam mayi || 4-16-9

9. dur aatmavaan= malign minded [Sugreeva]; me garvitam aayastam= my, nerve, pace [of combat]; na sahiSyati= cannot, tolerate; tare= oh, Tara; sahaayatvam kR^itam= [intellectual] help, is done [by you]; mayi sauhR^idam darshitam= in me, friendliness, shown [by you, it is enough.]

"My nerve and pace of combat will be insufferable to that malign minded Sugreeva, oh, Tara, you have offered your helping suggestion and you have shown all your friendliness to me, it is enough. [4-16-9]

shaapitaa asi mama praaNaiH nivartasva janena ca |
alam jitvaa nivartiSye tam aham bhraataram raNe || 4-16-10

10. mama praaNaiH shaapitaa asi= on my, lives, sworn, you are; janena ca nivartasva= with followers, also, you return; aham= I; tam bhraataram= that, brother; raNe alam jitvaa nivartiSye= in combat, easily, on defeating, I return [revert Sugreeva.]

"I adjured you on my lives, return with your followers, and I shall return to you on easily defeating and returning that 'brother of mine." Said Vali to Tara. [4-16-10]

tam tu taaraa pariSvajya vaalinam priya vaadinii |
cakaara rudatii mandam dakSiNaa saa pradakSiNam || 4-16-11

11. priya vaadinii= pleasant, articulator; dakSiNaa= talented one [in advising]; saa taaraa= she, that Tara; tam vaalinam pariSvajya= him, that Vali, on hugging; mandam rudatii= repressively, moaning; pradakSiNam cakaara= circumambulation, made [round Vali.]

She that pleasant articulator and talented Tara then hugged and circumabulated Vali, suppressing her moaning, as an honour to the braver. [4-16-11]

tataH svastyayanam kR^itvaa ma.ntravit vijaya eSiNii |
a.ntaHpuram saha striibhiH praviSTaa shoka mohitaa || 4-16-12

12. tataH= then; mantra vit= hymn, knower - Tara; vijaya eSiNii= triumph, wishing; svasti ayanam kR^itvaa= blessings, for journey [bon voyage,] on making; shoka mohitaa= by sadness, disoriented; striibhiH saha antaHpuram praviSTaa= with, females, palace chambers, entered.

Then she who is a hymnodist that Tara has performed a hymnal bon voyage wishing triumph to Vali, and entered palace chambers along with other females, disoriented by her own sadness. [4-16-12]

The swatyayana is a Vedic formality performed by the mothers / wives of the combating gallants at the time of the departure of heros to battlefields, by placing red tilaka on forehead, aarati , with camphor burning, akshata , sprinkling grain on head, handing him his bow or sword, all with respective Vedic hymns. The weaponry of these heroes will be in the custody of their wives, for they have to worship the weaponry that brings victory to their husbands. Seetha also gives Rama his bow and sword in Aranya Kanda, on his departure to forests from Suteekshna's hermitage as at 3-8-18.

praviSTaayaam tu taaraayaam saha striibhiH svam aalayam |
nagaryaa niryayau kruddho mahaa sarpa iva shvasan || 4-16-13

13. taaraayaam= Tara; striibhiH saha= females, along with; svam aalayam praviSTaayaam= her, own chambers, on entering; kruddhaH= infuriated; mahaa sarpa iva shvasan= great, snake, like, hissing; nagaryaa niryayau= from city, came out.

On Tara entering her own palace chambers along with other females, Vali emerged out of the city hissing like an infuriated great snake. [4-16-13]

sa niHshvasya mahaaroSo vaalii parama vegavaan |
sarvataH caarayan dR^iSTim shatru darshana kaa.nkSayaa || 4-16-14

14. maha roSaH= highly, rancorous; saH vaalii= he that, Vali; parama vegavaan= one with high, audacious; niHshvasya= suspired; shatru darshana kaankSayaa= enemy, sighting, intending to; sarvataH dR^iSTim caarayan= everywhere, his sight, spread out.

He that highly rancorous Vali suspired with high audacity and spread his sight everywhere intending to sight his enemy. [4-16-14]

sa dadarsha tataH shriimaan sugriivam hema pi~Ngalam |
susa.mviitam avaSTabdham diipyamaanam iva analam || 4-16-15

15. tataH= then; shriimaan saH= celebrated one, he [Vali]; hema pi~Ngalam= with golden, ochre [body brilliance]; su samviitam= well, tying up [girdle cloth]; avaSTabdham= self-confidence; diipyamaanam iva analam= blazing, like, fire; sugriivam dadarsha= at Sugreeva, [Vali] saw.

Then that celebrated Vali saw Sugreeva who is in golden-ochre hue, whose girdle cloth is tightened for a fight, and who is with an air of self-confidence, blazing like fiery-fire. [4-16-15]

tam sa dR^iSTvaa mahaabaahuH sugriivam paryavasthitam |
gaaDham paridadhe vaaso vaalii parama kopinaH || 4-16-16

16. parama kopanaH= highly, provoked; mahaabaahuH= strong armed one; saH vaalii= he that, Vali; paryavasthitam [pari ava sthitam]= [fully, nearly, available] proximately available; tam sugriivam dR^iSTvaa= him, that Sugreeva, on seeing; vaasaH gaaDham paridadhe= cloth, tightly, he wore [tightened his own girdle cloth.]

That strong armed Vali who is highly provoked has also tightened his girdle cloth on seeing proximately available Sugreeva. [4-16-16]

sa vaalii gaaDha sa.mviito muSTim udyamya viiryavaan |
sugriivam eva abhimukho yayau yoddhum kR^ita kSaNaH || 4-16-17

17. gaaDha samviitaH= strongly, tightening [girdle cloth]; viiryavaan= formidable one; saH vaalii= he, Vali; muSTim udyamya= fist, uplifting; yoddhum= to fight; kR^ita kSaNaH= made, moment [timed well]; sugriivam eva abhimukhaH yayau= Sugreeva, only, towards, proceeded.

He that formidable Vali strongly tightening his girdle-cloth too, and proceeded towards Sugreeva in a well timed manner uplifting fists to fight him off. [4-16-17]

shliSTam muSTim samudyamya sa.mrabdhataram aagataH |
sugriivo api samuddishya vaalinam hema maalinam || 4-16-18

18. sugriivaH api= Sugreeva, even; shliSTam muSTim samudyamya= tightening, fist, lifting at the ready; hema maalinam vaalinam= one with golden, pendent, at Vali; samuddishya= well-aiming; samrabdha taram aagataH= hasty, highly [hastiest imprudent Vali] has come at.

Even Sugreeva has come at that imprudent Vali with golden pendant, on tightening his fists, lifting them up at the ready, and aiming them well at Vali. [4-16-18]

tam vaalii krodha taamraakSaH sugriivam raNa kovidam |
aapata.ntam mahaa vegam idam vacanam abraviit || 4-16-19

19. vaalii= Vali; krodha taamra akSaH= by fury, reddened, eyed; raNa kovidam= fighting, expert in; mahaa vegam= one with great, speed - expeditious one; aa patantam= coming, falling - swooping down; tam sugriivam= to him Sugreeva; idam vacanam abraviit= this, word, said.

Vali spoke this word to that Sugreeva who is swooping down on him, whose eyes are reddened in fury, and who is an expert and expeditious in fighting. [4-16-19]

eSa muSTir mahaan baddho gaaDhaH suniyata a.nguliH |
mayaa vega vimuk{}taH te praaNaan aadaaya yaasyati || 4-16-20

20. su niyata anguliH= well, clenching, fingers; gaaDhaH= firmly clenched; eSa baddhaH mahaan muSTiH= this, clenched, great, fist; mayaa vega vi muktaH= by me, very, speedily, while released [pitched]; te praaNaan aadaaya= you, lives, on taking; yaasyati= it goes off [unclenched.]

"Properly clenching fingers this great fist of mine is firmly clenched, and it will unclench only on taking your lives when I pitch this on you at full speed." So said Vali threateningly to Sugreeva. [4-16-20]

evam uk{}taH tu sugriivaH kruddho vaalinam abraviit |
tava ca eSa haran praaNaan muSTiH patatu muurdhani || 4-16-21

21. evam uktaH tu sugriivaH= thus, said, but, Sugreeva; kruddhaH= one with high dudgeon; vaalinam abraviit= to Vali said; eSa muSTiH= this is, [my fist]; tava praaNaan haran= your, lives, to take; muurdhani patatu= on forehead, shall fall.

Thus said, Sugreeva with high dudgeon said, "this fist of mine shall fall on your forehead plundering your lives." [4-16-21]

taaDitaH tena tam kruddhaH samabhikramya vegataH |
abhavat shoNita udgaarii saapiiDa iva parvataH || 4-16-22

22. vegataH= instantaneously; samabhikramya [sam abhi kramaya]= coming nearby; tena= by him, by Vali; taaDitaH= one who is hit [Sugreeva - spilled blood]; kruddhaH= is enraged; shoNita udgaarii= blood, streaming; saa piiDaH= with torrents; parvataH iva= mountain, like; abhavat= he became.

Coming near instantaneously Vali hit him, whereby Sugreeva is enraged and became like a mountain streaming blood in its torrents. [4-16-22]

sugriiveNa tu niHsha.nkam saalam utpaaTya tejasaa |
gaatreSu abhihato vaalii vajreNa iva mahaa giriH || 4-16-23

23. sugriiveNa tu= by Sugreeva, but; tejasaa= by his force; niHshankam= unhesitatingly; saalam utpaaTya= saala tree, on uprooting; vaalii= Vali is; vajreNa mahaa giriH iva= by thunderbolt, great mountain, as with; gaatreSu abhihataH= on limbs, struck.

But  Sugreeva unhesitatingly uprooted a saala tree with his force and thrashed the limbs of Vali as with the thunderbolt thrashing a great mountain. [4-16-23]

sa tu vR^iksheNa nirbhagnaH saala taaDana vihvalaH |
guru bhaara bhara aakraantaa nauH sasaarthaa iva saagare || 4-16-24

24. saala taaDana vihvalaH= with saala tree, by thwacking, one who is staggered; saH tu= he, that Vali, but; saagare= in ocean; guru bhaara bhara aakraantaa= heavy, weight, filled with, brimming with; sa saarthaa nauH iva= with, merchants, [tossing] ship, like; nirbhagnaH= [on the brink of] wrecking.

But Vali when thwacked with saala tree had staggered and looked like a tossing ship in an ocean filled with heavy weight of merchandise and brimming with merchants, but on the brink of wrecking. [4-16-24]

tau bhiima bala vikraantau suparNa sama veginau |
prayuddhau ghora vapuSau candra suuryau iva a.mbare || 4-16-25
parasparam amitra ghnau cChidra anveSaNa tatparau |

25, 26a. bhiima bala vikraantau= sesational, with energy, triumphing zeal; suparNa sama veginau= Divine Eagle, Garuda, equalling, in swiftness; ghora vapuSau= with frightful, body builds; paraH param= one to another - each other; cChidra anveSaNa tatparau= perilous [body-parts,] in exploring, vigilant ones; a + mitra ghnau= un, friendly ones [enemies,] killers of; tau= those two, Vali and Sugreeva; ambare candra suuryau iva=] in sky, Moon, sun, like [which is an inconceivable fight]; pra yuddhau= frighteningly, fought.

Those two, Vali and Sugreeva, with their sensational energy, triumphing zeal, frightful physiques, swiftness as good as the Divine Eagle Garuda, vigilance in exploring perilous body parts of one another, ravagement of their own enemies fought frighteningly, like the sun and moon in the sky, which is inconceivable. [4-16-25, 26a]

tato avardhata vaalii tu bala viirya samanvitaH || 4-16-26
suurya putro mahaaviiryaH sugriivaH parihiiyata |

26b, 27a. tataH= afterwards; bala viirya samanvitaH= by might, vigour, one possessing; vaalii tu= Vali, but; avardhata= progressed; mahaaviiryaH suurya putraH sugriivaH= greatly, mighty, sun's, son, Sugreeva; pari hiiyata= totally, declined - retrogressed.

But Vali being the possessor of might and vigour progressed and though greatly mighty is son of sun, Sugreeva, regressed. [4-16-26b, 27a]

vaalinaa bhagna darpaH tu sugriivo manda vikramaH || 4-16-27
vaalinam prati saamarSo darshayaamaasa raaghavam |

27b, 28a. vaalinaa bhagna darpaH tu= by Vali, routed, pride; sugriivaH manda vikramaH= Sugreeva, retardant, in agression; sa a+marSaH= with, no, happiness [with exasperation]; vaalinam prati= Vali, to counteract; raaghavam= for Raghava; darshayaamaasa= started to see.

Sugreeva became retardant in aggression when Vali routed his pride and then he exasperatedly started searching for Raghava to counteract Vali. [4-16-27]

vR^ikshaiH sa shaakhaiH shikharaiH vajra koTi nibhaiH nakhaiH || 4-16-28
muSTibhiH jaanubhiH padbhiH baahubhiH ca punaH punaH |
tayoH yudddham abhuut ghoram vR^itra vaasavoH iva || 4-16-29

28b, 29. tayoH= among those two; vR^ikshaiH sa shaakhaiH= with trees, with, branches; shikharaiH= peaks [of mountains]; vajra koTi nibhaiH nakhaiH= thunderbolts, edges, similar [in sharpness,] with [edged] nails; muSTibhiH jaanubhiH padbhiH= with fists, with knees, with feet; baahubhiH ca= with arms, also; vR^itra vaasavoH iva= among demon Vritra, Indra, like [as has happened]; punaH punaH= again, again; ghoram yudddham abhuut= deadly, fight, there happened.

Among those two there happened a deadly fight time and again using trees with branches, peaks of mountains, their own nails that are similar to the razor-sharp edges of thunderbolts, and with fists, knees, feet, and arms, like the fight that once chanced between demon Vritra and Indra. [4-16-28b, 29]

tau shoNitaat{}kau yudhyetaam vaanaarau van caariNau |
meghau iva mahaa shabdaiH tarjamaanau parasparam || 4-16-30

30. vana caariNau tau vaanaarau= forest, movers, those, vanara-s; shoNit aatkau= with blood, wetted [soaked]; parasparam tarjamaanau= each to each, threatening; mahaa shabdaiH= with great, uproars; meghau iva= clouds, like; yudhyetaam= gone on fighting.

Those forest moving vanara-s that are soaked in blood have gone on clashing, threatening each other, like two clouds clashing uproariously. [4-16-30]

hiiyamaanam atha apashyat sugriivam vaanareshvaram |
prekshamaaNam dishaH ca eva raaghavaH sa muhur muhur || 4-16-31

31. atha= then; saH raaghavaH= he, that Raghava; muhuH muhuH= again, again; dishaH prekshamaaNam= directions, started seeing [for help]; vaanara iishvaram sugriivam= vanara, lord of, at Sugreeva; hiiyamaanam eva ca= deteriorating, even, also; apashyat= has seen.

Raghava has then seen the lord of monkeys Sugreeva who is repeatedly eyeing all sides for help and who is even deteriorating in his enterprise. [4-16-31]

tato raamo mahaatejaa aartam dR^iSTvaa hariishvaram |
sa sharam viikshate viiro vaalino vadha kaa.nkshayaa || 4-16-32

32. tataH= then; mahaatejaa viiraH saH raamaH= great, refulgent one, fearless one, he that Rama; hari iishvaram= monkey's, lord - Sugreeva; aartam dR^iSTvaa= in forlornness, on seeing; vaalinaH vadha kaankshayaa= for Vali's, elimination, aiming at; sharam viikshate= he [Rama,] arrow, scanned for.

On seeing the lord of monkeys Sugreeva in a forlornness, then the refulgent and fearless Rama scanned for an arrow aiming to eliminate Vali. [4-16-32]

tato dhanuSi sa.mdhaaya sharam aashii viSa upamam |
puurayaamaasa tat caapam kaala cakram iva antakaH || 4-16-33

33. tataH= then; aashii viSa upamam= which has fang's, venom, in simile - venomous serpent like; sharam dhanuSi sandhaaya= arrow, in bow, on tautening; antakaH kaala cakram iva= Terminator, Time, disc, like [bow]; puurayaamaasa tat caapam= started to draw out [the string,] that, bow.

Then on tautening a venomous serpent like arrow in the bow, Rama started to draw out bowstring, whereby that bow attained a similitude with the Time-disc of the Terminator. [4-16-33]

tasya jyaatala ghoSeNa trastaaH patraratheshvaraaH |
pradudruvur mR^igaaH ca eva yugaa.nta iva mohitaaH || 4-16-34

34. tasya= that bow's; jyaa tala ghoSeNa= bowstring's, surface, blast; trastaaH= panicked; patra ratha iishvaraaH= by wings, charioting - birds, lordly ones [very big birds, leave alone small birds]; mR^igaaH ca eva= animals, also, thus; yuga anta mohitaaH iva= at era, end, those that are startled, like; pra dudruvuH= verily, fled.

At the blast of bowstring the lordly birds and animals are panicked, like those that will be startled by the approach of ear ending, and they all fled. [4-16-34]

muk{}tastu vajra nirghoSaH pradiipta ashani sa.mnibhaH |
raaghaveNa mahaa baaNo vaali vakSasi paatitaH || 4-16-35

35. raaghaveNa muktaH= by Raghava, released; vajra nirghoSaH= thunderbolt's, with sound of - boom of thunderclap; pradiipta ashani sannibhaH= flashing, lightning, similar to; mahaa baaNaH= great, arrow; vaali vakSasi paatitaH= on Vali's, chest, fallen.

The arrow released by Raghava that has the boom of thunderbolt's thunderclap and the flashes of a lightning fell on the chest of Vali. [4-16-35]

tataH tena mahaatejaa viirya yuk{}taH kapiishvaraH |
vegena abhihato vaalii nipapaata mahii tale || 4-16-36

36. tataH= then; mahaatejaa= highly, magnificent one; viirya yuktaH= intrepidity, one having; kapi iishvaraH= monkey's, lord [Vali]; tena= by it [by arrow]; vegena abhihataH= by fleetness, hit; mahii tale nipapaata= on earth's, plane, fell down.

Hit by the fleetness of that arrow then that highly magnificent and intrepid lord of monkeys Vali fell onto the plane of earth. [4-16-36]

indra dhvaja iva uddhuuta paurNa maasyaam mahiitale |
ashvayuk samaye maasi gata sattvo vicetanaH |
baaSpa sa.mruddha kaNThastu vaalii ca aarta svaraH shanaiH || 4-16-37

37. ashvayuk samaye= Ashvayuja / Ashvin, period; maasi paurNa maasyaam= by month, in full-moon month [fortnight]; mahiitale= onto ground; uddhuuta indra dhvaja iva= thrown down, Indra's, flag, like; vaalii= Vali is; gata sattvaH= depleted, energy; vi cetanaH= without [dissipated,] vitality; shanaiH= slowly; baaSpa samruddha kaNThaH= tear, blocked, with throat; aarta svaraH= with painful, voicing - with piteous moan [ fell down.]

Like the flag that will be raised in honour of Indra during the month of ashvin on a full-moon day, but thrown onto earth along with its flagstaff after the festival, Vali with depleted energy and dissipated vitality slowly fell onto ground, and with tears blocking throat he moaned piteously. [4-16-37]

This indra dhvaja ustava , festival of Indra's flagstaff will be undertaken after the sixth lunar month of year, usually after summer in order to appease Indra to cause rains. On full-moon day in Ashvayuja month [October-November] this will be performed and after the ritual the flag / flagstaff will be thrown to ground.

narottamaH kaala yugaa.ntakopamam sharottamam kaa.mcana ruupyabhuuSitam |
sasarja diiptam tam amitra mardanam sa dhuumamagnim mukhato yathaa haraH || 4-16-38

38. nara uttamaH= among men, best one Rama; kaala= at the time of era end; yuga antaka upamam= era, ender, in simile; kaancana ruupya bhuuSitam= in gold, silver, decorated; diiptam= glowing; a+mitra mardanam= unfriendly ones, subduer of; tam shara uttamam= that, arrow, best one; haraH mukhataH= Shiva's, from face; sa dhuumam agnim yathaa= with [emitting,] smoke, fire, as with; shara uttamam= arrow, the best; sasarja= let go, released.

That best one among men Rama released a blazing and enemy subjugating arrow which in simile is like an Epoch-ender at the end of era, and that best arrow decorated in gold and silver looked like the glance from the Third-Eye of Rudra, emitting fire with smoke. [4-16-38]

atha ukSitaH shoNita toya visravaiH
supuSpita ashoka iva acalodgataH |
vicetano vaasava suunur aahave
prabhra~nshita indra dhvajavat kSitim gataH || 4-16-39

39. atha= then; vaasava suunuH= Indra's, son; aahave= in battle [battlefield]; shoNita toya visravaiH= blood, water [sweat,] with streams of; ukSitaH= dampened; acala udgataH= on mountain, stemmed up [standing high on mountain]; [anila uddhata= by wind, felled]; su puSpita ashoka iva= well, bloomed, Ashoka tree, like; vi cetanaH= without, vigour - anima is undone; pra bhra~nshita= altogether, dislodged; indra dhvaja vat= Indra's, flagstaff, like; kSitim gataH= onto earth, gone [abandoned.]

That Indra's son Vali, dampened with blood and sweat, then looked like just felled Ashoka tree which has stemmed up and so far standing high on a mountain with fully bloomed clusters of its blood-red flowers, and when his anima is undone he even looked like the flagstaff on which a flag is raised in honour of Indra, but which is altogether dislodged and abandoned on the ground. [4-16-39]

Ashoka tree by itself stands high and stout with its blood red flowers, and by virtue of its growing on high of mountains it is more gloriously standing till now, like Vali, but that is felled too suddenly.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe SoDashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 16th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 17

Introduction

Rama's arrow hits Vali on chest and Vali fallen down. But Vali is not dead yet. When Rama and Lakshmana approach dying Vali, he questions the propriety of Rama in killing him. Vali's questioning explicitly is straightforward befitting to the defeated mighty Vanara King. But implicitly, there are ancient commentaries that deduce many more meanings in picturising Vali as a devotee of Rama, who wanted to die at the hand of Rama, like Viraadha and others, as a means of salvation.

tataH shareNa abhihato raameNa raNa karkashaH |
papaata sahasaa vaalii nikR^ittaiva paadapaH || 4-17-1

1. tataH= then; raNa karkashaH vaalii= in war, scourger, Vali; raameNa shareNa abhi hataH= by Rama , by his arrow, completely hit; nikR^itta paadapaH iva= whittled down, tree, as with; sahasaa papaata= suddenly, fell down.

When Rama's arrow hit him then Vali, the scourger in war, suddenly fell down like a hewed down tree. [4-17-1]

sa bhuumau nyasta sarvaa.ngaH tapta kaa.ncana bhuuSaNaH |
apatat deva raajasya muk{}ta rashmir iva dhvajaH || 4-17-2

2. tapta kaancana bhuuSaNaH= one with melted, golden, ornaments [who glittered]; saH= he that Vali; mukta rashmiH= on release, of ropes; deva raajasya dhvajaH iva= god's, king's [Indra's,] ensign, like; bhuumau nyasta sarva angaH= he, on earth [into dust,] kept [sank,] all, body-parts; a patat= fell down.

He who glittered with pure golden ornaments, that Vali fell down on earth while all of his limbs sank to dust, like the flag of Indra when released from its ropes. [4-17-2]

asmin nipatite bhuumau hari R^iSaaNaam gaNeshvare |
naSTa candram iva vyoma na vyaraajata medinii || 4-17-3

3. hari R^ikSaaNaam gaNa iishvare= for monkeys, for bears, hosts of, lord's; asmin bhuumau nipatite= on his, on earth, when fell; medinii= earth; naSTa candram vyoma iva= lost, moon, welkin, like; na vyaraajata [vi a raajata]= not, forsooth, illuminated.

On the fall of that lord of hosts of monkeys and bears onto earth, unilluminated is the earth like the welkin that has forsooth lost its moon. [4-17-3]

bhuumau nipatitasya api tasya deham mahaatmanaH |
na shriir jahaati na praaNaa na tejo na paraakramaH || 4-17-4

4. bhuumau nipatitasya api= on earth, fallen, though; mahaatmanaH tasya deham= of great-soul one, his, from body; shriiH na jahaati= brilliance, not, leaving - unfettering; praaNaa na= lives, neither; tejaH na= resplendence, neither; paraakramaH na= bravery, neither.

Though that great souled Vali fell onto earth, neither his brilliance, nor lives, nor resplendence, nor his bravery are unfettering from his body. [4-17-4]

shakra dattaa varaa maalaa kaancanii ratna bhuuSitaa |
dadhaara hari mukhyasya praaNaan tejaH shriyam ca saa || 4-17-5

5. shakra dattaa= by Indra, given; kaancanii ratna bhuuSitaa= golden, gem, studded; varaa= superb one; saa maalaa= that, chest pendant; hari mukhyasya= monkey, chief's; praaNaan tejaH shriyam ca= lives, resplendence, brilliance, also; dadhaara= sustained.

That superb and gem-studded golden pendent given by Indra sustained that monkey chief's lives, resplendence and brilliance. [4-17-5]

sa tayaa maalayaa viiro haimayaa hariyuuthapaH |
sa.mdhyaanugata paryantaH payodhara iva abhavat || 4-17-6

6. viiraH saH hari yuuthapaH= brave one, he that Vali, monkeys, general of; haimayaa tayaa maalayaa= golden one, by that [by wearing it,] pendant; sandhya anugata= colour of sunset, traced with - smeared with; pari antaH= all, around edges; payaH dhara iva abhavat= water, bearing [black-cloud,] like, he became [appeared to be.]

By still wearing that golden chest-pendant around his neck, that brave general of monkeys Vali appeared like a black-cloud smeared with the colour of golden sunset all around its edges. [4-17-6]

tasya maalaa ca dehaH ca marmaghaatii ca yaH sharaH |
tridhaa iva racitaa lakSmiiH patitasya api shobhate || 4-17-7

7. patitasya api= fallen one, though; tasya maalaa ca dehaH ca= his, chest-plate, also, body, also; marma ghaatii yaH sharaH= crucial-organ [heart in chest,] striking, which, arrow is; along with it; tridhaa racitaa lakSmiiH iva= in three ways, written [crafted, devising,] splendour, as though; shobhate= effulgent.

Even though Vali has fallen on ground his splendour is as though refulgent devising itself into three aspects, namely by his body, chest-pendant, and the arrow of Rama, which arrow is given to strike the crucial body parts alone, and which is still stuck in Vali's chest. [4-17-7]

tat astram tasya viirasya svarga maarga prabhaavanam |
raama baaNaasana kSiptam aavahat paramaam gatim || 4-17-8

8. svarga maarga prabhaavanam= to heaven, pathway, effectuating; raama baaNa aasana kSiptam= Rama's, arrow's, seat [bowstring,] discharged from; tat astram= that, arrow; tasya viirasya= for that, brave one Vali; paramaam gatim aa vahat= ultimate, course - redemption, brought forth.

That arrow which effectuates the pathway to heaven, now discharged from the bow of Rama has brought forth that redemption to brave Vali . [4-17-8]

tam tathaa patitam sa.mkhye gata arciSam iva analam |
yayaatim iva puNyaante deva lokaat paricyutam || 4-17-9
aadityam iva kaalena yugaante bhuvi paatitam |
mahendram iva durdharSam upendram iva dussaham || 4-17-10
mahendra putram patitam vaalinam hema maalinam |
vyuuDha uraskam mahaabaahum diiptaasyam hari locanam || 4-17-11
lakSmaNa anucaro raamo dadarsha upasasarpa ca |

9, 10, 11, 12a. sankhye tathaa patitam= in war, thus, fallen; gata arciSam analam iva= extinct, flames, fire, as with; puNya ante= at merit's, end; deva lokaat paricyutam= from god's, world, fallen; yayaatim iva= [who is] Yayaati, like; aadityam kaalena iva= Sun, by Time-ender, like; yuga ante bhuvi paatitam= at era, end, on earth, flung; mahendram iva durdharSam= Indra, like, unassailable; upendram iva dussaham= Upendra, like, intolerable [in war]; mahendra putram= Indra's, son - at Vali; hema maalinam= one with golden, pendent; vyuuDha uraskam= enormous, chested; mahaa baahum= having mightily, arms; diipta asyam= glowing, faced one; hari locanam= green, eyed one; tam vaalinam= him, to that Vali; lakSmaNa anucaraH raamaH= Lakshmana, following, Rama; patitam= as has fallen; dadarsha upasasarpa ca= seen, and neared, also.

Then on seeing him who has fallen in war, the one with golden pendant, enormously chested, mightily armed, face golden, eye greenish, but who is like a fire extinct of its flame; who is like Indra in unassailability and like Upendra in indomitability; and who like Yayaati who has fallen from heaven, as well like the sun who falls onto earth from solar orbit when Time-ender flings him at the end of era; such as he is, on seeing that son of Indra, who forsooth has fallen, Rama neared him followed by Lakshmana. [4-17-9, 10, 11, 12a]

Yayaati is the son of Nahusha, who was a king of repute. After a rigorous penance Yayaati attains heaven. But he starts his self-praise and goes on narrating his achievements. Indra tries to tell him that 'this is heaven, here there is no you-ness and I-ness...' but in vain. Later unable to contend with Yayaati's self-eulogy Indra pushes him back to mortal worlds. Vali is in the same predicament as he took pride in his own brawny strength but now battered by still mightier person.

tam tathaa patitam viiram gata arciSmatam iva analam || 4-17-12
bahumaanya ca tam viiram viikshamaaNam shanairiva |
upayaatau mahaaviiryau bhraatarau raama lakshmaNau || 4-17-13

12b, 13. tam viiram= him, brave one, Vali; tathaa patitam= like that, fallen; gata arciSmatam analam iva= extinguished, tongues of flame, fire, like; shanaiH iva viikshamaaNam= slowly - droopily, thus, who is seeing; tam viiram= him that brave one; bahumaanya= honouring him; mahaa viiryau bhraatarau= great, valiant, brothers; raama lakshmaNau= Rama , Lakshmana; upayaatau= neared him.

On seeing the brave Vali fallen like that, who by now is like fire with extinguished tongues of flames, and who is seeing droopily, those two valiant brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, neared him with due honour. [4-17-12b, 13]

tam dR^iSTvaa raaghavam vaalii lakSmaNam ca mahaabalam |
abraviit paruSam vaakyam prashritam dharma sa.mhitam || 4-17-14
sa bhuumau alpatejosuH nihato naSTa cetanaH |
artha sahitayaa vaacaa garvitam raNa garvitam || 4-17-15

14. ni hata= flatly, hurt; alpa tejosuH= with trifling, energy and lives; naSTa cetanaH= trivialised, vigour; bhuumau= who is on earth [fallen to earth]; saH vaalii= he that, Vali; raNa garvitam= [to Rama who in this] conflict, taking pride [of victory]; tam raaghavam= him, at Raghava; mahaa balam lakSmaNam ca= at greatly, mighty, Lakshmana, also; dR^iSTvaa= having seen; artha sahitayaa vaacaa= meaning, containing, with words - with meaningful words; paruSam= sarcastic; prashritam= with politeness; dharma samhitam= rightness, abiding with - self-righteous; vaakyam= sentence, words; garvitam= in proper pride [in self-respect]; abraviit= spoke.

On seeing Rama and the great mighty Lakshmana as well, he who fell to ground flatly hurt by arrow, and whose energy and lives are trifling and vigour trivialised thereby, that Vali spoke these sarcastic words in his proper pride to Rama, who is taking pride in this conflict as a victor, which words at the same time have meaning, politeness, and self-righteousness. [4-17-14, 15]

tvam naraadhipateH putraH prathitaH priya darshanaH |
paraa~Nmukha vadham kR^itvaa ko atra praaptaH tvayaa guNaH |
yadaham yuddha sam.hrabdhaH tvat kR^ite nidhanam gataH || 4-17-16

16. tvam nara adhipateH putraH= you are, people's, king's, son; prathitaH= renowned one; priya darshanaH= with pleasing looks; yuddha samrabdhaH= conflict, one who is in commotion of; aham= I; tvat kR^ite= by you, done - owing to you; yat nidhanam gataH= which [kind of death, ignoble death,] demise, I went - I got death; paraa~Nmukha vadham kR^itvaa= one facing away [from you,] killing him, on undertaking; atra= in this [matter]; kaH guNaH tvayaa praaptaH= what, merit, by you, achieved.

"You are a renowned prince with pleasing looks… but, which kind of death I am getting now, that too when I was in the commotion of conflict with another, alas, that ignoble death is owing to you, and what merit is achieved by you in this undertaking of yours to kill someone who is facing away from you… [4-17-16]

From hereon the sentences of Vali and also of Rama in next chapter are commented variously and voluminously. Apart from upholding Rama's deed as a rightful one, Vali's position is also kept up, by deducing meaning from these utterances and Vali is pictured as a dedicate to the Absolute. Maheshvara Tiirtha in his Ramayana tattva diipika gives many tones for these aspects, mainly as innuendo of praise, vyaaja ninda.

In this verse itself Vali's expression is said to be like this: paraa~Nmukha vadham kR^itvaa = 'one who is faced way - not in battlefield, but in the battle field like life, say from morality and doing all unethical things, like exiling younger brother and captivating his wife... killing of such an antagonist is rightful of you...' For another compound kaH atra praaptaH tvayaa guNaH other mms use kaH nu praaptaH tvayaa guNaH in that nu has a special usage in Ramayana, as at 1-1-2 konvasmin saampratam loke etc. Here also, taking kaH nu guNaH it is said that 'verily invaluable merit is achieved by you and your godhood is established by absolving me. For me, getting killed at your hand is no less a merit, by which I am rid of all sins, and I am now going to heavens...' This is supported by scriptures raajatva shaashan paapasyatadaapnoti kilbiSam 'one who is rightfully punished by the king is rid of all sins'; and according to the saying as well: raaja bhidhR^ita daNDaastu kR^itvaa paapaani maanavaaH | nirmalaH svargam aayaanti santa sukR^ito yathaa and I will go to heavens without blemish'.

For the last compound tvat kR^ite nidhanam gataH other mms use shareNa urasi taaditaH 'with arrow, on chest, struck...' establishing that Rama did not backstab Vali, but hit on chest as said at 4-16-35: vaali vakSasi paatitaH .

kuliinaH sattva sa.mpannaH tejasvii caritavrataH |
raamaH karuNavedii ca prajaanaam ca hiterataH || 4-17-17
saanukrosho mahotsaahaH samayaj~no dR^iDhavrataH |
iti etat sarva bhuutaani kathayanti yasho bhuvi || 4-17-18

17. raamaH= Rama is; [said to be]; kuliinaH= high-born; sattva sampannaH= mightiness, gifted with; tejasvii= resplendent; carita vrataH= pursuer, of vows; karuNa vedii ca= mercy, mindful of, also; prajaanaam hite rataH ca= people's, welfare, delighted in, also; saanukroshaH= sympathetic; mahaa utsaahaH= greatly, enthusiastic [in good deeds]; samaya j~naH= time, knower of - knower of timely action; dR^iDha vrataH= assertively, committed; iti= thus; etat= all these; [te= your]; yashaH= [your] renown; sarva bhuutaani bhuvi kathayanti= all, living beings, on earth, are relating.

"Rama is high-born, they say, gifted with mightiness, resplendent, pursuer of vows, mindful of mercy, delighter in people's welfare, sympathetic, greatly enthusiastic and assertively committed in doing good deeds, knower of time-and-action, all these living-beings on earth are thus relating your renown, aren't they. [4-17-17, 18]

Explicitly it is Vali's harsh accusation of Rama, but implicitly it is a praise offered to Rama, since his arrow accords heavens to Vali. This is the same with the following two verses. vyaaja ninda innuendo of praise.

damaH shamaH kshamaa dharmo dhR^iti satyam paraakramaH |
parthivaanaam guNaa raajan daNDaH ca apakaariSu || 1-17-19

19. raajan= oh, king; damaH= controlling senses; shamaH= controlling [manas] will; kshamaa= forgiveness; dharmaH dhR^iti satyam= conscientiousness, resoluteness, truthfulness; para aakramaH= adventurousness; apakaariSu daNDaH ca= wrongdoers, punishing of, also; parthivaanaam guNaa= for kings, aptitudes.

"To be able to control senses and will, forgiveness, conscientiousness, resoluteness, truthfulness, and adventurousness, oh, king, are the aptitudes of a king, and even punishing the wrongdoers, too. [4-17-19]

taan guNaan sa.mpradhaarya aham agryam ca abhijanam tava |
taarayaa pratiSiddho api sugriiveNa samaagataH || 1-17-20

20. aham= I; taan guNaan= those, [kingly] characteristics [will be obtainable in you]; tava agryam abhijanam ca= of your, noble, dynasty, also [judging by your dynasty]; sampradhaarya= concluding from [them]; taarayaa pratiSiddhaH api= by Tara, dissuaded, even though; sugriiveNa samaagataH= with Sugreeva, confronted.

"Concluding that those kingly characteristics will be obtainable in you, and even judging by the noble dynasty of yours, I have confronted Sugreeva though Tara dissuaded me. [4-17-20]

na maam anyena sa.mrabdham pramattam veddhum arhasi |
iti me buddhir utpannaa babhuuva adarshane tava || 1-17-21

21. tava= your; a + darshane= by non, appearance; anyena samrabdham= with another, combating; pramattam= unvigilant one; maam= me; veddhum [ katham] na arhasi= to wound [to hurt,] [how] not, apt of him; iti me buddhiH utpannaa babhuuva= thus, my, concept, came up, became.

"When you have not appeared before me when I confronted Sugreeva my concept was, 'it will be inapt of Rama to hurt me while I am combating with another combatant, besides, when I will be unvigilant in that fight…' [4-17-21]

na tvaam vinihata aatmaanam dharma dhvajam adhaarmikam |
jaane paapa samaacaaram tR^iNaiH kuupam iva aavR^itam || 1-17-22

22. na jaane tvaam= not, known, you; vinihataaatmaanam [vi ni hata aatmaanam]= completely, down, trodden, minded - one who killed one's own soul];] na jaane tvaam= not, known, you]; dharma dhvajam a + dhaarmikam= virtue, flag-bearer, un, virtuous one; paapa sam aacaaram= of evil, conduct - devious; na jaane= not, known; tR^iNaiH aavR^itam kuupam iva= with straw, covered, water-well, like.

"Not known that your soul is put to death, not known that you are the unrighteous flag bearer of righteousness, to me not known that you are insidious like straw covered well. [4-17-22]

In the verse the two words na, jaane 'not known to me' are used only once. While bringing it two more times for filling the ellipses, adhyaahaara, meaning is drawn to all three expressions as above i.e., 'Unknown are the three things... etc.' Vali is said to have admitted that Supreme Soul is not a struck-out entity or killable, and either sin or profanity is attachable to Him, as per the saying in Bhagavad Gita, kam ghaatayati hanti kam? 'who can stab the soul, who hurts it... na enam chindanti shasraaNi 'knife can cleave It not...' as at 2-21 and its successive verses. Here Vali has said that 'nobody knows, including me... that you are flag-bearer of virtue above individual souls, sins...'

sataam veSa dharam paapam pracChannam iva paavakam |
na aham tvaam abhijaanaami dharma Chadmaabhi sa.mvR^itam || 1-17-23

23. sataam veSa dharam= benign-soul's, outfit, wearing; paapam= sinner; pracChannam paavakam iva= [ash] covered, fire, like; dharma Chadma abhi samvR^itam= probity, garb, explicitly mantled with; tvaam aham na abhijaanaami= you, I, not, have known.

"I have no knowledge that you are a sinner, one in the garb of a benign soul, and explicitly mantled under the garb of probity like ash covered fire. [4-17-23]

The word paapam is either sin or sinner. If it is said as sin, then it is attached to next compound then it is read as the admission of Vali in noticing Rama as Supreme Person, paapam pracChannam iva paavakam , 'as fire will burn the one who is covered with sin, you also will burn...' And there is no 'garb of dharma...' to you, for you are dharma itself. Thus Vali said to have noticed Supreme in Rama, as said at apahata paapmatvaadi guNa vishiSTa 'Supreme Person is one who is above the words like sins, merits' etc.

viSaye vaa pure vaa te yadaa paapam karomi aham |
na ca tvaam avajaane aha.m kasmaat tvam ha.msi akilbiSam || 1-17-24
phala muula ashanam nityam vaanaram vana gocaram |
maam iha apratiyudhyantam anyena ca samaagatam || 1-17-25

24, 25. aham= I; yadaa= when [by the reason of]; te viSaye vaa pure vaa= I your, country, or, city, or; paapam na karomi= sin - misdeed, not, I did; tvaam= you; na ca avajaane= not, also, taunted; [for that reason I am]; a + kilbiSam= non, guilty; nityam= always; phala muula ashanam= fruits, tuber, eater; vana gocaram= in forest, mover; vaanaram= Vaanara; iha= now; a + prati + yudhyantam= not, countering [you, not en face] while combating; anyena samaagatam ca= with another, involved, furthermore; maam tvam kasmaat hamsi= me, you, what for, torturing.

"I am non-guilty as I have not committed any misdeed either in your country or in your city, nor I have taunted you; I am a vanara subsisting on fruits and tubers and always moving in forests alone; such as I am, what made you to torture me when I was not combating with you en face, furthermore, when I was involved with another? [4-17-24, 25]

'You do not kill any guiltless beings, tvam api a+kilbiSam na himsi , but you are now killing me because there is some guilt in my deeds, of which I am well aware, but waited for you to come...' This is the subtext of Vali's retrospection.

tvam naraadhipateH putraH pratiitaH priyadarshanaH |
lingam api asti te raajan dR^ishyate dharma samhitam || 1-17-26

26. tvam priya darshanaH= you are, pleasing, in your looks; nara adhipateH putraH= humans, lord's, son - prince; pratiitaH= [thus you are] renowned; raajan= oh, king; te dharma samhitam= in you, rectitude, agreeable with; lingam api asti= indication, even, to be there; dR^ishyate= appearing.

"You are renowned to be a prince with charming looks, oh, king, and indications agreeable to rectitude are also appearing on your body. [4-17-26]

kaH kSatriya kulejaataH shrutavaan naSTasa.mshayaH |
dharma li.nga praticChannaH kruuram karma samaacaret || 1-17-27

27. kSatriya kule jaataH= in Kshatriya, family, one born in; shrutavaan= well-heard [one learned in Veda-s]; naSTa samshayaH= rid of, ambiguities [of right and wrong]; dharma linga praticChannaH= probity, air of, cloaked in; kaH= who [will anybody]; kruuram karma samaacaret= ruthless, deed [like this one, killing me,] executes.

"Will anybody born in Kshatriya's family, a learned one in Veda-s, thereby who is rid of ambiguities with respect to right and wrong, and who is cloaked in an air of probity, execute such a ruthless deed like this? [4-17-27]

raama raaghava kule jaato dharmavaan iti vishrutaH |
abhavyo bhavya ruupeNa kim artham paridhaavase || 1-17-28

28. raama= oh Rama; raaghava kule jaataH= in Raghava, dynasty, born; dharmavaan iti vishrutaH= moralist, thus, renowned; such as you are, you are actually; a+bhavyaH= while being amoral; bhavya ruupeNa= in moral, aspect; kim artham pari dhaavase= for what, purpose, you run after - run around.

"Though born in Raghava's dynasty and renowned as a moralist you are actually amoral, and for what purpose you run around with this moral aspect? [4-17-28]

'Oh, Rama, you took birth, not so, emerged as an incarnation in Raghava's dynasty, artham purposefully... abhavya san 'though cruel...' bhavya ruupeNa paridhaavasi, kim? you are moving about with a superficial aspect of a morally sagacious person, or what? No definitely. kruura karma samaacaret? or did you do a wrongdoing in killing me? Not so.

If it is said that you are an incarnate on earth, there cannot be duality in your inner aspect or outer aspect. You cannot have a cruel heart with a charming face of a price, when you alone are the protector of Universe. Equally, taking birth in Raghava-s lineage you cannot move about with a sagely appearance and go on killing beings like me. So, there shall be some purpose in killing me. artham kim 'what is that purpose...'

This is Vali's self-assurance that Rama is the Supreme Being, but killed him with some purpose, and he would like to know that purpose. In this sequence, Vali assumes that Rama killed him in his search for Seetha, and thus Vali tells Rama 'if that is the only reason I would have brought Seetha in one day without any bloodshed…' The purpose for Vali's elimination is nothing but the elimination of Ravana.

saama daanam kSamaa dharmaH satyam dhR^iti paraakramau |
paarthivaanaam guNaa raajan daNDaH ca api apakaariSu || 1-17-29

29. raajan= oh, king; saama daanam kSamaa dharmaH satyam= influencing, largesse, forbearance, probity; dhR^iti paraakramau= candour, conquering; apakaariSu daNDaH api ca= wrong, doers, punishing, also, even; paarthivaanaam guNaa= king's, aptitudes.

"Influencing, largesse, forbearance, probity, candour, and conquering are the attributes of the kings, oh, king, and even punishing the wrongdoers. [4-17-29]

'The first said political strategies saama, daana, bheda, may not work with me because I am not a coequal of yours in kingship, so the last one, daNda, 'punishing the wrongdoer,' is enough to eliminate me, for I must have committed wrongs.'

vayam vanacaraa raama mR^igaa muula phala ashanaaH |
eSaa prakR^itir asmaakam puruSaH tvam nareshvaraH || 1-17-30

30. raama= oh, Rama; vayam muula phala ashanaaH= we, tubers, fruit, eaters; vanacaraa mR^igaaH= forest, moving, animals; eSaa asmaakam prakR^itiH= this is, our, nature; tvam nara iishvaraH puruSaH= you are, human's, king, a man; the following gist is expanded.

"We as animals live in forests while you are city dwellers, we live by eating fruits and tubers while you enjoy feasts and banquets, our nature is such to kill and get killed, thus you and me have no correlation. And you, even if you are a man and a prince for humans, you resorted to this animalistic way of killing me lying in the wait, thus your action is worse than that of an animal, if not subhuman or un-princely. [4-17-30]

The stress of Vali is on his animality. Being a man why killing a monkey unworthy in rituals or in diet, is his question. [cf. 38 and 39 verses of this chapter.] Are they just monkeys - is the subsequent question. If these Vanara-s were to be a just fruit-eating animals why Vali used to offer sandhya , time-oriented oblations to gods as stipulated in Veda-s, in an unusual way of swinging from one ocean to the other. And why Tara, who is said to be the knowers of Vedic hymns, as in previous chapter bid swastyayanam , bon voyage with Vedic hymns to Vali? This is because of the superiority of vanara race than animals.

The other argument of Vali is like this: 'We are animals living in forests and unlike elephants, horses and the like, we are not even fit to render service to mankind, doing which those animals enjoy high grade foods than us, while we are destined to eat fruits and tubers. When there is no rapport between you humans and we monkeys, and then there can be no enmity between you and me, because enmity crops up only when there is a correlation. Apart from this, I am no equal of yours, but inferior and worthless vanara, and hence your killing me is only to give me salvation.' Maheshvara Tiirtha.

bhuumir hiraNyam ruupam ca nigrahe kaaraNaani ca |
tatra kaH te vane lobho madiiyeSu phaleSu vaa || 1-17-31

31. nigrahe= to hold back [to counteract somebody]; bhuumiH hiraNyam ruupam ca= territory, gold, silver, also; kaaraNaani ca= causes, also; tatra= in that case; te= to you; vane= in forest; madiiyeSu phaleSu vaa= mine, in fruits, either; kaH lobhaH= what is, decoy.

"Territory, gold, and silver will be the causes while counteracting somebody, in that case, by what you are decoyed into these forests of mine or in the fruits of mine. [4-17-31]

The statements of 'my forests... my fruits...' will be retorted by Rama in the next chapter.

nayaH ca vinayaH ca ubhau nigraha anugrahau api |
raaja vR^ittir asa.mkiirNaa na nR^ipaaH kaama vR^ittayaH || 1-17-32

32. nayaH ca vinayaH ca= in propriety, also, in compliance, also,; nigraha anugrahau= in punishment, in pardoning; ubhau api= both [in the pair,] even; a + samkiirNaa= without, admixture; raaja vR^ittiH= king's, craft; nR^ipaaH kaama vR^ittayaH na= kings, volitionally, conduct themselves, they do not.

"In the pairs of propriety and compliance, punishment and pardoning, no admixture is exercised in kingcraft, for the kings do not conduct themselves volitionally. [4-17-32]

Vali's statement is: 'Even the ordinary rulers on earth do not conduct themselves without adhering to their codes of conduct, then what is there to speak of you who is the Ruler of Universe. So, you must have imposed this punishment without mixing the pairs of opposites that results in my salvation...'

tvam tu kaama pradhaanaH ca kopanaH ca anavasthitaH |
raaja vR^itteSu sa.mkiirNaH sharaasana paraayaNaH || 1-17-33

33. tvam tu= you, but; kaama pradhaanaH ca= [achievement of your own] desire, is primary to you [self-interested]; kopanaH ca= wrathful one, also; an + avasthitaH= inconstant, capricious; raaja vR^itteSu samkiirNaH= in king's, duties, concocting - contriver of kingcraft; shara aasana paraayaNaH= arrow, seating [on the taut of bowstring,] engaged in, [shooting-happy archer.]

"But, to you your self-interests are primary, and you are a wrathful, capricious, contriver of kingcraft, and an impetuous shooting-happy archer. [4-17-33]

na te asti apacitiH dharme na arthe buddhir avasthitaa |
indriyaiH kaama vR^ittaH san kR^iSyase manujeshvara || 1-17-34

34. manuja iishvara= oh, people's, lord; te= to you; dharma= in probity; apacitiH= devotion; na asti= is not, there; buddhiH arthe na avasthitaa= [your] intellect, in material gains, not, firm; kaama vR^ittaH san= by wishes, operating [free willed,] as you are; indriyaiH kR^iSyase= by senses, being drawn [distracted.]

"Oh, king, you have no devotion to probity, nor your mind is firm about material gains, but as a free-willed one you are distracted by senses. [4-17-34]

"The 'Lord of People' is the Supreme Person incarnated himself as a king of humans as per the derivation of the word naaraayaNa , one who conducts humans to and fro from him. tvam 'you...' ; Here the tu is as in verse at 4-17-33, i.e., kim ardhaka, kim Are you? ; So, tvam kaama pradhaanaH 'you are the primary one to humans to aspire for. While all the created beings aspire one thing or the other, humans have many more wants. But above all these human wants, you are the primary-want to be desired or aspired for salvation.' avaapta samasta kaamanaH 'you do not have any aspiration or desire for yourself...' kopanaH ' in punishing the wrongdoers you are a wrathful one...' anavasthitaH 'unstable, ever-moving, dynamic in maintaining universe. ' raaja vR^ittaiH ca samkiirNaH is read otherwise as raaja vR^itteSu samkiirNaH 'concocted is your kingly orientation, for you wear cloths like a saint and yet handle weaponry, whereas in actuality there no garb for you.' The first compound in 4-17-34 is read as te dharme apacitiH na 'you have no sincerity in ordinary scripture-laid virtues...' and then it is said, 'scriptures and canons are for ordinary humans but you are above them... so you are beyond the ordinary canons that emerged for humans' kaama vR^itte san ' you are independent in your deeds or movements...' indriyaiH kR^iSyase, kim? 'are you drawn away by senses, or what? No. You cannot be drawn away by the horses called senses for you are the holder of their reins. So you are the jana iishvara Supreme Lord for the people, as king of people, or as the Supreme Person who took incarnation as Rama.

hatvaa baaNena kaakutstha maam iha anaparaadhinam |
kim vakSyasi sataam madhye karma kR^itvaa jugupsitam || 1-17-35

35. kaakutstha= oh, Rama; an + aparaadhinam= un, offending one; maam iha baaNena hatvaa= me, now, by arrow, on killing; jugupsitam karma kR^itvaa= detestable, deed, on doing; sataam madhye kim vakSyasi= gentlemen, amongst, what, you will tell - how you are answerable.

"How you are answerable to gentlemen, Rama, when you have done this detestable deed of killing an unoffending one like me with your arrow? [4-17-35]

Since this killing of Vali is an intricate act, some may point out that Rama is at fault in killing Vali. But Vali states here inversely that, "you may inform gentlemen who may point out that this act of yours in killing me is a wrongdoing... you may say them that 'I have killed a wrongdoer so I am not at fault...' " Vali has no need to say repeatedly that he is killed by the arrow of Rama, as he is not killed by a sword or cudgel. But, it is to be repeated necessarily to remind that the arrow came from an unknown destination.

raajahaa brahmahaa goghnaH coraH praaNivadhe rataH |
naastikaH parivettaa ca sarve niraya gaaminaH || 1-17-36

36. raaja haa= king, slayer [regicide]; brahma haa= Brahman, slayer of; go ghnaH= cow, slayer of; praaNi vadhe rataH= beings, in killing, one engaged in - an inveterate killer; choraH= thief; naastikaH= atheist; parivettaa ca= who marries before the marriage of his elder brother; sarve niraya gaaminaH= all, hell, goers.

"A regicide, a Brahman-cide, a cow-slayer, a thief, an inveterate killer, an atheist, and an younger brother who marries before his elder, all of them will go to hell. [4-17-36]

suucakaH ca kadaryaH ca mitrghno gurutalpagaH |
loka.m paapaatmaanam ete gacChante na atra sa.mshayaH || 1-17-37

37. suucakaH ca kadaryaH ca= slander-monger, also, skinflint; mitra ghnaH= friend, killer; guru talpa gaH= with teacher's, bed, enterer [ love-maker with teacher's wife]; ete= these; paapa aatmaanam lokam gacChante= of evil, souled ones, to worlds, they go; na atra samshayaH= not, there, doubt.

"A slander-monger, skinflint, friend-killer and one who makes love with his teacher's wife, they all go to the worlds of evil-souls, no doubt about it. [4-17-37]

adhaaryam carma me sadbhii romaaNi asthi ca varjitam |
abhakSyaaNi ca maa.msaani tvat vidhaiH dharmacaaribhiH || 1-17-38

38. me carma a + dhaaryam= my, skin is, un, wearable; romaaNi asthi ca= hair, bones, too; sadbhii varjitam= by holy people, discarded - forbidden; tvat vidhaiH dharma caaribhiH= your, kind of, by virtue, pursuers - reputable people; maamsaani a bhakSyaaNi ca= meat, un, eatable, also.

"My skin is unwearable, holy people forbid my hair and bones, and uneatable is my meat for your kind of reputable people. [4-17-38]

Tiger's skin is used as carpet, its two canine teeth are used in golden necklaces, its other body parts are said to contain medicinal properties, and hence the numbers of tigers are dwindling, especially in India. Elephant's tusks are great decorative articles. Camel's bones are made into bangles and bracelets. Rhino's horn has religious use as well as a decorative article. Caamara, Himalayan-yak's hair is used for royal fanning instruments. Deerskin has its own place in high religious seats of saints and sages. Hence the poachers are making a fortune on this fauna. But the skin, bones, or hair of monkey, or to that matter of fact any item of a monkey is not of any use either in religious or in medicinal or for decorative purposes. Hence, they are not killed for food, game or poaching.

pa.nca pa.nca nakhaa bhakSyaa brahma kSatreNa raaghava |
shalyakaH shvaavidho godhaa shashaH kuurmaH ca pa.ncamaH || 1-17-39

39. raaghava= oh, Raghava; brahma kSatreNa= by Brahmans, Kshatriya-s; shalyakaH= a wild-rodent with defensive quills; shvaavidhaH= a kind of boar that kills dogs, wolves etc; godhaa= a lizard with unimaginable grip; shashaH= hare; pancamaH kuurmaH ca= fifthly, tortoise, also; panca= five [kinds of]; panca nakhaa= five nailed animals; bhakSyaa= are edible.

"Raghava, five kinds of five-nailed animals, viz., a kind of wild rodent, a kind of wild-boar, a kind of lizard, a hare and fifthly the turtle are edible for Brahmans and Kshatriya-s. [4-17-39]

carma ca asthi ca me raajan na spR^ishanti maniiSiNaH |
abhakSyaaNi ca maa.msaani so aham pa.nca nakho hataH || 1-17-40

40. raajan= oh, king; maniiSiNaH= sensible people; me carma ca asthi ca= my, skin, also, bones, also; na spR^ishanti= will not, touch; maamsaani ca= meats, also a + bhakSyaaNi= not, to be eaten; panca nakhaH= five, nailed one; saH aham hataH= such as I am, I am killed.

"Sensible people will not touch my skin and bones, oh, king, nor meats from my body are to be eaten, such as I am, a five-nailed animal, I am killed. [4-17-40]

'There appears to be no reason as to why a five-nailed animal like me is to be killed, when there is no reason for political, religious, hunting, or food purposes. Then this act of yours shall have an ultimate purpose isn't it…'

taarayaa vaakyam uk{}to aham satyam sarvaj~nayaa hitam |
tad atikramya mohena kaalasya vasham aagataH || 1-17-41

41. sarvaj~nayaa taarayaa= by all-knowing, Tara; aham satyam hitam vaakyam uktaH= I am, truthful, favourable, words, said - appraised; mohena= with delusion; tat= that advise; ati kramya= on over stepping - disregarding; kaalasya vasham aagataH= under Time's, control, I have gone in.

"Though Tara appraised me with truthful and favourable words, I just disregarded her advise owing to my own delusion, and gone into the control of Time. [4-17-41]

Though dissuaded by Tara, kaalasya vasham aagataH, satyam; I am bound to come here for my time is over and I am destined to die at the hands of the Supreme Being. Or, to say clearly iishvarasya vasham aagataH, satyam 'I have come under the control Supreme, truly...' where kaalaH, Time, is another name for Supreme Being; kaalo asmi loka kshaya kR^it pravaddhaH... kala .

tvayaa naathena kaakutstha na sanaathaa vasu.mdharaa |
pramadaa shiila sa.mpuurNaa pati eva ca vidharmiNaa || 1-17-42

42. kaakutstha= oh, Rama; vasumdharaa naathena tvayaa= earth, by husband, by you - you as her husband; shiila sampuurNaa pramadaa= with chastity, endowed, lady - as with; vi+dharmiNaa pati iva= without, rectitude, husband, as with; na sa naathaa= not, with spouse.

"With you as her espouser the Earth is not with a correct spouse, as with any lady who is with full-fledged chastity, but with a husband who is without rectitude. [4-17-42]

The king is usually the lord of land. Vishnu is the husband of Earth, bhuu devi. Here Rama is both. Here Vali's contention is, 'unlike a husband without rectitude, you will safeguard the land truthfully as you have all the attributes of a lord of land and a good husband. duSTa nigrahatvaadi kalyaaNa guNa ruupeNa. So, you will protect Earth by eradicating evildoers on it... like me...'

shaTho naikR^itikaH kSudro mithyaa prashrita maanasaH |
katham dasharathena tvam jaataH paapo mahaatmanaa || 1-17-43

43. shaThaH naikR^itikaH kSudraH= artful, felonious, knavish; mithyaa prashrita maanasaH= falsely, modest, at mind - subconsciously; paapaH= evil-minded; katham= how; tvam mahaatmanaa dasharathena jaataH= you are, by great-souled, Dasharatha, given birth.

"How are you borne to that great-souled Dasharatha when you are artful, felonious, knavish, disposed to a false modesty subconsciously, and an evildoer? [4-17-43]

'You are born to great-souled Dasharatha, yato mahaatmanaa dasharathena jaataH... katham shaThaH? 'being the son of such a great-soul Dasharatha, how can you be artful, felonious?

Chinna caaritrya kakSyeNa sataam dharma ativartinaa |
tyak{}ta dharma a.nkushena aham nihato raama hastinaa || 1-17-44

44. Chinna caaritrya kakSyeNa= one who snapped, tradition's, girdle-cord; sataam dharma ati vartinaa= righteous people's, conventions, over, stepping - infringed; tyakta dharma ankushena= discarded, virtue's, goad; raama hastinaa= by Rama, [named] elephant; aham nihataH= I am, killed.

"I am killed by an elephant called Rama that snapped off its girdle-cord called tradition, that infringed the conventions of righteous people, and that discarded the goad called virtue. [4-17-44]

The girdle-cords, called vaari in Sanskrit foot-cords or girdle cords. The goads of rulebooks etc., are required to the humanly elephants that move in herds, break their cords of traditions, cultures and social values. The Supreme Being is not so, as said later by himself naiva tasya kR^te na artho in Bhagavad Gita at 3-18 and also at sa.mkarsaya ca kartaaa syaam 3-24. 'So getting eliminated from this mortality by no less than the Supreme Being is my fortune.'

ashubham ca api ayuk{}tam ca sataam ca eva vigarhitam |
vakshyase ca iidR^isham kR^itvaa sadbhiH saha samaagataH || 1-17-45

45. a + shubham a + yuktam ca= un, propitious, un, justified; sataam ca eva vi garhitam= by righteous people, also, thus, condemned; iidR^isham kR^itvaa= this sort of deed - killing, on accomplishing; sadbhiH saha samaagataH= godly men, with, on meeting; [kim= what]; vakshyase= you can say.

"On accomplishing this sort of unpropitious, unjustified killing, which is condemned by the righteous people, what can you say when you meet the godly men? [4-17-45]

Vali is saying in vyaaja ninda praise in innuendo. Taking the last word Vali is prompting Rama to say like this: samaagataH is cleaved as saH maagataH, maam gataH 'he, that Vali, Me, reached...' Vali attained salvation and reached Me. a+shubham ca a+yuktam ca api san, maam gataH 'Though Vali's actions are unpropitious, unjustified and condemnable by the righteous, but by Me eliminated he attained Me, the Supreme Being...' And this agrees with mR^ityuH sarva haraH ca aham Gita - 10-34 'I am the death, an all- exhausting-one.'

udaasiineSu yo asmaasu vikramo ayam prakaashitaH |
apakaariSu te raama na evam pashyaami vikramam || 1-17-46

46. raama= oh, Rama; udaasiineSu asmaasu= unprejudiced ones, in respect of us; yaH ayam vikramaH prakaashitaH= which, this kind of, valour, shown; evam vikramam= such a, valour; te apakaariSu= in respect of your, evil doers [enemies like Ravana];; na pashyaami= not, I see.

"The valour that which is displayed on the unprejudiced few like us, oh, Rama, I do not see that sort of valour is shown by you in respect of your enemies. [4-17-46]

The word vikrama is triumphing, and treading as well. Taking the meaning of Rama's treading up to Vali it is said as below. apakaariSu 'perpetrating evil on your dedicates like Sugreeva, Hanuma et al' ; asmaasu 'on us, myself, Tara, and Angada' te your yaH 'those feet, that are impossible to be seen by Brahma and others; vi krama valour / treading; pradarshitaH udaasiinesu that are displayed, to great-souls and saints; na pashyaami hitherto I have not seen.

You have shown mercy on us namely myself, Tara, Angada and other adherents of mine, though we have perpetrated evil in respect of your adherents like Sugreeva, Hanuma et al. You have shown mercy by way of your treading towards me on your divine feet, which feet will not be revealed even to Brahma, but at times you reveal them to sages and saints. I have seen them now. Had I seen these Divine Feet earlier, I would have suddenly fallen on them long back, like Sugreeva. But, I do not foresee advancement of the same feet towards the real wrongdoers, namely Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Indrajit, as yet.

dR^ishyamaanaH tu yudhyethaa mayaa yudhi nR^ipaatmaja |
adya vaivasvatam devam pashyeH tvam nihato mayaa || 1-17-47

47. nR^ipa aatmaja= oh, king's, son; yudhi dR^ishyamaanaH= in war, while you are being seen - confronting me; mayaa yudhyethaa= with me, if you have combated; mayaa nihataH= by me, killed; adya tvam vaivasvatam devam pashyeH= by now, you, Yama, god, would have seen.

"Had you been in combat with me en face oh, prince, you would have been killed by me and by now you would have seen the death-god Yama. [4-17-47]

Rama might have cut a sorry face for he did not confront Vali vis-à-vis on field, but shot his arrow from afar. Vali says for this, 'it is impossible for others to confront me... but to you nothing is impossible... and you might have confronted me.' Here the word yadi is used in sense kim arthaka i.e., 'or what?' adya mayaa dR^ishyamaanaa san, yuddhyethaa api 'today even if you fight with me manifestly, that too before me... mayaa hataH san, vaivasvata devam pasheH, kim? 'by me killed though, do you see Yama, Death-god, or what?

'It is impossible for others to confront me in combat, and for you there is nothing called impossibility. Other way round, though you confront me in person can I fight you back? Can I kill an unkillable entity? Thinking that, though I am capable of killing you, and hopefully kill you, do you wish to see a lesser god like Yama in naraka the Hell. Improbable and impossible are all these suppositions, and thus this act of eliminating me cannot be called a killing, but 'according salvation' by you the Supreme, in person.'

tvayaa adR^ishyena tu raNe nihato aham duraasadaH |
prasuptaH pannagena iva naraH paapa vasham gataH || 1-17-48

48. duraasadaH aham= unassailable one, that is what I am; raNe a+dR^ishyena tvayaa= in fight, un, seen - invisible one, by you; paapa [paana] vasham gataH= sin [drunkenness,] control, going into; prasuptaH naraH= well slept, man; pannagena iva= by a snake, like; nihataH= killed.

"An unassailable one, such as I am, I am killed by you while you remained invisible on the field of fight, as with a sinner bitten by a snake while he is asleep. [4-17-48]

Vali is said to be lamenting to have lost his chance to confront Rama face to face in fight. The word paapavasham gato aham is read as paana vasham gato aham in other mms. Meaning that 'a drunken man bitten by snake' and this drunkenness is attributed to Vali and said as:

'In my own drunkenness of unassailable might, I could not see and confront you in fight, and had I been sober, though dead at your hands, I would have been victorious in going to heavens...'

Secondly, it is not Rama that has not shown himself up, it is Vali who did not try to find where Rama is. Rama is aware of the boon given by Brahma to Vali ˜h¨ya v˜linam brahm˜ dadau varam anuttamam | pratŸpavarti nobh¨y˜t artha balam arindama || |

Summoning Vali, Brahma gave an unexcelling boon... any combatant will loose half of his strength to Vali shall he confront Vali...

Knowing this through Sugreeva, and honouring Brahma's boon Rama did not come face to face with Vali. This is said at 4-16-27, and 4-16-31. The same is the situation when Hanuma is bound by Brahma missile in Sundara Kanda, where he obliges Brahma's decree.

sugriiva priya kaamena yad aham nihataH tvayaa |
maam eva yadi puurvam tvam etad artham acodayaH |
maithilim aham eka aahnaa tava ca aaniitavaan bhaveH || 1-17-49
raakshasam ca duraatmaanaam tava bhaarya apahaariNam |
kaNThe baddhvaa pradadyaam te anihatam raavaNam raNe || 3-17-50

49. sugriiva priya kaamena eva= Sugreeva, good, intending to do, only; tvayaa aham= by you, I am; yat= for which purpose; nihataH= killed; tvam etat artham= you, for that, reason; puurvam maam eva acodayaH yadi= earlier, me, only, should have prayed, if - if you have assigned me alone, earlier; aham eka aahnaa= I, in one, day; tava bhaarya apahaariNam= your, wife, abductor; duraatmaanaam= evil-minded one; raakshasam raavaNam= demon, Ravana would have been; raNe a + nihatam= in fight, without, being killed; kaNThe baddhvaa= by neck, fastening; te pradadyaam= to you, would have given; maithilim ca aaniitavaan bhaveH= Maithili, also, is brought, she would have been.

"For which purpose I am killed, intending to do good to Sugreeva is incidental to it, you should have assigned me for that purpose in the first instance itself, and I would have brought that evil-minded demon Ravana, the abductor of your wife in one day, that too without killing him in any fight, but by fastening him by neck, and I would have presented Maithili to you. [3-17-49, 50]

Rama's approaching Vali for help is an impossible thing. Rama has come all along searching for Sugreeva and befriended him. Also given is the word to Sugreeva to kill Vali. Rama's going back on his own word can never happen. puts it as: abhaye v˜line datte pratijña parihŸyate | r˜vaõasya sakh˜ v˜lŸ r˜vaõo api vrajettu m˜m | r˜vaõasya vadha abh˜v˜t avat˜ra phalam na hi |

If Vali is excused, promise given to Sugreeva fails. Ravana is Vali's friend and even Ravana may come running to Rama seeking refuge, and then leaving Ravana without killing, leaves no fruits of incarnation. Vali's logic is that Ravana alone is the evil minded one in abducting Seetha. How about his own action in incarcerating Ruma, Sugreeva's wife? If this is asked Vali might have replied to save his face, 'I am an animal and those adductions, seductions etc., do not work in our animal kingdom, and we enjoy what we want.' But it is not so with Veda practising Vanara-s. Hence this race is given the title of Vanara, neither animal, nor monkey, nor human.

nyastaam saagara toye vaa paataale vaa api maithiliim |
aanayeyam tava aadeshaat shvetaam ashvatariim iva || 4-17-51

51. saagara toye vaa= in ocean, water, either; paataale vaa api= in netherworld, or, even; nyastaam maithiliim= lodged, Maithili; tava aadeshaat= by your, order; shvetaam ashvatariim iva= as White, Horse, like; aanayeyam= I would have brought.

"I would have brought Maithili at your order even if she is lodged in oceanic waters or in nether worlds, as with the White Horse of Vedic lore. [4-17-51]

There is one Upanishad called shveta ashvatara Upanishad and when it was in the shape of white female horse, this horse was stolen by Madhu and Kaitabha demon-brothers and later retrieved by Hayagreeva, another aspect of Vishnu.

yuk{}tam yat prapnuyaat raajyam sugriivaH svar gate mayi |
ayuk{}tam yad adharmeNa tvayaa aham nihato raNe || 4-17-52

52. mayi svar gate= me, heavens, on going; sugiivaH [raajyam] praapnuyaat iti yat= Sugreeva, [kingdom,] will get, thus, that which [fact is]; yukata= is proper; aham raNe tvayaa= I am, in war, by you; a + dharmeNa nihata iti yat= un, righteously, killed, thus, that which; a + yukatam= is improper.

"The fact of Sugreeva's getting the kingdom after my going to heaven is proper, but the fact of your killing me in war, unrighteously, is improper. [4-17-52]

Why Vali banished Sugreeva from kingdom is being explained. a + dharmeNa ' un-righteously...'; by the unjust deed of Sugreeva's closing the face of cave when I was fighting with Dundubhi, wishful of my death and thus; sugriivaH raajyam praapnuyaat iti yat tat a + yuktam ' Sugreeva's getting this kingdom unrighteously, is improper.' aham tvayaa raNe nihataH itaH param mayi svar gatena ata sugriivo raajyam raajyam praapnuyaat iti yat tat yukatam ' on my going to heavens his getting the kingdom is proper.'

'As long as I am alive Sugreeva can never get a chance to rule the kingdom, because he ascended throne improperly and unrighteously when I am alive in the cave. Because he closed the entrance of the cave, wishing me to die therein, when I was still fighting with Dundubhi, I had to banish him. Now that I am going to heaven at your mercy, his getting the throne of Kishkindha at your mercy, and as its one time regent, is proper.'

kaamam evam vidham lokaH kaalena viniyujyate |
kSamam cet bhavataa praaptam uttaram saadhu ci.ntyataam || 4-17-53

53. lokaH evam vidham= world is, this, way; kaamam= admittedly; kaalena viniyujyate= by time, preordained; kSamam cet= possible, if; bhavataa praaptam uttaram= by you relevant, reply; saadhu cintyataam= gently, think of.

"Admittedly the world is this way, and if possible a relevant reply may gently be thought ofabout your propriety in killing me..." So said Vali to Rama. [4-17-53]

For the above the latent meaning of Vali is: lokaH ' people, living beings...'; evam vidhaH cet ' like me sinners, if they become...'; kaamam kaalena viyujyate ' desirably by Time, Yama, people will be disposed'; bhavataa praaptam uttaram 'from you, received, reply - in the shape of killing me; uttamam ' the best'; kshamam ' proper one'; cintyataam 'you shall think that way only';

If people become sinners like me, Time, Yama disposes them off desirably, and the reply for my sins received from you in the shape of your arrow in my chest, is the best and a proper one too, so it shall be thought of, not otherwise."

iti evam uk{}tvaa parishuSka vak{}traH
shara abhighaataat vyathito mahaatmaa |
samiikSya raamam ravi sa.mnikaasham
tuuSNiim babhau vaanara raaja suunuH || 4-17-54

54. shara abhighaataat= by arrow, impaled; vyathitaH= agonised; mahaatmaa= great-souled one; vaanara raaja suunuH= Vanara, king's, son - Vali; pari shuSka vaktraH= wholly, dried up, mouth; ravi samnikaasham raamam= sun, equalling, at Rama; samiikSya= on seeing keenly; iti evam uktvaa= thus, that way, on saying; tuuSNiim babhau= silent, remained.

That great-souled son of a vanara king Vali, whom the arrow impaled and agonised, on keenly seeing Rama whose resplendence equals the brightness of the sun, said that much and remained silent when his mouth has dried up. [4-17-54]

Rama has not used any great or deadly arrow on Vali, but a third rated or lesser one is shot at, because Vali is still lingering with the same arrow in his chest. The same is said in Yuddha kanda, 67th chapter, 154 verse, where Valmiki himself is amazed to say that Kumbhakarna is not killable with that sort of arrow which pierced through seven great sala trees, and which has killed the greatest Vali. yaiH saayakaiH saala varaa nikR^ittaa, vaalii hato vaanara pu~NgavaH ca... and narrating thus the poet says that Vali is nothing when compared with Kumbhakarna and others in Lanka.

.

Killing Vali - the riddle

Vali's killing is a puzzle from the viewpoint of imperial politics and dharma. Hence Vali questions logically about it, even at his dying stage. The questions are as below:

1 - par˜ðmukha vadham k®tv˜ ko atra pr˜pta× tvay˜ guõa× 2 - daõýaya× ca api apak˜riÿu 3 - na m˜m anye saÕrabdham pramattam veddum arhasi 4 - viÿaye v˜ pure na apak˜romi 5 - hiÕsya akilbiÿam 6 - phala m¨la aþina nityam 7- bh¨mi× hiraõyam r¨pyam ca vigrahe k˜raõ˜ni na 8 - tvam tu kama pradh˜na× ca 9 - hatv˜ m˜m iha kim vakÿyasi sat˜m madhye 10 - cora× pr˜õi vadhe rata× ˜di niraya g˜mina× 11 - adh˜ryam carmam abhakÿy˜õi ca m˜Õs˜ni 12 - pañca pañca nak˜ a bhakÿy˜× 13 - maithilŸm aham ca ˜nŸtav˜n bhave -- dharm˜k¨tam

1] By killing one who is facing away, what worth is achieved by you?; 2] You have not punished the wrongdoer; 3] Killed one who is combating with another and an unvigilant one; 4] In your country or city I did no misdeed; 5] Non-guilty being is hurt; 6] Fruits, tuber eating being is killed; 7] No dispute of land, gold or silver; 8] You primary aspiration is to kill without probing into good or bad; 9] How do you face criticism by scholars?; 10] Unnecessary killers are hell-goers; 11] Un-wearable is my skin uneatable is my flesh; 12] Five kinds of five-nailed animals are usable by humans; 13] I would have brought back Maithili in one day.

For all these questions Rama answers in next chapter and speaks as to how justified is this elimination, to Vali and to all of us.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe saptadashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 17th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 18

Inltroduction

Rama explains to dying Vali as to why he gave such a punishment. Rama categorically explains all the question put by Vali in the last chapter from the viewpoint of scriptures that lay down principle for sanaatana dharma, eternal tradition, as well as raaja dharma, king's duty. Vali finally concludes that there is someone superior to him and thus seeks refuge in Rama.

iti uk{}taH prashritam vaakyam dharma artha sahitam hitam |
paruSam vaalinaa raamo nihatena vicetasaa || 4-18-1

1. raamaH= Rama; nihatena= hit down; vicetasaa= without vitality [collapsing]; vaalinaa= with Vali; dharma artha sahitam= probity, meaning, containing; hitam= expedient; paruSam vaakyam= exacting, words; prashritam= [but] humbly; iti uktaH= thus, [Rama,] was addressed [by Vali.]

Thus, Vali who is hit down by arrow and who is collapsing humbly spoke exacting words that contained probity, meaningfulness, and expedience, to Rama. [4-18-1]

tam niSprabham iva aadityam muk{}ta toyam iva a.mbudam |
uk{}ta vaakyam hari shreSTham upashaa.ntam iva analam || 4-18-2
dharma artha guNa sa.mpannam hari iishvaram anuttamam |
adhikSiptaH tadaa raamaH pashcaat vaalinam abraviit || 4-18-3

2. tadaa= then; raamaH= Rama; adhikSiptaH= he who is arraigned [find fault with; call into question, an action or statement, imputed, Rama by Vali]; niS + prabham aadityam iva= without, luster, sun, like - to lusterless Vali; mukta toyam ambudam iva= released, waters, cloud, like; upashaantam analam iva= quenched, fire, like; hari shreSTham= to monkey, the best; hari iishvaram= to monkeys, lord; an+uttamam= unexcelled one; dharma artha guNa sampannam= righteousness, meaningfulness, attributes, abounding with - in the words of Vali; ukta vaakyam= on who has the words spoken, Vali; vaalinam= to Vali; pashcaat abraviit= [Rama] subsequently, spoke.

Then to him who is rendered like a lusterless sun, fizzling out like a cloud that released its water, and who became like a quenched fire, to such a best monkey and an unexcelled lord of monkeys who has just now imputed Rama with words that are abounding with righteousness and meaningfulness, Rama spoke subsequently. [4-18-3, 4]

The words Vali spoke contain righteousness from his viewpoint, when he said 'How did you hit me without confronting me…' and the meaningfulness in the words like 'a quarrel comes when gold and silver are the cause, I should have brought Ravana without bloodshed, I would have brought Maithili and presented before your…' etc. But these words are with the death time wisdom of Vali, and they become parroted saying but cannot be practical with the kind of righteousness followed by Vali.

dharmam artham ca kaamam ca samayam ca api laukikam |
avij~naaya katham baalyaat maam iha adya vigarhase || 4-18-4

4. dharmam artham ca kaamam ca= probity, prosperity, pleasures gaining; laukikam samayam= social, conventions; ca api= also, even; a +vij~naaya= un, knowingly - uncaring; iha adya baalyaat= in this matter, now, childishly; maam katham vigarhase= me, how, rebuking.

"Uncaring for probity, prosperity, pleasure deriving, and even for the social conventions, now how do you rebuke me childishly in this matter? [4-18-4]

apR^iSTvaa buddhi sa.mpannaan vR^iddhaan aacaarya sa.mmataan |
saumya vaanara caapalyaat tvam maam vak{}tum iha icChasi || 4-18-5

5. buddhi sampannaan= intellectually, enriched; aacaarya sammataan= to mentors, agreeable ones; vR^iddhaan= doyens [ of your race]; a + pR^iSTvaa= without, asking, un, asking - unconsulting [about the deeds you undertook]; tvam= you; saumya= o, gentle one; [or saumyam maam= gentle, me]; maam= with me; vaanara caapalyaat= a monkey's [primate's,] with caprice; iha vaktum= in this matter, to talk - to debate; [katham= how do]; icChasi= you wish.

"Unconsulted are the doyens of your race that are intellectually well off and agreeable to your mentors about rights and wrongs about your deeds, oh, gentle one, how do you wish to debate with me in this matter with your primate's caprice. [4-18-5]

ikSvaakuuNaam iyam bhuumiH sa shaila vana kaananaa |
mR^iga pakSi manuSyaaNaam nigraha anugraheSu api || 4-18-6

6. sa shaila vana kaananaa= with, mountains, woods, forests; iyam bhuumiH= this, earth; mR^iga pakSi manuSyaaNaam= of animals, of birds, of humans; nigraha anugraheSu api= [authority] to control, to punish, to condone, even in; ikSvaakuuNaam= [this belongs to] Ikshvaku-s.

"This earth with its mountains, woods, and forests, even along with the authority to condone or condemn the animals, birds, and humans on it belongs to Ikshvaku-s. [4-18-6]

Vali's question No. 4] 'I have not done any misdeed either in your country or city...' is answered in this, "when entire earth belongs to us where is the question of a city or a particular country?"

taam paalayati dharmaatmaa bharataH satyavaan R^ijuH |
dharma kaama artha tattvaj~no nigraha anugrahe rataH || 4-18-7

7. dharmaatmaa satyavaan R^ijuH= virtue-souled one, one who abides truth; straightforward - plain-speaking; dharma kaama artha tattva j~naH= probity, pleasures prosperity, import, knower of; nigraha anugrahe rataH= in controlling, in condoning, concerned in; bharataH= Bharata; taam paalayati= her [earth,] is ruling.

"He who is virtue-souled, truth-abiding, plain-speaking, and the knower of the import of probity, pleasures, and prosperity, and the one who is concerned in controlling or condoning his subjects, that Bharata is the ruler of earth. [4-18-7]

nayaH ca vinayaH ca ubhau yasmin satyam ca susthitam |
vikramaH ca yathaa dR^iSTaH sa raajaa desha kaalavit || 4-18-8

8. yasmin= in whom; nayaH ca vinayaH ca ubhau= scrupulousness, also, benignancy, both are there; satyam ca su sthitam= truthfulness, also, firmly, abides in; vikramaH ca yathaa dR^iSTaH= valour, also, as has been, seen [stipulated by scriptures]; saH desha kaala vit raajaa= he is, place, time, knower, king.

"In whom both scrupulousness and benignancy are there, truthfulness is firmed up, and valour as evinced by scriptures is evident, and he who is the knower of time and place is the king, namely Bharata. [4-18-8]

tasya dharma kR^ita aadeshaa vayam anye ca paarthivaH |
caraamo vasudhaam kR^itsnaam dharma sa.mtaanam icChavaH || 4-18-9

9. tasya= his [by him]; dharma kR^ita aadeshaa= for righteousness, made, decree; holding; vayam= we [Rama, Lakshmana]; anye paarthivaH ca= other, kings, also; dharma sam+taanam= rightness, good, continuity - continuum; icChavaH= while desiring for; kR^itsnaam vasudhaam caraamaH= entire, on earth, we are moving.

"Holding his virtuous decree desiring to keep up the continuum of righteousness, we and some other kings are wayfaring this earth in its entirety. [4-18-9]

The 'virtuous decree to keep up virtue' dharma kR^ita aadesha is not that of Bharata, but by the king raaaja dharma kR^ita aadesha. Bharata as younger brother cannot order his elder, and that too, a 'would-have-been-king,' but the throne demands it to be done by any subject, and now Bharata is in that throne. Actually Bharata did not give any explicit orders to Rama or others making them responsible for the upkeep of dharma, on his behalf. Rama himself orders Bharata as at: tvam raajaa bharata bhava svayam naraaNaam | vanyaanaam aham api raaja raaNmR^igaaNaam | Ayodhya Kanda II, 1-674-17 'Bharata, you become the king of humans, and I shall be the king of forest-beings...' Thus, taking responsibility on his own shoulders, in his own duty as a Kshatriya to keep up dharma, Rama is trekking forests. Some 'other kings' roaming like this are not detailed.

tasmin nR^ipati shaarduula bharate dharma vatsale |
paalayati akhilaam pR^ithviim kaH caret dharma vipriyam || 4-18-10

10. nR^ipati shaarduula= kingly, tiger; dharma vatsala= righteousness, patron of; tasmin bharate= that, Bharata; akhilaam pR^ithviim paalayati= entire, earth, while ruling; kaH= who; dharma vi+ priyam= to morality, un, acceptable [way]; charet= [who] conducts.

"While that Bharata, the kingly-tiger and a patron of virtue, is ruling the earth in its entirety, who is there to conduct himself in an unacceptable way to morality on it? [4-18-10]

te vayam maarga vibhraSTam svadharme parame sthitaaH |
bharata aaj~naam puraskR^itya nigR^ihNiimo yathaa vidhi || 4-18-11

11. parame sva dharme sthitaaH= pre-eminent, our own, righteousness, abiding; vayam= we; bharata aaj~naam puraskR^itya= Bharata's, orders, abided by; maarga vibhraSTam= of path, deviant one; yathaa vidhi= according to, custom; nigR^ihNiimaH= we control= punish.

"Abiding in our own pre-eminent righteousness, and even abiding by the order of Bharata we punish him who deviated from the path of morality, according to custom. [4-18-11]

tvam tu sa.mkliSTa dharmaH ca karmaNaa ca vigarhitaH |
kaama ta.ntra pradhaanaH ca na sthito raaja var.htmani || 4-18-12

12. tvam tu= as for you; samkliSTa dharmaH= complicated - decadent, virtue is made to; karmaNaa ca vigarhitaH= by deeds - decadent behaviour, also, reprovable; kaama tantra pradhaanaH ca= carnality, doctrine, primary, also; raaja vartmani na sthitaH= in king's, route [conduct,] not, abided.

"As for you, you brought virtue to a state of decadence, rendered yourself reprovable by your own decadent behaviour, for carnality alone has become your primary doctrine, and thus you have not abided by the conduct meetly to a king. [4-18-12]

Vali's question 5. 'Non-guilty being is hurt...' is answered: 'your only guilt is that you have not abided by conduct a king should have...' The nature of that guilt is narrated in next verses.

jyeSTho bhraataa pitaa caiva yaH ca vidyaam prayacChati |
trayaH te pitaro j~neyaa dharme ca pathi vartinaH || 4-18-13

13. dharme pathi vartinaH= [for him who] in virtuous, way, treader; jyeSThaH bhraataa pita ca eva= elder, brother, is father, also, thus; yaH ca= he who; vidyaam prayacChati= education, endows; he too; te trayaH pitaraH j~neyaa= they, three, fathers, thus are to be known.

"It is to be known by him who treads the way of righteousness that he has three fatherly personages, namely his own father, his elder brother, and the one who accords education to him. [4-18-13]

yaviiyaan aatmanaH putraH shiSyaH ca api guNoditaH |
putravat te trayaH ci.ntyaa dharmaH caiva atra kaaraNam || 4-18-14

14. yaviiyaan= younger brother; putraH= son; guNoditaH shiSyaH ca api= with good characteristics, disciple, also, even; te trayaH= these, three; aatmanaH putra vat= one's, own, son like; cintyaa= are to be deemed; atra dharmaH caiva kaaraNam= there - in that matter, rectitude, alone, is the base.

"An younger brother, a son, and a disciple with good characteristics, these three are to be deemed as one's own sons, for such matters take base on rectitude alone. [4-18-14]

suukSmaH parama dur.hj~neyaH sataam dharmaH plava.mgama |
hR^idisthaH sarva bhuutaanaam aatmaa veda shubhaashubham || 4-18-15

15. plavamgama= oh, fly-jumper Vali; sataam dharmaH su+ukSmaH= by principled people, probity [practised ,] is very, subtle; parama dur j~neyaH= highly, not, ponderable; sarva bhuutaanaam hR^idi sthaH aatmaa= in all, beings, in heart, abiding, soul; shubha a + shubham= good and bad, just and unjust; veda= knows - differentiates.

"The probity practised by principled people is very subtle and highly imponderable, and the soul that abides in the hearts of all beings alone can differentiate between just and unjust. [4-18-15]

In another way the above is: 'I am that Supreme Soul residing in the hearts of all beings. So I alone will decide what is right and what is wrong...' Vali's question 8 is taken up. 'Your primary aspiration is to kill without probing into good or bad...' is answered saying that 'I am the decider...'

capalaH capalaiH saardham vaanaraiH akR^ita aatmabhiH |
jaatya.ndha iva jaatyandhaiH ma.ntrayan drakSyase nu kim || 4-18-16

16. capalaH= [you are a ] vacillant; a + kR^ita aatmabhiH= un, controlled [frantic,] minded ones; capalaiH vaanaraiH saardham= with vacillant, monkeys, your kind of; jaati andha jaati andhaiH iva= by birth, blind, with them who by birth, blind, like; mantrayan= by counselling; drakSyase nu kim= can you see, [can you fathom, distinguish, what is just and unjust,] really, what?

"Like a blind by birth counselling with similarly blind, you being a vacillant, on your counselling only with frantic minded vacillant monkeys, what can you really fathom about right and wrong? [4-18-16]

aham tu vyak{}tataam asya vacanasya braviimi te |
na hi maam kevalam roSaat tvam vigarhitum arhasi || 4-18-17

17. aham= I; asya vacanasya= about these, words [of mine]; vyaktataam= will clarify; te braviimi= to you, I am telling; tvam kevalam roSaat= you, just by, outrage; maam vigarhitum= me, to disdain, scorn; na arhasi hi= not, apt of you, indeed.

"I will clarify about the words I have said, but I tell you that it is indeed inapt of you to disdain me just out of your outrage. [4-18-17]

tat etat kaaraNam pashya yat artham tvam mayaa hataH |
bhraatur var.htasi bhaaryaayaam tyak{}tvaa dharmam sanaatanam || 4-18-18

18. tvam yat artham mayaa hataH= you are, by which, reason, by me, killed; tat etat kaaraNam pashya= that, this, reason, behold; sanaatanam dharmam tyaktvaa= perpetual, tradition, on forsaking; bhraatuH bhaaryaayaam vartasi= in brother's, wife, you misbehaved.

"Realise this reason by which I have eliminated you… you misbehaved with your brother's wife, forsaking the perpetual tradition. [4-18-18]

With this one and only reason Rama suffices all the thirteen questions of Vali, as summarised in endnote of last chapter. Beyond this Rama also answers other paltry questions, later.

asya tvam dharamaaNasya sugriivasya mahaatmanaH |
rumaayaam vartase kaamaat snuSaayaam paapa karmakR^it || 4-18-19

19. mahaatmanaH asya sugriivasya= great-souled, his, Sugreeva's; dharamaaNasya= while alive; paapa karma kR^it= sinful, act, while doing; kaamaat= with lust; snuSaayaam rumaayaam vartase= in daughter-in-law, in Ruma, you misbehaved.

"While the great-souled Sugreeva is still alive, you with your habit of sinful acts have lustily misbehaved with Sugreeva's wife Ruma, who should be counted as your daughter-in-law. [4-18-19]

Vali being a king, he committed incest transgressing tradition. v˜lŸ t˜vat sva r˜jye sthitv˜ dharm˜ti kramam k®tav˜n | dharma d¨ÿaka× ca r˜j˜ avaþyam daõýanŸya× | dharm˜k¨tam This is the very fault found by Rama when expressing 'vaalii caaritra duuSakaH 'abuser of history/tradition...' in Kishkindha, 4-10-33.

tad vyatiitasya te dharmaat kaama vR^ittasya vaanara |
bhraatR^i bhaaryaa abhimarshe asmin daNDo ayam pratipaaditaH || 4-18-20

20. vaanara= oh, vanara; tat= thereby; dharmaat vyatiitasya= from tradition / virtue, he who transgressed; kaama vR^ittasya= in immorality, who is abiding - for dissolute; te= to you; asmin= in this [for the sin]; bhraatR^i bhaaryaa abhimarshe= brother's, wife, for touching - abusing; ayam daNDaH pratipaaditaH= this, punishment, proposed - imposed.

"Thereby, oh, vanara, this punishment is imposed on you, for your dissolute sinning in abusing your brother's wife, thereby for your transgression of tradition and virtue. [4-18-20]

Vali's question 10, 'inveterate killers are hell-goers...' is replied, 'killing a sinner is no sin and no hell is ensuing thereby...' is the reply, establishing Vali's sin.

na hi loka viruddhasya loka vR^ittaat apeyuSaH |
daNDaat anyatra pashyaami nigraham hari yuuthapa || 4-18-21

21. hari yuuthapa= oh, monkey's, chief; loka viruddhasya= to world - society, contrary one; loka vR^ittaat apeyuSaH= world's, convention, one who is deviant; daNDaat anyatra= from punishment, other than; nigraham= [other sort of] control; na pashyaami hi= not, I see, indeed.

"I foresee no other kind of control other than punishment to him who conducts himself contrary to the society and who is deviant of conventions. [4-18-21]

Vali's question: 2] 'you are not punishing the wrongdoer...' is answered. saama daanam kSamaa dharmaH satyam dhR^iti 'influencing, largesse, forbearance, probity, candour' etc., will work with kings of equal status and worthiness in political strategies. But you are an inferior with an immodest conduct. Then, why should I waste that much of political manoeuvre in your regard? Thus you are eliminated straightaway...' Vali may counter Rama in asking for a lesser punishment than killing, like exiling etc., which he has given to Sugreeva. For this Rama is ready to say that no other punishment is evident than the one said by Manu: sapiõý˜patya d˜reÿu (reta× siktv˜) pr˜õa ty˜go vidhŸyate - - manu sm®ti .

na ca te marSaye paapam kshtriyo aham kulodgataH |
aurasiim bhaginiim vaa api bhaaryaam vaa api anujasya yaH || 4-18-22
pracareta naraH kaamaat tasya daNDo vadhaH smR^itaH |

22, 23a. kula udgataH kshtriyaH= [from best] dynasty, emerged, as a Kshatriya; aham te paapam na marSaye= I, your, wrongdoing, do not, tolerate; yaH naraH= which, person; aurasiim= with daughter; bhaginiim vaa api= with sister, or, even; anujasya bhaaryaam vaa api= with brother's, wife, or, even; kaamaat pracareta= lustfully, involves with; tasya daNDaH vadhaH smR^itaH= his [to him,] punishment, elimination, recalled [from scriptures, specified.]

"As a Kshatriya emerged from a best dynasty I do not tolerate your wrongdoing, and the punishment to the one who lustfully indulges with his daughter, or with his sister, or with the wife of his younger brother is his elimination, as recalled from scriptures. [4-18-22, 23a]

bharataH tu mahiipaalo vayam tu aadesha vartinaH || 4-18-23
tvam ca dharmaat atikraantaH katham shakyam upekSitum |

23b, 24a. bharataH tu mahii paalaH= Bharata, but, of land, land; vayam tu aadesha vartinaH= we, but, in his orders, moving ones - proxies adhering to; tvam ca dharmaat ati kraantaH= you, also, from rightness, over, stepped; upekSitum katham shakyam= to be lenient, how, possible.

While Bharata is the lord of land and we are his proxies adhering to his orders, and while you too have overstepped the bounds of rightness, then how is it possible to be lenient? [4-18-23b, 24a]

guru dharma vyatikraantam praaj~no dharmeNa paalayan || 4-18-24
bharataH kaama yuk{}taanaam nigrahe paryavasthitaH |

24b, 25a. praaj~naH= sensible - Bharata; guru dharma vyati kraantam== weighty - momentous, virtue, [one who] over steps; [him - nighnan= while punishing- Bharata]; dharmeNa paalayan= with righteousness, while ruling; such as he is; bharataH= Bharata; kaama yuktaanaam= lust, those that are with it; nigrahe paryavasthitaH= to put down, is poised for.

"While ruling righteously sensible Bharata punishes him who oversteps the momentous virtue, and he is poised to put down lustful ones. [4-18-24b, 25a]

vayam tu bharata aadesham vidhim kR^itvaa hariishvara |
tvat vidhaan bhinna maryaadaan nigrahiitum vyavasthitaaH || 4-18-25

25 b, c. hari iishvara= oh, monkey's, lord; vayam tu= as for us; bharata aadesham= brother's, orders; vidhim= duty; kR^itvaa= on effectuating; bhinna maryaadaan= one who shattered, ethics; tvat vidhaan= your, kind of; nigrahiitum vyavasthitaaH= to curb, we stand for.

"As for us, oh, monkey's lord, we effectuate our brother's orders and our duty, and we stand for curbing your kind of shatterers of ethics. [4-18-25b, c]

sugriiveNa ca me sakhyam lakSmaNena yathaa tathaa |
daara raajya nimittam ca niHshreyasakaraH sa me || 4-18-26

26. sugriiveNa me sakhyam= with Sugreeva, my, association; lakSmaNena yathaa tathaa= with Lakshmana, as with, so it is; daara raajya nimittam ca= wife, kingdom, owing to, also [our friendship materialised]; saH me= he, to me; niHshreyasa karaH= succour, he does.

"My association with Sugreeva is as good as that with Lakshmana, nevertheless it betided with an understanding to regain Sugreeva's wife and kingdom, and he will give succour to me. [4-18-26]

Vali's question 13] 'I would have brought back Maithili in one day...' is given an answer. Bringing Maithili from the captivity of Ravana would have averted Vali's death - so Vali thought. But who will bring Ruma, wife of Sugreeva, and give her back to Sugreeva? Vali does not consider this, and in this alone Vali's transgression is said to have been proved. Thus any truce between Vali and Rama is an impossible and improbable proposition.

What all Rama wanted is the 'search for Seetha...' not bring her to his fore. Elimination of Ravana is to be done by Rama alone, for which Seetha is to be located first. If a truce is struck between Vali and Rama, Vali straightway goes to Ravana and asks for Seetha. If Ravana yields Seetha there is no cause left for his elimination. Ravana for sure refuses to yield her. Then a combat ensues between Ravana and Vali. But Vali can combat one-to-one in a duel and he may not encounter a magical war of Indrajit or Kumbhakarna. Then all the demons will combine to eliminate Vali, thus the epic concludes there haphazardly. Other way round, if Vali seeks help of Ravana and his military to combat Rama, Vali's forces and Ravana's forces will come down on a handful warriors like Rama, Sugreeva Hanuma, and Jambavanta et al. Then the whole of monkey force will be with Vali, and these few warriors will be routed down mercilessly. Above all, Rama has promised Sugreeva to eliminate Vali, the abuser of tradition, and Rama becomes blameworthy if he fails in his word. Hence the simplest formula 'enemy's friend is my enemy too...' works well and Rama followed that only.

pratij~naa ca mayaa dattaa tadaa vaanara sa.mnidhau |
pratij~naa ca katham shakyaa mat vidhena anavekSitum || 4-18-27

27. tadaa maya= then - at the time of befriending, by me; vaanara sannidhau= vanara-s, in presence; pratij~naa ca dattaa= promise, also, is given; mat vidhena= by my, type of [person]; pratij~naa= promise; an+avekSitum= not, to honour; katham shakyaa= how is, possible.

"I gave a promise to Sugreeva at the time of befriending him in the presence of vanara-s, and how is it possible for my kind to dishonour a given promise? [4-18-27]

In Aranya Kanda he tells Seetha, that he even leaves his life than to feign his promise. api aham jiivitam jahyaam tvaam vaa siite sa lakSmaNaam || 4-10-18. Hence there is no question of his going back on the word given to them that crave for his mercy.

tat ebhiH kaaraNaiH sarvair mahadbhiH dharma sa.mhitaiH |
shaasanam tava yat yuk{}tam tat bhavaan anumanyataam || 4-18-28

28. tat= thereby; dharma samhitaiH= virtue, abounding; sarvaiH mahadbhiH= with all of them, with supreme values; ebhiH kaaraNaiH= due to these, reasons; tava yat shaasanam= to you, which, punishment; yuktam= befitting; tat bhavaan anumanyataam= that, by you, you infer.

"Thereby you have to infer that a befitting punishment is given to you, owing to all these great reasons that abound with virtue and with supreme value. [4-18-28]

sarvathaa dharma iti eva draSTavyaH tava nigrahaH |
vayasyasya upakartavyam dharmam eva anupashyataa || 4-18-29

29. tava nigrahaH= your, control [keeping you under control, punishing you]; sarvathaa dharmaH iti eva= anywise, is righteous - condign, legitimate, thus, only; draSTavyaH= is to be seen [you shall regard it]; dharmam anupashyataa= rectitude, he who is guided by it; vayasyasya upakartavyam eva= to a friend, has to render assistance, alone - in any event.

"Anywise, you have to regard the punishment given to you is legitimate, and he whom rectitude guides has to render assistance to his friend, in any event. [4-18-29]

shakyam tvayaa api tat kaaryam dharmam eva anuvartataa |
shruuyate manunaa giitau shlokau caaritra vatsalau ||
gR^ihiitau dharma kushalaiH tathaa tat caritam mayaaa || 4-18-30

30. dharmam eva anuvartataa= righteous, only, if seen - if pursued [had you pursued]; tvayaa api= by you, even; tat kaaryam shakyam= that, deed [deed of imposing such a punishment,] possible - you too would have done the same; manunaa= by Manu; caaritra vatsalau= good convention, advocates of [the verses said next]; shlokau= two verses - verses of law; giitau= said to be sung - as said to be; shruuyate= we hear so; dharma kushalaiH= in rightness, experts; gR^ihiitau= they [verses] taken - accepted; mayaaa tat tathaa caritam= by me, that [way,] likewise, done - I have conducted myself.

"Had you pursued rightness you too would have done the same deed in imposing such a punishment, and we hear two verses that are given to the advocacy of good conventions, which the experts of rightness have also accepted, and which are said to be coined by Manu, and I too conducted myself only as detailed in those verses of law. [4-18-30]

raajabhiH dhR^ita daNDaaH ca kR^itvaa paapaani maanavaaH |
nirmalaaH svargam aayaanti santaH sukR^itino yathaa || 4-18-31

31. maanavaaH= humans; paapaani kR^itvaa= sins, on making; raajabhiH dhR^ita daNDaaH ca= by kings, imposed, punishment, also; nirmalaaH sukR^itinaH santaH yathaa= unblemished - sinless, with good deeds, pious souled ones, as with; svargam aayaanti= to heaven, they come.

" 'When kings impose proper punishment on the humans who have sinned, they become sinless and enter heaven as with the pious souls with good deeds.' So says one verse of Manu. [4-18-31]

shasanaat vaa api mokshaat vaa stenaH paapaat pramucyate |
raajaa tu ashaasan paapasya tad aapnoti kilbiSam || 4-18-32

32. stenaH= a thief; shasanaat vaa api mokshaat vaa= by punishment, either, even, by releasing - by clemency, or; paapaat pramucyate= from sin, will be released; a + shaasan raajaa tu= un, punishing, king, but; paapasya tat kilbiSam aapnoti= sin's, that, blot, he derives.

" 'Either by punishment or by clemency a thief will be absolved from sin, but the king who does not impose proper punishment will derive the blot of that sin.' So says the other verse of Manu. [4-18-32]

aaryeNa mama maandhaatraa vyasanam ghoram iipsitam |
shramaNena kR^ite paape yathaa paapam kR^itam tvayaa || 4-18-33

33. mama aaryeNa maandhaatraa= by my [ancestor,] venerable, Maandhaata; tvayaa yathaa paapam kR^itam= by you, as you have, sin, done - committed; likewise; shramaNena paape kR^ite= by renouncer, [as with] sin, committed; iipsitam ghoram vyasanam= what is desired, terrible, problem [punishment is given.]

"When a renouncer has committed sin like that of the one committed by you, my venerable ancestor Maandhaata has given punishment which he desired. [4-18-33]

This is according to the meaning derived by ancient commentators which doe not go well with the import of earlier verse 'the king derives the blot if he does not punish properly' or with the next one. Rama's ancestor Maandhaata should have got that blot for not punishing a renouncer in proper way. Other mms has this verse like this: puurveNa mama maandhaataa sampraaptam vyasanam mahat | shramaNena kR^ite paape yathaa paapam kR^itam tvayaa || And which verse is to be kept, it is up to the pundits.

Rama is quoting a precedent from his own dynasty. Maandhaata has to impose capital punishment to a sage, for that sage committed some immoral act. Here also the shramaNa is used for a wandering sage, called yati. Because he is religious person is he to let off; a religious person's sinning is doubly punishable; are the problems of Maandhaata. This word shramaNa yati, need not be equated with a Buddhist monk, for they also have same titles, and Maandhaata is said to have existed long before Buddha's era.

anyaiH api kR^itam paapam pramattaiH vasudhaa adhipaiH |
praayashcittam ca kurvanti tena tat shaamyate rajaH || 4-18-34

34. anyaiH api= by others, even; kR^itam paapam= committed [acquired,] sin; pramattaiH vasudhaa adhipaiH= by unobservant, land, lords [kings]; praayashcittam ca kurvanti= make amends, also, do; tena tat rajaH shaamyate= by that, that, filth of sin, they mitigate.

"Such sin is acquired even by other kings who are unobservant in imposing proper punishment, and those kings had to make amends for it at appropriate time, by that propitiation they used to mitigate that filth of that sin. [4-18-34]

The kings who are otherwise busy may not hanker after thieves and sinners always, thus they become unobservant of each and every individual's behaviour. So the kings used to make amends at appropriate time. It is up to the individual to comport properly or improperly. An offender may escape hundred offences, but if caught once, he has to pay for all his wrongdoings.

tat alam paritaapena dharmataH parikalpitaH |
vadho vaanarashaarduula na vayam sva vashe sthitaaH || 4-18-35

35. vaanara shaarduula= Vanara, the tiger; tat alam paritaapena= thereby, enough, with annoyance; vadhaH dharmataH parikalpitaH= [your] elimination, righteously, devised; vayam sva vashe na sthitaaH= we, our own, control, not, abiding - we are not independent.

"Thereby, enough with your annoyance, oh, tigerly vanara, as your elimination is devised righteously, and we too are not independent. [4-18-35]

They are bound by duty. They are not at their free will to act on their own whims and fancies. Vali's question: 9] 'How do you face criticism by scholars?' is answered. ' None can criticise because I have not acted on my own, but bound by scriptures and precedents...' y˜ v˜ na vadhasya vadhe t˜v˜n vadhasya mokÿõe | adharmo n®pate× d®ÿ÷o dharmastu viniyacchata× - manu sm®ti 9-249 'How much sin is acquired by executing a murderer, that much sin is acquired by executing a non-murderer...' which again is somewhat similar to the present day saying, 'let hundred criminals go unpunished, but let no innocent be punished.'

shruNu ca api aparam bhuuyaH kaaraNam haripu.ngava |
tat shrutvaa hi mahat viira na manyum kartum arhasi || 4-18-36

36. mahat viira= oh, great, brave one; hari pungava= monkey's, best of; bhuuyaH aparam kaaraNam shruNu= further, another, reason, you hear; tat mahat shrutvaa= that, important [cause,] on hearing; manyum kartum na arhasi= fury, to do, not, apt of you - you will not be infuriated.

"Oh, brave and best one among monkeys, further listen to another cause, and on listening that important cause you will not be infuriated. [4-18-36]

na me tatra manastaapo na manyuH haripu.ngava |
vaaguraabhiH ca paashaiH ca kuuTaiH ca vividhaiH naraaH || 4-18-37
praticChannaaH ca dR^ishyaaH ca gR^ihNanti subahuun mR^igaan |

37, 38a. tatra= in that matter - of my killing you, or, your reviling me; me= to me; manaH taapaH= at heart, grief - angst; manyuH= ire; na= are not there; hari pungava= oh, monkey, the best; naraaH= people; vaaguraabhiH ca= with snares, also; paashaiH ca= with loops, also; vividhaiH kuuTaiH ca= numerous, by contrivances, even; praticChannaaH ca dR^ishyaaH ca= covertly, either, overtly, or; su bahuun= very many; mR^igaan gR^ihNanti= animals, they capture.

"I have neither angst nor ire in this matter of my eliminating you, or, your reviling me, oh, best monkey, but listen to the other point I wish to make clear. People will be capturing several animals, either covertly or overtly, with snares, springes and even with numerous contrivances. [4-18-37, 38a]

So far Rama replied Vali with a view that Vanara-s are a species of Vedic-beings who hold fast to Vedic duties like sandhyaa vandana, suuryopasthaana performed by Vali, and swasthyana performed by Tara, and the other their daily routines of Veda-s. But Vali takes a U-turn declaring himself an animal and asks: 6] Why fruits, tubers eating being is killed; 11] Un-wearable is my skin uneatable is my flesh; 12] Five kinds of five-nailed animals are usable by humans...' Rama started to tell how humans deal with animals, should Vali declare himself an animal, if not a specific Vedic-being.

pradhaavitaan vaa vitrastaan visrabdhaan ativiSThitaan || 4-18-38
pramattaan apramattaan vaa naraa maamsa ashino bhR^isham |
vidhyanti vimukhaam ca api na ca doSo atra vidyate || 4-18-39

38b, 39. maamsa ashinaH naraaH= meat, eating, humans; pra dhaavitaan vaa= speedily, sprinting away, or, vi trastaan= fully, dismayed; vi srabdhaan= without, dismay - roaming with confidence; ati viSThitaan= steadily, standing; pra mattaan= very, vigilant ones; a + pramattaan vaa= un, vigilant ones, or; vi mukhaam ca api= away, faced, also, even; bhR^isham vidhyanti= undeniably, will kill; atra doSaH na vidyate ca= in that, blame [sacrilege,] not, evident.

"Meat eating people will undeniably kill animals, either they are speedily sprinting or standing steadily, fully dismayed or undismayed, vigilant or unvigilant, and even if they are facing away, in that there is no sacrilege. [4-18-38b, 39]

yaanti raajarSayaH ca atra mR^igayaam dharma kovidaaH |
tasmaat tvam nihato yuddhe mayaa baaNena vaanara |
ayudhyan pratiyudhyan vaa yasmaat shaakhaa mR^igo hi asi || 4-18-40

40. atra= in this [world]; dharma kovidaaH= in virtue, well versed ones; raaja R^iSayaH= kings, sagely; mR^igayaam yaanti ca= for hunting, they go, even; vaanara= oh, vanara; tvam= you; a + yudhyan= not, combating; prati yudhyan vaa= counter, combating, or; yasmaat shaakhaa mR^igaH asi= by which reason [because,] tree-branch, animal, you are; tasmaat= therefore; mayaa yuddhe baaNena nihataH hi= by me, in combat, with arrow, I felled, indeed.

"In this world even the kingly sages well-versed in virtue will go on hunting, and hunting is no face to face game, as such, oh, vanara, therefore I felled you in combat with my arrow because you are a tree-branch animal, whether you are not combating with me or combating against me. [4-18-40]

'Whether you face this way or that you are an animal, as you alone said, besides being an enemy of my friend...' For this Griffith says - I cannot understand how Valmiki could put such an excuse as this into Rama's mouth. Rama with all solemn ceremony, has made a league of alliance with Vali's younger brother whom he regards as a dear friend and almost as an equal, and now he winds up his reasons for killing Vali by coolly saying: 'Besides you are only a monkey, you know, after all, and as such I have every right to kill you how, when, and where I like.'

durlabhasya ca dharmasya jiivitasya shubhasya ca |
raajaano vaanarashreSTha pradaataaro na samshayaH || 4-18-41

41. vaanara shreSTha= oh, Vanara, the best; raajaanaH= kings are; dur labhasya dharmasya= un, obtainable, of righteousness; shubhasya jiivitasya ca= of propitious, lifestyles, also; pra daataaraH= are bounteous, benefactors; na samshayaH= no, doubt.

"Kings are the bounteous benefactors of the unobtainable righteousness and propitious lifestyles, oh, best vanara, no doubt about it. [4-18-41]

taan na hi.msyaat na ca aakroshen na aakSipen na apriyam vadet |
devaa maanuSa ruupeNa caranti ete mahii tale || 4-18-42

42. taan na himsyaat= them, not, to be harmed; na ca aakroshet= not, also, reproved; na aakSipet= not, disparaged; na a+priyam vadet= not, dis, pleasing, to be spoken to them; ete devaaH= these, divinities [the kings]; maanuSa ruupeNa= in human, form; mahii tale caranti= earth's, plane, they are moving - conducting themselves.

"They the kings are not to be harmed, also not to be reproved, not disparaged and nothing displeasing is spoken to them, as they are the divinities conducting themselves in human form on the plane of earth. [4-18-42]

tvam tu dharmam avij~naaya kevalam roSam aasthitaH |
viduuSayasi maam dharme pitR^i paitaamahe sthitam || 4-18-43

43. tvam tu= as for you; dharmam a + vij~naaya= righteousness, without, knowing; kevalam roSam aasthitaH= solely, to rancour, clinging to; pitR^i paitaamahe dharme sthitam= of fathers, forefathers, in righteousness, abiding by; maam viduuSayasi= me, you revile.

"I am abiding by the ethicalness practised by my father and forefathers, but you revile me without the knowledge of rightness, just by clinging to your rancour." Thus said Rama to dying Vali. [4-18-43]

There is none to say that Vali is 'unkillable...' or 'not to be killed...' But to every one a doubt occurs as to why Rama did not come face to face with and killed him? Why hit him from a remote place? For these doubts, the above said arguments may not suffice or satisfactory, either to Vali or to us, the readers. Dharmaakuutam, the only commentary on Ramayana insofar as dharma is concerned explains that for us.

evam ca adya eva tam haniÿy˜mŸti pratijñ˜ parip˜lanam tad˜ bhavet yad˜ pracchannatay˜ hanam iti ? prak˜þatay˜ yuddh˜ya ˜h¨tastu, bhay˜n ˜gacchet - rum˜m g®hŸtv˜ deþ˜ntaram v˜ gacchet - r˜vaõam v˜ sam˜þrayet - þaraõam v˜ sam˜gacchet - sa sah˜yam sugrŸvam avalokya sakala v˜nara senay˜ yuddh˜rtham sam˜gacchet - v˜ tatra adya pakÿatraye tad hananasya cirak˜la s˜dhyatvena adyaiva tam haniÿy˜mi rum˜m r˜jyam ca tava d˜sy˜mi iti p¨rva pratijñ˜ k˜latip˜ta sy˜t | pratijñ˜k˜l˜tip˜te ca doÿa×
þaran˜gatam anapakÿe ca þaraõ˜gato v˜lŸ hanyeta v˜ na v˜ - na adya× - þaraõ˜gata hananasya niÿiddhatv˜t - - - - r˜ma k®te v˜li vadha× adharmadh˜yako na bhavati - kim tu dharma eva

When it is said by Rama that 'today only I will kill Vali...' then it may be countered by saying, 'then why killing him from distance, why not confront him?' If Rama comes to fore, fear may grip Vali, then he may take Ruma, Sugreeva's wife, and to insult, Sugreeva further, Vali may go to a distant place with her. Or, he may seek shelter with Ravana. Or, he may even take refuge in Rama like Sugreeva. Or, on seeing Sugreeva with enough support, he may summon all his Vanara army to fight with Sugreeva and his supporters. Then it will prolong for a time. Then the promise of Rama made to Sugreeva to accord his wife and his kingdom by killing Vali, also prolongs. Justice delayed is denied. Otherwise, if Vali surrenders to Rama, as the killing of a refugee is not a merited act, Rama has to pardon Vali. Whether Vali takes refuse or not, killing Vali on that day itself, and establishing Sugreeva in Kishkindha are the promises made by Rama, at the time of befriending Sugreeva. The word given is to be kept up. So Rama did it and there is no unrighteous deed done by Rama. And Vali also accepts this in the coming stanzas.

evam uk{}taH tu raameNa vaalii pravyathito bhR^isham |
na doSam raaghave dadhyau dharme adhigata nishchayaH || 4-18-44

44. raameNa evam uktaH tu= by Rama, that way, he who is said [categorically]; vaalii bhR^isham pravyathitaH= Vali, muchly, distressed [at heart of hearts]; dharme adhigata nishchayaH= in righteousness, deriving, decisiveness - resolve; raaghave doSam na dadhyau= in Rama, incorrectness, not, found.

Vali is much distressed at heart of hearts when Rama has said categorically in that way, whereby, deriving certitude about rightness he found no incorrectness with Rama. [4-18-44]

From here on Vali's repentance is narrated. ata eva v˜lin˜ sakala dharma abhijñena - bhavat˜ anabhijño aham na prati vaktum arhasi - atra ca dharmo'dhigataniscaya iti viþeÿeõa p¨rva k®tam akhilam api r˜ma d¨ÿaõam ajñ˜na prav®ttam eva | ita× param vakÿyam˜õam akhilam dharmyam eva vadati iti avagatam : dharm˜k¨tam Whatever spoken by Vali earlier is without proper knowledge of dharma, and whatever said hereafter is in conformity with righteousness [owing to the dawn of death-time wisdom.] Dharmaakuutam.

pratyuvaaca tato raamam praa.njalir vaanareshvaraH |
yat tvam aattha narashreSTha tat thathaa eva na atra sa.mshayaH || 4-18-45

45. tataH vaanara iishvaraH= then, vanara-s, lord Vali; praanjaliH= with adjoined-palms; raamam prati uvaaca= to Rama, inreturn, spoke - replied; nara shreSTha= man, the best among men; tvam yat aattha= you, what, said; tat tathaa eva= that, that way, only - proper; atra samshayaH na= in that, doubt, is not there.

That lord of vanara-s then replied Rama with adjoined palms, "oh, best one among men, what all you have said is that way proper, undoubtedly. [4-18-45]

prativak{}tum prakR^iSTe hi na apakR^iSTaH tu shak.hnuyaat |
yat ayuk{}tam mayaa puurvam pramaadaat vaakyam apriyam || 4-18-46
tatra api khalu maam doSam kartum na arhasi raaghava |

46, 47a. raaghava= oh, Raghava; prakR^iSTe= in respect of nobleman; apa+kR^iSTaH= ignoble; prati vaktum= in turn, speak - to rebut, disprove; na shaknuyaat hi= not, capable, indeed; mayaa puurvam= by me, earlier; pramaadaat= accidentally - fortuitously; yat= which; a + yuktam= un, desirable; a priyam= not, proper; vaakyam [uktam]= words, [spoken]; tatra api= in there, even - with regard to them; maam= towards me; doSam kartum= blame, to make; khalu na arhasi= truly, not, apt of you.

"Indeed an ignoble cannot disprove a nobleman, Raghava, and with regards to the undesirable and improper words I have unwittingly spoken earlier, in that mater too it will be truly unapt of you to make me blameworthy, as I spoke them in anguish and ignorance. [4-18-46, 47a]

tvam hi dR^iSTaartha tattvaj~naH prajaanaam ca hite rataH |
kaarya kaaraNa siddhau ca prasannaa buddhiH avyayaa || 4-18-47

47b, c. tvam hi dR^iSTa artha tattvaj~naH= you, alone, seen [knower of,] means [recourses, and their] real nature; prajaanaam ca hite rataH= in people's, also, welfare, delighted in; avyayaa buddhiH= with faultless, intellect; kaarya kaaraNa siddhau ca= effect, cause, in accomplishment; prasannaa= serene, clear.

"You alone are the knower of recourses and their real nature, namely probity, prosperity, pleasure seeking, and emancipation; dharma, artha, kaama, moksha ; and you take delight in the welfare of subjects, and your faultless intellect is clear in accomplishing ends by judging the causes and effects. [4-18-47b, c]

maam api avagatam dharmaat vyatikraanta puraskR^itam |
dharma sa.mhitayaa vaacaa dharmaj~na paripaalaya || 4-18-48

48. dharmaj~na= oh, knower of probity, Rama; dharmaat avagatam [apa gatam?]= from righteousness, known [digressed]; vyatikraanta [vi ati kraanta] puraskR^itam= [among] transgressors, forerunner; maam api= me, even; dharma samhitayaa vaacaa= righteousness, abounding with, words; paripaalaya= command me - care for me, give me absolution.

"Oh, Rama, the knower of probity, I am the one who digressed from the rightness and a forerunner among such transgressors, such as I am, give absolution even to me with words abounded with rightness." Vali is thus saying to Rama. [4-18-48]

baaSpa sa.mruddha kaNThaH tu vaalii sa aarta ravaH shanaiH |
uvaaca raamam sa.mprekSya pa.nkalagna iva dvipaH || 4-18-49

49. panka lagna dvipaH iva= in slough, plumped, elephant, like; vaalii= Vali; baaSpa sam ruddha kaNThaH tu= tears, fully, impeding, throat, but; sa aarta ravaH= with, agonised, moaning; raamam samprekSya= Rama, keenly, on viewing; shanaiH uvaaca= slowly, [continued] to say.

Vali who like an elephant plumped in slough continued to say slowly, with tears fully impeding his throat and with an agonised moan, on keenly observing Rama. [4-18-49]

na ca aatmaanam aham shoce na taaraam na api baandhavaan |
yathaa putram guNashreSTham a.ngadam kanakaa.ngadam || 4-18-50

50. guNa shreSTham= in virtue, the best; kanaka angadam= one with golden, bicep-lets; putram angadam=about son, Angada; yathaa= as to how [I am worrying]; aham aatmaanam na ca shoche= I, for myself, even, not, worried; taaraam na= about Tara, no; baandhavaan api na= about relative, even, no.

"Also, I neither worry for myself, nor for Tara, nor even for any relatives of mine, as I do for my son Angada, the best-virtuous one with golden bicep-lets. [4-18-50]

sa mama adarshanaat diino baalyaat prabhR^iti laalitaH |
taTaaka iva piitaa.mbuH upashoSam gamiSyati || 4-18-51

51. baalyaat prabhR^iti= childhood, right from; laalitaH= [Angada is] nourished looked after fondly; saH= he, that Angada; mama a + darshanaat= my, non, appearance - not seeing me; diinaH= he will be dejected; piita ambuH taTaaka iva= drunk, water, lake, like - like a lake whose waters are drained; upa shoSam gamiSyati= dry out - wither, gets into.

"Right from his childhood I fondly looked after Angada, and he will be dejected when he sees me no more, and he withers away like a lake with its water drained for a drink. [4-18-51]

baalaH ca akR^itabuddhiH ca eka putraH ca me priyaH |
taareyo raama bhavataa rakshaNiiyo mahaabalaH || 4-18-52

52. raama= Rama; baalaH ca= he is a boy; a + kR^ita buddhiH ca= boyish, also, not, made-up, mind [juvenile]; me priyaH eka putraH ca= to me, dear, only, son, also; mahaabalaH= great-mighty one; taareyaH= Tara's son Angada; bhavataa rakshaNiiyaH= by you, needs to be protected.

"He is boyish, juvenile, and the only dear son of mine, oh, Rama, as such that great-mighty son of Tara needs your protection. [4-18-52]

sugriive ca a.ngade caiva vidhatsva matim uttamaam |
tvam hi goptaa ca shaastaa ca kaaryaakaarya vidhau sthitaH || 4-18-53

53. sugriive ca angade caiva= in Sugreeva, also, in Angada, thus; uttamaam matim vidhatsva= best, mind - you make - treat both of them with equal compassion; [tvam= you]; kaarya a+kaarya vidhau sthitaH= in practicable, not, practicable, procedures, you abide in - you have firm convictions; tvam hi goptaa ca= you, alone, protector, also; shaastaa ca= punisher, also.

"You have firm convictions about practicable and impracticable procedures, and you alone are the protector of the good and punisher of the bad, hence treat both Sugreeva and Angada with equal compassion. [4-18-53]

yaa te narapate vR^ittiH bharate lakSmaNe ca yaa |
sugriive ca a.ngade raajan taam ci.ntayitum arhasi || 4-18-54

54. nara pate= oh, men's lord; raajan= oh, king; bharate= in Bharata; te yaa vR^ittiH= your, which, outlook is there; lakSmaNe ca= of Lakshmana, too; yaa= which - stance is there; taam= that [bent] alone; sugriive angade ca= towards Sugreeva, Angada, even; cintayitum arhasi= to think about - show, apt of you.

"Oh, lord of men, it will be apt of you to show the same kind of outlook towards Sugreeva, oh, king, even towards Angada, which you have for Bharata and Lakshmana. [4-18-54]

mat doSa kR^ita doSaam taam yathaa taaraam tapasviniim |
sugriivo na avamanyeta tathaa avasthaatum arhasi || 4-18-55

55. mat doSa kR^ita doSaam= my, fault, done [occurring,] fault; tapasviniim taam taaraam= self-reproachful, her, regarding Tara; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; yathaa= as to how; na avamanyeta= not, going to dishonour - look down on; tathaa avasthaatum arhasi= thus, to establish - you may see to it, apt of you.

"The fault occurring from my fault of maltreating Sugreeva may not light upon that self-reproachful Tara, and it will be apt of you to see that Sugreeva will not look down on her treating her as the wife his rival. [4-18-55]

tvayaa hi anugR^ihiitena shakyam raajyam upaasitum |
tvat vashe vartamaanena tava citta anuvartinaa || 4-18-56
shakyam divam ca aarjayitum vasudhaam ca api shaasitum |

56, 57a. tvayaa anugR^ihiitena hi= [one who is] by you, approved, indeed; tvat vashe vartamaanena= under you, control, while abiding; tava citta anuvartinaa= your, heart, following; raajyam upaasitum shakyam= kingdom, to run [govern,] capable of; shakyam= possible [even to]; vasudhaam shaasitum ca api= earth, to rule, also, even; divam aarjayitum ca= heaven, to achieve, also.

"When you indeed approve someone, he is capable enough to govern the kingdom, abiding himself under your control and following your heart, why a kingdom, he can rule the earth, why earth, he can even achieve the heaven itself. [4-18-56, 57a]

tvataH aham vadham aakaa.nkshayan vaaryamaaNo api taarayaa || 4-18-57
sugriiveNa saha bhraataa dvandva yuddham upaagatam |
iti uk{}tvaa vaanaro raamam viraraama hariishvaraH || 4-18-58

57b, 58. aham taarayaa vaaryamaaNaH api= I, by Tara, dissuaded, though; tvataH vadham aakaankshayan= by you, I, elimination, [as though] aspiring; bhraataa sugriiveNa saha= with brother, Sugreeva, along with; dvandva yuddham upaagatam= duel, combat, I obtained - met with; hari iishvaraH= monkeys, king of; vaanaraH= vanara, Vali; raamam iti uktvaa= to Rama, thus, on saying; viraraama [vi ra raama]= paused a while.

"Though Tara dissuaded me I met with my brother Sugreeva in a duel as though aspiring elimination at your hand.." On saying thus to Rama that vanara, Vali the lord of monkeys' paused for a while. [4-18-57b, 58]

Any combatant is self-assertive until he is defeated. Here Vali is telling that he came here to die on his own. This statement has two kinds of meaning. One is, Vali being an all-daring Vanara came out, in ' come-what-may ' sense and readying himself to confront even Rama, if Rama affronts him. His argument with Tara at the start of 16th chapter details this. He asks Tara, 'If Rama is a virtue-knower and a diligent one, how then he can sin, in killing me?' Vali, unlike Ravana, never goes to a duel unless provoked. Vali being a wilful combatant and Sugreeva is coming for a second time with the support of Rama, he wanted to defeat that unknown Rama, along with suppressing Sugreeva's trivial pride. Vali promises Tara that he is not going to kill Sugreeva, but wanted to take him to task. On coming to field Rama is not evident. Then Vali wanted to see to Sugreeva first and then search for Rama. But what happened is the reverse of it. Perhaps gorilla war tactics started from this point onwards.

sa tam aashvaasayat raamo vaalinam vyak{}ta darshanam |
saadhu sammatayaa vaacaa dharma tattvaartdha yuk{}tayaa || 4-18-59

59. saH raamaH= he, that Rama; vyakta darshanam= one who has clear, view - clear thought; tam vaalinam= him, that Vali; saadhu sammatayaa= to savants, agreeable; and; dharma tatva artdha yuktayaa= probity's, essence, meaning, containing; vaacaa= with words; aashvaasayat= consoled.

Rama consoled Vali with words that are agreeable to savants and that contain the essence and meaning of rightness, while Vali is with an evincible perspective of righteousness by now. And Rama spoke to Vali this way. [4-18-59]

na sa.mtaapaH tvayaa kaaryam etat artham plava.ngama |
na vayam bhavataa ci.ntyaa na api aatmaa harisattama |
vayam bhavat visheSeNa dharmataH kR^ita nishcayaaH || 4-18-60

60. plavan gama= oh, fly-jumper; etat artham= for this, reason; tvayaa sataapaH na kaaryaH= by you, remorse, not, doable; hari sattama= oh, monkey, the best; bhavataa vayam= by you, we [who are now left behind you, Tara, Angada and us]; na cintyaa= not, those that are to bothered; aatmaa api na= about yourself, even, not [to be bothered]; vayam= we; bhavat= in your respect; visheSeNa= [anugraha buddhyaa]= considerateness; dharmataH= according to rightness; kR^itaH nishcayaaH= made, decision - we took a decision.

"Oh, fly-jumper, you need not be remorseful about your wife, son and others you leave behind, because we take care of them... nor you should bother about us thinking that we have arbitrarily eliminated you, nor necessarily bother about yourself for committing sins, as we took this decision according to rightness and considerateness in your respect. [4-18-60]

daNDye yaH paatayet daNDam daNDyo yaH ca api daNDyate |
kaarya kaaraNa siddhaarthau ubhau tau na avasiidataH || 4-18-61

61. yaH= he who; daNDye= regarding the punishable one; daNDam paatayet= punishment, let falls - imposes; yaH ca api= he, who is, even; daNDyaH= is punishable; daNDyate= gets punished; kaarya kaaraNa siddha arthau= effect, cause, accomplished, with means; tau ubhau= those, two; na ava siidataH= will not, sink down - doomed, get condemned.

"He who administers punishment to the punishable, and he who is punishable and gets punished, both of them will achieve the results of cause and effect, where punishment is the effect from the cause of wrongdoing, and they both thereby will not be condemned. [4-18-61]

tat bhavaan daNDa samyogaat asmaat vigata kalmaSaH |
gataH svaam prakR^itim dhar.hmyaam dharma diSTena vartmanaa || 4-18-62

62. tat= thereby; bhavaan= you are; asmaat daNDa sam yogaat= with this, punishment, by linkage - by virtue of; vi gata kalmaSaH= [you are] completely, divested, of blemish; dharma diSTena vartmanaa= by rightness, given, course - as contained in the scriptures of rightness; dharmyaam= agreeable to righteousness; svaam prakR^itim gataH= your own, nature, you got into - obtained.

"Thereby, by virtue of the punishment you are completely divested of your blemish, and as contained in the scriptures on rightness you attained your true nature, that which is agreeable to rightness. [4-18-62]

tyaja shokam ca moham ca bhayam ca hR^idaye sthitam |
tvayaa vidhaanam haryagrya na shakyam ativartitum || 4-18-63

63. hari agrya= oh, monkeys, supreme of; hR^idaye sthitam= in heart, abiding; shokam ca moham ca bhayam ca= distress, desire, dread, also; tyaja= you discard; tvayaa= by you; vidhaanam= system - destiny; ati vartitum= to over, step - to transcend; na shakyam= not, possible.

"Let distress, desire and even dread that abide in your heart be discarded, oh, monkey's supreme, you cannot possibly transcend destiny. [4-18-63]

yathaa tvayi a.ngado nityam vartate vaanareshvaraH |
tathaa vartate sugriivo mayi ca api na sa.mshayaH || 4-18-64

64. vaanara iishvaraH= oh, vanara-s, lord; angadaH tvayi yathaa vartate= Angada, with you, as has been, conducting himself; sugriive= with Sugreeva; mayi ca api= me, even with; tathaa nityam varteta= likewise, always, he will conduct himself; na samshayaH= no, doubt.

"As Angada has always been conducting himself with you, thus he will conduct himself with Sugreeva and also even with me, without doubt." Thus Rama spoke to Vali. [4-18-64]

sa tasya vaakyam madhuram mahaatmanaH
samaahitam dharma pathaanuvartinaH |
nishamya raamasya raNaavamardino
vacaH suyuk{}tam nijagaada vaanaraH || 4-18-65

65. saH vaanaraH= he, that vanara - Vali; mahaatmanaH= of great-souled Rama; dharma patha anuvartinaH= in righteousness, path, one who treads; raNa ava mardinaH= in war, absolute, crusher [of enemy]; tasya raamasya= his, of that Rama; madhuram= agreeable; samaahitam= assertive; vaakyam nishamya= sentence, on listening; su yuktam vacaH nijagaada= well, disposed, words, [Vali] spoke.

On hearing the agreeable and assertive words of that great-souled Rama, who is the treader on the path of rightness and an absolute crusher of enemies in war, Vali, the vanara, spoke these well-disposed words to Rama. [4-18-65]

sharaabhitaptena vicetasaa mayaa
praduuSitaH tvam yad ajaanataa vibho |
idam mahendropama bhiima vikrama
prasaaditaH tvam kSama me nareshvara || 4-18-66

66. vibho= oh, lord; mahendra upama= oh, one similar to, Indra; bhiima vikrama= oh, tremendously, braving one; nareshvara= oh, people's lord; Rama; shara abhi taptena= by arrow, verily, sweltered; vi cetasaa= without, vitality [of mind - unable to think, imbecile]; a + jaanataa= un, knowingly; mayaa tvam yat pra duuSitaaH= by me, you are, which, muchly, one who is blamed; me idam kSama= my [blaming,] this, you excuse; tvam prasaaditaH= you are, appeased.

"Oh, lord, oh, tremendously braving one, oh, Rama, the lord of people, I blamed you when your arrow sweltered and rendered me imbecile, thus I blamed you unthinkingly for which I may please be pardoned, I appease you for the same. [4-18-66]

.

Endnote

There are three kinds of giving. Grudge giving, duty giving, and thanksgiving. Grudge giving says ' I have to...' Duty giving says " I ought to...' Thanksgiving says " I want to...' The first comes from constraint; the second from a sense of obligation; the third from a full heart. This being the saying by an unknown, Vali gave torture to Sugreeva because he had to, Rama gave punishment to Vali because he ought to, and Sugreeva given himself to Rama, because he wanted to. Rama befriends Sugreeva only to take his help in searching Seetha, because Danu, the demon, after release from his curse advises Rama to do so. The killing of Vali is incidental to that befriending. To take help of Sugreeva, he is to be uplifted from his nasty state, and the abuser of tradition Vali is to be resolved.

dŸnasya sugreevasya rakÿanam r˜masya dharma× | r˜jñ˜ dŸna jana rakÿnasya parama dharmatv˜t | vastua× tu mukhya dharm˜nus˜reõa eva v˜li hananam | -- dharm˜k¨tam

In aananda raamayana, saara kaanDa another treatise of Ramayana, tells that Rama not only accords salvation to Vali but accords a boon to become a tribal in Krishna's incarnation, and kill Krishna at the end, as retaliation to the present killing.

yadi api tvam dur˜c˜ro nihato asi raõe may˜ | tath˜ api bhilla r¨peõa dv˜para ante anghri mama | bhitv˜ prabh˜se b˜õena p¨rva vaireõa v˜nara

But bhagavata puraaNa or padma puraaNa do not quote this sort of sanction by Rama. It is said in Anada Ramayana only to extol Rama's kind-heartedness.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe aSTadashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 18th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 19

Introduction

Lady Tara rushes out to reach her slain husband while the monkey generals seek of her to anoint Angada as king immediately or leave Kishkindha, for Sugreeva and his men may come occupying the city. She chides their advises away and proceeds to meet Vali. She arrives at that place, sees Rama and his brother Lakshmana, her husband Vali and his brother Sugreeva. She faints and wails for the departing soul of Vali.

sa vaanara mahaaraajaH shayaanaH shara piiDitaH |
pratyukto hetumad vaakyaiH na uttaram pratyapadyata || 4-19-1

1. shara piiDitaH shayaanaH= agonised by, arrow, lying - sprawling; saH vaanara mahaa raajaH= he, vanara, great, king Vali; hetumat vaakyaiH= with reasonable, sentences; prati uktaH= in return, who is said [replied by Rama]; uttaram= reply; na prati apadyata= not, in turn, he derived, - find another reply.

That great vanara king Vali who is sprawling agonised by arrow, and to whom Rama gave a reply with well-reasoned words did not find any other reply to be given to Rama. [4-19-1]

ashmabhiH paribhinna a.ngaH paadapair aahato bhR^isham |
raama baaNena ca aakraanto jiivita a.nte mumoha saH || 4-19-2

2. ashmabhiH pari bhinna angaH= with boulders, variously, cracked, with limbs; paadapaiH bhR^isham aahataH= with trees, heavily, thrashed; raama baaNena ca= by Rama's, arrow, also; aakraantaH= vanquished; saH jiivita ante mumoha= he, at life, ending - at the time of breathing last, fainted.

He who is heavily thrashed with trees, whose limbs are variously cracked with boulders, and whom Rama's arrow finally vanquished, that Vali fainted at the time of his breathing his last. [4-19-2]

tam bhaaryaa baaNa mokSeNa raama dattena sa.myuge |
hatam plavaga shaarduulam taaraa shushraava vaalinam || 4-19-3

3. plavaga shaarduulam= monkey, the tiger; tam vaalinam= him, about Vali; samyuge= in fight; raama dattena= by Rama, given - accorded; baaNa mokSeNa= by arrow, release of; hatam= as perished; bhaaryaa taaraa shushraava= wife, Tara, heard.

Tara, wife of Vali, heard that the tigerly monkey Vali perished in fight by the arrow released by Rama.

This is also said as 'by the salvation accorded by Rama through his arrow...' raama datten shara moksheNa, but it is said to be a squeezed meaning according to the style of old Sanskrit.

saa saputra apriyam shrutvaa vadham bhartuH sudaaruNam |
niSpapaata bhR^isham tasmaat udvignaa giri ka.ndaraat || 4-19-4

4. sa putra= with, son; saa= she; bhartuH= husband's; su daaruNam= very, gruesome; a + priyam= un, pleasant; vadham shrutvaa=about killing, on hearing; bhR^isham udvignaa= highly, anguished; tasmaat giri kandaraat= from, that mountain's, cave - say Kishkindha; niSpapaata= fell out - rushed out.

On hearing the very gruesome killing of her husband that is unpleasant, she is highly anguished and rushed out of Kishkindha along with Angada. [4-19-4]

ye te a.ngada pariivaaraa vaanaraa hi mahaabalaaH |
te sakaarmukam aalokya raamam trastaaH pradudruvuH || 4-19-5

5. angada pariivaaraa= Angada's, escorts; ye mahaabalaaH vaanaraa= those, very mighty vanara-s are there; te= they; sa kaarmukam= with, bow; raamam aalokya= Rama, on seeing; trastaaH= scared [to death]; pradudravuH [pra du druvuH]= very, quickly, fled.

On seeing Rama with bow those very mighty vanara-s that form the escort of Angada are scared to death, and they very quickly fled from there towards Kishkindha. [4-19-5]

saa dadarsha tataH trastaan hariin aapatato drutam |
yuuthaad iva paribhraSTaan mR^igaan nihata yuuthapaan || 4-19-6

6. tataH= then; saa= she - Tara; trastaan= those who are scared; drutam= hastily; aa patataH= coming, falling - fleeing away disorderly; nihata yuuthapaan= that have killed, troop leader - master; yuuthaat= from herd; pari bhraSTaan= wandered off; mR^igaan iva= animal, like; hariin dadarsha= monkeys, she saw.

Then on her way towards field of combat she saw the monkeys that are frightened and fleeing in disorder, like those animals that have wandered off from their herd when their master is killed. [4-19-6]

taan uvaaca samaasaadya duHkhitaan duHkhitaa satii |
raama vitraasitaan sarvaan anubaddhaan iva iSubhiH || 4-19-7

7. duHkhitaan= who are distressed; iSubhiH anu+baddhaan iva= by arrows, followed closely - tracked down, as though; raama vi traasitaan= by Rama, highly, frightened; taan= them, the vanara-s; samaasaadya= on nearing; duHkhitaa satii= distressed, as she is; sarvaan uvaaca= to all, spoke.

Nearing those monkeys that are already distressed at the fall of Vali, and that are highly frightened by Rama, and that are fleeing as though Rama's arrow is still tracking them down, Tara spoke to all of them, distressed as she is. [4-19-7]

vaanaraa raaja si.mhasya yasya yuuyam puraH saraaH |
tam vihaaya suvitrastaaH kasmaad dravata durgataaH || 4-19-8

8. vaanaraaH= oh Vanara-s; yuuyam= you all; yasya raaja simhasya= to which, king, best; puraH saraaH= preceding, going before - ushers; tam vihaaya= him leaving off; suvitrastaaH - su vi trastaaH= very, highly, frightened; dur gataaH= woe, entered ones [woebegone, in desperation]; kasmaat dravata= what for, you run away.

"Oh! Vanara-s, what for you are running away in utter fright and desperation, leaving off your best king to whom all of you are ushers?" Thus Tara enquired with the monkeys. [4-19-8]

raajya hetoH sa cet bhraataa bhraatraa kR^IreNa paatitaH |
raameNa prasR^itaiH duuraat maargaNaiH duura paatibhiH || 4-19-9

9. kR^iireNa bhraatraa= by cruel, brother [by Sugreeva]; bhraataa= brother; saH= he [Vali]; raajya hetoH= kingdom, for the reason of; raameNa= by Rama; duuraat= from distance; pra+sR^itaiH= well, surging; duura paatibhiH= distantly, falling; maargaNaiH= with arrows; paatitaH= felled; cet= if / whether.

"Whether or not a cruel brother made his brother to fall for the reason of kingdom with the arrows of Rama which can surge well from distance and fall on distant target? Aver it. [4-19-9]

There is a grammarian's problem in this verse. The word chet usually used for ' if...' Then the meaning obtained is "If a brother is felled by his brother for the sake of kingdom, what if and why do you fear?" Then this may not justify Tara's decency. And if this cet is taken as prashnaarthaka 'interrogative...' then it may mean that she is trying to ascertain whether Vali is dead or still alive, to have a last glimpse. And enquiring in anguish would be normal in such situations. It may be correct to use 'whether' because it ensues 'not' and also as an alternative interrogative. And 'if' is used it is 'if of ignorance' but not 'of certainty' or 'of chance'. Anyway she is interested in information and orderliness of monkeys.

kapi patnyaa vacaH shrutvaa kapayaH kaama ruupiNaH |
praapta kaalam avishliSTam uucur vacanam a.nganaam || 4-19-10

10. kaama ruupiNaH kapayaH= at wish, guise-changers, monkeys; kapi patnyaa= of monkey [Vali's,] wife; vacaH shrutvaa= words, on hearing; praapta kaalam= chanced, time - befitting to time; avishliSTam [a vi shliSTam= not, very, coherent] - coherently; vacanam= sentence; anganaam uucuH= to lady [Tara,] spoke.

On hearing the words of monkey's wife those guise-changing monkeys spoke this sentence coherently to lady Tara, befitting to present time of chaos. [4-19-10]

jiivaputre nivartasva putram rakSasva ca andagam |
a.ntako raama ruupeNa hatvaa nayati vaalinam || 4-19-11

11. jiiva putre= alive, son - oh, one with a living son; ni vartasva= re, turn; putram andagam rakSasva ca= son, Angada, you safeguard, also; antakaH raama ruupeNa= Terminator, in Rama's, in form; vaalinam hatvaa nayati= Vali, on killing, leading away - taking away.

"Return, oh, lady with a living son, and safeguard Angada, for the Terminator in the form of Rama is taking away Vali on killing. [4-19-11]

kSiptaan vR^ikSaan samaavidhya vipulaaH ca shilaaH tathaa |
vaalii vajra samair baaNair vajreNa iva nipaatitaH || 4-19-12

12. kSiptaan vR^ikSaan= hurled, trees [at him]; tathaa= likewise; vipulaaH shilaaH= massive, boulders; vajra samaiH baaNaiH= thunderbolt, similar, with arrows; sam aavidhya= completely, on shattering; vaalii= Vali; vajreNa iva nipaatitaH= by thunderbolt, as if, felled.

"Shattering trees and massive boulders that Vali hurled at him with thunderbolt like arrows Rama felled Vali as if by thunderbolt. [4-19-12]

The plural number given to the 'arrows' may be observed. Rama shot Vali with only one arrow but each monkey is multiplying one arrow to become many. Rumours multiply thus.

abhibhuutam idam sarvam vidrutam vaanaram balam |
asmin plavaga shaarduule hate shakra sama prabhe || 4-19-13

13. shakra sama prabhe= Indra, similar, in brilliance; asmin plavaga shaarduule= this one [Vali's,] flier, tiger among; hate= when killed; idam sarvam vaanaram balam= this, all, vanara, force; abhibhuutam vidrutam= vanquished - felt defenceless, fled.

"When that tigerly fly-jumper Vali whose brilliance is similar to Indra is killed all this vanara force felt defenceless and fled. [4-19-13]

rakSyataam nagaram shuurair a.ngadaH ca abhiSicyataam |
padastham vaalinaH putram bhajiSyanti plava.mgamaaH || 4-19-14

14. nagaram shuuraiH rakSyataam= city, by brave ones, be safeguarded; angadaH ca abhiSicyataam= Angada, also, be anointed; pada stham= in place [who is on throne]; vaalinaH putram= Vali's, son Angada; plavamgamaaH bhajiSyanti= fly-jumpers, will adore - stand by.

"Let the city of Kishkindha be safeguarded and let Angada be anointed, and when Vali's son Angada is enthroned all the fly-jumpers will stand by him. [4-19-14]

athavaa arucitam sthaanam iha te ruciraanane |
aavishanti hi durgaaNi kSipram adya eva vaanaraaH || 4-19-15

15. rucira anane= oh, one with pleasant, face Tara; athavaa= or; iha te sthaanam= here, your, staying; a+rucitam= not, good; vaanaraaH= monkeys [of Sugreeva]; adya eva= today, only; kSipram durgaaNi= promptly, in to strongholds; aavishanti hi= they enter, indeed.

"Or, your staying here is not good, oh, one with a pleasant visage, for those monkeys of Sugreeva will promptly enter our strongholds on this day itself. [4-19-15]

abhaaryaaH saha bhaaryaaH ca santi atra vana caariNaH |
lubdhebhyo vipralabdheyaH tebhyo naH sumahad bhayam || 4-19-16

16. a+bhaaryaaH= without, wives; saha bhaaryaaH ca= with, wives, also; vana caariNaH atra santi= forest, moving ones, in there [in Kishkindha,] are there; lubdhebhyaH= by the cravers [of wives]; vipralabdhebhyaH [vi pra labdheyaH]= those that are victimised by us; tebhyaH= from them; naH= to us; su mahat= very, great; bhayam= danger is there.

"There are foresters in Kishkindha, some with wives and some without, some hankering after wives, some whom we have victimised, and from them we have very great danger." So said monkeys to Tara. [4-19-16]

Even in capital many followed the suite of Vali in incarcerating other's wives. Now they all may turn up since Sugreeva won the battle, assaulting such followers of Vali's style of living. This is the fear of individuals reported to Tara.

alpaa.ntara gataanaam tu shrutvaa vacanam a.nganaa |
aatmanaH pratiruupam saa babhaaSe caaru haasinii || 4-19-17

17. alpa antara gataanaam= small, distance, on going; vacanam shrutvaa= sentence, on hearing; caaru haasinii= one with winsome, smile; saa anganaa= she, that lady; aatmanaH pratiruupam= for herself, befitting; babhaaSe= she said.

On going a small distance ahead after listening those words, she whose smile will be winsome, that lady Tara said this befitting to her personality. [4-19-17]

The word apla antara is usually 'a little after...' But Prof. Satya Vrat includes this under rare words/expressions of Ramayana and gives meaning as 'small distance...' In any way a pause occurs now for her to reply. She is going towards the place where Vali is and monkeys are following her. She paced still ahead, gained a pause and then started to speak to them.

putreNa mama kim kaaryam kim raajyena kim aatmanaa |
kapi simhe mahaa bhaage tasmin bhartari nashyati || 4-19-18

18. kapi simhe= monkey, the lion; mahaa bhaage= of great, honour; tasmin bhartari= that, my husband's; nashyati sati= perished, when; mama= to me; putreNa kim kaaryam= by son, what, avail of; raajyena kim= by kingdom, what; aatmanaa kim= for myself, what [is the use.]

"Of what avail is a son, or a kingdom, or I to myself when my husband that lion like monkey with great honour perished. [4-19-18]

paada muulam gamiSyaami tasya eva aham mahaatmanaH |
yo asau raama prayuk{}tena shareNa vinipaatitaH || 4-19-19

19. yaH asau= who, he is; raama prayuktena shareNa= by Rama, projected, with arrow; vinipaatitaH= felled down; mahaatmanaH= of that great-souled one; tasya paada muulam eva= his, foot, at base, only; aham gamiSyaami= I, wish to go - I consign myself [on pyre.]

"I wish to consign myself at the base of foot of that great-soul, who is felled down by the arrow projected by Rama." So said Tara to fleeing monkeys. [4-19-19]

evam uk{}tvaa pradudraava rudatii shoka muurcChitaa |
shiraH ca uraH ca baahubhyaam duHkhena samabhighnatii || 4-19-20

20. evam uktvaa= thus, saying; rudatii= while wailing; shoka muurcChitaa= in agony, convulsing; duHkhena= in anguish; shiraH ca uraH ca= head, also, chest, also; baahubhyaam= with two hands; samabhighnatii [sam abhi ghnatii]= while slapping; pradudraava= speedily, rushed [towards Vali.]

Saying thus she started to wail and convulse in agony, and slapped her head and chest with both of her hands while she speedily rushed towards Vali. [4-19-20]

saa vrajantii dadarsha atha patim nipatitam bhuvi |
hantaaram daanava indraaNaam samareSu anivartinaam || 4-19-21

21. saa vrajantii= she, while advancing - trudging; atha= then; daanava indraaNaam= demons, arch-; hantaaram= destroyer of; samareSu a + nivartinaam= in combats, back, coming - not, retreating; bhuvi nipatitam= on ground, fallen down; patim dadarsha= husband, she saw.

While she is still trudging then she saw her husband who is the destroyer of arch-demons like Maayaavi and Dundubhi, and who never retreated in combats, but now fallen down on ground. [4-19-21]

kSeptaaram parvata indraaNaam vajraaNaam iva vaasavam |
mahaavaata samaaviSTam mahaamegha augha niHsvanam || 4-19-22

22. vajraaNaam vaasavam iva= for thunderbolts, Indra, as with; parvata indraaNaam kSeptaaram= mountains, the lofty ones, flinger of; mahaa vaata sama aviSTam= great, gust of winds, similar, having blast; mahaa megha augha niHsvanam= great, black-clouds, cluster, a roarer; [saa dadarsha= she, saw.]

She saw Vali who is a flinger of loftiest mountains as with Indra flinging his thunderbolt, who is a blaster as with great gusty winds, and who is a roarer as with a cluster of great black-clouds. [4-19-22]

shakratulya paraakraa.ntam vR^iSTvaa iva uparatam ghanam |
nardantam nardataam bhiimam shuuram shuureNa paatitam |
shaarduulena aamiSasya arthe mR^iga raajam iva aahatam || 4-19-23

23. shakra tulya para+aakraantam= Indra, equal, others, in invading; nardantam nardataam bhiimam= a thunderer, to [other] thunderers, violent; shuuram shuureNa paatitam= braving one [Vali,] by braver [Rama,] felled; aamiSasya arthe= for flesh, for the purpose of; shaarduulena= by tiger; aahatam= killed; mR^iga raajam iva= animal, the best, like; vR^iSTvaa uparatam ghanam iva= on downpour, quietened, black-cloud, like; [he is sprawling; saa dadarsha= she, saw.]

He who equals Indra in the invasion of enemies, a violent thunderer at the opponent thunderers, a brave one felled by still brave one, and who is like a best animal killed by a tiger for the purpose of flesh, and quietened like black-cloud at the end of downpour, At him she saw. [4-19-23]

Some commentators negate this simile of tiger to Rama, saying it abhuuta upama 'impossible smile...' By virtue Rama himself is the lion-king and comparing him with a lesser animal like tiger is objected, though Rama did not eliminate Vali for flesh or meat. The word shaarduula textually means a tiger in the present day context. For this commentators bring in the rulebook vyjayanti which says shaarduula also means a lion siÕho m®ga indra× pañc˜syo haryakÿa× þveta piðgala× vy˜dŸrn˜syo mah˜n˜da× þ˜rd¨lo amita vikrama

arcitam sarva lokasya sapataakam savedikam |
naaga hetoH suparNena caityam unmathitam yathaa || 4-19-24

24. sarva lokasya arcitam= by all, people, worshipped; sa pataakam= with, flags - decorated with; sa vedikam= with, podium; suparNena= by eagle; naaga hetoH [yathaa]= snake, for the reason of, [as with]; un+mathitam= highly, ravaged; caityam yathaa= a sanctum, as with; [paatitam saa dadarsha= fallen, she, saw.]

He who is like a sanctum that is hitherto worshipped by all people, that is decorated with flags and demarcated with podia, but just ravaged by an eagle for the sake of a snake which sneaked into that sanctum, and Tara saw such a Vali plumped on the ground. [4-19-24]

The word chaitya is not to be confounded with Buddhist monastery. In villages, even today, people will prepare a makeshift sanctum adorning it with a podium and flags for worships, and that being an open place snakes sneak in, for which eagles will come and sit on the flagstaff, and when catching its prey that eagle kicks off the flag post, and by the fall of that flagstaff that makeshift sanctum gets plumped onto ground.

avaSTabhya avatiSTha.ntam dadarsha dhanur uurjitam |
raamam raamaanujam caiva bhartuH caiva tathaa anujam || 4-19-25

25. uurjitam dhanuH= very powerful, bow; avaSTabhya= abutting on; ava tiSThantam= standing; raamam raama anujam caiva= at Rama, Rama's, younger brother - Lakshmana, also thus; tathaa= likewise; bhartuH anujam caiva= husband's, younger brother - Sugreeva, also thus; dadarsha= she saw.

She saw Rama standing and abutting on his very powerful bow, and his younger brother Lakshmana, even at the younger brother of her husband, namely Sugreeva. [4-19-25]

This verse reminds us of the results from brotherly love-hate, younger-elder brother relation. Lakshmana is appearing behind Rama while Sugreeva, over dying Vali.

taan atiitya samaasaadya bhartaaram nihatam raNe |
samiikSya vyathitaa bhuumau sa.mbhraa.ntaa nipapaata ha || 4-19-26

26. taan atiitya= them, going past; raNe nihatam= in combat routed; bhartaaram samaasaadya= at husband, on reaching; samiikSya= on observing closely; vyathitaa= distraught; sambhraantaa= dumbfounded; bhuumau nipapaata [ni pa paata ] ha= on earth, fell down, indeed.

Going past them she reached her husband who is routed in combat, and on observing him closely she indeed fell down on earth as she is distraught and dumbfounded. [4-19-26]

suptaa iva punar utthaaya aarya putra iti vaadinii |
ruroda saa patim dR^iSTvaa samviitam mR^ityu daamabhiH || 4-19-27

27. saa= she; suptaa iva= sleeping, as though; punaH utthaaya= again, rising up - reawakened; aarya putra iti vaadinii= noble's, son, thus, while saying; mR^ityu daamabhiH sam viitam= by death's, strings, fast, bound; patim dR^iSTvaa= husband, having seeing; ruroda= she wept.

On getting up as though reawakened from sleep she saw her husband bound fast by the strings of death, and then she wailingly addressed him as, "oh, nobleman's son..." [4-19-27]

taam avekSya tu sugriivaH kroshantiim kurariim iva |
viSaadam agamat kaSTam dR^iSTvaa ca a.ngadam aagatam || 4-19-28

28. sugriivaH= to Sugreeva; kurariim iva kroshantiim= female osprey, like, wailing one; taam avekSya= her, on observing; aagatam angadam ca dR^iSTvaa= one who arrived, Angada, also, on seeing; kaSTam viSaadam agamat= miserable, remorse, came upon him.

On observing her who is wailing like a female osprey, and even on looking at Angada who arrived there, a miserable remorse came upon Sugreeva. [4-19-28]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe ekonavi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 19th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 20

Intlroduction

Tara's lamentation for her departing husband Vali. She unlike other forest beings who just forsake the dead partner, weeps bitterly for Vali and holds Sugreeva and Rama responsible for the untimely death of Vali. The common nature of humans is portrayed through the Vanara empress

raama caapa visR^iSTena shareNa a.ntakareNa tam |
dR^iSTvaa vinihatam bhuumau taaraa taaraadhipa aananaa || 4-20-1
saa samaasaadya bhartaaram paryaSvajata bhaaminii |

1, 2a. taara adhipa aananaa= stars, lord, faced one [having a lovely face like moon, Tara]; bhaaminii= resentful lady; saa taaraa= such as she is, that Tara; raama caapa visR^iSTena= Rama's, bow, released; antakareNa shareNa= terminator [like,] with arrow; vinihatam= fallen down; tam bhartaaram bhuumau dR^iSTvaa= him, that husband, on floor, on seeing; samaasaadya paryaSvajata= reached, and embraced.

On seeing her husband felled to ground with a terminator like arrow released by Rama, that resentful lady Tara whose face is lovely like the moon, reached and embraced him. [4-20-1]

iSuNaa abhihatam dR^iSTvaa vaalinam ku.njaropamam || 4-20-2
vaanaram parvata indra aabham shoka sa.mtapta maanasaa |
taaraa tarum iva unmuulam paryadevayat aaturaa || 4-20-3

2b, 3. iSuNaa abhihatam= by arrow, shot down; kunjara upamam= elephant, in simile; parvata indra aabham= [like] mountain, best one, in shine; unmuulam tarum iva= uprooted, tree, like; vaanaram vaalinam dR^iSTvaa= vanara, at Vali, on seeing; taaraa aaturaa= Tara, agonised; shoka samtapta maanasaa= by grief, scorched, with heart; paryadevayat= wailed fretfully.

Tara is agonised when she saw the elephantine and mountainous vanara, namely Vali, reduced to no more than an uprooted tree, and she wailed fretfully with grief scorching heart. [4-20-2b, 3]

raNe daaruNa vikraanta praviira plavataam vara |
kim idiinaam puro bhaagaam adya tvam na abhibhaaSase || 4-20-4

4. raNe daaruNa= in fight, a stern one; vikraanta= victorious one; pra viira= best, valiant; plavataam vara= among fliers, the best; idiinaam= now - so far; puraH bhaagaam= before, you behind - not blamed you; a + puraH bhaagam= not, before, your side [at your behind, I who never blamed you before or behind you]; such as I am; tvam kim adya na abhibhaaSase= you, why, now, not, greet - talk.

"Oh, stern one in fights, oh, victorious one, oh, best valiant, oh, best flier, I have never blamed you either in your presence or in your absence, why do not you talk to me now? [4-20-4]

uttiSTha hari shaarduula bhajasva shayana uttamam |
na evam vidhaaH sherate hi bhuumau nR^ipati sattamaaH || 4-20-5

5. hari shaarduula uttiSTha= oh, monkey, the tiger, arise; bhajasva shayana uttamam= take, bed, best one; evam vidhaaH nR^ipati sattamaaH= this, kind of, by kings, the best; bhuumau na sherate hi= on soil, will not, repose, isn't it.

"Arise, oh, tigerly monkey, you have to make use of a best bed as best kings will not on repose on soil in this way, isn't it. [4-20-5]

atiiva khalu te kaa.ntaa vasudhaa vasudhaadhipa |
gata asur api taam gaatraiH maam vihaaya niSevase || 4-20-6

6. vasudhaa adhipa= land, lord - oh, king; te vasudhaa atiiva kaantaa khalu= to you, earth, highly, cherished [darling,] indeed; gata asuH api= gone - drained, lives, though; maam vihaaya= me, leaving off; gaatraiH taam niSevase= with limbs, her, you adore - embrace.

"The earth seems to be a highly cherished darling of yours, oh, lord of the land, as you still embrace her with your limbs leaving me off, even when your lives are drained. [4-20-6]

These dialogs of Tara are not statements of facts but a kind of question like imperatives as, "Is this earth a highly cherished darling of yours than me, that is why you still cling to her leaving me off, am I that bad..." "Have you built a heavenly city in the pathway of heaven and you go there leaving me, am I unfit to come with you..." and the like.

vyak{}tam adya tvayaa viira dharmataH sa.mpravartataa |
kiSki.ndhaa iva purii ramyaa svarga maarge vinirmitaa || 4-20-7

7. viira= oh, valiant one; dharmataH= righteously; sampravartataa [sam pra vartataa]= who conducts himself; tvayaa= by you; adya kiSkindhaa iva= now, Kishkindha, like; ramyaa purii= delightful, city; svarga maarge= to heaven, on path; vi nirmitaa= well built; vyaktam= it is evident.

"It is evident that you, who conduct yourself righteously, must have built a Kishkindha-like delightful city in the pathway to heaven by your leaving lovely Kishkindha. [4-20-7]

yaani asmaabhiH tvayaa saardham vaneSu madhu ga.ndhiSu |
vihR^itaani tvayaa kaale teSaam uparamaH kR^itaH || 4-20-8

8. tvayaa= by you; asmaabhiH saardham= with us, along with; madhu gandhiSu vaneSu= sweet smelling [or, with liquor, odour,] in forests; yaani vihR^itaani kaale= which, pleasure trips, in time - from time to time; teSaam uparamaH tvayaa kR^itaH= to them, stoppage - bring to an end, by you, made.

"You bring an end to the pleasure trips you made along with us in the sweet smelling forests from time to time by your departing. [4-20-8]

niraana.ndaa niraashaa aham nimagnaa shoka saagare |
tvayi pa.ncatvam aapanne mahaayuuthapa yuuthape || 4-20-9

9. mahaa yuuthapa yuuthape= oh, great, chief, of chiefs [ of monkeys]; tvayi pancatvam aapanne= on you, fifth state, befallen; aham= I am; nir+aanandaa= without, happiness; nir+aashaa= without, hope; shoka saagare nimagnaa= sadness, sea, drowned.

"When this fifth state betiding you, oh, great chief of chiefs of monkeys, I am dejected, despaired and drowned in the sea of sadness. [4-20-9]

Where the preceding four states of living beings are, waking state, dream state, and the state of deep sleep. There is another undistinguished fourth called turriya . Death is the fifth one.

hR^idayam susthiram mahyam dR^iSTvaa vinihatam bhuvi |
yan na shoka abhisa.mtaptam sphuTate adya sahasradhaa || 4-20-10

10. mahyam= for me; hR^idayam su sthiram= heart is, very, sturdy; yat= why because; vinihatam bhuvi [patitam]= killed, on ground, [fallen you]; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; shoka abhisamtaptam= in sorrow, tormented; adya= now; sahasradhaa na sphuTate= into thousand [splints,] not, splintering.

"My heart is very sturdy - perhaps, even on seeing you slain and fallen to ground, it is not splintering now into thousand splints, though it is tormented by sorrow. [4-20-10]

sugriivasya tvayaa bhaaryaa hR^itaa sa ca vivaasitaH |
yat tat tasya tvayaa vyuSTiH praaptaa iyam plavagaadhipa || 4-20-11

11. plavaga adhipa= oh, fliers, chief of; tvayaa= by you; yat= for which [reason]; sugriivasya= Sugreeva's; bhaaryaa hR^itaa= wife, snatched away; saH ca vivaasitaH= he, also, expelled [ from Kishkindha]; tat= by that reason; tvayaa= by you; tasya= of that [misdeed]; iyam vyuSTiH praaptaa= this, result, obtained.

"By which reason you have snatched away Sugreeva's wife, oh, chief of fliers, and even expelled him from Kishkindha, that is the reason why you got this result. [4-20-11]

niHshreyasa paraa mohaat tvayaa ca aham vigarhitaa |
yaa eSaa abruvam hitam vaakyam vaanarendra hita eSiNii || 4-20-12

12. vaanara indra= oh, monkey, the best; niHshreyasa paraa= well-being, interested in; hita eSiNii= welfare, wishing; yaa= she who is; eSa== this me; hitam vaakyam abruvam= beneficial, word, when said; aham tvayaa mohaat vi garhitaa= I, by you, unmindfully, refused - brushed me aside.

"I am she who said a beneficial word to you with an interest in your well-being and wishing your welfare, but oh, best monkey, you unmindfully brushed me off. [4-20-12]

ruupa yauvana dR^iptaanaam dakshiNaanaam ca maanada |
nuunam apsarasaam aarya cittaani pramathiSyasi || 4-20-13

13. maana da= of honour, endower of; aarya= oh, honourable one; ruupa yauvana dR^iptaanaam= by beauty, by youthfulness, those who are proud of; dakshiNaanaam= by experts in romance; apsarasaam= celestial's, of apsara-s; cittaani= hearts; pramathiSyasi= you will stir up; nuunam= definitely.

"Oh, endower of honour, apsara-s, the celestial dancers, will be proud of their beauty, youthfulness, and expertise in romance, and oh, honourable one, you can stir up their hearts towards you by your gallantry, definite is that. [4-20-13]

kaalo niHsa.mshayo nuunam jiivita a.ntakaraH tava |
balaat yena avapanno asi sugriivasya avasho vasham || 4-20-14

14. niH samshayaH= without, doubting - undoubtable; kaalaH= Time [or, death]; tava= for you; jiivita anta karaH= life, end, made [ended your life]; nuunam= definitely; yena= by which [Time/Death]; a+vashaH= uncontrollable such as you are; balaat= perforce / capability; sugriivasya vasham ava+pannaH asi= Sugreeva's, control, obtained [Time brought you down,] you are.

"The Time which is an undoubtable factor in respect of anybody has ended your life, definite is that, and that Time alone perforce brought you, who are otherwise an uncontrollable force, to the control of Sugreeva.

Or

The Death / Time no doubt has a concern with anyone for it is the ender of life, and definitely it chanced upon you by the capability of Sugreeva in getting support of Rama, and Sugreeva alone controlled you, who are otherwise an uncontrollable force. [4-20-14]

asthaane vaalinam hatvaa yudhyamaanam pareNa ca |
na sa.mtapyati kaakutsthaH kR^itvaa sugarhitam || 4-20-15

15. kaakutsthaH= Rama; pareNa yudhyamaanam= with other, fighting; vaalinam= Vali; a + sthaane= not, in proper place, or, in an unbefitting method; hatvaa= on killing; su garhitam [karma]= highly, deplorable [deed]; kR^itvaa= on doing; na sam tapyati= not, at all, worried.

"Rama's killing Vali when he is fighting with another is unbefitting in its method, and he too is not at all worried for doing such a highly deplorable deed. [4-20-15]

This verse is not found in some texts like critical edition and in Eastern recension etc.

vaidhavyam shoka sa.mtaapam kR^ipaNam akR^ipaNaa satii |
aduhkha upacitaa puurvam vartayiSyaami anaathavat || 4-20-16

16. puurvam= in early times - so far; a+kR^ipaNam satii= not, doleful, I am; a + duHkha upacitaa= not, sadness, accompanied with - not saddened; anaatha vat= desolated one, as with; kR^ipaNaa= dolefulness; vaidhavyam =widowhood; shoka samtaapam= sadness, seethed by; vartayiSyaami= I have to undergo.

"So far I am not doleful or saddened, but now as a desolate seethed by sorrow I have to undergo widowhood and dolefulness. [4-20-16]

laalitaH ca a.ngado viiraH sukumaaraH sukhocitaH |
vatsyate kaam avasthaam me pitR^ivye krodha muurcChite || 4-20-17

17. pitR^ivye krodha muurcChite= when paternal-uncle, in fury, fit of; laalitaH= one who is raised fondly; sukumaaraH= graceful one; sukha ucitaH= for comforts, used to; viiraH= brave one; me angadaH= my, Angada; kaam avasthaam vatsyate= which, predicament, he undergoes.

"My Angada is raised fondly, a brave one with gracefulness and one who is accustomed to comforts, but which will be the predicament he has to undergo when his paternal-uncle Sugreeva gets into a fit of fury. [4-20-17]

kuruSva pitaram putra sudR^iSTam dharma vatsalam |
durlabham darshanam tasya tava vatsa bhaviSyati || 4-20-18

18. putra= oh, son Angada; dharma vatsalam= virtue, patron of; tava pitaram= your, father; su dR^iSTam= one who is clearly seen; kuruSva= make - see your father clearly; vatsa= oh, boy; tasya darshanam durlabham bhaviSyati= his, sight, impossible, it will be [from now on.]

"Oh, son Angada, clearly see your father, a patron of virtue, oh, boy, later it is impossible to catch a glimpse of him." Thus Tara said to her son Angada. [4-20-18]

samaashvaasaya putram tvam sa.mdesham sa.mdishasva me |
muurdhni ca enam samaaghraaya pravaasam prasthito hi asi || 4-20-19

19. tvam putram= you, let son be; sam+aashvaasaya= assuage - well, reassured; enam muurdhni samaaghraaya- him, on forehead, on smelling [kissing]; me samdesham samdishasva= to me, message, give; pravaasam prasthitaH asi hi= to another world, you started, you are, isn't it..

"You have started towards other world, isn't it, so reassure your son, kiss goodbye on his forehead, and give me your parting messages." So said Tara to Vali. [4-20-19]

raameNa hi mahat karma kR^itam tvaam abhinighnataa |
aanR^iNyam tu gatam tasya sugriivasya pratishrave || 4-20-20

20. tvaam= you; abhinighnataa [abhi ni ghnataa]= [when he] hit you down; raameNa mahat karma kR^itam hi= by Rama, great, deed, is done, really; sugriivasya pratishrave= to Sugreeva, [in the matter of] promise; tasya= his - Rama's; a+nR^iNyam= no, debt - debtless; gatam tu= obtained, but.

"Really, Rama has not only done a great deed of hitting you down, but he also achieved indebtedness towards Sugreeva, both in a single promise. [4-20-20]

sakaamo bhava sugriiva rumaam tvam pratipatsyase |
bhu.nkSva raajyam anudvignaH shasto bhraataa ripuH tava || 4-20-21

21. sugriiva= oh, Sugreeva; sa kaamaH bhava= fulfilled, desires [with contentment,] you be; tvam rumaam prati+patsyase= Ruma, you, again, you get; an+udvignaH= un, ruffled; raajyam bhunkSva= kingdom, you wallow in; tava ripuH bhraataa shastaH= your, enemy, brother, is hushed - silenced.

"Now, you are to your heart's content Sugreeva as you regain your wife Ruma, you may even wallow in the kingdom unworriedly as your enemy-brother is silenced." So said Tara to Sugreeva. [4-20-21]

kim maam evam pralapatiim priyaam tvam na abhibhaaSase |
imaaH pashya varaa bahvayaH bhaaryaaH te vaanareshvara || 4-20-22

22. vaanara iishvara= oh, vanara-s, lord; evam= this way; pra+lapatiim= highly, one who is prattling; priyaam= to dear one; maam= to me; tvam kim na abhi+bhaaSase= you, why, not, talk to me; te bahvayaH varaaH bhaaryaaH= your, several, comely, wives; imaaH= here they are; pashya= you see.

""Oh, lord of monkeys, why do not you talk to me, the dear wife of yours, when I am prattling at length, by the way, several of your comely wives are here, they are here, see them." Thus Tara lamented. [4-20-22]

tasyaa vilapitam shrutvaa vaanaryaH sarvataH ca taaH |
parigR^ihya a.ngadam diinaa duhkha aartaaH paricukrushuH || 4-20-23

23. sarvataH= those that are around; taaH vaanaryaH= those, vanara females; tasyaa vilapitam shrutvaa= her [Tara's], lamentation, on listening; angadam parigR^ihya= Angada, on embracing; diinaa= becoming pathetic; duhkha aartaaH= saddened, pitiably; paricukrushuH= piteously wept.

On listening Tara's lamentation the vanara females that are around became plaintive, saddened pitiably and wept piteously embracing Angada. [4-20-23]

kim a.ngadam sa a.ngada viira baaho
vihaaya yaato asi adya ciram pravaasam |
na yuk{}tam evam guNa sa.mnikR^iSTam
vihaaya putram priya putram priya caaru veSam || 4-20-24

24. sa angada viira baahuH= with, bicep-lets, mighty, armed one [Vali]; priya putram angadam vihaaya= dear, son, Angada, on leaving; ciram pravaasam= eternal, abode; kim yaataH asi= why, going, you are; guNa samnikR^iSTam= with qualities, come close to - one with best aptitudes; priya caaru veSam= in pleasant, exquisite, getup; putram son [in such a getup]; vihaaya= on leaving; evam= this way of going; na yuktam= not, befitting.

"Oh, one with bracelets on your mighty arms, why you are going to an eternal abode leaving your dear son Angada? Your going away leaving such a son, who possesses best aptitudes that comes close to your abilities, and the one who always wears an exquisitely pleasant getup, is unbefitting. [4-20-24]

yadi apriyam ki.mcid asa.mpradhaarya
kR^itam mayaa syaat tava diirgha baaho |
kSamasva me tat hari vamsha naatha
vrajaami muurdhnaa tava viira paadau || 4-20-25

25. diirgha baaho= oh, long, armed one - masterful one; hari vamsha naatha= oh, monkeys, lineage, lord of; viira= oh, brave one; a + sampradhaarya= not, discriminatingly; mayaa tava= by me, to you [with you]; a + priyam= un, desirable; kimcit= in the lest; kR^itam syaat yadi= done, is there, if; me tat kSamasva= me, for that, pardon me; muurdhnaa tava paadau vrajaami= with forehead, at your, two feet, I am going - I bow down.

"If I have done any undesirable deed in an indiscriminate way, even in the least, I may be pardoned for that, and here I bow down at your feet... oh, masterful one... oh, the lord of monkeys lineage... oh, brave one... [Thus Tara wept for Vali.] [4-20-25]

tathaa tu taaraa karuNam ruda.ntii
bhartuH samiipe saha vaanariibhiH |
vyavasyata praayam anindya varNaa
upopaveSTum bhuvi yatra vaalii || 4-20-26

26. a + nindya varNaa= un, blemished, complexion - one with; taaraa= Tara; bhartuH samiipe= husband's, in proximity; vaanariibhiH saha= female Vanara-s, along with; tathaa= that way; karuNam rudantii= pitiably, weeping; vaalii yatra= Vali, where he is; bhuvi= [there] on ground; praayam= death; upa upaveSTum= to sit nearby of [death, self-immolation]; vyavasyata [vi ava syata]= she dropped down.

That Tara with her unblemished complexion is seated in the close proximity of her husband along with other vanara females, and weeping pitiably in that way, she decided to self-immolate, and thus she flounced down onto ground where Vali is slouching. [4-20-26]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 20th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 21

Introduction

Hanuma tries to console Tara. He asserts that Angada will not be looked down. Though Vali is put to his plight, Hanuma says, that Tara alone is the empress to lead Kishkindha kingdom. But Tara prefers self-immolation along with her husband Vali.

tato nipatitaam taaraam cyutaam taaraam iva a.mbaraat |
shanaiH aashvaasayaamaasa hanuumaan hari yuuthapaH || 4-21-1

1. tataH= then; ambaraat cyutaam taaraam iva= from sky, fallen, a star, like; nipatitaam taaraam= fallen to ground, at Tara; hari yuuthapaH hanuumaan= monkey's, leader, Hanuma; shanaiH aashvaasayaamaasa = slowly, consoled.

Hanuma, the leader of monkeys, then neared and slowly consoled Tara who has fallen to ground like a star from sky. [4-21-1]

guNa doSa kR^itam ja.ntuH svakarma phala hetukam |
avyagraH tad avaapnoti sarvam pretya shubha ashubham || 4-21-2

2. jantuH= living beings; guNa doSa kR^itam= merit, demerit, doings [whether done in good intention or bad]; phala hetukam= results, cause of; sarvam tat= all, that; shubha a+shubham karma= good, not, good, deed; pretya= on demise; a+vyagraH avaapnoti = un, repentantly, one gets.

"Living beings on doing the deeds of merit or demerit, or knowingly or unknowingly, will derive the resultant fruits of those deeds according to one's own destiny even after demise, and they shall bear them unrepentantly, may they be provident or improvident... [4-21-2]

For this verse Dharmaakuutam says: atra ca sva karama phala hetukamiti viþeÿaõena an˜di bhava parampara ˜s˜dita dharma artha v˜san˜ vaþena þubham aþubham v˜ karma anuÿ÷h˜ya tad aur¨pam sukaham du×kham v˜ phalam av˜pnoti iti uktam -- dharm˜k¨tam Thus Hanuma is saying that Vali is not dead at the hand of Sugreeva but dead due his own demerits.

shocyaa shocasi kam shocyam diinam diinaa anuka.mpase |
kaH ca kasya anushocyo asti dehe asmin budbuda upame || 4-21-3

3. shocyaa= a lamentable [you yourself]; shocyam kam shocasi = lamentable one, about whom, you are lamenting; diinaa= pitiable on [you yourself]; diinam= [for which] piteous one; anukampase= quivering [pitying]; asmin dehe budbuda upame= for this, body, bubble, in similitude; kaH kasya anushocyaH asti= who, for whom, lamentable, is there.

"Of which lamentable one you lament while you yourself are in a lamentable state? Of which pitiable one you take pity while you yourself are in a pitiable condition? Who is pitiable by whom in these bubbles like bodies? [4-21-3]

a.ngadaH tu kumaaro ayam draSTavyo jiiva putrayaa |
aayatyaa ca vidheyaani samarthaani asya cintaya || 4-21-4

4. jiiva putrayaa= one who has a living, son; by you; kumaaraH ayam angadaH draSTavyaH= young one, this, Angada, is to be looked after; aayatyaa ca= forthcoming - ensuing, also; asya vidheyaani samarthaani = by him, deeds of duty [funerals of Vali,] deeds for well-being; cintaya= are to be thought of.

"You are the one with a living son, and you have to look after this young one Angada, and you have to think of the forthcoming activities for his well-being and for his performance of duty towards his father. [4-21-4]

jaanaasi aniyataam evam bhuutaanaam aagatim gatim |
tasmaat shubham hi kartavyam paNDitena iha laukikam || 4-21-5

5. bhuutaanaam aagatim gatim= living being's, coming, going [birth and death]; a + niyataam evam= not, certain, thus; jaanaasi= you are aware; tasmaat= therefore; paNDitena= by prudent one; iha laukikam shubham kartavyam hi= in here, worldly things, auspicious ones, are to be done, indeed.

"You are aware that the coming and going of beings, in their subtle forms of earth, water, fire, air and space into this mortal life and back is uncertain, thereby the prudent ones have to perform auspicious worldly deeds here in this world, say, the funeral of Vali. [4-21-5]

yasmin hari sahasraaNi shataani niyutaani ca |
vartayanti kR^ita aashaani so ayam diSTaa.ntam aagataH || 4-21-6

6. yasmin= in whom [Vali]; kR^ita aashaani= reposing, confidence; hari sahasraaNi shataani= monkeys, thousands, hundreds; niyutaani ca= harboured, also; vartayanti= abiding - living basing on him; saH ayam= such as he is; diSTa antam aagataH= fate's, end, he came.

"In whom hundreds and thousands of monkeys are harboured and astir, for they have reposed their confidence in him alone, that Vali has arrived at his end. [4-21-6]

yad ayam nyaaya dR^iSTa arthaH saama daana kSamaa paraH |
gato dharma jitaam bhuumim na enam shocitum arhasi || 4-21-7

7. nyaaya dR^iSTa arthaH= by justice, observed, having means - one who is observant of rationality, conducted himself judiciously; saama daana kSamaa paraH= friendliness, courteousness, forgivingness he was observing; ayam= this Vali; yat= by which reason; dharma jitaam bhuumim gataH = by rightness, conquered, to domain, has gone; na enam shocitum arhasi= not, for him, your sorrowing, apt of you.

"By which reason this Vali conducted himself judiciously, observing friendliness, courteousness and forgivingness, by that reason alone Vali is going to a domain in heavens which he righteously conquered for himself, and it is unapt of your sorrowing for him. [4-21-7]

sarve ca hari shaarduulaaH putraH ca ayam tava a.ngadaH |
hari R^ikSa pati raajyam ca tvat sanaatham anindite || 4-21-8

8. a + nindite= oh, impeccable one, Tara; sarve hari shaarduulaaH= all, monkey, tigers; tava putraH= your, son; ayam angadaH ca= this, for Angada, and; hari R^ikSa pati raajyam ca= monkeys, bear, lords, kingdom of, also; tvat= in you; sa naatham= is with, guardian.

"All the tigerly-monkeys, oh, impeccable Tara, including this son of yours Angada, and all the lords of monkeys and bears have their guardian angel in you. [4-21-8]

tau imau shoka sa.mtaptau shanaiH preraya bhaamini |
tvayaa parigR^ihiito ayam a.ngadaH shaastu mediniim || 4-21-9

9. bhaamini= oh, lady; shoka samtaptau tau imau= in grief, searing, these, two = Sugreeva, Angada; shanaiH preraya= slowly, inspirit; tvayaa parigR^ihiitaH= by you, taken up [acquiesce to]; ayam angadaH mediniim shaastu = this, Angada, the earth, rule over.

"Oh, lady, inspirit these two, Sugreeva and Angada, that are searing in grief, and if you acquiesce then this Angada will rule over the earth. [4-21-9]

sa.mtatiH ca yathaa dR^iSTaa kR^ityam yat ca api saa.mpratam |
raaj~naH tat kriyataam sarvam eSa kaalasya nishcayaH || 4-21-10

10. santatiH yathaa dR^iSTaa= progeny, as to how, seen kin scriptures - anticipated from a male descendent; saampratam raaj~naH= presently, for king; yat kR^ityam ca api = which, is to be done, also even; tat sarvam kriyataam= that, all, is to done; eSa kaalasya nishcayaH= this is, [befitting to] time's, decision.

"Whatever duty anticipated from a male descendent towards his father, and whatever activity that is to be done presently in respect of the dying king, let them be done, and that would be a timely decision. [4-21-10]

This expression also means smashaana vyraagya 'burial-ground renunciation...' In that, 'all this has happened so according to Time's decision...' arth˜ g®h˜t nivartante ˜ smaþ˜n˜t tu b˜ndhava | suk®tam duÿk®tam caiva gacchantam anucacchgati || 'wealth and means remain in house, relatives come up to graveyard, only Merit and Demerit follow the goer...'

sa.mskaaryo hari raajaH tu a.ngadaH ca abhiSicyataam |
si.mhaasana gatam putram pashyantii shaantim eSyasi || 4-21-11

11. hari raajaH samskaaryaH= monkeys, king, is to be cremated; angadaH ca abhiSicyataam= Angada's, also, be anointed; simha aasana gatam= lion's, seat [throne,] invested; putram pashyantii shaantim eSyasi= son, on seeing, peace, you can obtain.

"Cremation of the king of monkeys and anointment of Angada are the present time affairs, and seeing your son invested on the throne you can obtain peace." Thus spoke Hanuma to Tara. [4-21-11]

saa tasya vacanam shrutvaa bhartR^i vyasana piiDitaa |
abraviit uttaram taaraa hanuumantam avasthitam || 4-21-12

12. bhartR^i vyasana piiDitaa= husband's, by plight, tormented; saa taaraa= she, Tara; tasya vacanam shrutvaa= his [Hanuma's,] words, on hearing; avasthitam hanuumantam= available nearby, to Hanuma; uttaram abraviit = reply, spoke.

On hearing Hanuma's words she who is tormented by the plight of her husband, that Tara replied Hanuma who is standing nearby. [4-21-12]

a.ngada pratiruupaaNaam putraaNaam ekataH shatam |
hatasya api asya viirasya gaatra sa.mshleSaNam varam || 4-21-13

13. angada prati ruupaaNaam= Angada like, alternative, reflections - selfsame Angada-s; shatam=, hundred; putraaNaam= sons; ekataH= on one side; hatasya api asya viirasya= struck dead, though, this, brave one's; gaatra samshleSaNam varam= body, for embracing, the best.

"Let there be a hundred selfsame Angada-s on one side, and this brave one the other, for me embracing him who is put to death is the best .  [4-21-13]

This verse is said to be difficulkt one to derive meaning kiSTa anvaya. There is another narration of this verse omitting the first foot of next stanza and it reads: : kim k˜ryam pati hŸnay˜× putr˜õ˜m ayutai× api | pit®vyah tasya sugrŸva× sarva k˜ryeÿu anantara× || .

na ca aham hari raajyasya prabhavaami a.ngadasya vaa |
pitR^ivyaH tasya sugriivaH sarva kaaryeSui ana.ntaraH || 4-21-14

14. aham hari raajyasya ca= I am, for monkey's, kingdom, either; angadasya vaa= of Angada, or; na prabhavaami= not, capable - who am I; tasya= his [Angada's]; pitR^ivyaH sugriivaH= paternal-uncle, Sugreeva; sarva kaaryeSu anantaraH= in all, affairs, close at hand.

"Who am I either for conducting the monkeys kingdom or to anoint Angada when Angada's paternal-uncle Sugreeva is close at hand? [4-21-14]

na hi eSaa buddhiH aastheyaa hanuuman a.ngadam prati |
pitaa hi ba.ndhuH putrasya na maataa hari sattama || 4-21-15

15. hanuman= oh, Hanuma; angadam prati= Angada, towards; eSaa buddhiH= this kind of, thinking; na aastheyaa hi= not, to be pursued, indeed; hari sattama= oh monkey, the best; putrasya= for son; pitaa hi bandhuH = father, really, is the defender; na maataa = not, mother.

"Hanuma, this thinking of yours that Angada is to be crowned is really untenable, oh, best monkey, father is the real defender of a son, but not the mother. [4-21-15]

na hi mama hari raaja sa.mshrayaat
kSamataram asti paratra ca iha vaa |
abhimukha hata viira sevitam
shayanam idam mama sevitum kSamam || 4-21-16

16. mama= to me; iha vaa= here, either; paratra ca= other where, also; hari raaja= monkey's, king's; samshrayaat= than patronage; kSama taram= befitting, highly; na asti hi= not, there, indeed; abhi mukha hata = when facing away, who is killed; viira sevitam= by such brave one, adored; idam shayanam= this, [death] bed; sevitum mama kSamam= to adore - join in the death bed, to me, befitting.

"Indeed there is nothing highly befitting to me, either in this world or in the other, than the auspices of the king of monkeys, and now to me the only befitting thing is to join in this brave one on this death bed, which he is adoring when put to death while he is facing away. [4-21-16]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe eka vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 21st chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 22

Introduction

Vali recovers from his swoon and gives his parting messages to Sugreeva and Angada. He also gives his miraculous pendant, given by his father Indra, to Sugreeva and asks him to assume authority of Kishkindha kingdom, for he won it in this fight. Angada is advised to conduct appropriately for he is becoming a father-less son now. Then Vali breathes his last to pave the way for Seetha's search

viikSamaaNaH tu ma.ndaasuH sarvato ma.ndam ucChvasan |
aadau eva tu sugriivam dadarsha anujam agrataH || 4-22-1

1. manda asuH= slowed, lives; mandam ucChvasan= slowly, respiring; such as Vali is; sarvataH viikSamaaNaH tu= everywhere, glancing, but; aadau eva= firstly, thus; agrataH anujam sugriivam dadarsha= afore, brother, at Sugreeva, seen.

With his life-force slowing down Vali respired slowly glancing everywhere, and he firstly saw his brother Sugreeva afore him. [4-22-1]

tam praapta vijayam vaalii sugriivam plavaga iishvaram |
aabhaaSya vyak{}tayaa vaacaa sasneham idam abraviit || 4-22-2

2. praapta vijayam= at one who achieved, triumph; plavaga iishvaram= fly-jumper's, lord of; tam sugriivam= him, at Sugreeva; vaalii= Vali; aabhaaSya = greeted - nodded at; vyaktayaa vaacaa= unambiguous, with tone; sa sneham= with, amicability; idam abraviit= this, spoke.

Vali nodding at Sugreeva, who achieved triumph and became the lord of fly-jumpers, amicably spoke this to him in an unambiguous tone. [4-22-2]

sugriiva doSeNa na maam gantum arhasi kilbiSaat |
kR^iSyamaaNam bhaviSyeNa buddhi mohena maam balaat || 4-22-3

3. sugriiva= oh, Sugreeva; maam= me; doSeNa gantum= by fault, to know - reckon me by iniquities; na arhasi= not, apt of you; kilbiSaat= owing to sin - impropriety; bhaviSyeNa= futurity; buddhi mohena= mind's, covetousness - obduracy; balaat maam kR^iSyamaaNam= forcibly, me, one who is all the while attracted - hauled, [thus you reckon.]

"Sugreeva, reckon me not by my iniquities, but reckon as one who is all the while forcibly hauled into this futurity owing to my impropriety and obduracy. [4-22-3]

yugapad vihitam taata na manye sukham avayoH |
sauhaardam bhraatR^i yuk{}tam hi tad idam jaatam anyathaa || 4-22-4

4. taata= oh boy; avayoH= for two of us; sukham= blissfulness; yuga pad= yoked, walk in unison= simultaneously; vihitam= ordained - fated to [share]; na manye= not, I deem; bhraatR^i yuktam= for brothers, seemly to; tat idam= that, this - therefore; sauhaardam= amity; anyathaa jaatam= otherwise, cropped up.

"I do not think that we two are fated to share blissfulness simultaneously, oh, boy, therefore the amity seemly to brothers has cropped up otherwise. [4-22-4]

pratipadya tvam adya eva raajyam eSaam vana okasaam |
maam api adya eva gacCha.ntam viddhi vaivasvata kSayam || 4-22-5

5. tvam adya eva= you, now, only; eSaam vana okasaam raajyam = this one, forest, dwellers, kingdom; pratipadya= propose yourself; maam api= me, even; adya eva= now, only; vaivasvata kSayam gacChantam= Time-god's, abode, one who is going to; viddhi= you know - you realize.

"You realize that I am going to the abode of Time-god now itself, and hence propose yourself as king of this forest-dweller's kingdom, now itself. [4-22-5]

Vali's supremacy does not die with him. Here also he is taking a high profile and he himself is proposing the kingship to Sugreeva, without any grudge or grouse, on two counts. One, Sugreeva is the triumphant one and thus he shall get the kingdom forthwith, not Angada, as proposed by Hanuma. Next, Sugreeva is the next best choice for the kingship, rather than Angada, and a younger brother and also as a one-time prince regent. In either way the dying Vali is keeping his nobility high up, as an unrivalled champion and even as an elderly brother.

jiivitam ca hi raajyam ca shriyam ca vipulaam imaam |
prajahaami eSa vai tuurNam aham ca agarhitam yashaH || 4-22-4-22-6

6. eSa aham= this, me such as I am - who is going to Yama; jiivitam ca hi raajyam ca= life, also, verily, kingdom, also; [tathaa= like that]; imaam vipulaam shriyam ca= this, immense, prosperity, too; a + garhitam yashaH ca= un, enviable, glory, also; tuurNam pra jahaami vai= right away, forgoing, indeed.

"Such as I am, I am indeed forgoing my life, kingdom, and this immense prosperity and even the unenviable glory which adduces that 'Vali is unkillable,' right away. [4-22-6]

asyaam tvam aham avasthaayaam viira vakSyaami yad vacaH |
yadi api asukaram raajan kartum eva tad arhasi || 4-22-7

7. viira= oh, valiant one; raajan= oh, king; asyaam avasthaayaam= in this, situation; aham yat vacaH vakSyaami= I, which, word, going to speak; [them]; a+su+ karam = not, easily, doable - difficult; yadi api= even if; tat kartum eva= that, to do, only - infeasible; tvam arhasi= you are, apt of.

"Oh, valiant Sugreeva, it will be apt of you to make happen the word I am going to say even in such a situation in which now I am, and oh, king, even if that word of mine is infeasible. [4-22-7]

sukhaarham sukha sa.mvR^iddham baalam enam abaalisham |
baaSpa puurNa mukham pashya bhuumau patitam a.ngadam || 4-22-8

8. sukha arham= happiness, privileged for; sukha sam vR^iddham= in comforts, well, brought up; baalam= at boy; a+baalisham= not, immature [mannerly one]; baaSpa puurNa mukham= tear, filled, faced; bhuumau patitam= on ground, fallen; enam angadam pashya= at this, Angada, have a look at.

"Have a look at this Angada, who is privileged for all happiness, brought up in all comforts, though a boy he is mannerly, and who with his tear-filled face fallen onto ground. [4-22-8]

mama praaNaiH priyataram putram putram iva aurasam |
mayaa hiinam ahiinaartham sarvataH paripaalaya || 4-22-9

9. mama praaNaiH=] by my, lives; priya taram= dearer, than; mayaa hiinam putram = me, without [deprived of me,] son; aurasam putram iva = your own, son, as if; sarvataH= in every way; a+hiina artham= not, sparse, of resources; paripaalaya= you foster.

"More dear than my own lives is my son, and when he is deprived of me you have to foster him as if he is your own son, with no resources becoming sparse in every way. [4-22-9]

tvam api asya pitaa daataa ca paritraataa ca sarvataH |
bhayeSu abhayadaH caiva yathaa aham plavageshvara || 4-22-10

10. plavaga iishvara= oh, fly-jumper's, king; aham yathaa= I, as to how; thus you; tvam api= you, even; asya= his; pitaa daataa = father, patron; sarvataH pari traataa ca= from all sides, overall, protector, also; bhayeSu abhaya da caiva= in fear, assurance, giver, also thus.

"Oh, king of fly-jumpers, as with me you too are his father, patron, an overall protector from all sides, and also thus an assurer in fear. [4-22-10]

eSa taaraatmajaH shriimaan tvayaa tulya paraakramaH |
rakSasaam ca vadhe teSaam agrataH te bhaviSyati || 4-22-11

11. shriimaan= admirable one; tvayaa tulya paraakramaH= to you, coequal, triumphant; eSa taara aatmajaH = this, Tara's, son - Angada; teSaam rakSasaam vadhe= those, demons, in elimination; te agrataH bhaviSyati= your, in fore, he will be - will be in advance guard.

"This admirable son of Tara is a coequal of yours in triumphs, and in eliminating those demons he will be in your advance guard. [4-22-11]

anuruupaaNi karmaaNi vikramya balavaan raNe |
kariSyati eSa taareyaH tarasvii taruNo a.ngadaH || 4-22-12

12. balavaan= mighty one; taareyaH= Tara's [son]; tarasvii= sinewy; taruNaH= youthful one; eSa angadaH= this, Angada; raNe vikramya= in war, on overtaking; anuruupaaNi karmaaNi= reflective [of me, seemly for my son,] actions; kariSyati= he performs - undertakes.

"This mighty and sinewy son of Tara is youthful, and on overtaking in war this Angada will undertake actions seemly for a son of mine. [4-22-12]

suSeNa duhitaa ca iyam artha suukSma vinishcaye |
autpaatike ca vividhe sarvataH pariniSThitaa || 4-22-13

13. suSeNa duhitaa= Sushena's, daughter; iyam ca= this one, also - this Tara, also; artha suukSma vinishcaye= meaning, subtlety, in deciding; vividhe autpaatike ca = diverse in presages, also; sarvataH pari niSThitaa= in every way, an insightful one.

"In deciding meanings in all their subtleties and also in presages of diverse nature this daughter of Sushena, Tara, is an insightful one in every way. [4-22-13]

A parable is said about SusheNa, who is now being called as Tara's father. Tara is said to be the outcome from the churning of Milky Ocean by gods and demons, and she emerged as one among many items that emerged from that Milky Ocean. Seeing her and knowing her as the descendent of Brihaspati, the Jupiter, Vali and Sushena have held her by her hand. Vali held her by her right hand and Sushena held her by her left hand and started to quarrel for her wifedom. Then the elderly sages and gods intervened and decided that one who held her by her right hand is her husband and the other who held her by her left hand is her father. Thus Sushena is said to have become the father of Tara.

yad eSa saadhu iti bruuyaat kaaryam tan muk{}ta sa.mshayam |
na hi taaraa matam ki.mcit anyathaa parivartate || 4-22-14

14. eSa yat saadhu iti bruuyaat= by her, which, proper, thus, is said; tat= that; mukta samshayam= leaving off, doubt - indubitably; kaaryam= can be done; taaraa matam= Tara's, opinion; kimcit= in the least; anyathaa na parivartate hi= contrarily, not, it deflects [happens,] indeed.

"Whatever is said by her as proper that is doable indubitably, indeed nothing contrary happens to her opinions, in the least. [4-22-14]

raaghavasya ca te kaaryam kartavyam avisha.nkayaa |
syaat adharmo hi akaraNe tvaam ca hi.msyaat amaanitaH || 4-22-15

15. raaghavasya kaaryam ca= Raghava's, mission, too; te= to you; a+ vi+shankayaa= without, too much, doubt - without a shadow of doubt; kartavyam = is to be accomplished; a + akaraNe= in not, doing; a + dharmaH= un, righteousness - infraction; syaat hi= will be there, indeed; a + maanitaH= not, honoured [Rama]; tvaam himsyaat ca= you, he will torture [punish,] even.

"You have to accomplish Raghava's mission undoubtedly, and if it is unaccomplished there will be infraction on your part because you befriended him before an altar of fire, and you may even be punished for dishonouring him and your given word to him. [4-22-15]

imaam ca maalaam aadhatsva divyaam sugriiva kaa.ncaniim |
udaaraa shriiH sthitaa hi asyaam sa.mprajahyaat mR^ite mayi || 4-22-16

16. sugriiva= oh, Sugreeva; kaancaniim imaam maalaam aadhatsva= golden one, this, pendant, wear; asyaam sthitaa= in it, ensconced in; udaaraa shriiH= bounteous, goddess of triumph; mayi mR^ite= I, when die; sam+pra+jahyaat= will leave it off completely; hi= isn't it.

"The bounteous goddess of triumph ensconced in this golden pendant will completely leave it off on my death, avoiding the flaw of touching a corpse, isn't it... hence oh, Sugreeva, you wear it." Thus Vali spoke to Sugreeva. [4-22-16]

Sugreeva may not inherit any fortune of invincibility from this invincible pendant, but Vali has to safeguard it without getting into an insulting touch of his dead body shava sparsha doSa . As such, he is giving it Sugreeva, in preference to Angada.

iti evam uk{}taH sugriivo vaalinaa bhraatR^i sauhR^idaat |
harSam tyak{}tvaa punar diino graha grasta iva uDu raaT || 4-22-17

17. vaalinaa= by Vali; bhraatR^i sauhR^idaat= with brother's, kind-heartedness; iti evam uktaH= thus, that way, who is spoken; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; harSam tyaktvaa= joy, leaving off [joy of winning Vali]; punaH diinaH= again, depressed he became; [raahu] graha grasta uDu raaT iva = by [Rahu, eclipsing,] planet, eaten, star's, lord [moon,] as with - he became.

Thus, that way when Vali spoke to Sugreeva with brotherly kind-heartedness, Sugreeva again waned away forgoing his spiritedness, like the lord of stars, namely the Moon, when eaten away by the planet, namely Rahu, during lunar eclipse. [4-22-17]

Mythologically there are two planets called Raahu and Ketu in Indian astrology. These two have no counterparts in western astrology. These two are neither gods, nor demons, not planets. At the time of churning Milky Ocean one demon had a share of amR^ita, the Divine nectar. But on noticing it the Sun and Moon report that episode to Vishnu. Vishnu slits that demon's throat with his disc. Then that Rahu became a two-piece entity, one with head, named as Raahu and the other with trunk - tail, named as Ketu. Because Sun and Moon reported the wrongdoing of this two-piece entity, that entity prays to subsist on eating away Sun and Moon. That prayer is granted subject to condition, that this eating will be done only occasionally. Those are the occasions of eclipses of either Sun or Moon. Recent astrology gave names to these two entities as 'Dragon with Head' is Raahu and the 'Dragon with Tail' is Ketu.

tat vaali vacanaat shaantaH kurvan yuk{}tam ata.ndritaH |
jagraaha so abhyanuj~naato maalaam taam caiva kaa.ncaniim || 4-22-18

18. saH= he that Sugreeva; tat vaali vacanaat= by that, Vali's, word; shaantaH= is quietened; a tandritaH= without, lethargy - inattention - attentively; yuktam= befitting deeds; kurvan= while doing; abhyanuj~naataH= authorised [by Vali]; kaancaniim taam maalaam jagraaha= golden one, that, pendant, taken.

Quietened by Vali's words and conducting himself befittingly and attentively in the given situation, Sugreeva has then taken that golden chain only when Vali authorised him. [4-22-18]

taam maalaam kaa.ncaniim dattvaa vaalii dR^iSTvaa aatmajam sthitam |
sa.msiddhaH pretya bhaavaaya snehaat a.ngadam abraviit || 4-22-19

19. kaancaniim taam maalaam dattvaa= golden, that, pendant, having given; sthitam aatmajam ca dR^iSTvaa= available [nearby,] his son, also, on seeing; pretya bhaavaaya samsiddhaH = to lay down his life, resolved to, readying himself; vaalii snehaat angadam abraviit= Vali, affectionately, to Angada, spoke.

On giving away that golden pendant, and on seeing his son who is available nearby, readying himself towards his end that is setting in, Vali affectionately spoke to Angada. [4-22-19]

desha kaalau bhajasva adya kSamamaaNaH priya apriye |
sukha duHkha sahaH kaale sugriiva vashago bhava || 4-22-20

20. adya= now [from now on]; priya a+ priye= pleasant, un, pleasant; kSamamaaNaH= while tolerating; desha kaalau bhajasva = of place, time, be observant of; kaale= according to time; sukha duHkha sahaH = mirth, misery, while enduring; sugriiva vasha gaH bhava= Sugreeva's, control, go into - abide by, you be.

"From now on, observing time and place you have to tolerate pain or pleasure, endure mirth or misery on your going under the control of Sugreeva. [4-22-20]

The vividness of the above parting message is: "On your going under the control of Sugreeva, whether his orders are pleasant or unpleasant to you, you have to execute them enduringly, for you have to conduct yourself according to time and place of your locus standi, and also you have to endure the mirth or misery caused at his behest... for you are no more independent from now on..."

yathaa hi tvam mahaabaaho laalitaH satatam mayaa |
na tathaa vartamaanam tvaam sugriivo bahu manyate || 4-22-21

21. mahaabaahuH= oh, dextrous Angada; tvam satatam mayaa yathaa= you, always, by me, as to how; laalitaH= you are nurtured - entertained; vartamaanam= conducting yourself; tathaa= like that - such a behaviour; tvaam sugriivaH na bahumanyate= you, Sugreeva, may not, approve of it.

"Oh dextrous Angada, as to how I have entertained you in whichever way you conducted yourself with me, Sugreeva may not approve of such a puerile behaviour of yours, if you resort to it. [4-22-21]

naa asya amitraiH gatam gacCheH maa shatrubhiH ari.ndama |
bhartuH artha paro daantaH sugriiva vashago bhava || 4-22-22

22. arindama= oh, enemy, destroyer; asya= his; a+mitraiH= with un, friendly ones; gatam= going - associating; maa gacCheH= don't, get into; shatrubhiH maa= enemies, don't [come near]; bhartuH= lord's - Sugreeva's; artha paraH= in purposes, be interested in; daantaH= having self-control; sugriiva vashagaH bhava= in Sugreeva's, control, you shall be.

"Do not reach at his unfriendly ones, nor come near his enemies, oh, enemy-destroyer Angada, you shall be in the control of Sugreeva attending to the purposes of your lord with self-control. [4-22-22]

na ca atipraNayaH kaaryaH kartavyo apraNayaH ca te |
ubhayam hi mahaadoSam tasmaat a.ntara dR^ik bhava || 4-22-23

23. na ca ati praNayaH= not, also, excessive, affinity; te na kaaryaH= for you, not, to be done; a+praNayaH ca= non, affinity, also, [na] kartavyaH= [not] to be done; ubhayam mahaa doSam= this pair, has a flaw; tasmaat antara dR^ik bhava= therefore, intermediary, in outlook, you be - you cultivate.

"Do not conduct yourself with excessive friendliness or unfriendliness, as this pair of opposites itself has a flaw, therefore you cultivate an intermediary outlook." Vali thus spoke to Angada. [4-22-23]

iti uk{}tvaa atha vivR^itta akSaH shara sa.mpiiDito bhR^isham |
vivR^itaiH dashanaiH bhiimaiH babhuuva ut.hkraanta jiivitaH || 4-22-24

24. bhR^isham shara sam piiDitaH= highly, by arrow, highly, tortured; iti uktvaa= thus, on saying; atha= thereafter; vi+vR^itta akSaH= having rolled-up, eyes; vi+ vR^itaiH bhiimaiH dashanaiH = wide, opened [mouth hung open baring,] horrid, teeth; ut kraanta jiivitaH = took wings, who has his life - whose life took to flight; babhuuva= he became.

He who is highly tortured by the arrow of Rama spoke to Angada in that way, and afterwards his eyeballs rolled-up, mouth hung open baring his horrid teeth, and his life too took to flight from his body. [4-22-24]

om þanti× þanti× þanti×

tato vicukrushur tatra vaanaraa hata yuuthapaaH |
paridevayamaanaaH te sarve plavaga sattamaaH || 4-22-25

25. tataH= then; plavaga sattamaaH= fly-jumpers, the best; sarve te vaanaraaH= all, those, monkeys; hata yuuthapaaH = those that have a dead, chief; paridevayamaanaaH= started to weep; tatra= in that matter of Vali's death; vi+cukrushuH= loudly, squawked as a complaint.

Then, all those best monkeys avaialble there have started to weep when their monkey chief is dead, and for that matter they have loudly squawked at his death in this way. [4-22-25]

kiSkindhaa hi atha shuunyaa ca svar gate vaanareshvare |
udyaanaani ca shuunyaani parvataaH kaanaani ca || 4-22-26
hate plavaga shaarduule niS prabhaa vaanaraaH kR^itaaH |

26, 27a. vaanara iishvare svar gate= monkey's, lord, on going, to heaven; atha kiSkindhaa shuunyaa hi= Kishkindha, is now, empty - derelict, indeed; udyaanaani ca shuunyaani= gardens, also, empty; parvataaH kaanaani ca= mountains, forests, as well as [are void]; plavaga shaarduule hate = among fly-jumpers, tiger, when killed; vaanaraaH= monkeys; niS prabhaa kR^itaaH= without, brightness - lacklustre, they are made led into a lacklustre life.

"When the lord of monkeys departed to heaven Kishkindha is indeed rendered derelict, dreary are the gardens, deserted are the mountains and forests as well, and when the tiger among fly-jumpers is dead all the vanara-s are rendered up into a lacklustre life. [4-22-26, 27a]

yasya vegena mahataa kaananaani vanaani ca || 4-22-27
puSpa ogheNa anubaddhante kariSyati tat adya kahaH |

27b, 28a. yasya mahataa vegena= whose, by great, rapidity - by impetus of it; kaananaani vanaani ca= in forests, in woodlands, also; puSpa ogheNa= flowers, by torrents of; anu baddhante= trailed after, bindingly - flowers followed and enwreathe him; tat= that [type of feat]; adya kaH kariSyati= now, who, can do - who has such impetus.

"And by the impetus of whose great rapidity flowers available in forests and woodlands used to shower on him in torrents and enwreathe him from behind, that Vali is no more, and now who has got such an impetus? [4-22-27b, 28a]

This verse also means: "He who has perfected the gardens and forests with full of flowers and thereby with fruits on which the monkeys subsist, and now who can make these areas so fructified to let all the monkeys thrive?"

This flowers following Vali - is the same situation with Hanuma when he jumps from Mt. Mahendra to Lanka. A volley of flowers shower on him owing to kick-start and follow him up to some distance into ocean, as though to worship him.

yena dattam mahat yuddham gandharvasya mahaatmanaH || 4-22-28
golabhasya mahaabaahuH dasha varSaaNi pa.nca ca |
na eva raatrau na divase tat yuddham upashaamyati || 4-22-29

28b, 29. yena mahaatmanaH= by which, great souled one - Vali; mahaabaahuH golabhasya gandharvasya= great armed, Golabha's, to gandharva / celestial; dasha panca varSaaNi ca= ten, five, years, also [fifteen years]; mahat yuddham dattam = ferocious, fight - duel, is given; tat yuddham= that, fight; raatrau= in nights; na eva upa shaamyati = not, only, thus, ceased; divase na= in daytime, not.

"By which great-souled Vali a ferocious duel was given to the celestial, namely the great armed Golabha, which did not cease either in the daytime or night till Vali felled Golabha, that Vali is no more. [4-22-28b, 29]

This Sanskrit expression 'giving a duel' is the same that is available in English like - 'give me a duel.' etc.

tataH SoDashame varSe golabho vinipaatitaH |
tam hatvaa durviniitim tu vaalii da.nSTra karaalavaan |
sarvaa abhayam karaH asmaakam katham eSa nipaatitaH || 4-22-30

30. tataH tu= thereafter, but; SoDashame varSe= in sixteenth, year; golabhaH= Golabha is; vinipaatitaH [vi ni paatitaH= surely, down, felled]= unquestionably felled; danSTra karaalavaan = teeth, one with sawteeth, zigzagged teet; vaali= Vali; dur viniitim tu= evil, minded one is, but; tam hatvaa= him - that Golaka, on killing; asmaakam= for us; sarvaa a bhayam karaH = to all of us, no, fear, accorder; eSa vaalii = this, Vali; katham nipaatitaH= how, he is felled.

"Thereafter, in the sixteenth year Vali unquestionably felled Golabha, and on killing that evil-minded Golabha with his zigzag teeth Vali accorded fearlessness to all of us, how such a Vali is felled now?" Thus the monkeys raised hue and cry. [4-22-30]

hate tu viire plavagaadhipe tadaa
plava.mgamaaH tatra na sharma lebhire |
vane caraaH si.mha yute mahaavane
yathaa hi gaavo nihate gavaam patau || 4-22-31

31. simha yute mahaavane = lion, possessing with - in great forests a in a lion riddled forest,; gavaam patau nihate= cows, husbander - bull, while killed; vane caraaH gaavaH yathaa= in forest, moving, cows, as with; likewise; viire plavaga adhipe hate tu = brave one, monkeys', lord, when killed, but; tatra= in that matter [of Vali's death]; plavamgamaaH sharma na lebhire= fly-jumpers, quietude, not, obtained - went into a freneticness.

But when that fly-jumper's brave lord Vali is killed, those fly-jumpers have gone into a freneticness in that matter of Vali's killing, as with the cows becoming frenetic when their husbanding bull is killed while moving in a great forest that is riddled with a lion. [4-22-31]

tataH tu taaraa vyasana arNava plutaa
mR^itasyaa bhartur vadanam samiikSya saa |
jagaama bhuumim parirabhya vaalinam
mahaa drumam Chinnam iva aashritaa lataa || 4-22-32

32. tataH tu saa taaraa= then, but, that, Tara; vyasana arNava plutaa= affliction, ocean, whelmed under; mR^itasyaa bhartuH vadanam sam iikSya = dead, husband's, face, closely, on observing; Chinnam mahaa drumam aashritaa = hacked, giant, tree, hinging on; lataa iva= creeper plant, as with; vaalinam pari+rabhya bhuumim jagaama= Vali, embraced, onto earth, gone - collapsed.

But then Tara, whelmed under a ocean called affliction closely observed her dead husband's face, embraced him and collapsed onto ground as with any creeper plant when the giant tree on which it is hinging is hacked down. [4-22-32]

.

Endnote

Thus Vali the bad monkey is dead. Even today we have the monkey menace, that too from bad monkeys. In Patiala's Motibagh Bir Zoo there is penitentiary for primates where all bad monkeys are jailed without parole, and there will be a signboard, asking visitor to not to go nearby the enclosure, because it will be dangerous. Each of its inmates is caught, even across Punjab and other places, when that monkey is destroying property, thieving and attacking people and creating havoc. Hence monkey menace is something different from monkey havoc. Throughout India we have monkey menace, which is very frequently beamed by Discovery and National Geography channels, but it is rarely said about bad monkeys. Killing a monkey, however bad it is, is a taboo and sustaining its havoc is an altogether unbearable affair. Now that the bad monkey of Ramayana is eliminated, search for Seetha is possible.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe dvaa vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 22nd chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 23

Introduction

Tara's lamentation is narrated in here. Seeing at her departed husband Vali, Tara pitiably wails for his demise as any ordinary woman would.

tataH samupajighra.ntii kapi raajasya tat mukham |
patim lokashrutaa taaraa mR^itam vacanam abraviit || 4-23-1

1. tataH= then; loka shrutaa= by world, well-heard - renowned; [lokaat cyutam= fell out from this world - Vali]; taaraa= Tara; kapi raajasya tat mukham= monkey, king's, that, face; samupajighrantii [sam upa jighrantii]= very, closely, on whiffing; mR^itam patim vacanam abraviit= to dead, husband, words, spoke.

Then that renowned Tara closely whiffed that face of monkey's king Vali and spoke these words to her dead husband. [3-23-1]

sheSe tvam viSame duHkham akR^itvaa vacanam mama |
upala upacite viira suduHkhe vasudhaa tale || 4-23-2

2. viira= oh, brave one; mama vacanam a + kR^itvaa= my, word, not, doing - heedless of my word; tvam= you; viSame= on an uneven; upala upacite= stones, spread over; su duHkhe= very, rough; vasudhaa tale= on earth's, surface; duHkham sheSe= miserably, you are reposing.

"Heedless of my word, oh, brave one, you are reposing miserably on a very rough and uneven ground spread with stones. [3-23-2]

mattaH priyataraa nuunam vaanarendra mahii tava |
sheSe hi taam pariSvajya maam ca na pratibhaaSase || 4-23-3

3. vaanara indra= monkey's, the best; mahii = earth; tava to you; mat taH= than me; nuunam priya taraa= definitely, dear, more; hi= why because; taam pariSvajya sheSe= her - earth, on embracing, you repose; maam na prati bhaaSase= to me, not, in turn, speaking -replying.

"This earth must definitely be your beloved one, oh, best of monkeys, why because, you still embrace her while you recline on her, without replying me. [3-23-3]

sugriivasya vasham praapto vidhiH eSa bhavatya aho |
sugriiva eva vikraa.nto viira saahasika priya || 4-23-4

4. viira= oh, valiant one; saahasika priya = oh, in adventures, enthusiast sugriivasya vasham praaptaH= Sugreeva's, control, you obtained - you have gone in; sugriiva eva vikraantaH= Sugreeva, alone, triumphed; eSa vidhiH bhavati = this way, fate, is happening [in an interrogative]; aho= oho.

"You have gone into the control of Sugreeva and Sugreeva alone triumphed, oh, brave one, oh, enthusiast in adventures, oho, is it fated to happen this way. [3-23-4]

R^ikSa vaanara mukhyaaH tvaam balinam paryupaasate |
teSaam vilapitam kR^icChram a.ngadasya ca shocataH || 4-23-5
mama ca imaa giraH shrutvaa kim tvam na pratibudhyase |

5, 6a. R^ikSa vaanara mukhyaaH= bears, monkeys, chiefs; balinam= as worshipful one [not lexical mighty]; tvaam pari upaasate= [you as the] mightiest one, you, wholly, are adoring; teSaam kR^icChram vilapitam = their, despairing, wailing; shocataH angadasya ca = lamentation, of Angada, also; mama imaa giraH ca= mine, these, utterances [in keen]; shrutvaa= on hearing; kim tvam na = why, you, not; prati budhyase= in turn, wake up, come to senses.

"These chiefs of bears and monkeys are adoring you in every respect as their most worshipful one, and on hearing their despairing wailing, and the lamentation of Angada, and even these utterance of mine in keen, why do not you comeback to senses. [3-23-5, 6a]

idam tat viira shayanam tatra sheSe hato yudhi || 4-23-6
shaayitaa nihataa yatra tvayaa eva ripavaH puraa |

6b, 7a. tvayyaiva [tvayaa eva]= by you, only; puraa nihataa ripavaH= once, eliminated, enemies; yatra shaayitaa= where, made to recline [by you]; tat viira shayanam= that, the brave, bed of; idam yudhi hataH = in this, fight, felled; tatra sheSe?= there [on the very daybed,] do you wish to recline; [kim= or, what.]

"Do you wish to repose on the very daybed on which you have laid your enemies to rest when you have once felled them in fights, or what? [3-23-6b, 7a]

vishuddha sattva abhijana priyayuddha mama priya || 4-23-7
maam anaathaam vihaaya ekaam gataH tvam asi maanada |

7b, 8a. vishuddha sattva abhijana= pristine, calibre, successor of clan; priya yuddha= oh, one fond of - a devotee of, fighting; maana da= oh, dignity, accorder of; mama priya = oh, my, dear one - devout one to me; tvam= you; a+naatham= without, husband - protector; maam ekaam vihaaya= me, lonely, on leaving; gataH asi= gone, you are.

"Oh, successor of a clan with pristine calibre, oh, accorder of dignity, oh, devotee of fighting, oh, my dear, have you gone on leaving me without a protector and lonely? [3-23-7b, 8a]

shuuraaya na pradaatavyaa kanyaa khalu vipashcitaa || 4-23-8
shuura bhaaryaam hataam pashya sadyo maam vidhavaam kR^itaam |

8b, 9a. vi pashcitaa= by really, considerate ones [father of brides]; kanyaa= brides; shuuraaya na pradaatavyaa khalu = to adventurers, not, to be proposed, they say; sadyaH= immediately, in a trice; vi dhavaam kR^itaam= without, husband, made [widow, rendered as]; hataam= left in the lurch; shuura bhaaryaam= adventurer's, wife; maam pashya= me, see.

"Really considerate fathers shall never propose brides to adventurers, they say. Yes! See me the wife of an adventurer, in a trice rendered as a war-widow left in the lurch. [3-23-8b, 9a]

For this Sage Kaatyaana says d¨rasth˜n˜m avidy˜n˜m mokÿa m˜rga anus˜riõ˜m | þ¨r˜õ˜m nir dhan˜n˜m ca na dey˜ kanyak˜ budhai× || 'to those bridegrooms who reside in distant places, uneducated, seekers of salvation, daring ones, un-wealthy brides shall not be given by wisemen...'

avabhagnaH ca me maano bhagnaa me shaashvatii gatiH || 4-23-9
agaadhe ca nimagnaa asmi vipule shoka saagare |

9b, 10a. me maanaH= my, self-respect, honour as an empress; ava bhagnaH ca = down, broken - degenerated, also; me shaashvatii gatiH= my, eternal, course - happiness; bhagnaa= broken - disintegrated; agaadhe vipule shoka saagare = in abyssal, boundless, anguish, [called] ocean; nimagnaa asmi= deluged, I am.

"My honour is degenerated and my eternal happiness is disintegrated, and I am deluged in an abyssal boundless ocean called anguish. [3-23-9b, 10a]

ashma saaramayam nuunam idam me hR^idayam dR^iDham || 4-23-10
bhartaaram nihatam dR^iSTvaa yat na adya shatadhaa gatam |

10b, 11a. nihatam bhartaaram dR^iSTvaa= killed, husband, on seeing; yat= which [heart]; adya shatadhaa na gatam [kR^itam]= now, in hundredfold, not, gone into [splintered]; [tat= that heart]; me dR^iDham idam hR^idayam = mine, solid, this, heart; ashma saara mayam= metallic, substance, dense with; nuunam= definitely.

"And dense with metallic substance is this heart of mine in its solidity, since it is not splintering into hundredfold even on seeing my husband killed, it is definite. [3-23-10b, 11a]

suhR^it caiva hi bhartaa ca prakR^ityaa ca mama priyaH || 4-23-11
prahaare ca paraakraantaH shuuraH pa.ncatvam aagataH |

11b, 12a mama= to me prakR^ityaa priyaH = by nature, beloved one; su hR^it caiva= good, hearted one, also thus; bhartaa ca= husband, also; prahaare para aakraantaH ca= in assaults, others - enemies, overcoming [triumphant one]; shuuraH= valiant one; such as you are, you have; pancatvam aagataH= fifth state, come over by.

"By your nature you are my beloved, besides, you are a good-hearted one, more so, you are my husband, moreover, you are a valiant triumphing over your enemies in assaults, such as you are you have attained the fifth state, the death. [3-23-11b, 12a]

pati hiinaa tu yaa naarii kaamam bhavatu putriNii || 4-23-12
dhana dhaanya samR^iddhaa api vidhavaa iti ucyate janaiH |

12b, 13a. yaa naarii= which, woman; pati hiinaa= husband, without; putriNii bhavatu kaamam= mothered [many children,] she may be, perhaps; dhana dhaanya sam+vR^iddhaa api= riches, food grains [yields,] well, prosperous with, even if; janaiH [budhiaH]= by people [by elders]; vi + dhavaa= departed, husband [a widow]; iti= thus as; ucyate= will be said, called.

"Perhaps a woman might have mothered many children, and perhaps affluent with riches and crops, still people will call her a widow, if she is without husband. [3-23-12b, 13a]

sva gaatra prabhave viira sheSe rudhira maNDale || 4-23-13
kR^imi raaga paristome svakiiye shayane yathaa |

13b, 14a. viira= oh, brave one; sva gaatra prabhave= you own, body parts, emerging; rudhira maNDale= blood, sheet of; kR^imi raaga = insect, red [the red coloured insects, namely Indragopa insect, a bed sheet in that colour]; paristome= spread-sheet, bed sheet spread over a bed; svakiiye shayane yathaa= on your own, bed, as if; sheSe= you repose now.

"How do you repose now on a sheet of blood flowing from your own body, oh, brave one, as if you are reclining on your own bed spread with a bed sheet of red blood colour? [3-23-13b, 14a]

reNu shoNita sa.mviitam gaatram tava sama.ntataH || 4-23-14
parirabdhum na shaknomi bhujaabhyaam plavagarSabha |

14b, 15a. plavaga R^iSabha= oh, fly-jumper, the best; samantataH= all over; reNu shoNita samviitam= dust, blood, covered over; [when these blood of vengeance and dust of dishonour comes in between us]; tava gaatram= your, body; bhujaabhyaam= with my two arms; pari rabdhum= to fully, embrace; na shaknomi= not, able to I have no strength.

"I have no strength to closely embrace you with both my arms, oh, best fly-jumper, when the blood and dust covering your body comes in between. [3-23-14b, 15a]

kR^ita kR^ityo adya sugriivo vaire asmin atidaaruNe || 4-23-15
yasya raama vimuk{}tena hR^itam eka iSuNaa bhayam |

15b, 16a. ati daaruNe asmin vaire= highly, deplorable, in this, enmity [between you and Sugreeva]; adya sugriivaH kR^ita kR^ityaH = now, Sugreeva, is ambition is fulfilled - accomplished one; yasya bhayam= whose [which Sugreeva's,] fear; raama vimuktena= by Rama, released; eka iSuNaa hR^itam= by single, arrow, evanished; [gist in vividness.]

"Single arrow released by Rama has doubly benefited Sugreeva in this highly deplorable enmity between you and Sugreeva, as his ambition to become the king is fulfilled and his fear from your persecution, too, is evanished. [3-23-15b, 16a]

shareNa hR^idi lagnena gaatra sa.mspar.hshane tava || 4-23-16
vaar.hyaami tvaam niriikSantii tvayi pa.ncatvam aagate |

16b, 17a. tvayi pancatvam aagate= for you, fifth state - death, when it came on - fatality has descended; tvaam = you; [though]; nir+ iikSantii= without wink, seeing - watching intently; tava hR^idi lagnena shareNa = in your, chest, stuck, by arrow; gaatra samsparshane= body, for touching - for embracing; vaaryaami= I am hindered.

"In vain, I have been watching you without a wink, on whom fatality has descended, as this arrow stuck in your chest is hindering me to embrace you..." Thus wailed Tara. [3-23-16b, 17a]

udbabarha sharam niilaH tasya gaatra gatam tadaa || 4-23-17
giri gahvara sa.mliinam diiptam aashii viSam yathaa |

17b, 18a. tataH= then; Nila; tasya gaatra gatam sharam = his [Valis's,] body - chest, gone in [stuck in,] arrow; giri gahvara= in mountain's, cavity; sam+liinam= firmly, wedged in; diiptam= sparkling [arrow]; aashiiviSam yathaa= serpent [like arrow,] as with; ut babarha= out, pulled - extricated.

"Then the monkey chief Nila extricated that arrow which is stuck in the chest of Vali, as with the extraction of a firmly wedged sparkling snake from the cavity of a mound. [3-23-17b, 18a]

tasya niS.hkR^iSyamaaNasya baaNasya ca babhau dyutiH || 4-23-18
asta mastaka sa.mruddho rashmiH dinakaraat iva |

18b, 19a. niSkR^iSyamaaNasya= while being extracted; tasya baaNasya dyutiH= that, arrow's, sparkle; dinakaraat= from sun - that which is extricated from sun; asta mastaka = dusk-time [western mountain's,] summit; sam ruddhaH= fully, obstructed - as contrasted with [the hue of dusk]; rashmiH iva= sparkling rays, like; babhau= it became - shone forth.

The sparkle of Rama's arrow while it is being extracted from Vali's chest is much the same as the sparkles of more brilliant sunrays that are extracted by the end of daytime, when the sun is sinking beyond the summit of dusky western mountain, and as contrasted with the hue of dusk. [3-23-18b, 19a]

More brilliant days are indicated for the arrows of Rama as the dusky day of Vali has ended.

petuH kSataja dhaaraaH tu vraNebhyaH tasya sarvashaH || 4-23-19
taamra gairika sa.mpR^ik{}taa dhaaraa iva dharaa dharaat |

19b, 20a. tasya vraNebhyaH= from his, gashes; kSataja dhaaraaH= blood, streams; dharaa dharaat= from the one borne, by earth - from mountain; taamra gairika sampR^iktaa= coppery, mineral-ore, saturated with; dhaaraa iva= streams of water, as with; sarvashaH petuH = all over, fell out.

The blood streams flown out of the gashes of Vali fell everywhere like the streams of water flowing from a mountain saturated with coppery mineral-ores. [3-23-19b, 20a]

avakiirNam vimaarjantii bhartaaram raNa reNunaa || 4-23-20
asraiH nayanajaiH shuuram siSeca astra samaahatam |

20b, 21a. raNa reNunaa= of war, with dust; ava kiirNam= all over, muffled up; bhartaaram= her husband; vi maarjantii= out, rubbing - dusting, wiping off; astra samaahatam [sam aa hatam]= by missile, summarily hit; shuuram= valorous one; nayana jaiH asraiH = eyes, born to, tears - eyes gushing tears; siSeca= drenched.

On wiping off war dust with which her husband is muffled up, with tears gushing from her eyes she drenched that valiant one who is summarily hit by the missile of Rama. [3-23-20b, 21a]

rudhirokSita sarvaangam dR^iSTvaa vinihatam patim || 4-23-21
uvaaca taaraa pi.ngaakSam putram a.ngadam a.nganaa |

21b, 22a. anganaa taaraa = lady, Tara; vinihatam= he who is killed; rudhira ukSita sarva angam= by blood, wet, all, limbs; patim= at husband; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing - on giving attention; putram uvaaca pinga akSam= to son, to coppery red, eyed one; angadam uvaaca= to Angada, said.

On giving attention to all of the blood wet limbs of her slain husband that lady Tara spoke to her son Angada whose eyes are coppery-red. [3-23-21b, 22a]

avasthaam pashcimaam pashya pituH putra sudaaruNaam || 4-23-22
sa.mprasak{}tasya vairasya gato antaH paapa karmaNaa |

22b, 23a. putra= oh, son; pituH su daaruNaam = of father, oh, son, highly, harrowing; pashcimaam= western [dusking, end]; avasthaam pashya= plight, you see; paapa karmaNaa= by sinful, deeds; samprasaktasya [sam pra saktasya= very, closely, attached] harnessed by; vairasya= enmity; antaH gataH = end, he reached.

"See the highly harrowing end time plight of your father, oh, son, he reached his end owing to the enmity harnessed by sinful deeds. [3-23-22b, 23a]

baala suuryojjvala tanum prayaatam yama saadanam || 4-23-23
abhivaadaya raajaanam pitaram putra maanadam |

23b, 24a. putra= oh, son; baala suurya ujjvala tanum= young [rising,] son, [as with in] dazzle, bodied - whose physical splendour is; yama saadanam prayaatam= to Time-god's, abode, he journeyed [dead]; raajaanam maana dam= to king, honour, accorder; pitaram= to father; abhivaadaya = pay you [last] obeisance.

"To him, whose physical splendour vied with the dazzle of rising sun, to that father, king, and the accorder of honour you pay you last obeisance as he journeyed to the abode of Time-god." Thus Tara said to Angada. [3-23-23b, 24a]

evam uk{}taH samutthaaya jagraaha caraNau pituH || 4-23-24
bhujaabhyaam piina vR^itaabhyaam a.ngado aham iti bruvan |

24b, 25a. evam uktaH= thus, who is said to, Angada; sam+utthaaya= swiftly, on rising up; aham angadaH= I am, Angada; iti bruvan= thus, saying; piina vR^itaabhyaam= with sinewy, spherical shoulders; bhujaabhyaam= with arms; pituH caraNau jagraaha= father's, feet, he took.

When he is said so, Angada swiftly rose and touched the feet of his father with both of his rotund-shouldered sinewy arms saying, "father, I am Angada..." [3-23-24b, 25a]

abhivaadayamaanam tvaam a.ngadam tvam yathaa puraa || 4-23-25
diirgha aayur bhava putra iti kim artham na abhibhaaSase |

25b, 26a. tvaam= at you; abhivaadayamaanam= to him who is paying respects; angadam= at Angada; tvam= you; putra= oh, son; diirgha aayuH bhava= long, live, you be; iti= thus as; kim artham= what, for - why don't you; yathaa puraa= as, earlier; abhibhaaSase= not, speaking [blessing.]

"Why do not you bless Angada saying, 'long live, son...' when he is paying resects to you, as earlier?" Thus Tara is addressing Vali in her anguish. [3-23-25b, 26a]

aham putra sahaayaa tvaam upaase gata cetanam |
si.mhena paatitam sadyo gauH sa vatsaa iva go vR^iSam || 4-23-26

26b, c. sadyaH= just now; simhena paatitam = lion, felled; go vR^iSam= cow, male [when bull is felled]; sa gauH vatsaa iva= with, calf, [a helpless] cow, as like; putra sahaayaa= son, with the help of; aham= I; gata cetanam= [ you who] lost, vitality - lifeless; tvaam= to you [at your near]; upaase= sitting close - living through.

"I am living through seeing the lifeless state of yours with the help of my son, no more than a helpless cow that sits near her bull with its calf, when that bull is slain by a lion, just now. [3-23-26b, c]

iSTvaa sa.mgraama yaj~nena raama praharaNa a.mbhasaa |
asmin avabhR^ithe snaataH katham patnyaa mayaa vinaa || 4-23-27

27. sangraama yaj~nena iSTvaa= war, ritual, on performing; patnyaa mayaa vinaa= wife, me, without; raama praharaNa ambhasaa = Rama's, weapon [arrow,] [called] waters; asmin avabhR^ithe= in there, avabridtha, [ritual bath]; katham snaataH= how, you take bath [singly.]

"How can you singly take the ultimate bath of a Vedic ritual after your conducting a ritual like combat, in the waters called bloodstreams caused Rama's arrow, that too, when I, your wife, am available like a co-officiator of a Vedic ritual? [3-23-27]

This avabR^itha is a religious bath taken after completion of the Vedic ritual by the conductor of that ritual along with his wife. Vedic ritual itself is forbidden to a wifeless person, and taking this final bath after puurNa aahuti, total oblation, is against the rules of ritual if taken without his wife. Here Vali, an adorer of combats as good as Vedic rituals is taking that bath for himself in the bloodstreams, called ritual waters, and Tara is questioning him about her propriety to participate in it.

yaa dattaa deva raajena tava tuSTena sa.myuge |
shaata kaum.hbhiim priyaam maalaam taam te pashyaami na iha kim || 4-23-28

28. samyuge= in combat [about your conduct in combats]; tuSTena deva raajena= by the satisfied, gods, king - Indra; yaa tava dattaa= which one, to you, given; taam= that one; shaata kaumbhiim= golden one; te priyaam maalaam= to you, a treasured, pendant; iha kim na pashyaami= now, why, not, I see.

"Now where is that treasured golden pendant of yours which the king of gods gave to you when he is satisfied with your conduct in wars, I don't see it? [3-23-28]

raajyashriiH na jahaati tvaam gata asum api maanada |
suuryasya aavartamaanasya shaila raajam iva prabhaa || 4-23-29

29. maana da= dignity, accorder; shaila raajam aavartamaanasya= mountain, best [Mt. Meru,] circumnavigating; suuryasya prabhaa iva = sun's, shine, as with; raajya shriiH= kingly, pomp [majesty]; gata asum api= one with gone, lives, even if; tvaam na jahaati = you, not, leaving.

"Majesty is not deserting you even if your lives have departed, oh, accorder of dignity, as with the sunshine that departs the sun while he circumnavigates Mt. Meru, which mount is supposed to overshadow everything by its vastness. [3-23-29]

na me vacaH pathyam idam tvayaa kR^itam
na ca asmi shak{}taa hi nivaaraNe tava |
hataa saputraa asmi hatena sa.myuge
saha tvayaa shriiH vijahaati maam api || 4-23-30

30. tvayaa= by you; me= my; pathyam idam vacaH= expedient, this, words [my advise]; na kR^itam= not, done [heeded]; tava nivaaraNe= you, forestalling; shaktaa na asmi ca hi = capable, not, I am, also, indeed; samyuge hatena= in fight, by you who is killed; sa putraa= along with, son; hataa asmi= doomed, I am; shriiH= Grace; tvayaa saha= you, along with; maam api= me, even; vi jahaati =completely, deserting.

"Neither you heeded my word of expediency, nor I was indeed capable to forestall you, and I am doomed along with my son when you are exterminated in fight, whereby the Grace that forsook you, is deserting me too, in its entirety. [3-23-30]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe trayo vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 23rd chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection