Sri Valmiki Ramayanam - Kishkindha Kanda (Book 4) Sarga 8 to 15

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] 8

Introduction

Sugreeva gives a report to Rama about his plight for fear of Vali, who made his own brother an enemy and abducted Sugreeva's wife. Rama asks Sugreeva to inform him about the real cause of enmity, so that he can decide correctly. Sugreeva narrates his woeful condition.

parituSTaH tu sugriivaH tena vaakyena harSitaH |
lakSmaNasya agrajam shuuram idam vacanam abraviit || 4-8-1

1. Sugreeva; tena vaakyena= by that, sentence; harSitaH= gladdened; parituSTaH tu= satisfied; shuuram= to that valiant one, Rama; lakshmanasya agrajam= Lakshmana's, elder; idam vacanam= this, sentence; abraviit= said.

Sugreeva is gladdened and satisfied too by that sentence, and said this sentence to Lakshmana's elder brother, Rama the valiant one. [4-8-1]

sarvathaa aham anugraahyo devataanaam na sa.mshayaH |
upapannaH guNa upetaH sakhaa yasya bhavaan mama || 4-8-2

2. upapannaH= possessor of [all kinds of endowments]; guNa upetaH= having good virtues, with; bhavaan yasya mama sakhaa = you, whose, mine, friend; [on becoming so]; aham= sarvathaa= I, in everyway; devataanaam anugraahyaH= to gods [also]; worthy to be blessed; na samshayaH= no, doubt.

"When you wth all kinds of endowment and good virtues are my friend, doubtlessly I am worthy to be blessed by all gods in everyway. [4-8-2]

shakyam khalu bhavet raama sahaayena tvayaa anagha |
sura raajyam api praaptum sva raajyam kimuta prabho || 4-8-3

3. anagha= oh, merited one; oh, Rama; tvayaa sahaayena= with your, help; sura raajyam api praaptum shakyam bhavet= god's, kingdom, even, to achieve, possible, it will be; sva raajyam kim utaH prabho= one's own, why tell about, oh , lord.

"Oh, merited one, with your help it will be possible to achieve kingdom of gods, oh, lord, then why tell about one's own kingdom... [4-8-3]

so.aham sabhaajyo bandhuunaam suhR^idaam caiva raaghava |
yasya agni saakSikam mitram labdham raaghava va.mshajam || 4-8-4

4. yasya= to whom such like me; raaghava vamsha jam= in Raghava's, dynasty, one born in; mitram= as friend; agni saakshikam= fire, as witness; labdham= gained by; saH aham= such as, I am; bandhuunaam= among, relatives; ca iva= also, like that; su hR^idaam= kind-hearted friends; sabhaajyaH= estimable.

"He who has gained the one born in Raghava-s dynasty as friend, to which sacred fire bore the witness, such a being like me is estimable among his relative, more so among his kind-hearted friends... [4-8-4]

aham api anuruupaH te vayasyo j~naasyase shanaiH |
na tu vak{}tum samartho.aham tvayi aatmagataan guNaan || 4-8-5

5. aham api= I am, even; anuruupaH= matching; vayasyaH= friend; te= to you; j~naasyase= you will know; shanaiH= soon; aham aatma gataan gunaan= I am my in soul, having [inherent,] capabilities; tvayi= to you; vaktum= to speak; na tu samarthaH= not, capable [inexpedient.]

"Even though I am a matching friend to you, that you will know soon, it will be inexpedient of myself to talk about my inherent capabilities. [4-8-5]

mahaatmanaam tu bhuuyiSTham tvat vidhaanaam kR^ita aatmanaam |
nishcalaa bhavati priitiH dhairyam aatmavataam vara || 4-8-6

6. maha aatmanaam tu= for great souls; bhuuyiSTham= generally; tvat vidhaanaam= in your manner; kR^ita aatmanaam= purified, at heart; nishcalaa=stable; bhavati= will be; priitiH= friendship; dhairyam= courage; aatmavataam vara= among hearty ones, the best [amiable one.]

"Great souls of your kind, whose hearts are purified like yours, oh, amiable Rama, their friendship and courage will generally be stable. [4-8-6]

rajatam vaa suvarNam vaa shubhaani aabharaNaani cha |
avibhak{}taani saadhuunaam avagacChanti saadhavaH || 4-8-7

7. saadhuunaam= among gentle souls; rajatam vaa= silver, or; suvarNam vaa= gold, or; shubhaani aabharaNaani cha= prosperous ornaments, even; a + vibhaktaani= not, in an apportioned manner; [thus] saadhavaH= by gentle souls; avagachanti= will be knowing.

"Gentle souls will be knowing that silver or gold, or even prosperous ornaments are not to be apportioned among themselves as this is mine and that is yours. [4-8-7]

aaDhyo vaa api daridro vaa duHkhitaH sukhito.api vaa |
nirdoSaH ca sadoSaH ca vayasyaH paramaa gatiH || 4-8-8

8. aaDhyaH vaa api= rich, or, even; daridraH vaa= poor, or; duhkhitaH= saddened; sukhitaH api vaa = gladdened, even, or; nir doSaH ca= without flaw, or; sa doshaH vaa= with flaw, or; vayasyaH= friend is; paramaa gatiH= ultimate, recourse.

"May he be rich or poor, saddened or gladdened, flawless or flawed, a friend is the ultimate recourse to any. [4-8-8]

dhana tyaagaH sukha tyaago desha tyaago.api vaa anaghaH |
vayasyaarthe pravartante sneham dR^iSTvaa tathaa vidham || 4-8-9

9. anaghaH= oh impeccable one; sneham= friendship; dR^iSTvaa tathaa vidham= on observing, thus, course of [friendship]; vayasya arthe= for friend's, sake; dhana tyaagaH=wealth, devoting; sukha tyaagaH= pleasure devoting; desha tyaagaH vaa api= country, devoting, or, even; pravartante= conducts [they don't hesitate to forgo, extend.]

"On observing the course of friendship and knowing which is true friendship, the true friends do not hesitate to extend wealth, pleasure or even their own country for the sake of friendship." Sugreeva thus extolled Rama and his friendship. [4-8-9]

tat tathaa iti abraviit raamaH sugriivam priya darshanam |
lakSmaNasya agrataH lakSmyaa vaasavasya iva dhiimataH || 4-8-10

10. raamaH= Rama; vaasavasya iva dhiimataH= Indra, as with, sagacious one; lakshmyaa= one who is resplendent; lakshmanasya+agrataH= [such] Lakshmana's, before; priya darshanam sugriivam= one who looks pleasant [soft-natured in his for the onlookers, to such] Sugreeva; tat tathaa iti abraviit= that, that way, only, [thus] said Rama.

"That is thus only," said Rama before Lakshmana, which Lakshmana is sagacious, resplendent and who vies with Indra, about what is said by Sugreeva, which Sugreeva is by now soft-natured in his looks, doffing off his jittery look. [4-8-10]

tato raamam sthitam dR^iSTvaa lakSmaNam ca mahaabalam |
sugriivaH sarvataH cakSuH vane lolam apaatayat || 4-8-11

11. tataH= then; Sugreeva; sthitam raamam dR^iSTvaa= standing there, at Rama, on seeing; mahaabalam= greatly mighty; lakshmaNam ca= Lakshmana, also; lolam= rolling - bolting; cakshuH= eyes; sarvataH= around; vane= in forest; apaatayat= thrown [he cast sight.]

Then on seeing Rama standing there with greatly mighty Lakshmana, Sugreeva cast his sight with his bolting eyes around that forest. [4-8-11]

sa dadarsha tataH saalam aviduure hariishvaraH |
supuSpam iiSat patra aaDhyam bhramaraiH upashobhitam || 4-8-12

12. tataH= then; saH hariishvaraH = he that, monkeys, lord,; aviduure su puSpam= not far off, well flowered; iiSat patra aaDhyam= with some, leaves, covering; bhramaraiH= with honeybees; upa shobhitam= well bedecked; saalam= sala tree; dadarsha= has seen.

He that lord of monkeys Sugreeva has then seen a well flowered sala tree not far off from there, covered with some leaves and bedecked with honeybees. [4-8-12]

tasya ekaam parNa bahulaam shaakhaam bha.nk.htvaa sushobhitaam |
raamasya aastiirya sugriivo niSasaada sa raaghavaH || 4-8-13

13. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; tasya= its, tree's; parNa bahulaam= leaves, many; su sobhitaam= well, charming one; ekaam= one; shaakhaam= branch; bhanktvaa= broke off; raamasya aastiirya= for Rama, spread out; saH raaghavaH= with Raghava; niSasaada= sat on it.

And Sugreeva broke off one branch of that sala tree that is with many leaves and a well charming one, and spreading it out for Rama, he sat on it with Raghava. [4-8-13]

tau aasiinau tataH dR^iSTvaa hanuumaan api lakSmaNam |
saala shaakhaam samutpaaTya viniitam upaveshayat || 4-8-14

14. tataH= then; hanuumaan= Hanuma; api= even; aasiinau= sitting; tau= those two; dR^stvaa= on seeing; saala shaakhaam= sala, branch; sam utpaaTya= on breaking; viniitam= modest one; lakshmaNam= to Lakshmana; upaveshayat= sat on.

On seeing those two sitting on a branch then Hanuma also broke a branch of sala tree for the modest Lakshmana and seated Lakshmana on it. [4-8-14]

This verse and some more will look alike to verses 18, 19, 20 and some more in 5th chapter of this canto, meaning that these actions are repeated whenever Rama and Lakshmana are standing, these monkeys broke the branches of trees and spread its leaves like a leafy mat as a comfortable seat to Rama with their veneration. Some other verses dealing with the agony of Sugreeva and assurances of Rama are also there, indicating that Rama assured the doubting monkeys repeatedly.

sukha upaviSTam raamam tu prasannam udadhim yathaa |
saala puSpaava sa.mkiirNe tasmin girivara uttame || 4-8-15
tataH prahR^iSTaH sugriivaH shlakSNayaa shubhayaa giraa |
uvaaca praNayaad raamam harSa vyaakulita akSaram || 4-8-16

15, 16. tataH= then; Sugreeva; prahR^iSTaH= who is pleased; saala puSpa= with sala tree's, flowers; samkiirNne= all over bestrewn with; tasmin girivara uttame= there, on that mountain, the best; sukha upaviSTam= comfortably, one who is sitting; prasannam yathaa udadhim = quiet, like, ocean; raamam tu= one who causes delight to heart; raamam= to such a Rama; shlakshnam shubhayaa giraa= with gentle, gracious, words; harSa vyaakulita aksharam= in happiness, fluttering, with words; praNayaat= in friendship; uvaaca= said.

Then to him, who by now is comfortably sitting on a flowery mat laid by the bestrewn flowers of sala trees on that best mountain like a quiet ocean, to such Rama who by his very presence delights hearts, that gladsome Sugreeva said this in friendship with his gentle and gracious words that fluttered with happiness while he spoke. [4-8-15, 16]

aham vinikR^ito bhraatraa caraami eSa bhayaarditaH |
R^iSyamuukam giri varam hR^ita bhaaryaH suduHkhitaH || 4-8-17

17. bhraatraa vinikR^itaH= by brother, calumniated; eSaH aham= this, me; bhayaarditaH= with fear haunting; hR^ita bhaaryaH= stolen, wife; su duHkhitaH= highly, anguished; giri varam= mountain the best; Rishyamuukam= on Mt. Rishyamuka; caraami = I am moving.

"My brother calumniated me and stole my wife, with his fear and my anguish haunting me I am moving about this best mountain Rishyamuka. [4-8-17]

so.aham trastaH bhaye magnaH vane sa.mbraanta cetanaH |
vaalinaa nikR^itaH bhraatraa kR^ita vairaH ca raaghava || 4-8-18

18. Raghava; bhraatraa= by brother; vaalinaa= by Vali; nikR^itaH= insulted - affronted; kR^ita vairaH= made, enemy; ca= also; saH aham= such as, I am; trastaH= scared; sambhraanta= dazed; cetanaH= vitality; vasaami= living; bhaye magnaH= in fear, flung in.

"Affronted by my brother, oh, Raghava, I am made as his enemy, such as I am, I am living on with a scared and dazed vitality far flung in fear. [4-8-18]

vaalinaH me bhaya aartasya sarvaloka abhaya.nkara |
mama api tvam anaathasya prasaadam kartum arhasi || 4-8-19

19. sarva loka= for all worlds; a + bhayam kara= no, fear - protection, giver [protector]; me= my – from my brother; vaalinaH= from Vali; bhaya aartasya= in fear, agonized; a + naathasya= un, protected one [I am]; mama api= to me, even; tvam= you; prasaadam kartum arhasi= protection, to accord, able you are.

"I am agonized by the fear from Vali, oh, protector of all the worlds, you protect me too for I am unprotected, and able are you to accord protection." Thus Sugreeva appealed to Rama. [4-8-19]

evam uk{}taH tu tejasvii dharmaj~no dharma vatsalaH |
pratyuvaaca sa kaakutsthaH sugriivam prahasan iva || 4-8-20

20. evam uktaH tu= thus, said; tejasvii= resplendent; dharmaj~naH= virtuous; dharma vatsalaH= righteousness, the patron of; saH kaakutsthaH= he that, Rama; pra hasan iva= laughing it off, as though; sugriivam= to Sugreeva; prati uvaaca= in turn, said - replied.

Thus said by Sugreeva, the resplendent and virtuous Rama, the patron of righteousness replied Sugreeva as though laughing off the task. [4-8-20]

upakaara phalam mitram apakaaro ari lakSaNam |
adya eva tam vadhiSyaami tava bhaaryaa apahaariNam || 4-8-21

21. upakaara phalam mitram = helping, fruit of, is a friend; apakaaraH ari lakshaNam = harming, is enemy's, trait; adya eva = today, only; vadh iSyaami= to kill, I wish to; tam tava bhaaryaa apahaariNam= him, your, wife's, abductor.

"Helping is the fruit of friendship while harming is enemy's trait, hence I wish to kill him today only, that abductor of your wife..." Rama continued thus. [4-8-21]

ime hi me mahaabhaaga patriNaH tigma tejasaH |
kaartikeya vana udbhuutaaH sharaa hema vibhuuSitaaH || 4-8-22
kanka patra paricChannaa mahendra ashani sannibhaaH |
suparvaaNaH sutiikSNa agraa saroSaa bhujagaa iva || 4-8-23

22, 23. mahaa bhaagaaH= oh, highly fortunate one – Sugreeva; me ime patriNaH sharaa= my, these, winged [pinion to hern,] arrows; tigma tejasaH= sharply, sparkling; kaartikeya vana udbhuutaaH = from Kartikeya's, forest, begotten; hema vibhuuSitaaH= gold, decorated with; kanka patrai pari cChannaaH= with eagle's, feathers, tied with as fins; mahendra= Indra's; ashani sannibhaaH= Thunderbolt, like; su parvaaNaH= having smooth, nodes, even knots; su tiikshNa agraa= very, sharply, tipped; sa roSaaH= with rage; bhujagaa iva= snakes, like.

"These are my arrows winged from pinion of the hern, oh, highly fortunate Sugreeva, these that are decorated in gold sparkle sharply like the Thunderbolts of Indra, and they are begotten from the reed forest of Kartikeya, ends tied with eagles feathers for fins, smooth are their nodes, sharp are their tips that pierce sharply, and these will be like enraged snakes. [4-8-22, 23]

Please see Ch 37 in Bala Kanda for the legend of Karthikeya and his emergence.

vaali saj~nam amitram te bhraataram kR^ita kilbiSam |
sharaiH vinihatam pashya vikiirNam iva parvatam || 4-8-24

24. te bhraataram= your brother; kR^ita kilbisham= who has done, malice; vaali sa~njam= Vali, denotative by, named; a + mitram= unfriendly – intimidating one; sharaiH= with arrows; vi nihatam= verily, eradicated; vikiirNam iva parvatam= splintered, like, mountain; pashya= you may see.

"You may see your malicious and intimidating brother, someone denotative by name Vali, eradicated with these very arrows and splintered down like a mountain." Rama said so to Sugreeva. [4-8-24]

raaghavasya vacaH shrutvaa sugriivo vaahinii patiH |
praharSam atulam lebhe saadhu saadhviti ca abraviit || 4-8-25

25. raaghavasya= Raghava's; vacaH= words; shrutvaa= heard; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; vaahinii patiH= monkey-force, lord of; praharSam= happiness; atulam= much; lebhe= attained; saadhu saadhu iti ca= good, good, thus, also; abraviit= said.

On hearing Raghava's words, the lord of monkey-force Sugreeva attained much happiness and said, 'good, good...' [4-8-25]

raama shoka abhibhuuto aham shoka aartaanaam bhavaan gatiH |
vayasya iti kR^itvaa hi tvayi aham paridevaye || 4-8-26

26. Rama; aham= I am; shoka abhibhuutaH= by sadness, confounded in; shoka aartaanaam= for sadly, lamenting ones; bhavaan gatiH= you are, the recourse; vayasya iti kR^itvaa = friend, thus, on making [because you are a friend]; hi= verily; tvayi aham= in you, I am; paridevaye= beseeching [I open up my woes before you.].

"Rama, I am confounded in sadness, and for those lamenting sadly you are the only recourse, and because you have befriended me I am opening up my woes before you. [4-8-26]

tvam hi paaNi pradaanena vayasyo me agni saakSikam |
kR^itaH praaNaiH bahumataH satyena ca shapaami aham || 4-8-27

27. tvam = you are; paaNi pradaanena= hand, by extending; agni aakshikam= of fire, by witness; kR^itaH= befriended; [me, therefore]; praaNaiH bahumataH vayasyaH me hi= than life, you are dearest, friend you are, of minbe, indeed; aham= I am satyena api shapaami= by truth, only, taking oath.

"By extending a helping hand and befriending me while sacred fire bore witness, you have indeed become my dearest friend on par with my life, and hence I take promise on truth to broach. [4-8-27]

vayasya iti kR^itvaa ca visrabdhaH pravadaami aham |
duHkham antargatam tan me mano harati nityashaH || 4-8-28

28. vayasya iti kR^itvaa ca= friend, thus, making, also; aham= I am; visrabdham= in believability [without hitches and hold-ups]; pra vadaami= clearly, saying; tat antargatam duHkham manaH harati nityashaH = that which, internal, sorrow is there, my, heart, stealing [rending,] always.

"By befriending you I am able to say clearly about my internal sorrow without any hitches and hold-ups, which is always rending my heart..." So said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-8-28]

etaavat uk{}tvaa vacanam baaSpa duuSita locanaH |
baaSpa duuSitayaa vaacaa na ucchaiH shknoti bhaaSitum || 4-8-29

29. etaavat= up to here; uktvaa vacanam= said, sentence; baashpa duuSitayaa locanaH= with tears, abused, eyes; baashpa duuSitayaa vaacaa= tears, abused, voice; na= not; ucCaiH= aloud; shknoti= able; bhaashitum= to talk.

Sugreeva said this much sentence with tears abusing his eyes and his voice is unable talk aloud since it is equally abused by tears. [4-8-29]

baaSpa vegam tu sahasaa nadii vegam iva aagatam |
dhaarayaamaasa dhairyeNa sugriivaH raama sa.mnidhau || 4-8-30

30. Sugreeva; sannidhau= in the presence of; Rama; nadii vegam iva= river's, speed, like; sahasaa= suddenly; aagatam= came up; baashpa vegam tu= tears, speed of; dhairyeNa= courageously; dhaarayaamaasa= controlled.

Sugreeva courageously controlled the sudden haste of tears that came up hastily and suddenly like a river in the presence of Rama. [4-8-30]

sa nigR^ihya tu tam baaSpam pramR^ijya nayane shubhe |
viniHshvasya ca tejasvii raaghavam punaruucivaan || 4-8-31

31. tejasvii= bright one; saH= he; tam baashpam= those, tears; nigR^ihya tu= controlled; pramR^ijya shubhe nayane= on wiping out, his fortunate, eyes; vi nisHvasya ca= verily, sighed, also; raaghavam vaakyam punaH uucivaan = to Raghava, sentence, again started to speak.

He that bright Sugreeva controlled those tears, and on wiping his fortunate eyes, but sighing heavily he again started to speak this sentence to Raghava. [4-8-31]

puraa aham valinaa raama raajyaat svaat avaropitaH |
paruSaaNi ca sa.mshraavya nirdhuuto asmi baliiyasaa || 4-8-32

32. puraa= earlier; aham= I was; baliiyasaa valinaa svaat raajyaat avaropitaH = by forceful, Vali, from my, kingdom, dismounted [ deposed]; paruSaaNi ca samshraavya nirdhuutaH asmi = harsh words, also, made to listen [spoke by him,] shoved off [banished,] I am.

"Earlier he that forceful Vali deposed me from my kingdom, oh Rama, and speaking harsh words he even banished me. [4-8-32]

hR^itaa bhaaryaa ca me tena praaNebhyo api gariiyasii |
suhR^idaH ca madiiyaa ye sa.myataa bandhaneSu te || 4-8-33

33. tena= by him; praaNebhyaH api gariiyasii = of lives, even, loftier; me bhaaryaa ca hR^itaa = my, wife, is also, stolen; madiiyaa ye suhR^idaH= my, those, sympathisers are thee; [te= they are]; bandhaneSu samyataa= in prisons, tied down.

"My wife who is loftier than my lives is stolen by him, and those that are my sympathisers they are also captivated and imprisoned by him. [4-8-33]

yatnavaan ca sa duSTaatmaa mad vinaashaaya raaghava |
bahushaH tat prayuk{}taaH ca vaanaraa nihataa mayaa || 4-8-34

34. Raghava; saH duSTa atmaa= he that, evil, minded one; mat vinaashaaya= for my, annihilation; yatnavaan ca= he tried, also; bahushaH= many times; tat= by him; prayuktaaH ca= deployed, also; vaanaraaH= monkeys [combatants]; nihataa mayaa= are killed, by me.

"He that very evil minded one tried many times to annihilate me, and Raghava, I killed those combatants monkeys that are deployed by Vali to kill me. [4-8-34]

sha.nkayaa etayaa aham ca dR^iSTvaa tvaam api raaghava |
na upasarpaami aham bhiito bhaye sarve hi bibhyati || 4-8-35

35. Raaghava; aham ca = I, too; etayaa= with the same; shankayaa tve= doubt; tvaam api iha dR^iSTvaa = you, even, here, on seeing; na upasarpaami = not, I neared you; bhaye sarve bibhyati hi= in fear, all, will be fearsome, isn't it.

"With the same doubt I did not even near you when I saw you... in fear everything will be fearsome, isn't it... [4-8-35]

kevalam hi sahaayaa me hanumat pramukhaastvime |
ataH aham dhaarayaami adya praaNaan kR^icChra gataH api san || 4-8-36

36. kevalam ime hanumat pramukhaaH= just, these, Hanuma, important ones; me sahaayaa= my, helping hands; ataH aham kR^icChra gataH api san= thereby, I am, in tribulations, gone in, though, I am; dhaarayaami praaNaan adya= I bear, my lives, even today.

"Though I am engulfed in tribulations I still bear my lives even today due to these important monkeys like Hanuma and others, who are the only helping hands of mine. [4-8-36]

ete hi kapayaH snigdhaa maam rakSanti samantataH |
saha gacChanti gantavye nityam tiSThanti ca sthite || 4-8-37

37. snigdhaa= friendly; ete kapayaH maam rakshanti samantataH = these, monkeys, me, guarding, from all over; gantavye saha gacChanti nityam sthite tiSThanti ca= while I go, along with, they go, always, while staying, the stay.

"These are the friendly monkeys guarding me all over, while I go they go along with me, and if I were to stay they too will stay. [4-8-37]

sa.mkSepaH te eSa me raama kim uk{}tvaa vistaram hi te |
sa me jyeSTho ripuH bhraataa vaalii vishruta pauruSaH || 3-8-38

38. Rama; eSa me samkshepaH= this, is my, brief account; te vistaram uktvaa kim= to you, in detail, telling, why [what is the use in elaborating it]; me jyeSThaH bhraataa= my, elder, brother; vishruta paurushaH= who is renowned, for his intrepidity; saH Vali mama ripu= that, Vali, is my, enemy.

"Rama, this is briefly my sad-story and why tell this very broadly to you as it would be too tedious... my elder brother Vali is a renowned one for his intrepidity, and he that Vali alone is my enemy. [4-8-38]

tad vinaashe api me duHkham pramR^iSTam syaat anantaram |
sukham me jiivitam caiva tad vinaasha nibandhanam || 3-8-39

39. tat vinaashe api = his, end, only; me duHkham pra mR^iSTtam syaat = my, distress, is wiped out [end,] it will be; anantaram= later; me sukham jiivitam ca eva= my, quietude, life, also, thus; tat vinaasha nibandhanam= his, destruction, subjected to.

"His end ends my distress and my later life and quietude are subjected to his destruction. [4-8-39]

eSa me raama shokaantaH shoka aartena niveditaH |
duHkhitaH sukhitaH vaa api sakhyuH nityam sakhaa gatiH || 3-8-40

40. shoka aartena= by grief, stricken one; me eSa shoka antaH= this, misery's, end, [end for my misery]; niveditaH= is submitted; sakhyuH duHkhitaH sukhitaH vaa api= for a friend, saddened, gladdened, or, even if; nityam sakhaa gatiH= at any time, friend, is recourse.

"Grief stricken such as I am, I have submitted as to how my misery ends, whether one is gladdened or saddened he has recourse only to his friend." So said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-8-40]

shrutvaa etat ca vacaH raamaH sugriivam idam abraviit |
kim nimittam abhuut vairam shrotum icChaami tattvataH || 3-8-41

41. Rama; etat vacaH shrutvaa= all this, words, on hearing; sugriivam= to Sugreeva; idam abraviit = this, said; kim nimittam= what, for; abhuut vairam= chanced, enmity; tattvataH shrotum icChaami= in its reality, to listen, interested I am.

Hearing all that is spoken by Sugreeva, Rama asked, "What for chanced the enmity? I am interested to listen, in its reality...[4-8-41]

sukham hi kaaraNam shrutvaa vairasya tava vaanara |
aanantaryad vidhaasyaami sa.mpradhaarya balaabalam || 3-8-42

42. vaanara= oh, monkey; tava vairasya kaaraNam shrutvaa= yours, of enmity, cause, on listening; bala abalam sampradhaarya= strength and weakness, on deciding; aanantaryaat= after a proper thought; sukham vidhaasyaami= easily, I will enforce [do the needful.]

"On knowing the cause of your enmity, oh, monkey, and after a proper thought, and deciding upon the strength and weakness of the cause of enmity, or of the enmity itself, I will do the needful very easily. [4-8-42]

balavaan hi mama amarSaH shrutvaa tvaam avamaanitam |
vardhate hR^idaya ut.hkampii praavR^iD vega iva a.mbhasaH || 3-8-43

43. shrutvaa= on hearing; tvaam= you are; avamaanitam= insulted; utkampii= that can flutter; mama= my; hR^idaya= heart; balavaan= intense; amarSaH= anger [is coming to pass, like]; ambhasaH praavR^iD vega iva varthate= of waters, rainy season's, speediness, like, increasing.

"On hearing that you are insulted my intense anger that can flutter my heartbeat is intensifying like the intensifying speed of waters in rainy reason. [4-8-43]

hR^iSTaH kathaya visrabdho yaavat aaropyate dhanuH |
sR^iSTaH ca hi mayaa baaNo nirastaH ca ripuH tava || 3-8-44

44. mayaa= by me; yaavat= before; dhanuH aaropyate= bow, is aimed; baaNaH sR^iSTaH ca= arrow, is released; tava ripuH nirastaH ca=your, enemy, become helpless [ he dies]; [within that time]; hR^iSTaH visrabdhaH kathaya= gladly, in belief, you tell.

"Be glad to say in belief, Sugreeva, before I take aim with my bow, and even before I release the arrow, and even before silencing your enemy." Rama assured Sugreeva in this way. [4-8-44]

evam uk{}taH tu sugriivaH kaakutsthena mahaatmanaa |
praharSam atulam lebhe caturbhiH saha vaanaraiH|| 3-8-45

45. mahaatmanaa kaakutsthena evam uktaH tu= by great souled, Rama, thus, when said; sugriivaH= he that Sugreeva; caturbhiH vaanaraiH saha= with four, vanara-s, along with; praharSam atulam lebhe = rejoice, very much, obtained.

Thus said by the great souled Rama, Sugreeva is very much rejoiced along with four of vanara-s available in his attendance. [4-8-45]

tataH prahR^i^iSTa vadanaH sugriivaH lakSmaNaagraje |
vairasya kaaraNam tattvam aakhyaatum upacakrame || 3-8-46

46. tata= then; prahR^iSTa vadanaH= with pleased, countenance; Sugreeva; Lakshmana agraje= to Lakshmana's elder, to Rama; vairasya kaaraNam= enmity's, cause; tattvam= truthfully; aakhyaatum= to tell; upacakrame= started.

Then with a pleased countenance Sugreeva started to tell Rama about the cause of the enmity, it all it truthfulness. [4-8-46]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe aSTamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 8th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana,the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 9

Introduction

Sugreeva reports the incident that sparked off the indignation and ire of Vali towards Sugreeva. Sugreeva describes to Rama about the strength and heartless nature of Vali, with a kind of indirect portrayal of his enemy's capabilitie

vaalii naama mama bhraataa jyeSThaH shatru niSuudanaH |
pituH bahumataH nityam mama ca api tathaa puraa || 4-9-1

1. shatru niSuudanaH= oh, enemy, destroyer - Rama; vaalii naama mama jyeSThaH bhraataa= Vali, named, my elder brother; pituH= to our father, bahumataH= very dear; nityam= always; puraa= earlier; mama ca api= for me, to, even; tathaa = like that.

"Oh, great enemy destroyer Rama, my elder brother Vali is a very dear one to our father, and even for me too he was so, earlier. [4-9-1]

pitari uparate tasmin jyeSTho ayam iti ma.ntribhiH |
kapiinaam iishvaro raajye kR^itaH parama sammataH || 4-9-2

2. tasmin pitari uparate= that, father, on demise of; ayam jyeSThaH iti= he is, elder one, thus deciding; raajye parama sammataH= in kingdom, immense, on glorification; mantribhiH kR^itaH= ministers, he is made as kapiinaam iishvaraH= for monkeys, king.

After the demise of our father all the ministers have glorified him immensely and made him the king of all the monkeys as he is the elder. [4-9-2]

raajyam prashaasataH tasya pitR^i paitaamaham mahat |
aham sarveSu kaaleSu praNataH preSyavat sthitaH || 4-9-3

3. aham= I am; mahat pitR^u paitaamaham= great, father's, forefather's; raajyam= kingdom; prashaasataH= while ruling; tasya= to him; sarveSu= in all; kaaleSu= times; praNataH= bowed down; preSyavat= like a servant; sthitaH= stood by.

While he was ruling the great kingdom of my father and forefathers, I have always bowed down to him like a servant and stood by him. [4-9-3]

maayaavii naama tejasvii puurvajo dundubheH sutaH |
tena tasya mahad vairam vaalinaH strii kR^itam puraa || 4-9-4

4. dundubheH puurvajaH= Dundubhi's, elder brother; [mayaH] sutaH= Maya's, son; maayaavii naama tejasvii [aasiit]= Maayaavi, named, fierce one [was there]; puraa tasya vaalinaH= previously, with him, that Vali; tena= to him [to Dundubhi]; strii kR^itam= female, due to; mahat vairam= great enmity; [aasiit= was there.]

There was a fierce demon named Maayaavi, the elder brother of Dundubhi and the son of one demon named Maya. There was a great enmity between this Maayaavi and Vali owing to some female. [4-9-4]

sa tu supte jane raatrau kiSkindhaa dvaaram aagataH |
nardati sma susam.hrabdho vaalinam ca aahvayat raNe || 4-9-5

5. raatrau= in night; supte jane= while sleeping, people are; saH tu= he, but that Maayaavi; kishkindhaa dvaaram aagataH = Kishkindha's, at the doors of, arrived; su samrabdhaH= very, blaring; nardati sma= shouting, he was; vaalinam ca rane aahvayat = Vali is, invited, for a fight.

He that Maayaavi arrived at the doors of Kishkindha in a night when the people are sleeping, and blared very much inviting Vali for a fight. [4-9-5]

prasuptaH tu mama bhraataa nardito bhairava svanam |
shrutvaa na mamR^iSe vaalii niSpapaata javaat tadaa || 4-9-6

6. tadaa= then; pra suptaH tu= well, sleeping, but; mama bhraataa= my brother; Vali; narditaH bhairava svanam shrutvaa= bellowing, in a clamouring voice, on hearing; na mamR^ishe= not tolerated; javaat = speedily; niSpapaata= fell out [ palace chambers,] came out.

Then my brother who was also sleeping well, on hearing that bellowing in a clamouring voice, did not tolerate and came out speedily. [4-9-6]

sa tu vai niHsR^itaH krodhaat tam hantum asurottamam |
vaaryamaaNaH tataH striibhiH mayaa ca praNata aatmanaa || 4-9-7

7. tataH= then; saH tu = he [Vali,] but; striibhiH= by women; praNata aatmanaa= bowing, themselves [while rquesting]; mayaa ca= by me, also; vaaryamaaNaH= though prevented; tam asurottamam = him, demon, the best; hantum= to kill; krodhaat= in anger; nihsR^itaH vai = came out, really.

Though the females and myself bowed reverently to prevent Vali, he came out of palace in all his anger to kill that great demon. [4-9-7]

sa tu nirdhuuya sarvaan no nirjagaama mahaabalaH |
tataH aham api sauhaardaan niHsR^itaH vaalinaa saha || 4-9-8

8. saH tu= he, but; mahaabalaH= greatly strengthened one; sarvaan naH= all of us; nirdhuuya= on spurning away; nirjagaama= forged ahead; tataH= then; aham api= I also; sauhaardaat= by predisposition; nihsR^itaH= started; vaalinaa saha= Vali, along with.

But Vali spurned all of us away and forged ahead, and then I also have started to go along with Vali in all my predisposition. [4-9-8]

sa tu me bhraataram dR^iSTvaa maam ca duuraat avasthitam |
asuro jaata sa.mtraasaH pradudraava tadaa bhR^isham || 4-9-9

9. saH tu= he, also; asuraH= the demon; me bhraataram= my, brother; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; maam ca= me, also; duuraat avasthitam= from a distance, coming on; tadaa= then; jaata sam traasaH= induced, with, fear; pra dudraava= well, ran away; bhR^isham = quickly.

A great fear was induced in that demon on seeing my brother and me too coming from a distance, and then he quickly ran away. [4-9-9]

tasmin dravati sa.mtraste hi aavaam drutataram gatau |
prakaashaH api kR^itaH maargaH candreNa udgacChataa tadaa || 4-9-10

10. sam traste= with, fear; tasmin= he; dravati= while running away; aavaam= we two; druta taram= very quickly; gatau= followed; tadaa= then; udgacChataa candreNa maargaH api prakaashaH kR^itaH= just arising, by moon, the way, even, to brightness, it is made [way is lit by moonlight alone.]

While he is running away in fear we quickly followed him on a path that is barely lit by moonlight of the moon who is just coming up. [4-9-10]

sa tR^iNaiH aavR^itam durgam dharaNyaa vivaram mahat |
pravivesha asuraH vegaat aavaam aasaadya viSThitau || 4-9-11

11. saH asuraH = he, that demon; dharaNyaa= in ground; dur gam= an un-enterable one; tR^iNaiH= with grass; aavR^itam= covered; mahat vivaram= a great, cleavage, cavity; vegaat= speedily; pravivesha= entered; aavaam= we; vegaat= speedily; aasaadya= reached at [that cleavage] viSThitau= stood there [for a while.]

That demon speedily entered an un-enterable cavity under the ground, covered with grass, and we too having reached there speedily stood at the aperture of that cavity for a while. [4-9-11]

tam praviSTam ripum dR^iSTvaa bilam roSa vasham gataH |
maam uvaaca tato vaalii vacanam kSubhita indriyaH || 4-9-12

12. tataH= then; bilam praviSTam tam ripum dR^iSTvaa= in the hole, entered, him, that enemy, on observing; Vali; roSa vasham gataH= fury's, enfold, gone into; kSubhita indriyaH= one with outraged, senses; maam vacanam uvaaca= to me, this sentence, said.

Then Vali has gone into the enfoldment of fury on observing the entry of that demon into the hole, whereby his senses felt outraged, and he said this sentence to me. [4-9-12]

iha tiSTha adya sugriiva bila dvaari samaahitaH |
yaavat atra pravishya aham nihanmi samare ripum || 4-9-13

13. Sugreeva; aham atra pravishya= I, into this, on entering; samare ripum yaavat nihanmi= in fight, enemy, till, I destroy [and come back]; samaahita= on the alert; adya= now; iha= here; bila dvaari= at hole's, entrance; tiSTha= you stay.

Then Vali said to me, "Now you stay here on the alert, Sugreeva, at the entrance of this hole till I return on destroying the enemy in a fight on my entering this hole..." [4-9-13]

mayaa tu etat vacaH shrutvaa yaacitaH sa para.mtapaH |
shaapayitvaa ca maam padbhyaam pravivesha bilam tataH || 4-9-14

14. etat vacaH shrutvaa= those, words, on hearing; mayaa tu param tapaH yaacitaH = by me, but, great tormentor [of enemies,] is requested [for my entering the hole]; saH= he that Vali; maam padbhyaam shaapayitvaa= me, on his feet, made me to swear; tataH bilam pravivesha = then, the hole, he entered.

On hearing those words I requested him to allow me too to come in to the hole, but he being the great tormentor of his enemies disallowed it, and he made me to swear on his feet and entered that hole. [4-9-15]

tasya praviSTasya bilam saagraH sa.mvatsaraH gataH |
sthitasya ca bila dvaari saH kaalaH vyatyavartata || 4-9-15

15. bilam praviSTasya tasya= cleavage, entered, to him; sa agraH= well, over; samvatsaraH= a year; gataH= is over; mama= me too; dvaari= at the entrance; sthitasya ca= stayed, also; saH= that; kaalaH= time; vyatyavartata= passed away.

Well over a year is over after his entering into that cleavage, and to me too who stayed at the entrance of the cleavage that much time had passed away. [4-9-15]

aham tu naSTam tam j~naatvaa snehaat aagata sa.mbhramaH |
bhraataram na prapashyaami paapa sha~Nki ca me manaH || 4-9-16

16. aham tu= I, but; naSTam tam= lost, him; j~naatvaa= on knowing [on thinking]; snehaat= in fondness; aagata sambhramaH= came upon, alarm; bhraataram= bother; na cha pashyaami= not, also, able to see; me manaH paapa shanki ca= my, mind, harm, doubting.

I thought I lost him for my brother is unseen, and in all fondness towards him my mind started to doubt about some harm might have befallen on him. [4-9-16]

atha diirghasya kaalasya bilaat tasmaat viniHsR^itam |
saH phenam rudhiram dR^iSTvaa tato aham bhR^ishaduHkhitaH || 4-9-17

17. atha= afterwards; diirghasya kaalasya= a long time; tasmaat= from that; bilaat= from hole; vi nisR^itam= well, gush out; sa phenam = with, foam; rudhiram= blood; dR^istvaa= on seeing; tataH aham= then, I am; bhR^isha dukhitaH= deeply, saddened.

After a long time blood with foam gushed out that hole, and on seeing it I was deeply saddened. [4-9-17]

nardataam asuraaNaam ca dhvaniH me shrotram aagataH |
na rastasya ca sa.mgraame kroshato api svano guroH || 4-9-18

18. nardataam= screams; asuraaNaam ca= of the demon, also; dhvaniH= sounds; me shrotram aagataH= to my, ear, came; sangraame ratasya= in fight, involved in; kroshataH api= on who is screeching, even; guroH= of my brother; svanaH= sounds; na ca= not, even [heard.]

Sounds of screaming demon came to my ear, but the screeches of my brother who is involved in fight are unheard, in the least. [4-9-18]

aham tu avagataH buddhyaa cihnaiH taiH bhraataram hatam |
pidhaaya ca bila dvaaram shilayaa giri maatrayaa || 4-9-19
shokaartaH ca udakam kR^itvaa kiSkindhaam aagataH sakhe |
guuhamaanasya me tattvam yatnataH ma.ntribhiH shrutam ||4-9-20

19. sakhe= oh, friend; aham tu= I, but; taiH cihnaiH = by those, indications; bhraataram hatam buddhyaa avagataH= brother, ended, with a mind, with thinking [infer doubtfully, surmised]; giri maatrayaa shilayaa = mountain, just in measure, with boulder; bila dvaaram pidhaaya ca= cavity's, entrance, on covering, even; shoka artaH ca udakam kR^itvaa= in sadness, pained, also, waters, performed [having oblated]; kiSkindhaam= to Kishkishkindha; aagataH= returned; me= by me; guuhamaanasya= one who is concealing; tattvam yatnataH= actuality, by persuasion; mantribhiH shrutam= by ministers, was heard.

Oh, friend, Rama... I have surmised and concluded in mind by the indications that my brother is finished, and covered the cavity's opening with a mountain similar boulder, and performed water oblations to my deceased brother with saddening pain, and then returned to Kishkindha. But the ministers have persuaded and heard from me the actual happening though I was concealing it. [4-9-19, 20]

tataH aham taiH samaagamya sametaiH abhiSecitaH |
raajyam prashaasataH tasya nyaayato mama raaghava || 4-9-21
aajagaama ripum hatvaa daanavam sa tu vaanaraH |

21, 22a. tataH= then; sametaiH taiH samaagamya= all of them [the ministers,] by those ministers, summoned; aham abhishecitaH = I am, crowned; Raghava; tasya mama= such as I am, by me; raajyam nyaayataH pra shaasataH= kingdom, judiciously, while being ruled; saH vaanaraH= he, that semi-human; ripum daanavam hatvaa= enemy, demon, on killing; aajagaama= he returned.

Then duly summoned by all of those ministers I was crowned, and while I was ruling the kingdom judiciously, oh, Raghava, that semi-human Vali returned on killing that demoniac enemy. [4-9-21, 22a]

abhiSik{}tam tu maam dR^iSTvaa kopaat sa.mrak{}ta locanaH || 4-9-22
madiiyaan ma.ntriNaH baddhvaa paruSam vaakyam abraviit |

22b, 23a. abhishiktam tu maam dR^iSTvaa = who is crowned, but, me, on seeing; kopaat= in anger; sam rakta locanaH= well, reddened, eyes; madiiyaan= of me; mantriNaH= ministers; baddhvaa= arrested; paruSam vaakyam abraviit= rude, sentences, spoke.

But on seeing me crowned his eyes were reddened in anger, and he arrested all my ministers as he spoke rudely. [4-9-22b, 23a]

nigrahe ca samarthasya tam paapam prati raaghava || 4-9-23
na praavartata me buddhiH bhraatR^i gaurava ya.ntritaa |

23b, 24a. Oh, Raghava; nigrahe api samarthasya = to counter him, even though, I am capable; me buddhiH= my, reason; bhraatR^i gaurava yantritaa= brotherhood, in esteem, controlled by; tam paapam prati= that, sin [of defying brother,] towards; na praavartata = not, disposed to.

And oh, Raghava, though I was capable enough to counter him, my reason was controlled by my esteem to brotherhood, and I was indisposed to commit that sin of defying brotherhood. [4-9-23b, 24a]

hatvaa shatrum saH me bhraataa pravivesha puram tadaa || 4-9-24
maanayan tam mahaatmaanam yathaavat ca abhiavaadayam |
uk{}taaH ca na aashiSaH tena sa.mtuSTena antaraatmanaa || 4-9-25

24b, 25. me bhraataa saH= my, brother, he that Vali; hatvaa shatrum tadaa pravivesha puram = having destroyed, enemy, then, entered, capital tam; maha aatmaanam maanayan= him that audacious soul, while respecting; yathaavat ca abhivaadayam= as usual, also, hailed; tena samtuSTena antaraatmanaa= by him, with satisfied, inner self; aashiSaH na uktaaH ca= blessings, not, said, even.

He that brother of mine entered the capital thus on destroying the enemy, and I hailed him as usual while respecting that audacious soul, but his inner self is unsatisfied and I remained unblest. [4-9-24b, 25]

natvaa paadau aham tasya mukuTena aspR^isham prabho |
api vaalii mama krodhaat na prasaadam chakaara saH || 4-9-26

26. prabhuH= oh, lord Rama; aham natvaa tasya paadau mukuTena aspR^isham = I, though bowed, at his, feet, with crown, though touched; api= even then; saH vaali krodhaat= he, that Vali, with rancour; mama prasaadam na chakaara= leniency [quarter,] not, done [showed no quarter.]

Oh, lord Rama, though I bowed with the crown touching his feet, he that rancorous Vali showed no quarter towards me." So said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-9-25]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe navamaH sargaH |

Thus, this is the 9th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 10

Introduction

Sugreeva informs Rama that Vali could not be appeased in spite of repeated requests as he is resolved to accept Sugreeva as an enemy. Vali banishes Sugreeva from the kingdom with the same thinking

tataH krodha samaaviSTam sam.hrabdham tam upaagatam |
aham prasaadayaan cakre bhraataram hita kaamyayaa || 4-10-1

1. tataH aham= then, I; prasaadayaan cakre= begged of him; krodha samaaviSTam= by anger, enveloped; samrabdham= capricious one; upaagatam= who arrived; tam bhraataram= him, brother; hita kaamyayaa= well-being, desiring.

"Then desiring both of our well-being I have begged of my brother who is enveloped in anger and behaving capriciously. [4-10-1]

diSTyaa asi kushalii praapto nihataH ca tvayaa ripuH |
anaathasya hi me naathaH tvam eko anaatha nandanaH || 4-10-2

2. anaatha aanandanaH= oh, orphan's, delight Rama; diSTyaa tvayaa ripuH nihataH= luckily, by you, enemy, is eliminated; kushalii praaptaH asi= safely, returned, you are; anaathasya me tvam ekaH naathaH= to an orphaned one, to me, you, alone, are the protector.

"Oh, orphan's, delight Rama, I addressed him like this, "Luckily you have eliminated the enemy and returned safely, and to an orphaned one like me you alone are the protector. [4-10-2]

idam bahu shalaakam te puurNa candram iva uditam |
Chatram sa vaala vyajanam pratiicChasva mayaa dhR^itam || 4-10-3

3. te= to you; mayaa dhR^itam= by me, held; bahu shalaakam= with many, spikes; uditam puurNa candram iva= arisen, full, moon, like; sa vaala vyajanam= with, [accompanying] fur, fans; idam Chatram pratiicChasva= this, [regal] umbrella, you accept.

Let this regal umbrella unfolded like a full moon, with its many of its spikes, and with accompanying fur-fans may please be accepted while I hold it for you. [4-10-3]

aartasya atha bilaa dvaari sthitaH sa.mvatsaram nR^ipa |
dR^iSTvA ca shoNitam dvaari bilaat ca api samutthitam || 4-10-4
shoka sa.mvigna hR^idayo bhR^isham vyaakulita indriyaH |
apidhaaya bila dvaaram shaila shR^i~NgeNa tat tadaa || 4-10-5
tasmaat deshaat apaakramya kiSkindhaam praavisham punaH |

4, 5, 6a. nR^ipa= oh, king; aartaH= saddened [I was]; samvatsaram= for one year; bila dvaarii sthitaH= at that, cave's entrance, I stayed; atha bilaat samutthitam shoNitam dvaari dR^iSTvaa= then, from cave, started to flow, blood, at entrance, having seen; shoka samvigna hR^idayaH= sadness, engulfed, with a heart; bhR^isham vyaakulita indriyaH= much, perturbed, senses; tadaa tat bila dvaaram= then, that, cave's, entrance; shaila shringeNa apidhaaya= with a hill, top, having covered; tasmaat deshaat apaakramya= from that, place, moving away; punaH kiSkindhaam praavisham= again, Kishkindha, I entered.

"Saddened I was after staying at the entrance of the cave for one year, oh, king, and on seeing the blood that started to flow from out the cave in the entrance my heart is engulfed in sadness and my senses perturbed very much, and then covering that cave's entrance with a hilltop, and departing from that country, I re-entered Kishkindha. [4-10-4, 5, 6a]

viSaadaat iha maam dR^iSTvaa pouraiH ma.ntribhir eva ca || 4-10-6
abhiSikto na kaamena tanme kshantum tvam arhasi |

6b, 7a. viSaadaat iha maam dR^iSTvaa= with grief, [on my coming] here, me, on seeing; pouraiH mantribhiH eva ca= citizens, ministers, alike, also; abhishikhtaH= crowned me; na kaamena= not, [at my] desire; tat me kshantum tvam arhasi= therefore, me, to pardon, apt of you.

"On seeing me returning with grief, the citizens and ministers alike crowned me, but that is not at my desire, therefore it is apt of you pardon me. [4-10-6b, 7a]

tvam eva raajaa maanaarhaH sadaa ca aham yathaa puraa || 4-10-7
raajabhaave niyogaH ayam mama tvat virahaat kR^itaH |
sa amaatya paura nagaram sthitam nihata kaNTakam || 4-10-8

7b, 8. maanaarhaH raajaa tvam eva= estimable, king, you, alone; aham ca puraa yathaa= I will be, as earlier, as I was; mama ayam raja bhaave niyogaH tvat virahaat kR^itaH= my, this, in kingship, establishment, with your, unavailability, it is done; sa amaatya paura nagaram= with, ministers, citizens, capital; nihata kantakam= eliminated, thorniness; sthitam= is there.

"As an estimable one you alone are the king, and I will be as I was, and establishing me in kingship is owing to your unavailability, but the capital with citizens and ministers is kept up without thorniness. [4-10-7b, 8]

nyaasa bhuutam idam raajyam tava niryaatayaami aham |
maa ca roSam kR^ithaaH saumya mama shatru niSuudana|| 4-10-9

9. nyaasa bhuutam= custodial, one[kingdom]; idam raajyam= this, kingdom; tava= to you; niryaatayaami= returning; aham= I am; shatru niSuudana= oh enemies, eliminator; saumya= oh, gentle one; mama= in my respect; roSam= anger / hostility; maa kR^ithaaH= do not, you make.

"Oh, gentle one, I am now returning this custodial kingdom to you, oh, enemy eliminator, you need not be hostile towards me. [4-10-9]

yaace tvaam shirasaa raajan mayaa baddho ayam a.njaliH |
balaat asmin samaagamya ma.ntribhiH pura vaasibhiH || 4-10-10
raajabhaave niyukto aham shuunya desha jigiiSayaa |

10, 11a. raajan= oh king; shirasaa tvaam yaace= with head bowed, you, I beg; mayaa ayam anjaliH baddhaH= by me, this, [prayerful] palm-fold, is made; mantribhiH pura vaasibhiH= by the ministers, capital, dwellers; samaagamya= coming together; shuunya desha jigiishayaa= empty [kingless,] kingdom, to have control on; aham= I was; asmin= to this [kingship]; rajabhaave= in kingship; balaat= forcibly; niyuktaH= nominated.

"I beg you with my bowed head and with my prayerful palm-fold, the ministers and the city dwellers have collectively and forcibly nominated me to the kingship, only to keep the kingless kingdom under control. [4-10-10, 11a]

snigdham evam bruvaaNam maam sa vinirbhartsya vaanaraH || 4-10-11
dhik tvaam iti ca maam uktvaa bahu tat tat uvaaca ha |

11b, 12a. saH vaanaraH= he, that monkey; evam snigdham bruvaaNam= this way, politely, while I was saying; maam nirbhartsya= me, on threatening; dhik= fie; tvaam= upon you; iti ca= thus, also; maam uktvaa= to me said; tat tat= that, that, [expletives]; bahu= many; uvaaca ha= he said, indeed.

"While I was speaking that politely he threatened me and indeed used many expletives starting from 'fie, fie, upon you.' and the like. [4-10-11b, 12a]

prakR^itiiH ca samaaniiya ma.ntriNaH caiva sammataan || 4-10-12
maam aaha suhR^idaam madhye vaakyam parama garhitam |

12b, 13a. prakR^itiiH ca= people, also; sammataan= venerable ones; mantriNaH caiva= ministers, also, thus; samaaniiya= on summoning; suhR^idaam madhye= friends, amongst; maam= to me; parama garhitam vaakyam= very, abusive, words; aaha= he said / hurled.

"And summoning people and venerable ministers he hurled very abusive words at me among friends. [4-10-12b, 13a]

viditam vo mayaa raatrau maayaavii sa mahaaasuraH || 4-10-13
maam samaahvayata kruddho yuddha kaa.nkSii tadaa puraa |

13b, 14a. puraa mahaaasuraH maayaavii= earlier, the gigantic, Maayaavi; kruddhaH= rancorous; yuddha kaankshii= duel, desiring one; tadaa raatrau= in that, night; maam= me; samaahvayata= invited; vaH= that; viditam= you are aware of.

"You all are aware that earlier the gigantic and rancorous demon Maayaavi invited me desiring a duel in that night. [4-10-13b, 14a]

tasya tad bhaaSitam shrutvaa niHsR^itaH aham nR^ipaaalayaat || 4-10-14
anuyaataH ca maam tuurNam ayam bhraataa sudaaruNaH |

14b, 15a. tasya tat= his, that; bhaaSitam= saying [calling for duel]; shrutvaa= on hearing; niHsR^itaH= went out; aham= I am; nR^ipa aalayaat= from royal, palace su daaruNaH= very, hazardous one; ayam bhraataa= this, brother; anuyaataH ca= followed, also; tuurNam= quickly; maam= me.

"On hearing his call for a duel I went out of the royal palace, and this very hazardous brother of mine quickly followed me. [4-10-14b, 15a]

sa tu dR^iSTvaa eva maam raatrau sa dvitiiyam mahaabalaH || 4-10-15
praadravat bhaya sa.mtrasto viikSya aavaam samupaagatau |
abhidrutaH tu vegena vivesha sa mahaabilam || 4-10-16

15b, 16. mahaabalaH= formidable one; saH= that demon; raatrau sa dvitiiyam maam dR^iSTvaa eva= in night, with, a second one, me, on seeing, just by; pra adravat= he ran away; samupaagatau aavaam viikshya= those that reached nearly, at us, on seeing; bhaya samtrastaH= fear, fraught by; vegena abhidrutaH= speedily, he ran; saH= he; mahaabilam= great, cavity; vivesha= entered.

"And that formidable demon Maayaavi ran away as he was fraught with fear on seeing me with a second one at my side, and he speedily entered a great cavity of earth on seeing us two nearly reaching him. [4-10-15b, 16]

tam praviSTam viditvaa tu sughoram sumahad bilam |
ayam ukto atha me bhraataa mayaa tu kruura darshanaH || 4-10-17

17. tam= him; praviSTam= entered into; viditvaa tu= on knowing; su ghoram= great, precarious; sumahat bilam= great cavity; atha= then; kruura darshanaH= cruel to look; ayam me bhraataa= this, brother, of mine; mayaa uktaH by me, said.

"On knowing the demon's entry into that great precarious cavity, I said to this one, this cruel looking brother of mine. [4-10-17]

ahatvaa na asti me shaktiH prati gantum itaH puriim |
bila dvaari pratiikSa tvam yaavat enam nihanmi aham || 4-10-18

18. a hatvaa= without, killing; itaH= from here; puriim= to capital; prati gantum= return to go; me= to me; shaktiH= power; na asti= not, there; aham= I am; enam=him, the demon; yaavat= till; nihanmi= I kill; tvam= you; bila dvaari= at cavity's, entrance; pratiiksha= wait.

"My power will not let me return from here to the capital without killing that demon, hence you wait at this cavity's entrance, till I kill that demon and come out of the cavity. [4-10-18]

sthito.ayam iti matvaa aham praviSTaH tu duraasadam |
tam me maargayataH tatra gataH sa.mvatsaraH tadaa || 4-10-19

19. sthitaH= stayed; ayam iti= he thus; matvaa aham= believing, I have; pravishtaH tu= entered, thus; duraasadam= impenetrable cave; tadaa= then; tatra= there; tam= him, that demon; maargamaanasya= while searching; me= for me; gataH= elapsed; samvatsaraH= one year.

"Believing that he stayed at the entrance of the cavity I entered that impenetrable cavity, and then in searching for that demon there one year elapsed. [4-10-19]

sa tu dR^iSTo mayaa shatruH anirvedaat bhayaaavahaH |
nihataH ca mayaa sadyaH saH sarvaiH saha bandhubhiH || 4-10-20

20. bhayaaavahaH= terrified one; saH shatruH= he that, enemy; mayaa= by me; a+nirvedaat= without, worry - effortlessly; dR^iSTaH= is seen; saH sarvaiH bandhubhiH saha= he, all of his, relatives, along with; mayaa= by me; sadyaH nihataH= immediately, killed.

"I have seen that terrified enemy of mine effortlessly, and I killed him immediately along with all of his relatives. [4-10-20]

tasya aasyaat tu pravR^ittena rudhiraugheNa tad bilam |
puurNam aasiit duraakraamam svanataH tasya bhuutale || 4-10-21

21. bhuutale= on ground; svanataH= [fallen] yelling; tasya aasyaat tu= from his, mouth, but; pravR^ittena, rudhira aughena= emanating, by blood, gushes of; tat bilam puurNam= that, cavity, is filled up; dur aakraamam aasiit= impossible, to tread, it has become.

"That cavity has become impassable, since it is fully filled with the gushes of blood emanating from the mouth of that demon who fell yelling onto ground. [4-10-21]

suudayitvaa tu tam shatrum vikraantam tam aham sukham |
niS.hkraamam na eva pashyaami bilasya pihitam mukham || 4-10-22

22. aham= I; tam shatrum vikraantam= that, enemy, who was invading; sukham= easily; suudayitvaa= having killed; nishkraamam= exit; na eva= not, thus; pashyaami= saw; bilasya pihitam mukham= cavity's, closed, face.

"On my killing that invading enemy easily, I could not see any exit from that cavity as its mouth was closed. [4-10-22]

vikroshamaanasya tu me sugriiva iti punaH punaH |
yataH prativaco naasti tataH aham bhR^isha duHkhitaH || 4-10-23

23. sugriiva iti= oh Sugreeva, thus; punaH punaH= again and again; vi kroshamaanasya= while I loudly shouted; me= to me; yataH= what for; prativacaH= reply; na asti= not, there; tataH= by that; aham= I am; bhr^isha duhkhitaH= very, saddened.

"Wherefore I did not get a reply though I repeatedly shouted, 'Sugreeva, oh, Sugreeva.' thereby I was very saddened. [4-10-23]

paada prahaaraiH tu mayaa bahubhiH paripaatitam |
tataH aham tena niS.hkramya pathaa puram upaagataH || 4-10-24

24. mayaa= by me; bahubhiH= with many; paada prahaaraiH= with foot, poundings; paripaatitam= [lidded hilltop] is smashed; tataH= then; aham= I have; tena pathaa= by that, way; nishkramya= exited; punaH upaagataH= again, arrived here.

"With my foot I pounded and smashed that lidded hilltop, and from there I exited that way and arrived here. [4-10-24]

tatra anena asmi sam.hruddhaH raajyam mR^igayata aatmanaH |
sugriiveNa nR^isha.msena vismR^itya bhraatR^i sauhR^idam || 4-10-25

25. aatmanaH= for himself; raajyam= kingdom; mR^igayata= fantasizing; nR^ishamsena anena= by cruel one, by this one; vismR^itya bhraatR^i sauhR^idam= forgetting, brotherly, good heartedness - clannishness; [aham= I was]; tatra= there; samruddhaH= trammelled; sugriiveNa= by Sugreeva; asmi= I was.

"As such this cruel fantasist of kingdom trammelled me in there forgetting the clannishness." So said Vali to all the courtiers. [4-10-25]

evam uktvaa tu maam tatra vastreNa ekena vaanaraH |
tadaa nirvaasayaamaasa vaalii vigata saadhvasaH || 4-10-26

26. vaanaraH= that monkey; vaalii= Vali; tatra= in there, in court; maam= to me; evam uktvaa= thus, saying; vigata saadhvasaH= gone [leaving off,] ruth; tadaa= then; vastreNa ekena= clothing, one only; nirvaasayaamaasa= started to render me homeless – banished me.

"On saying thus that monkey ruthlessly banished me, then and there in the court itself, who am with a single clothing on my body. [4-10-26]

tena aham apaviddhaH ca hR^ita daaraH ca raaghava |
tat bhayaat ca mahiim sarvaan kraantavaan sa vana arNavaam || 4-10-27

27. Raaghava; tena aham= by him, I am; apaviddhaH ca= thrown away, also; hR^ita daaraH ca= stolen, wife, also; tat bhayaat ca= by his, fear, alone; sa vana arNavaa= withal, forests, oceans sarvaan= all over the; mahiim= earth; kraantaavaan= I have roamed.

"Thus he threw me away and even stole my wife, oh, Rama, and owing to his fear alone I roamed all over the earth with its forests and oceans. [4-10-27]

R^ishyamuukam giri varam bhaaryaa haraNa duHkhitaH |
praviSTo asmi duraadharSam vaalinaH kaaraNaantare || 4-10-28

28. bhaaryaa haraNa duHkhitaH= wife, by stealing, I who am saddened; kaaraNa antare= by another reason; vaalinaH duraadharSham= by Vali, impenetrable one; giri varam= mountain, safest; Rishyamuukam= Mt. Rishyamuka; praviSTaH asmi= entered, I have;

"I who am saddened by stealing my wife have entered this safest mountain Rishyamuka, which is impenetrable for Vali by another reason. [4-10-28]

etat te sarvam aakhyaatam vaira anukathanam mahat |
anaagasaa mayaa praaptam vyasanam pashya raaghava || 4-10-29

29. Raaghava; etat mahat vaira anukathanam= all this, notable, enmity, account of; sarvam te aakhyaatam= all to you, is reported; pashya= you may see - examine; anaagasaa= without fault; mayaa praaptam= by me, attained; vyasanam= dire straits.

"All this notable account of enmity is reported to you, oh, Raghava, and you may examine the dire straits befallen on me at no fault of mine. [4-10-29]

vaalinaH ca bhayaat tasya sarvaloka bhayaapaha |
kartum arhasi me viira prasaadam tasya nigrahaat || 4-10-30

30. sarva loka bhayaa apahaa= to all, worlds, fear, remover – oh, Rama; vaalinaH ca= of Vali, only; tasya bhayaat= from that, fear; me= to me; prasaadam= invulnerability; viira= oh, valiant one; tasya nigrahaat= him, rein [him] in; kartum arhasi= to bestow, apt of you.

"Oh, Rama, the fear-remover of all the worlds, it is apt of you to bestow me invulnerability from the fear of Vali, and oh, valiant one, as well as to rein him in." Sugreeva requested Rama thus. [4-10-30]

evam uktaH sa tejasvii dharmaj~no dharma sa.mhitam |
vacanam vaktum aarebhe sugriivam prahasan iva || 4-10-31

31. evam uktaH= thus, one who is said - Rama; tejasvii= resplendent one; dharmaj~naH= virtuous one; saH= he, that Rama; prahasan iva= laughing off, as though; dharma samhitam vacanam= in virtue, abiding, sentence; sugriivam= to Sugreeva; vaktum= to speak; aarebhe= started.

When he is requested thus by Sugreeva, that virtuous and resplendent Rama started to tell Sugreeva, the words that abide by virtue, as though trivializing the task on hand. [4-10-31]

amoghaaH suurya sa.mkaashaa nishitaa me sharaa ime |
tasmin vaalini dur.hvR^itte patiSyanti ruSa anvitaaH || 4-10-32

32. amoghaaH= admirable; suurya samkaashaa= sun-like; rusha anvitaaH= [my] wrath, mingled with; nishitaaH= sharp; mama= my; ete= these; sharaaH= arrows; durvR^itte= evil minded one; tasmin vaalini= on that, Vali; patiSyanti= will fall.

"Admirable and sun-like burners are these arrows of mine that are now mingled with my wrath, and they are bound fall on that evil minded Vali. [4-10-32]

yaavat tam na hi pashyeyam tava bhaarya apahaariNam |
taavat sa jiivet paapaatmaa vaalii caaritra duuSakaH || 4-10-33

33. tava= your; bhaarya apahaarinam= wife, stealer; tam= him; yaavat= till which time; na pashyeyam= not, I see; taavat= only till then; paapaatmaa caaritra duushakaH= evil minded, history, abuser; saH vaalii jiivet= he, that, Vali, will live.

"He that stealer of your wife, that evil-minded abuser of history lives as long as I descry. [4-10-33]

aatma anumaanaat pashyaami magnaH tvaam shoka saagare |
tvaam aham taarayiSyaami baaDham praapsyasi puSkalam || 4-10-34

34. tvaam shoka saagare magnam= you; in sadness, sea of, deluged; aatma anumaanaat= by self, inference –by my own experience; pashyaami= I see; tvaam aham taarayishyaami= you, I will, make you to get across; baaDham= definitely; praapsyasi= you will regain; pushkalam= abundantly.

"By my experience I see how you are deluged in a sea of sadness, but I will make you to get over that sea, and you will definitely regain abundantly whatever you lost." Rama assured Sugreeva thus. [4-10-34]

tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa harSa pauruSa vardhanam |
sugriivaH parama priitaH su mahat vaakyam abraviit || 4-10-35

35. tasya harSa pauruSa vardhanam= happiness, self-esteem, enhancing; tat vacanam shrutvaa= his, that, sentence, having heard; Sugreeva; parama priitaH= verily, gladdened; su mahat vaakyam abraviit= very, great, sentence, [further] said.

Hearing that sentence of Rama, which is enhancing happiness and self-esteem, Sugreeva is very gladdened and further said this great sentence. [4-10-35]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe dashamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 10th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 11

Introduction

Sugreeva narrates Vali's bravery and intrepidity in fighting and how he fought with a mountainous buffalo demon named Dundubhi. Also narrated is the curse of Sage Matanga that prohibited Vali's entrance into Mt. Rishyamuka area.In order to imbibe confidence in Sugreeva, Rama starts to show his valour and might.

raamasya vacanam shrutvaa harSa pauruSa vardhanam |
sugriivaH puujayaam cakre raaghavam prashasha.msa ca || 4-11-1

1. sugriivaH= Sugreeva raamasya= Rama's; harSa pauruSa vardhanam= happiness, pride, inculcating; vacanam shrutvaa= words, on hearing; raaghavam= at Raghava; puujayaam cakre= to adore, started; prashashamsa ca= started extolling, also.

Sugreeva started to adore and extol Raghava on hearing the words of Rama that are inculcating happiness and pride. [4-11-1]

asa.mshayam prajvalitaiH tiikSNair marma atigaiH sharaiH |
tvam daheH kupito lokaan yugaanta iva bhaaskaraH || 4-11-2

2. pra jvalitaiH tiikSNaiH= highly, blazing, incisive; marma atigaiH sharaiH= stealthy places, invading, with arrows; kupitaH tvam= when angered, you; yuga ante bhaaskaraH iva= at era, end, sun, like; lokaan daheH= worlds, you burn; a samshayam= no, doubt.

"It is doubtless that you will burn down everything when you are angry, like the blazing sun at the end of era, with these arrows of yours that are highly blazing, incisive and invaders on stealthy places." Thus Sugreeva started extolling Rama. [4-11-2]

vaalinaH pauruSam yat tad yat ca viiryam dhR^itiH ca yaa |
tan mama eka manaaH shrutvaa vidhatsva yad anantaram || 4-11-3

3. vaalinaH= Vali's; yat pauruSam= which, impetuousness is there; tat= that; and; yat viiryam= which, is his bravery; tat ca= that, also; yaa dhR^itiH ca= which, courageousness is there, that also; mama= from me; eka manaaH= in single, mindedness; shrutvaa= on hearing; yat anantaram= which, later to be done; vidhatsva= that you impose.

"That which is impetuousness of Vali, that which is his bravery and courageousness are there, they may be listened from me single-mindedly, and later you impose that which need be imposed. [4-11-3]

samudraat pashcimaat puurvam dakSiNaad api ca uttaram |
kraamati anudite suurye vaalii vyapagata klamaH || 4-11-4

4. vaalii vyapagata klamaH= Vaali, removed, weariness [unwearied]; suurye an udite= sun, not, risen – before dawn; pashcimaat samudraat puurvam= from western, ocean, to eastern; dakSiNaat api ca uttaram= from south, even, also, to north; kraamati= he strides.

"Before the dawn of sun Vali unweariedly strides from western ocean to eastern, and even from southern to northern for offering water oblations to the rising sun. [4-11-4]

Here Vali is said to be following the Vedic custom of sandhyopaasana. Before the wee hours of sunrise is brahma muhuurta, at which time water oblations to Ushas are to be offered. Vali does not sit on riverside nor on any bund of lake to perform these daily chores, but swings to eastern ocean for his daily bath, and from there to southern sea, to make aachamana, sipping water for self-purification, and then to western oceans to give arghya, water oblation, and from there to other ocean for japa and suuryopasthaana, meditation and welcome to daily sun. This same expression Tara, wife of Vali tells Ravana, in uttara kaanDa of Ramayana, when Ravana becomes impatient to meet Vali immediately. caturbhyo api samudrebhya× sandhy˜m anv˜sya ravaõa | imam muh¨rtam ˜y˜ti v˜lŸ tiÿ÷a muh¨rtakam || "Please wait Ravana, Vali comes after offering oblations in four oceans... " So says Tara to Ravana.

agraaNi aaruhya shailaanaam shikharaaNi mahaanti api |
uurdhvam utpaatya tarasaa prati gR^ihNaati viiryavaan || 4-11-5

5. viiryavaan= that mighty one; shailaanaam agraaNi aaruhya= mountains, heights, on ascending; mahaanti shikharaaNi tarasaa api= greatest, peaks, by might, even them; uurdhvam utpaatya= upwards, he volleys; prati gR^ihNaati= again, catches.

"Ascending the heights of mountains and even rending their greatest peaks, that mighty one volleys them upwards and in turn catches them, as though they are play balls. [4-11-5]

bahavaH saaravantaH ca vaneSu vividhaa drumaaH |
vaalinaa tarasaa bhagnaa balam prathayataa aatmanaH || 4-11-6

6. aatmanaH balam prathayataa= his own, might, to exhibit; vaalinaa= by Vali; vaneSu= in forest; saaravantaH vividhaa bahavaH drumaaH= fertile [sturdy,] various, many, trees; tarasaa bhagnaa= by his might, felled.

"As a show his strength Vali used to personally fell many sturdy trees of diverse origin by his might. [4-11-6]

mahiSo dundubhir naama kailaasa shikhara prabhaH |
balam naaga sahasrasya dhaarayaamaasa viiryavaan || 4-11-7

7. kailaasa shikhara prabhaH= Mt. Kailash, peak like, in gloss [in size]; viiryavaan mahiSaH= mighty one, buffalo; dundubhiH naama= Dundubhi, named; naaga sahasrasya balam= elephants, a thousand, might of; dhaarayaamaasa= he was bearing.

"One named Dundubhi was there in the form of a buffalo, whose size shone forth like Mt. Kailash and who bears the strength of a thousand elephants." Thus Sugreeva started telling Dundubhi's episode to Rama. [4-11-7]

sa viirya utseka duSTaatmaa vara daanena ca mohitaH |
jagaama sa mahaakaayaH samudram saritaam patim || 4-11-8

8. saH= he was; viirya utseka vara daanena ca= by vigour's, vanity, by boon, bestowal, also; mohitaH duSTa atmaa= bemused, evil, minded one; mahaa kaayaH saH= colossal, bodied one, he that Dundubhi; saritaam patim samudram jagaama= to rivers', lord – ocean, he went to.

"He that evil-minded and colossal bodied Dundubhi was bemused by the vanity of his own vigour, and by the boon bestowed oo him, and once he went to the lord of rivers, namely the Ocean. [4-11-8]

uurmima.ntam atikramya saagaram ratna sa.mcayam |
mama yuddham prayacCha iti tam uvaaca mahaarNavam || 4-11-9

9. uurmi mantam= wave, container; ratna sancayam= gems, garner of; saagaram= ocean; ati kramya= over, walk [walkover, on deriding]; mama yuddham pra yacCha= to me, fight, verily, give; iti tam mahaa arNavam uvaaca= thus, to him, to vastly, ocean, he spoke.

"Deriding the garner of weaves and gems he said to that vastly ocean "give me a fight" [4-11-9]

tataH samudro dharmaatmaa samutthaaya mahaabalaH |
abraviid vacanam raajan asuram kaala coditam || 4-11-10

10. raajan= oh, king [Rama]; tataH= then; dharmaatmaa mahaabalaH samudraH= virtue-minded one, highly powerful one, ocean; sam utthaaya= on rising-up; kaala coditam asuram= one by time, driven, to that demon; abraviit vacanam= said, words.

"Then, oh, Rama, that virtue-minded and very powerful ocean rose up from his tabular position to heights, and spoke these words to that demon Dundubhi who is driven to doom by his own time. [4-11-10]

samartho na asmi te daatum yuddham yuddha vishaarada |
shruuyataam tvam abhidhaasyaami yat te yuddham pradaasyati || 4-11-11

11. yuddha vishaarada= oh, war, expert; te daatum yuddham= to you, to give, a fight; samarthaH na asmi= capable, not, I am; yat te yuddham pra daasyati= he who, to you, fight, accords; abhi dhaasyaami= I name him; shruuyataam= let it be listened.

"I am not capable to give you a fight, oh, war-expert, but I will name him who can give you a fight, listen." So said ocean to the demon. [4-11-11]

shaila raajo mahaaraNye tapasvi sharaNam param |
sha.mkara shvashuro naamnaa himavaan iti vishrutaH || 4-11-12
mahaa prasravaNa upeto bahu kandara nirjharaH |
sa samarthaH tava priitim atulaam kartum arhati || 4-11-13

12, 13. param tapasvi sharaNam= sublime one, sages', shelter of; shankara shvashuraH= Shankara's, father-in-law; himavaan iti= Himavan, thus as; naamnaa vi shrutaH= by name, well, known one; mahaa pra sravaNa upetaH= with great, cateracts, embodying; bahu kandara nir jharaH= with many, caves, out, pours - cascades; shaila rajaH= mountains', king of; mahaa araNye= in great, forests he is; saH samarthaH= he is, capable; tava a tulaam priitim kartum arhati= your, not, matchable, happiness, to accord, he is capable.

"A sublime shelter for sages and the father-in-law of Shankara is there in great forests, well-know by the name Himavan, the king of mountains, and he embodies great cascades, cataracts, and caves, and he alone is capable to accord a matchless happiness to you in the form of a fight." So said ocean to Dundubhi. [4-11-12, 13]

tam bhiitam iti vij~naaya samudram asurottamaH |
himavad vanam aagamya sharaH caapaad iva cyutaH || 4-11-14
tataH tasya gireH shvetaa gajendra pratimaaH shilaaH |
cikSepa bahudhaa bhuumau dundubhir vinanaada ca || 4-11-15

14, 15. asura uttamaH dundubhiH= demon, noted one, Dundubhi; tam samudram bhiitam iti vij~naaya= him, that ocean, is scared, thus, knowing [fathoming]; caapaat cyutaH sharaH iva= from bow, darted, from arrow, as with; himavat vanam aagamya= Himavan's, forest, arrived at; tataH tasya gireH= then, its, mountain's; shvetaa gajendra pratimaaH shilaaH= white, elephant in figuration, rock-faces; bahudhaa bhuumau= in many ways, onto ground; cikSepa= tossed; vi na naada ca= verily, blared [discordantly,] also.

"Fathoming that ocean to be scared of him that noted demon Dundubhi arrived at the forests of Himavan like an arrow darted from bow, and that Dundubhi started to blare discordantly and toss the rock-faces of that mountain that are like white elephants in their figuration, severally. [4-11-14, 15]

tataH shveta ambuda aakaaraH saumyaH priiti kara aakR^itiH |
himavaan abraviid vaakyam sva eva shikhare sthitaH || 4-11-16

16. tataH shveta ambuda aakaaraH= then, white, cloud, in figuration; saumyaH= gentle one; priitikara aakR^itiH= delightful, in apperance; himavaan= Himavan; sva eva shikhare sthitaH= on his own, cliff, staying; abraviit vaakyam= spoke, words.

"Then he who is like a silver cloud in his figuration, a gentle and delightful one in his appearance, that Himavan spoke these words to the demon staying on his own cliff. [4-11-16]

kleSTum arhasi maam na tvam dundubhe dharma vatsala |
raNa karmasu akushalaH tapasvi sharaNo hi aham || 4-11-17

17. dharma vatsala dundubhe= virtue, adherer, oh, Dundubhi; tvam maam kleSTum na arhasi= you, me, to annoy, not, apt of you; tapasvi sharaNaH hi= sages', shelter, just [I am]; aham= I am; raNa karmasu a kushalaH= in war, actions – in fighting, not, skilled one.

"It is inapt of you to annoy me, oh, virtuous Dundubhi, I am just a shelterer of sages, and an unskilled one in fights." So said Himavan to Dundubhi. [4-11-17]

tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa giri raajasya dhiimataH |
uvaaca dundubhir vaakyam krodhaat sa.mrakta locanaH || 4-11-18

18. dundubhiH= Dundubhi; dhiimataH tasya giri raajasya= modest one, of that, mountain, king's; tat vacanam shrutvaa= his, that, sentence, on hearing; krodhaat sam rakta locanaH= in anger, with, bloodshot, eyes; uvaaca vaakyam= said, sentence.

"On hearing the words of that modest king of mountains Dundubhi's uyes are bloodshot and he said this sentence. [4-11-18]

yadi yuddhe asamarthaH tvam mad bhayaad vaa nirudyamaH |
tam aacakSva pradadyaat me yo hi yuddham yuyutsataH || 4-11-19

19. tvam yuddhe a samarthaH yadi= you, to fight, not, capable, whether; vaa= or else; mat bhayaat nir udyamaH= me, fearing, not, venturing; yaH yuyutsataH= who is he, combatively; me yuddham pra dadyaat= to me, a fight, who can accord; tam aacakSva= about him, you clarify.

"Whether you are incapable to fight with me, or not venturing me as you are scared of me is not my concern, but tell me who can really give me a very combative fight,. [4-11-19]

himavaan abraviid vaakyam shrutvaa vaakya vishaaradaH |
anuk{}ta puurvam dharmaatmaa krodhaat tam asurottamam || 4-11-20

20. vaakya vishaaradaH= sentence, expert [Himavan]; dharmaatmaa= honest one; himavaan shrutvaa= Himavan, on hearing [Dundubhi's words]; tam asura uttamam= to that, demon, fierce one; krodhaat= in anger; vaakyam an uktaH puurvam= words, never, said, earlier; abraviit= said.

On hearing Dundubhi's arrogant words that honest Himavan being an expert in sentence-making, had to say angry words to that fierce demon that were never uttered by him earlier. [4-11-20]

vaalii naama mahaa praaj~naH shakra putra prataapavaan |
adhyaaste vaanaraH shriimaan kiSkindhaam atula prabhaam || 4-11-21

21. mahaa praaj~naH= oh, well, versed demon [in warfare]; shakra putra= Indra's, son; shriimaan= glorious one; prataapavaan= very brave one; vaalii naama vaanaraH Vali, named, monkey; atula prabhaam kiSkindhaam adhyaaste= matchless city, in pomp, Kishkindha, he presides over.

"Oh, war-expert Dundubhi, Indra's son is there, a brave and glorious one by name Vali, and he is now presiding over the matchlessly pompous city Kishkindha. [4-11-21]

sa samartho mahaa praaj~naH tava yuddha vishaaradaH |
dvandva yuddham sa daatum te namuciH iva vaasavaH || 4-11-22

22. saH= he is; mahaa praaj~naH= highly intelligent one; yuddha vishaaradaH= in war, expert one; saH= he; vaasavaH namuciH iva= Indra to Namuchi, like; tava= to you; dvandva yuddham= duel, fight; te datum= to you, to give; saH= he is; samarthaH= capable one.

"He is a highly intelligent one and a war-expert too, and he is the capable one to give you a duel, like Indra to Namuchi. [4-11-22]

Indra, father of Vali, gave such a duel to one demon called Namuchi in early times and killed him. This Namuchi is the son of one Viprachit, who is the progeny of Kashyapa, and his demon-brothers are Raahu, Ketu, Vaataapi, Ilvala Naraka, Puloma and others.

tam shiighram abhigacCha tvam yadi yuddham iha icChasi |
sa hi durmarSaNo nityam shuuraH samara karmaNi || 4-11-23

23. iha yuddham icChasi yadi= now, fight, you desire, if; tvam= you; tam shiighram abhigacCha= him, promptly, you approach; shuuraH= intrepid one; saH= he is; nityam= always; samara karmaNi= in war, manoeuvres; dur marSaNaH hi= not, assailable one, indeed.

"Approach him promptly if you desire a fight now, and he is an intrepid one who will always be in the manoeuvres of war, and indeed none can assail him." Thus said Himavan to that demon Dundubhi. [4-11-23]

shrutvaa himavato vaakyam kopa aaviSTaH sa dundubhiH |
jagaama taam puriim tasya kiSkindhaam vaalinaH tadaa || 4-11-24

24. tadaa= then; saH dundubhiH= he, that Dundubhi; himavataH vaakyam shrutvaa= Himavan's, words, having hearing; kopa aaviSTaH= anger, convulsed in; tasya vaalinaH taam puriim kiSkindhaam jagaama= his, Vali's, to that, city, Kishkindha, proceeded.

"Then on hearing Himavan's words he that Dundubhi is convulsed in anger and proceeded to Vali's city Kishkindha.. [4-11-24]

dhaarayan maahiSam ruupam tiikSNa shR^i~Ngo bhayaavahaH |
praavR^iSi iva mahaa meghaH toya puurNo nabhastale || 4-11-25
tataH tu dvaaram aagamya kiSkindhaayaa mahaabalaH |
nanarda kampayan bhuumim dundubhir dundubhir yathaa || 4-11-26

25. mahaabalaH= great mighty one; dundubhiH= Dundubhi; maahiSam ruupam dhaarayan= buffalo's, form, bearing; tiikSNa shR^i~NgaH= one with sharp, horns; bhayaavahaH= awe-inspiring; praa vR^iSi= in rainy-season; nabhaH tale= on the edge of firmament; toya puurNaH mahaa meghaH iva= water, filled, massive, cloud, as with; kiSkindhaayaa dvaaram aagamya= Kishkindha's, at gateway, on arriving; kampayan bhuumim= quaking, earth; dundubhiH yathaa= war-drum, like; na narda= clamorously, na narda= bellowed.

"That great mighty demon Dundubhi wearing the look of a buffalo with sharp horns was awe-inspiring, and like the arrival of a massive dark cloud in rainy season full with water on the edge of firmament, he arrived at the gateway of Kishkindha and bellowed clamorously like a war-drum as though to quake the earth. [4-11-25, 26]

samiipajaan drumaan bha.njan vasudhaam daarayan khuraiH |
viSaaNena ullikhan darpaat tad dvaaram dvirado yathaa || 4-11-27

27. samiipa jaan drumaan bhanjan= nearby, rooted, trees, uprooting; vasudhaam khuraiH daarayan= earth, with hooves, scooping; darpaat= insolently; viSaaNena= with horns; tat dvaaram= that, gateway; dviradaH yathaa= elephant, as with; ullikhan= by goring; [na narda= bellowed.]

"He bellowed uprooting trees that are rooted nearby, scooping the earth with hooves, and insolently goring the gateway with horns like a goring elephant. [4-11-27]

antaHpura gato vaalii shrutvaa shabdam amarSaNaH |
niSpapaata saha striibhiH taaraabhiH iva ca.ndramaaH || 4-11-28

28. antaHpura gataH vaalii= palace chambers, went into, Vali; shrutvaa shabdam= on hearing, noise; a marSaNaH not, tolerant; taaraabhiH iva candramaaH= with stars, like, moon; striibhiH saha= ladies, along with; niS papaata= out, fall [from chambers.]

"Vali who by then went into his palace chambers became intolerant to hear that noise and fell out from there along with ladies, like the moon with stars. [4-11-28]

mitam vyak{}ta akSara padam tam uvaaca sa dundubhim |
hariiNaam iishvaro vaalii sarveSaam vana caariNaam || 4-11-29

29. vana caariNaam= forest, dwellers; sarveSaam= to all of them; hariiNaam iishvaraH= monkey's, lord; saH vaalii= he, that Vali; tam dundubhim= to him, that Dundubhi; vyakta akSara padam= clearly, lettered ,words; mitam vaakyam= brief, sentence; uvaaca= said.

"Vali being the lord of monkeys, and of all the other forest-dwellers as well, spoke a clearly worded brief sentence to Dundubhi. [4-11-29]

kim artham nagara dvaaram idam rud.h dhvaa vinardase |
dundubhe vidito me.asi rakSa praaNaan mahaabala || 4-11-30

30. dundubhe= oh, Dundubhi; idam nagara dvaaram= this one, city's, gateway; ruddhvaa= having impeded; kim artham vi nardase= what, for, you are bellowing; me viditaH asi= to me, known, you are; mahaabala= oh, great mighty one; rakSa praaNaan= save, lives [of yours.]

"Oh, Dundubhi, impeding the gateway of this city what for you are bellowing, I know you, oh, might one, save your lives." Vali cautioned that demon that way. [4-11-30]

tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa vaanarendrasya dhiimataH |
uvaaca dundubhir vaakyam krodhaat sa.mrak{}ta locanaH || 4-11-31

31. dhiimataH= of that tactful one [Vali]; tasya vaanara indrasya= his, that monkey's, lord's; tat vacanam shrutvaa= that, sentence, on hearing; dundubhiH krodhaat samrakta locanaH= Dundubhi became, in anger, bloodshot, eyes; uvaaca vaakyam= said, sentence.

"On hearing that sentence of Vali, the tactful lord of monkeys, Dundubhi said this sentence with his eyes bloodshot in anger." Thus Sugreeva continued his narration to Rama. [4-11-31]

na tvam strii sannidhau viira vacanam vak{}tum arhasi |
mama yuddham prayacCha adya tato j~naasyaami te balam || 4-11-32

32. viira= oh, valiant one [oh, Vali]; tvam strii sannidhau= ladies, in vicinity of; vacanam vaktum na arhasi= words, to speak, not, apt of you; adya mama yuddham prayacCha= now, to me, fight, you give; tataH te balam j~naasyaami= then, your, might, I will know, I appreciate.

"It is inapt of you to speak words in the vicinity of ladies, oh, valiant Vali, give me a duel now and then I can appreciate your might." [4-11-32]

athavaa dhaarayiSyaami krodham adya nishaam imaam |
gR^ihyataam udayaH svairam kaama bhogeSu vaanara || 4-11-33

33. vaanara= oh, monkey; athavaa= otherwise; adya imaam nishaam= now, for this, night; dhaarayiSyaami krodham= I bear up, rage; udayaH= untill morning; svairam kaama bhogeSu= unrestrainedly, in voluptuous, gratifications; gR^ihyataam= be taken up - delight yourself.

"Otherwise I bear up my rage for this night, oh, monkey, you may unrestrainedly delight yourself till morning in your voluptuous gratifications, for you are now surrounded by your ladies." [4-11-33]

diiyataam sa.mpradaanam ca pariSvajya ca vaanaraan |
sarva shakhaa mR^igendratvam sa.msaadaya suhR^ijjanam || 4-11-34

34. vaanaraan pariSvajya= monkeys, on embracing; sampradaanam diiyataam= endowments, be bequeathed; sarva shakhaa mR^iga indratvam= all, tree-branch, animal's, you being the king; su hR^it janam= your good, hearted, people; samsaadaya= bidding adieu.

"Also embrace all the monkeys and bequeath endowments to them, and you may bid adieu to all the good-hearted people of yours for you are the king of all the tree-branch animals, as you may not see them later. [4-11-34]

su dR^iSTaam kuru kiSkindhaam kuruSva aatma samam pure |
kriiDayasva ca samam striibhiH aham te darpa shaasanaH || 4-11-35

35. kiSkindhaam su dR^iSTaam kuru= Kishkindha, clearly, seen city, you make – see all Kishkindha as last-sight to your satisfaction; pure aatma samam kuruSva= in city, your equalling one, be made – keep someone similar to you as in charge of city; striibhiH samam kriiDayasva= females, along with, you rejoice; aham te darpa shaasanaH= I am, your, egotism, destroyer.

"Let Kishkindha city be seen clearly by you as last sight, and keep someone equalling you as in charge of city, and also rejoice with the females till sunrise as there is no tomorrow to you. [4-11-35]

yo hi mattam pramattam vaa bhagnam vaa rahitam kR^isham |
hanyaat sa bhruuNahaa loke tvad vidham mada mohitam || 4-11-36

36. yaH= he who is; mattam= drunken one; pra mattam vaa= unvigilant one, or; bhagnam vaa= shattered - defeated one, or; rahitam= one without [weapons]; kR^isham= atrophied one; mada mohitam= by lust, lured one; hanyaat= if kills; saH= he; loke= in world; bhruuNa haa= foeticide [sin of]; tvat vidham= your, way – your present state is on par with those that are not to be killed.

"He who kills a drunken one, unvigilant one, defeated one, or one without weapons, or an atrophied one, he get the sin of foeticide in the world, and your present state is suchlike." Dundubhi incited Vali in this way. [4-11-36]

sa prahasya abraviit mandam krodhaat tam asureshvaram |
visR^ijya taaH striyaH sarvaaH taaraa prabhR^itikaaH tadaa || 4-11-37

37. tadaa saH pra hasya= then, he, laughing off; taaraa prabhR^itikaaH taaH sarvaaH striyaH vi sR^ijya= Tara, and others, them, all, women, on discharging; mandam= to stupid one [Dundubhi]; tam asura iishvaram= to him, demon, lord; krodhaat= in anger; abraviit= spoke.

"Then Vali laughed that demon off, discharged all the females namely Tara and others, and then he spoke to that stupid lord of demons in anger. [4-11-37]

matto ayam iti maa ma.msthaa yadi abhiito asi sa.myuge |
mado ayam sa.mprahaare asmin viira paanam samarthyataam || 4-11-38

38. ayam mattaH iti= he is, drunk, thus; maa ma.msthaa= do not, surmise; samyuge a + bhiitaH asi yadi= in fight, not, afraid, you are, if; ayam madaH= this, drunkenness; asmin sam prahaare= in this, deadly fight; viira paanam samarthyataam= as gallant's, toast, be regarded.

"Don't surmise that I am drunk, and should you be unafraid of a fight, regard this drunkenness of mine as the toast of a gallant fighter in this deadly fight." Vali said so to Dundubhi. [4-11-38]

tam evam uk{}tvaa sa.mkruddho maalaam utkSipya kaa.ncaniim |
pitraa dattaam mahendreNa yuddhaaya vyavatiSThata || 4-11-39

39. tam evam uktvaa= to him, that way, saying; sam kruddhaH= becoming highly, enraged; pitraa mahendreNa dattaam= by father, by Mahendra given; maalaam utkSipya kaancaniim= necklace [chest-pendant,] on heaving up, a golden one; yuddhaaya vyavatiSThata= for fight, stood firm.

"Saying that way to that Dundubhi that highly enraged Vali heaved up the golden chest-pendant around his neck on to his chest, which was given by his father Mahendra, and stood firm for fight. [4-11-39]

viSaaNayo gR^ihiitvaa tam dundubhim giri sa.mnibham |
aavidhyata tathaa vaalii vinadan kapi ku.njaraH || 4-11-40

40. tathaa= then; kapi kunjaraH= monkey, the elephant; vaalii= Vali; giri sannibham= mountain, similar; tam dundubhim= him, that Dundubhi; viSaaNayaH gR^ihiitvaa= by horns, taking; vi nadan= highly, booming; aavidhyata= [whirled and] bumped on ground.

"Then that elephantine monkey Vali took that mountain-similar Dundubhi by horns, and booming highly he whirled and bumped him onto ground. [4-11-40]

vaalii vyaapaadayaam cakre nanarda ca mahaasvanam |
shrotraabhyaam atha rak{}tam tu tasya susraava paatyataH || 4-11-41

41. vaalii vyaapaadayaan [vi aa pat yaan] cakre= Vali, to whirl and throw on ground, he did; na narda ca mahaa svanam= verily, blaring, with great, sound; atha paatyataH= then, while falling; tasya shrotraabhyaam raktam su sraava= of his [Dundubhi's,] from two ears [of Dundubhi,] blood, gushed out.

"Vali while blaring highly with great sound repeatedly whirled him and thrown onto ground, and while Dundubhi was hurled and thrown to ground, blood gushed out of his two ears. [4-11-41]

tayoH tu krodha sa.mrambhaat paraspara jayaiSiNoH |
yuddham samabhavat ghoram dundubher vaalinaH tathaa || 4-11-42

42. krodha samrambhaat= fury's, impetuosity; paraspara jaya iiSiNaH= each other, victory, aspiring; tayoH= among two; dundubheH vaalinaH tathaa= of Dundubhi, Vali, like that; ghoram yuddham sam abhavat= gruesome fight, occurred.

"There occurred a gruesome fight among those two, Dundubhi and Vali, who by their fury are impetuous and who aspired victory over the other. [4-11-42]

ayudhyata tadaa vaalii shakra tulya paraakramaH |
muSTibhir jaanubhiH padbhiH shilaabhiH paadapaiH tathaa || 4-11-43

43. tadaa= then; shakra tulya paraakramaH= Indra, similar, in fortitude; vaalii= Vali; muSTibhiH jaanubhiH padbhiH= with fists, knees, feet; tathaa= like that; shilaabhiH paadapaiH with boulders, trees; a yudhyata= fought.

"Then Vali who is similar to Indra in his fortitude fought with him with his fists, knees and feet, and like that with boulders and trees. [4-11-43]

parasparam ghnatoH tatra vaanara asurayoH tadaa |
aasiit hiino asuro yuddhe shakra suunuH vyavardhata || 4-11-44

44. tadaa tatra= then, there; vaanara asurayoH= of monkey, demon; parasparam ghnatoH= each other, assaulting; yuddhe asuraH hiinaH aasiit= in fight, demon, impaired, he became; shakra suunuH vyavardhata= Indra's, son, toughened.

"While each is assaulting the other in that fight between that monkey and demon, that demon is impaired and Indra's son Vali toughened. [4-11-44]

Vali is wearing the golden chest-pendent given by his father Indra, wearing which depletes half of the opponent's strength. Hence, the strength of Dundubhi is depleted now. Vali does not wear the same chest pendent when fighting with Sugreeva when killed by Rama. For this it is said, Vali wanted to punish Sugreeva that which is befitting to an errant younger brother, but Vali never considered Sugreeva as a real threat or an enemy to the core.

tam tu dundubhim udyamya dharaNyaam abhyapaatayat |
yuddhe praaNahare tasmin niSpiSTo dundubhiH tadaa || 4-11-45

45. tam dundubhim= him, Dundubhi is; udyamya dharaNyaam abhyapaatayat [abhi aa paatayat]= on lifting, on to ground, flung him; tadaa praaNa hare tasmin yuddhe= then, life, taking, in that, fight; dundubhiH= Dundubhi is; niS piSTaH= completely pounded out.

"In that life-taking fight when Dundubhi is lifted up and flung to ground, he is completely pounded out. [4-11-45]

srotrebhyo bahu rak{}tam tu tasya susraava paatyataH |
papaata ca mahaabaahuH kSitau pa.ncatvam aagataH || 4-11-46

46. paatyataH tasya srotrebhyaH= while he is felled, from his vent-holes –ears, nose etc; bahu raktam su sraava= much, blood, much flown; mahaabaahuH pancatvam aagataH kSitau pa paata= great-shouldered one [mighty one,] fifth-stated, has come [attained.] and fell, on ground.

"While he is felled down much blood is flown out from the vent-holes of his body, nine of them, ears, nose, eyes etc., and on his falling that mighty one Dundubhi attained the fifth-state. [4-11-46]

The 'fifth state' of a living being is death, where the other four states are [1 jaagR^it avastha, waking state, [2 swapna avastha, dreaming state, [3]suSupta avastha, deep sleep, [4 turriya avastha, fourth state, that which is above the three preceding states. Then the fifth state is death.

tam tolayitvaa baahubhyaam gata sattvam acetanam |
cikSepa vegavaan vaalii vegena ekena yojanam || 4-11-47

47. vegavaan vaalii= hastiest one, Vali; gata sattvam= he who lost, stamina; a+cetanam= inanimate one; tam baahubhyaam tolayitvaa= him, with both arms, by swaying; ekena vegena yojanam cikSepa= in a single, flick, to a yojana length, hurled.

"Then the hastiest Vali swayed that dead and inanimate demon with both of his hands and hurled him a yojana distance in a single flick. [4-11-47]

tasya vega praviddhasya vak{}traat kSataja bindavaH |
prapetuH maaruta utkSiptaa mata.ngasya aashramam prati || 4-11-48

48. vega pra viddhasya= hastily, well, thrown one; tasya= his [Dundubhi's]; vaktraat kSataja bindavaH= from mouth, fallen, drops [of blood]; maaruta utkSiptaa= by air, uplifted; matangasya aashramam prati= Sage Matanga's, hermitage, towards pra petuH= fallen.

"And while he is thrown that hastily blood drops oozed from his mouth, and flung by air they fell in the hermitage of sage Matanga. [4-11-48]

taan dR^iSTvaa patitaam tatra muniH shoNita vipruSaH |
kruddhaH tasya mahaabhaaga cintayaamaasa konvam || 4-11-49

49. mahaabhaaga= oh, great opportune one [Rama]; muniH= the sage; tatra patitaam= there fallen; taan= them; shoNita vipruSaH= blood, drops; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; tasya= of him – on the one who dropped blood; kruddhaH= enraged; ayam kaH nu= he, who is, indeed [thus as]; cintayaamaasa= thought of.

"On seeing the blood drops fallen there, oh Rama, that sage is enraged and thought, 'who is he indeed, who dropped the blood...' Thus Sugreeva narrated to Rama. [4-11-49]

yena aham sahasaa spR^iSTaH shoNitena duraatmanaa |
ko.ayam duraatmaa dur buddhiH akR^itaatmaa ca baalishaH || 4-11-50

50. yena= by which; dur aatmanaa= evil-minded one; aham sahasaa spR^iSTaH shoNitena= I am, abruptly, touched, by blood; dur aatmaa= evil-minded; dur buddhiH= evil-minded one [malevolent one]; a + kR^ita atmaa= disobedient one; kaH ayam baalishaH= who is, this, child-like [reckless one.]

" 'By which evil-spirited one I am abruptly touched with blood? Who is that evil-minded one? Who is that malevolent, disobedient and a reckless one?' Thus the sage Matanga pondered. [4-11-50]

iti uk{}tvaa sa viniSkramya dadR^ishe munisattama |
mahiSam parvata aakaaram gata asum patitam bhuvi || 4-11-51

51. saH muni sattama= he, that sage, celebrated one; iti uktvaa vi niSkramya= thus, said [thinking,] verily, exiting [from hermitage, coming out]; gata asum= gone, lives [lifeless]; bhuvi patitam= on ground, fallen; parvata aakaaram mahiSam dadR^ishe= mountain, in shape, buffalo, he has seen,

"Thinking thus and coming out of hermitage that celebrated sage has seen the mountainous buffalo fallen on ground lifelessly. [4-11-51]

sa tu vij~naaya tapasaa vaanareNa kR^itam hi tat |
utsasarja mahaa shaapam kSeptaaram vaanaram prati || 4-11-52

52. saH tat= he, that [deed]; vaanareNa kR^itam= by monkey, done; tapasaa vij~naaya= by ascetic power, on knowing; kSeptaaram vaanaram prati= who tossed, that monkey, towards him; mahaa shaapam= great, curse; utsasarja= released.

"On knowing by his ascetic power that this deed is done by the monkey, he released a great curse on him who tossed the cadaver of buffalo. [4-11-52]

iha tena apraveSTavyam praviSTasya vadho bhavet |
vanam mat sa.mshrayam yena duuSitam rudhira sravaiH || 4-11-53

53. mat samshrayam vanam= my, sheltering, woods; yena= by whom; rudhira sravaiH duuSitam= by blood, squirts of, is stained; tena= by him; iha= in here; a+praveSTavyam= not, enterable; praviSTasya vadhaH bhavet= if enters, fatality, occurs.

"Untreadable is this sheltering wood of mine to him who has stained it with squirts of blood, and if he enters this place peradventure, fatality occurs on him. [4-11-53]

kshipataa paadapaaH ca ime sa.mbhagnaaH ca asuriim tanum |
samantaat aashramam puurNam yojanam maamakam yadi || 4-11-54
aagamiSyati durbuddhiH vyak{}tam sa na bhaviSyati |

54, 55a. asuriim tanum kshipataa= demon's, body, by him who hurled; ime paadapaaH ca sam bhagnaaH= these trees, also, completely destroyed; samantaat puurNam yojanam= around, full, one yojana; maamakam aashramam aagamiSyati yadi= mine, hermitage, he places foot, if; durbuddhiH= evil-minded; saH na bhaviSyati vyaktam= he, will not, exists, evidently.

"By his hurling the demon's body these trees are also completely destroyed, hence he ought not set his foot in a distance of one full yojana around this hermitage, and if that evil-minded one places his foot then he evidently does not exist. [4-11-54, 55a]

ye cha asya sachivaaH kechit sa.mshritaa maamakam vanam || 4-11-55
na ca taiH iha vastavya shrutvaa yaa.mtu yathaa sukham |

55b, 56a. maamakam vanam samshritaa= belonging to me, woods, depending on; ye kechit asya sachivaaH= those, few, his, ministers [friends] are there; taiH ca= by them, also; iha na vastavya= here, not, to live; shrutvaa= on hearing – my word; yaantu yathaa sukham= let them go, as for, comfortably – solace themselves with my mercy.

"And some of his friends that are dependent on my woods shall not live here and they may depart on hearing my words and solace themselves with my words. [4-11-55b, 56a]

te api vaa yadi tiSTanti shapiSye taan api dhruvam || 4-11-56
vane asmin maamake nityam putravat parirakSate |
patra a.nkura vinaashaaya phala muula abhavaaya ca || 4-11-57

56b, 57. nityam putravat pari rakSate= always, son-like, protected; maamake asmin vane= belonging to me, in this, forest; te api= they, even; patra ankura vinaashaaya= leaves, sprouts, for destruction; phala muula a + bhavaaya ca vaa= fruits, tubers, for non-existence, also, or; tiSTanti yadi= stay behind, if; taan api shapiSye dhruvam= them, even, I curse, definitely.

"This forest of mine is always protected like my own son, and if the monkeys of Vali wish to stay behind in this forest alone for further destruction of leaves or sprouts, or even for the non-existence of fruits and tubers of this forest, defiantly they too will be cursed. [4-11-57]

divasaH ca adya maryaadaa yam draSTaa shvaH asmi vaanaram |
bahu varSa sahasraaNi sa vai shailaH bhaviSyati || 4-11-58

58. adya divasaH maryaadaa= today, is the day, of limit; shvaH yam vaanaram= tomorrow, which, monkey; draSTaa asmi= I will see; saH= that monkey; bahu varSa sahasraaNi= for many, years, thousands to come; shailaH bhaviSyati vai= he, stone, he becomes, [petrified.] indeed.

"And today is the day of limit and the monkey whom I will see tomorrow, he will be petrified for many thousand years to come. [4-11-58]

tataH te vaanaraaH shrutvaa giram muni samiiritaam |
nishchakramuH vanaat tasmaat taan dR^iSTvaa vaalir abraviit || 4-11-59

59. tataH te vaanaraaH= then, they, monkeys; muni sam iiritaam giram shrutvaa= by sage, clearly, said, words, on hearing; tasmaat vanaat niH chakramuH= from that, forest, to out, they started; taan dR^iSTvaa vaaliH abraviit= them, on seeing, Vali, spoke.

"Then those monkeys on hearing the clear wording of the sage started out from that forest, and on their coming to Kishkindha, Vali saw them and spoke this way to them. [4-11-59]

kim bhavantaH samastaaH ca mata.nga vana vaasinaH |
mat samiipam anupraaptaa api svasti vanaukasaam || 4-11-60

60. matanga vana vaasinaH= Matanga, forest, dwellers; bhavantaH samastaaH= you, all; kim mat samiipam anupraaptaa= why, in my, presence, arrived; vana okasaam api svasti= forest, dwellers, even, safeness [is there or not.]

" 'Why all of you dwellers of Matanga forest arrived in my presence, even so, are you the dwellers of that forest safe?' Thus Vali asked all. [4-11-60]

tataH te kaaraNam sarvam tathaa shaapam ca vaalinaH |
shasha.msur vaanaraaH sarve valine hemamaaline || 4-11-61

61. tataH= then; sarve te vaanaraaH= all, of those, monkeys; sarvam kaaraNam= all, reasons; tathaa= likewise; vaalinaH shaapam ca= to Vali, curse, also; valine hema maaline= to Vali, golden, with chain [on his chest]; shashamsuH= reported.

"Then all of those monkeys have reported to Vali, the one with a golden chest-pendant, all the reasons for their exit, likewise the curse to Vali. [4-11-61]

etat shrutvaa tadaa vaalii vacanam vanara iiritam |
sa maharSim samaasaadya yaacate sma kR^ita a.njaliH || 4-11-62

62. tataH= then; saH vaalii= he, that Vali; vanara iiritam= by monkeys, uttered; etat vacanam shrutvaa= those, words, on hearing; kR^ita anjaliH maharSim sam aasaadya= making, folded palms, that great sage, on approaching; yaacate sma= begged, he has.

"Then on hearing all those words narrated by monkeys Vali approached that great sage and begged of him on becoming humble with palm-fold. [4-11-62]

maharSiH tam anaadR^itya pravivesha aashramam prati |
shaapa dhaaraNa bhiitaH tu vaalii vihvalataam gataH || 4-11-63

63. maharSiH tam an + aadR^itya= great sage, him, not, considering; pravivesha aashramam prati= entered - withdrew, hermitage, into; vaalii= Vali; shaapa dhaaraNa bhiitaH tu= curse, to bear, fearing for; vihvalataam gataH, distraught, went into.

"The sage inconsiderate of Vali's request withdrew into hermitage, and fearing to bear the brunt of the curse Vali was distraught and withdrew from that place. [4-11-63]

tataH shaapa bhayaat bhiita R^ishyamuukam mahaagirim |
praveSTum na icChati hariH draSTum vaa api nareshvara || 4-11-64

64. tataH= from then; shaapa bhayaat bhiitaH= then, by curse, fearing, who is dreaded; hariH= monkey –Vali; R^ishyamuukam mahaa girim= into Rishyamuka, great, mountain; praveSTum= to enter; nara iishvara= oh, people's, lord Rama; draSTum vaa api= to look at, or, even; na icChati= not, wishes to.

"Then, dreaded by the fear of curse that monkey Vali does not aspire to enter the great mountain Rishyamuka, oh, people's lord, Rama, or he does not even wish to look at it." Thus Sugreeva continued his narration. [4-11-64]

tasya apravesham j~naatvaa aham idam raama mahaavanam |
vicaraami saha amaatyo viSaadena vivarjitaH || 4-11-65

65. aham= I; tasya a + pravesham j~naatvaa= his, non, entering, knowing; viSaadena vi varjitaH= of agony, got rid of; saha amaatyaH= with, ministers; idam mahaa vanam= this, great forest; raama= Rama; vi caraami= I am moving.

"Knowing the inaccessibility of this forest to him I got rid of my agony, Rama, and I move here about in this great forest along with my ministers. [4-11-65]

eSo asthinicayaH tasya dundubheH sa.mprakaashate |
viirya utsekaat nirastasya giri kuuTa nibho mahaan || 4-11-66

66. viirya utsekaat nirastasya= by valour's, vanity, hurled; tasya dundubheH= his, Dundubhi's; giri kuuTa nibhaH= mountain's, peak, in similarity; mahaan eSaH asthi nicayaH= huge one, this is, bones, heap; sam prakaashate= shining forth.

"This huge heap of bones that is shining forth like a mountaintop is that of Dundubhi, which Vali once hurled by the vanity of his valour. [4-11-66]

ime ca vipulaaH saalaaH sapta shaakhaa avala.mbinaH |
yatra ekam ghaTate vaalii niS.h patrayitum ojasaa || 4-11-67

67. shaakhaa avalambinaH= branches, dangling [full with]; ime sapta vipulaaH saalaaH= these, seven, enormous, sala trees; yatra ekam= among whom, one – one at a time; vaalii ojasaa Vali, by his vigour; niS patrayitum= without, leaves to make it; ghaTate= will be trying, or he is capable.

"Also these are the seven enormous sala trees full with their branches, and Vali is capable to make each of them leafless by his vigour, of course, one at a time. [4-11-67]

etat asya asamam viiryam mayaa raama prakaashitam |
katham tam vaalinam hantum samare shakSyase nR^ipa || 4-11-68

68. raama= oh, Rama; asya a + samam= his, un, equalled; etat viiryam mayaa prakaashitam= all this, his vitality, by me, apprised; nR^ipa= oh, king; samare tam vaalinam hantum= such a, Vali, to kill; katham shakSyase= how, is it possible for you.

"Oh, Rama, I am apprising all this to tell about the unequalled vitality of Vali, and oh, king, then how is it possible for you to eliminate Vali in war." Thus Sugreeva enquired with Rama. [4-11-68]

tathaa bR^iuvaaNam sugriivam prahasan lakshmaNo abraviit |
kasmin karmaNi nirvR^itte shraddadhyaa vaalinaH vadham || 4-11-69

69. lakshmaNaH= Lakshmana; tathaa bR^iuvaaNam sugriivam= thus, speaking, to Sugreeva; prahasan abraviit= smilingly, said; kasmin karmaNi nirvR^itte= which, act, on performing; vaalinaH vadham shraddadhyaa= Vali's, killing, you have confidence.

When Sugreeva spoke that way Lakshmana a little smiled and asked him, "On performing which act do you confide in the possibility of Vali's elimination?" [4-11-69]

tam uvaachatha sugriivaH sapta saalan imaan puraa |
evam ekaikasho vaalii vivyaatha atha sa asakR^it || 4-11-70

70. tataH= then; sugriivaH tam uvaachatha= Sugreeva, to him, said; puraa saH vaalii= earlier, he, Vali; imaan sapta saalan= these, seven, sala trees; evam= that way; eka ekashaH= one, after other; atha asakR^it= that way, on many occasions; vi vyaatha= agitated them.

Then Sugreeva said to Lakshmana, "earlier Vali used to agitate each of the trees, one after the other, on many occasions." [4-11-70]

Here some translations say that Vali pierced one arrow without using bow in one tree, or in leaves, then removing that arrow again pierced, and gone on piercing for many times hurting the trees with many holes. While some more translations contain the meaning, taking the clue from niSpatraa kurute or niSpatraayitum ghaTate as in verse 67 above, meaning it to be, 'aimed arrow and pierced the trees and when the arrow exited out of the tree, made its fin-feathers to come out.' In either way, 'arrow' has no place in monkey's hands. The very birth of this monkey race is to fight with their nails, teeth, and tree-trunks and branches. Hence, the word vivyaadha means that Vali tortures the trees by shaking their trunks, and shattering all the leaves in his show of strength.

raamo nirdaarayed eSaam baaNena ekena ca drumam |
vaalinam nihatam manye dR^iSTvaa raamasya vikramam || 4-11-71

71. raamaH= Rama; eSaam drumam= among them, one tree; ekena baaNena nirdaarayet= with one, arrows, if rends; raamasya vikramam dR^iSTvaa= Rama's, valour, on seeing; vaalinam nihatam manye= Vali is, utterly dead, I construe.

"If Rama can rend one tree out of the seven with only one arrow, then on seeing Rama's valour I can construe that Vali is utterly dead at his hand. [4-11-71]

hatasya mahiSasya asthi paadena ekena lakshmaNa |
udyamya prakSipet ca api tarasaa dve dhanuH shate || 4-11-72

72. lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; hatasya mahiSasya asthi= dead, buffalo's, bone [skeleton]; ekena paadena udyamya= by one, foot, lifting; tarasaa dve shate dhanuH= with might, two, hundred, bow [lengths, two hundred bow-lengths]; prakSipet ca api= kicks and throws, also, even.

"Lakshmana, if he lifts and kicks the skeleton of this dead buffalo by the might of his foot, and makes it fall at a distance of two hundred bow-lengths, I can confide." So said Sugreeva to Lakshmana. [4-11-72]

evam uk{}tvaa tu sugriivo raamam rak{}taanta lochanam |
dhyatvaa muhuurtam kaakutstham punareva vacho abraviit || 4-11-73

73. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; rakta anta lochanam raamam= to red, corner, eyed, to Rama; evam uktvaa= thus, when said; muhuurtam dhyatvaa= for a awhile, on thinking; punaH eva kaakutstham vachaH abraviit= again, thus, to Rama, words, spoke.

Sugreeva paused for a while on saying thus to Rama, for Rama's eye-corners are reddened with anger towards Vali, and then Sugreeva again spoke to Rama. [4-11-73]

shuuraH ca shuuramaanii ca prakhyaata bala pauruSaH |
balavaan vaanaraH vaalii sa.myugeSu aparaajitaH || 4-11-74

74. shuuraH ca shuura maanii ca= intrepid, also, his intrepidity, he esteems, also; prakhyaata bala pauruSaH= well, renowned, by might, tenacity; balavaan vaanaraH vaalii= mighty one, monkey, Vali; samyugeSu a + paraajitaH= in combats, not, defeated.

"Vali is a mighty monkey, an intrepid one, who esteems his own intrepidity, and one who is well renowned by his might and tenacity, and in combats he is an undefeated one. [4-11-74]

dR^ishyante ca asya karmaaNi duSkaraaNi suraiH api |
yaani sa.mcintya bhiitaH aham R^iSyamuukam upaashritaH || 4-11-75

75. suraiH api= for gods, even; duSkaraaNi asya karmaaNi= impracticable, are his, deeds; dR^ishyante= are obvious; yaani samcintya bhiitaH aham= which, on recollecting, scared, I am; and; R^iSyamuukam upaashritaH= Rishyamuka, depended upon – took shelter.

"His deeds that are impracticable even for gods are obvious, and scared for recollecting them I took shelter of Mt. Rishyamuka. [4-11-75]

tam ajayyam adhR^iSyam ca vaanarendram amarSaNam |
vichintayan na mu.ncaami R^ISyamuukam amum tu aham || 4-11-76

76. tam= him; vaanara indram= monkey's, lord Vali is; a+jayyam a+dhR^iSyam a+marSaNam= to be unconquerable, unattackable, unsympathetic; vichintayan= on concluding to be; amum R^Isyamuukam= this one, Rishyamuka; aham na muncaami= I am, not, leaving.

"Concluding that the lord of monkeys Vali to be an unconquerable, unattackable, unsympathetic one I am not leaving this Mt. Rishyamuka. [4-11-76]

udvignaH sha.nkitaH ca aham vicaraami mahaavane |
anurak{}taiH saha amaatyaiH hanumat pramukhaiH viiraiH || 4-11-77

77. aham= I am; udvignaH shankitaH= disconcerted, sceptical; anuraktaiH viiraiH= with earnest ones, brave ones; hanumat pramukhaiH= Hanuma, and other significant ones; saha amaatyaiH= with, ministers; vi caraami mahaavane= moving about, in great forest.

"I am moving about these forests along with earnest ministers like Hanuma and other significant ones, only because I am disconcerted and sceptical of him. [4-11-77]

upalabdham ca me shlaaghyam san mitram mitra vatsala |
tvaam aham puruSavyaaghra himavantam iva aashritaH || 4-11-78

78. shlaaghyam sanmitram= laudable one, true, friend; me upalabdham= by me, chanced on you; mitra vatsala= oh, friend's, patron; puruSavyaaghra= oh, Tigerly-man; aham himavantam iva tvaam aashritaH= I am, Mt. Himavan, like, in you, I take shelter.

"I chanced upon a laudable and true friend in you, oh, Rama, the patron of friends, hence I take shelter in you, oh, tigerly man, for you are the final resort for those seeking salvation, like Mt. Himavan. [4-11-78]

kim tu tasya balaj~naH aham durbhraatuH balashaalinaH |
apratyaksham tu me viiryam samare tava raaghava || 4-11-79

79. kim tu= but; aham= I am; balashaalinaH= mighty one's; dur bhraatuH= of brother, the malice; tasya bala j~naH= his [Vali's,] might, knower, I am; raaghava= oh, Raghava; samare= in combat; tava viiryam tu= your, valour, but; me a pratyaksham= to me, un, clear - imprecise.

"I know the might of that mighty brother-the-malice of mine, and oh, Raghava, but your valour in combat is imprecise to me." [4-11-79]

na khalu aham tvaam tulaye na avamanye na bhiiSaye |
karmabhiH tasya bhiimaiH ca kaataryam janitam mama || 4-11-80

80. aham tvaam na khalu tulaye= I am, you, not, definitely, weighing – not examining you; na ava manye= not, down, valuing [demeaning]; na bhiiSaye= not, intimidating; tasya bhiimaiH karmabhiH= by his, macabre, exploits; mama kaataryam janitam= to me, cowardice, caused.

"Definitely I am neither examining, nor demeaning, nor intimidating you, but his macabre exploits caused cowardice in me. [4-11-80]

kaamam raaghava te vaaNii pramaaNam dhairyam aakR^itiH |
suuchayanti param tejo bhasma cChannam iva analam || 4-11-81

81. raaghava= Raghava; te vaaNii pramaaNam dhairyam aakR^itiH= your, word, courage, physique; bhasma cChannam iva analam= ashes, covered, as with, fire; param tejaH suuchayanti= sublime, radiance, they denote; kaamam= definitely.

"It is definite, oh, Raghava, your word, courage, and physique denote some sublime radiance in you, as with ash covered fire." So said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-11-81]

tasya tad vachanam shrutvaa sugriivasya mahatmanaH |
smita puurvam athaH raamaH prati uvaacha harim prati || 4-11-82

82. raamaH= Rama; tasya sugriivasya mahatmanaH= of that, great-soul, Sugreeva's; tat vachanam shrutvaa= that, word, on hearing; athaH= then; harim prati= monkey, towards; smita puurvam= smiling, ahead; prati uvaacha= replied.

On hearing that word of great-souled Sugreeva, Rama smilingly replied that monkey in his turn. [4-11-82]

yadi na pratyayo asmaasu vikrame tava vaanara |
pratyayam samare shlaaghyam aham utpaadayaami te || 4-11-83

83. vaanara= oh, monkey; vikrame= in respect of valour; asmaasu tava pratyayaH na yadi= is us, your, confidence, is not there, if; aham= I will; samare shlaaghyam pratyayam= in combat, commendable, confidence; te utpaadayaami= in you, I shall cause - ingrain.

"If you are unable to confide in the intrepidity of ours, oh, monkey, I shall ingrain commendable confidence in you with respect to our action." Thus Rama said to Sugreeva. [4-11-83]

evam uk{}tvaa tu sugriivam saantvayan lakshmaNaagrajaH |
raaghavo dundubheH kaayam paada a.nguSThena liilayaa || 4-11-84
tolayitvaa mahaabaahuH cikSepa dasha yojanam |
asurasya tanum shuSkam paadaa.nguSTena viiryavaan || 4-11-85

84, 85. raaghavaH= Raghava; who is; lakshmaNa agrajaH= Lakshmana's, elder brother; mahaabaahuH= dextrous one; viiryavaan= vigorous one; evam uktvaa= thus, saying; sugriivam saantvayan= Sugreeva, comforting; dundubheH kaayam= Dundubhi's, body - skeleton; liilayaa= sportively; paada anguSThena= with foot's, big-toe; tolayitvaa= swung it – lifting it; asurasya tanum shuSkam= demon's, body, withered one; paada anguSTena= with foot's, big-toe; dasha yojanam cikSepa= at ten, yojana-s, flung it – flciked it.

Saying so to Sugreeva in a comforting manner, he that dextrous, vigorous Rama, the elder brother of Lakshmana sportively flipped the skeleton of Dundubhi with his big toe, and flicked that withered body of the demon with his big toe itself to a ten yojana distance without lifting his foot. [4-11-84, 85]

kSiptam dR^iSTvaa tataH kaayam sugriivaH punar abraviit |
lakSmaNasya agrato raamam tapantam iva bhaaskaram
hariiNaam agrato viiram idam vacanam arthavat || 4-11-86

86. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; kSiptam kaayam dR^iSTvaa= hurled, body, on seeing; tataH= then; lakSmaNasya agrataH Lakshmana, before in the presence of; tapantam iva bhaaskaram= blazing, like, sun; viiram raamam= to valiant, Rama; hariiNaam agrataH= [other] monkeys, before; punaH= again; arthavat idam vacanam abraviit= meaningful, this, word, said.

Then on seeing at the hurled body, and at valiant Rama who by now is like the blazing sun, again Sugreeva said this meaningful word to Rama in the presence of Lakshmana and other monkeys. [4-11-86]

aardraH sa maa.msaH pratyagraH kSiptaH kaayaH puraa sakhe |
parishraantena mattena bhraataa me vaalinaa tadaa|| 4-11-87

87. sakhe= oh, friend; tadaa= at that time; parishraantena= tired; mattena= tipsy; me bhraataa= by my, brother; vaalinaa= by Vali; puraa= earlier; aardraH= wet [with blood]; sa maamsaH= with, flesh; pratyagraH= unspoilt; kaayaH= body; kSiptaH= was flung.

"Oh, friend, at that time when my tired and tipsy brother Vali tossed this body it was unspoilt, wet with blood and full with flesh. [4-11-87]

laghuH sa.mprati nir.hmaa.msaH tR^iNa bhuutaH ca raaghava |
kshiptaa evam praharSeNa bhavataa raghuna.ndana || 4-11-88

88. Raaghava= Raghava; samprati= now; laghuH= sleazy; nir maamsaH= without, flesh; tR^iNa bhuutaH ca= strawy, rendered into, also; raghu nandana= Raghu's, descendent; praharSeNa bhavataa evam kshiptaa= merrily – energetically, by you, this way, flipped.

"Raghava, now this body is sleazy, without flesh, also rendered into a strawy condition, and oh, Raghu's delight, you too flipped it because you are now energetic. [4-11-88]

na atra shakyam balam j~naatum tava vaa tasya vaa adhikam |
aardram shuSkam iti hi etat sumahad raaghava antaram || 4-11-89

89. atra= in this matter; tava balam adhikam vaa= your, might, is more, or; tasya vaa= of his, either; j~naatum na shakyam= to know, not, possible; raaghava= Raghava; aardram shuSkam iti= wet, dried, thus in them; etat su mahat antaram hi= in this, very much, difference will be there, isn't it.

"If it be said something is wet or dried up there chances a lot of difference, oh, Raghava, thereby it may not be possible to assess whether you might is greater or his, as the gravity of the case depends much on that wetness or dryness alone, isn't it." [4-11-89]

sa eva sa.mshayaH taata tava tasya ca yad balam |
saalam ekam vinir.h bhidyaa bhavet vyak{}tiH balaabale || 4-11-90

90. taata= oh, sire; tava= your; tasya ca= [or] his, also; yat balam= what, strength is there; in that matter only; sa eva samshayaH= that, alone, is the uncertainty; ekam saalam vinirbhidya= one only, sala tree, if completely ripped; balaa abale= of ability, inability; vyaktiH bhavet= evident, they will be.

"That alone is the uncertainty in that matter, sire, whether your strength is superior or his, and if a single sala tree is ripped in an outright manner the ability or otherwise will be evident. [4-11-90]

kR^itvaa etat kaarmukam sajyam hasti hatam iva aparam |
aakarNa puurNam aayamya visR^ijasva mahaasharam || 4-11-91

91. aparam hasti hatam iva= another, elephant, trunk, like; etat kaarmukam sajyam kR^itvaa= this, bow, with bowstring, on making; aakarNa puurNam aayamya= up to ear, entirely, stretch out; mahaa sharam sR^ijasva= great, arrow, you release.

"String the bowstring to this bow of yours, an alternate of elephant's trunk, and stretch it out up to your ear, and release a great arrow. [4-11-91]

imam hi saalam prahitaH tvayaa sharo
na sa.mshayo atra asti vidaarayiSyati |
alam vimarshena mama priyam dhruvam
kuruSva raajan prati shaapito mayaa || 4-11-92

92. raajan= oh, king; tvayaa prahitaH sharaH= by you, projected, arrow; imam saalam vidaarayiSyati= this, sala tree, will rip; atra samshayaH na asti= there in that matter, doubt, is not, there; alam vimarshena= enough, is thinking; dhruvam mama priyam kuruSva= definitely, to me, favour, you do; maya prati shaapitaH= by me, you are sworn.

"Darted by you your arrow will rip off this sala tree, oh, king, there is no doubt in that matter, enough is this thinking of yours and you will definitely do me this favour, I pray and swear upon me." [4-11-92]

yathaa hi tejassu varaH sadaa raviH
yathaa hi shailo himavaan mahaa adriSu |
yathaa chatuSpaatsu ca kesarii varaH
tathaa naraaNaam asi vikrame varaH || 4-11-93

93. tejassu raviH yathaa= in resplendence, Sun, as to how the great; mahaa adriSu himavaan shailaH yathaa= among mountains, Himavan, mountain, as to how; chatuS paatSu kesarii yathaa= among four-footed animals, as to how, lion is; varaH= the best; tathaa= likewise; naraaNaam= among men; vikrame= in valour; varaH asi= the best, you are.

"As to how the sun is unsurpassed among all brilliances, as to how Himavan is unmatched among all mountains, as to how the lion is unequalled among all quadrupeds, so you are among all men for your unique valour." So said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-11-93]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe addikaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe ekaadashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 11th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 12

Introduction

Rama to imbue confidence in Sugreeva hurtles his arrow that penetrates seven sala trees and also the subterranean planes of earth and returns into his quiver. Sugreeva obliging the prowess of Rama submits himself to Rama, who encourages Sugreeva to challenge Vali for a duel. Accordingly a duel ensues wherein Vali assaults Sugreeva and chases him off. Battered and belittled, Sugreeva implores upon Rama why he did not come to his rescue. Rama apologetically states that he could not make out difference between the two brothers for they are alike. Rama asks Sugreeva to wear a garland and again challenge Vali, so with that identification of garland he could aim his arrow at the other dueller. Again they all advance towards Kishkindha for the duel with Vali.

etac ca vacanam shrutvaa sugriivasya subhaaSitam |
pratyayaartham mahaatejaa raamo jagraaha kaarmukam || 4-12-1

1. mahaatejaa raamaH= great-resplendent, Rama; sugriivasya su bhaaSitam= of Sugreeva, well, spoken; etat ca vacanam shrutvaa= them, also, words, on hearing; pratyaya artham= credence, to inculcate; jagraaha kaarmukam= took up, bow.

On hearing the well-spoken words of Sugreeva that expressed doubt about Rama's valour, that great resplendent Rama took-up bow to inculcate credence in Sugreeva. [4-12-1]

sa gR^ihiitvaa dhanur ghoram sharam ekam ca maanadaH |
saalam uddishya cikSepa puurayan sa ravaiH dishaH || 4-12-2

2. maana daH= dignity, bestower; saH gR^ihiitvaa dhanuH ghoram = he, on taking, bow, dreadful one; puurayan sa [jyaa] ravaiH dishaH= filling - reverberating, with [of bowstring,] twans, in all directions; saalam uddishya= at sala tree, aiming; ekam sharam cikSepa= one, arrow, darted.

Rama, the bestower of dignity to the sufferers, took up his dreadful bow, aimed at a sala tree, and darted single arrow, by which all the directions reverberated with the twang of his bowstring. [4-12-2]

sa visR^iSTo balavataa baaNaH svarNa pariSkR^itaH |
bhittvaa saalaan giri prastham sapta bhuumim vivesha ha || 4-12-3

3. balavataa= by mighty Rama; vi sR^iSTaH svarNa pariSkR^itaH= released is, in gold, decorated; saH baaNaH= that, arrow; sapta saalaan giri prastham bhittvaa = seven, sala trees, mountain, heights, on perforating; bhuumim vivesha ha= into earth, entered, indeed.

The golden arrow released by the mighty Rama perforated all the seven sala trees, and even the levelled areas of mountain, and then entered the earth. [4-12-3]

saayakaH tu muhuurtena saalaan bhittvaa mahaajavaH |
niSpatya ca punaH tuurNam tam eva pravivesha ha || 4-12-4

4. saayakaH tu mahaa javaH= arrow, but, with great, briskness; muhuurtena saalaan bhittvaa = in a moment, sala trees, on drilling; niS patya ca= out, coming, also – came up from earth; punaH tuurNam tam eva pravivesha ha= again, swiftly, that, only [that quiver of Rama,], entered, indeed.

Thus that arrow which briskly drilled all the sala trees, came up in a moment from under the earth, and again swiftly re-entered the quiver of Rama. [4-12-4]

That arrow not only drilled one tree as asked by Sugreeva, but all the seven, and also a mountain from peak to core, and even entered the seventh earthly plane, that which is beneath the sixth plane of the earth, where atala, vitala, sutala, paataala, rasaatal, talaatala are the names of six strata of earth.

taan dR^iSTvaa sapta nirbhinnaan saalaan vaanarapu.mgavaH |
raamasya shara vegena vismayam paramam gataH || 4-12-5

5. vaanara pungavaH= monkey, the best; nir bhinnaan taan sapta saalaan dR^iSTvaa= profoundly, fissured, those, seven, sala trees, on seeing; raamasya shara vegena= by Rama's, arrow's, rapidity; paramam vismayam gataH= stunning, astonishment, went into.

On seeing them the seven sala trees that are profoundly fissured, that best monkey Sugreeva went into a stunning astonishment at the rapidity of Rama's arrow. [4-12-5]

sa muurdhnaa nyapatat bhuumau prala.mbiikR^ita bhuuSaNaH |
sugriivaH parama priito raaghavaaya kR^itaa.njaliH || 4-12-6

6. parama priitaH saH sugriivaH= highly, gladdened, he, that Sugreeva; raaghavaaya kR^ita anjaliH= towards Raghava, makin palm fold; pra lambiikR^ita bhuuSaNaH = while his ornaments, made to dangling [on his crouching]; muurdhnaa nyapatat bhuumau= with head touching, fallen, on ground.

Highly gladdened Sugreeva made palm-fold in that astonishment, kneeled while his ornaments dangled, and prostrated before Raghava with his head touching the ground. [4-12-6]

idam ca uvaaca dharmaj~nam karmaNaa tena harSitaH |
raamam sarva astra viduSaam shreSTham shuuram avasthitam || 4-12-7

7. tena karmaNaa harSitaH = by that, deed, overjoyed is that Sugreeva is; dharma j~nam= to virtue-knower [Rama]; sarva astra viduSaam shreSTham = among all, missiles, experts, proficient one; shuuram= valorous one; avasthitam= present before; mam = to Rama; idam ca uvaaca= this, also, said.

Overjoyed with that deed Sugreeva said this to that virtue-knower, the one who is proficient among all experts of missiles, namely the valorous Rama, who is just in his presence him. [4-12-7]

sa indraan api suraan sarvaam tvam baaNaiH puruSarSabha |
samarthaH samare hantum kim punar vaalinam prabho || 4-12-8

8. puruSa rSabha= oh, best one among men; prabho= oh, lord; tvam samare= you, in battle; sa indraan sarvaan suraan api = with, Indra, all of them, the gods, even; baaNaiH hantum samarthaH= with arrows, to eliminate, you are capable of; vaalinam kim punaH= of Vali, why, again [speak of him.]

"You with your arrows, oh, best one among men, are capable of eliminating all the gods including Indra, oh, lord, then why to speak of Vali. [4-12-8]

yena sapta mahaa saalaa girir bhuumiH ca daaritaaH |
baaNena ekena kaakutstha sthaataa te ko raNa agrataH || 4-12-9

9. kaakutstha= oh, Rama; yena= by whom; ekena baaNena= by a single, arrow; sapta mahaa saalaa= seven, great, sala trees; giriH bhuumiH ca= mountain, earth, also; daaritaaH= are ripped off; te= such as you are, in your before; raNa agrataH= at war's, vanguard; kaH sthaataa= who, stands.

"By whom seven great sala trees, a mountain and also the earth is ripped off with only one arrow, oh Kakutstha, who then can stand up to you in the vanguard of war. [4-12-9]

adya me vigataH shokaH priitir adya paraa mama |
suhR^idam tvaam samaasaadya mahendra varuNopamam || 4-12-10

10. adya= today; mahendra varuNa upamam= to Indra and to Rain-god, in similitude; tvaam suhR^idam samaasaadya= you, kind-hearted one, on gaining; me shokaH vigataH = to me, distress, is gone; adya mama paraa priitiH = now, to me, heightened, is the joy.

"Today on gaining a kind-hearted friend like you, who is similar to Indra and Rain-god who accord favour on their own, my distress is gone and my joy is heightened. [4-12-10]

tam adya eva priyaartham me vairiNam bhraatR^i ruupiNam |
vaalinam jahi kaakutstha mayaa baddho ayam a.njaliH || 4-12-11

11. kaakutstha= oh, Rama; me bhraatR^i ruupiNam vairiNam= my, in brother's, semblance, an enemy; tam vaalinam= him, that Vali be; adya eva priyaartham= today, only, for my happiness; jahi= kill; mayaa baddhaH ayam anjaliH= by me, joined, this, palms – in supplication.

"Oh, Rama, today itself you eliminate that enemy of mine in a brother's semblance for my happiness, for which I adjoin my palms in supplication." Thus Sugreeva requested Rama. [4-12-11]

tato raamaH pariSvajya sugriivam priya darshanam |
pratyuvaaca mahaapraaj~no lakSmaNaanugatam vacaH || 4-12-12

12. tataH= thenl; mahaa praaj~naH= raamaH highly, percipient one, Rama; priya darshanam= pleasant one, in look [Sugreeva]; lakSmaNa anugatam sugriivam pariSvajya= Lakshmana's, alternate of, Sugreeva, on embracing; vacaH prati uvaaca = wrods, replied.

That great percipient Rama embraced Sugreeva, which Sugreeva is pleasant in his look for he gained confidence by now, and who is an alternate of Lakshmana to partake Rama's affection, and then Rama said these words to such a Sugreeva in reply. [4-12-12]

asmaad gacChaama kiSkindhaam kSipram gacCha tvam agrataH |
gatvaa ca aahvaya sugriiva vaalinam bhraatR^i gandhinam || 4-12-13

13. sugriiva= oh, Sugreeva; asmaat= from here; kSipram kiSkindhaam gacChaama= quickly, to Kishkindha, we will go; tvam [kshipram= quickly]; agrataH gacCha = in advance, you move; gatvaa= having gone; bhraatR^i gandhinam= Vali, brotherhood, oe who is redolent of; vaalinam= Vali be; aahvaya= you invite.

""Let us quickly go from here to Kishkindha, oh, Sugreeva, you move in advance, and on going there you invite that Vali, one redolent of your brotherhood." So said Rama to Sugreeva. [4-12-13]

This word bh˜trgandhin is a unique expression for 'name sake,' and is said to be anarthaka bh˜t® vyapadeþam where ana arthaka is not, meaningful - meaningless; bh˜t® brotherhood's; vyapadeþam nomenclature. 'A meaningless nomenclature called a brother' for that brother who has no brotherliness for his brothers. Sugreeva do have such a brother Vali, from whom he got the redolence of cruelty alone, but not any brotherliness. Rama Tilaka.

sarve te tvaritam gatvaa kiSkindhaam vaalinaH puriim |
vR^ikSaiH aatmaanam aavR^itya hi atiSThan gahane vane || 4-12-14

14. te sarve vaalinaH puriim kiSkindhaam = they, all, to Vali's, city, to Kishkindha; tvaritam gatvaa= quickly, on going; gahane vane vR^ikSaiH aatmaanam aavR^itya = in thickets, of forests, with trees themselves, covering themselves; atiSThan = stayed waited on.

They all on quickly going to Kishkindha, the city of Vali, hedged themselves in the thickets of forest trees and waited. [4-12-14]

sugriivo api vyanadad ghoram vaalino hvaana kaaraNaat |
gaaDham parihito vegaan naadaiH bhindan iva a.mbaram || 4-12-15

15. sugriivaH api = Sugreeva, even; gaaDham parihitaH= firmly, tightening [girdle-cloth]; vegaat naadaiH bhindan ambaram iva = with rapidity, of shouting, to crack, the sky, as though; vaalinaH hvaana kaaraNaat= Vali, to invite, for the purpose of; vyanadat ghoram= shouted, boisterously.

Sugreeva firmly tightened his girdle-cloth for the duel and shouted boisterously for the purpose of inviting Vali for a duel, and his rapidity in shouting appeared as though to crack the sky. [4-12-15]

tam shrutvaa ninadam bhraatuH kruddho vaalii mahaabalaH |
niSpapaata susa.mrabdho bhaaskaro asta taTaat iva || 4-12-16

16. mahaabalaH vaalii = great, mighty, Vali; bhraatuH tam ninadam shrutvaa = brother's, that, shouting. on hearing; kruddhaH= is infuriated; su samrabdhaH= impetuously [came out]; asta taTaat bhaaskaraH iva= dusking, from brink, Sun, like; niS papaata= out fallen – fell out.

On hearing his brother's shouting that great mighty Vali is infuriated and impetuously rushed out of his palace chambers, like the sun falling back onto sky from his dusking brink. [4-12-16]

Here Vali is compared with the dusking sun, who is also said to fall back onto the sky before his total dusking into western side. Some say 'because Vali is going to see the dusk of his day this simile is suitable,' while some say that 'Vali is not going to see his dusk of the day now itself hence this is unsuitable.' And some other older mms, contain this simile as toyad˜t iva bh˜skara× i.e., 'came out like blazing sun from behind the black cloud.'

tataH sutumulam yuddham vaali sugriivayoH abhuut |
gagane grahayoH ghoram budha a.ngaarakayoH iva || 4-12-17

17. tataH= then; vaali sugriivayoH= between Vali, Sugreeva; gagane budha angaarakayoH grahayoH iva= in skies, among Mercury, Mars, among planets, like; su tumulam ghoram yuddham abhuut= very, tumultuous, awful, fight, occurred;

Then a very tumultuous and awful fight occurred between Vali and Sugreeva, which is like the awful fight between the planets Mercury and Mars in skies. [4-12-17]

"The encounter between Michael and Satan is similarly said to have been as if : "Two planets rushing from aspect malign / Of fiercest opposition in midsky / Should combat, and their jarring spheres / compound." Paradise Lost. Book VI. – So say Griffith.

talaiH ashani kalpaiH ca vajra kalpaiH ca muSTibhiH |
jaghnatuH samare anyonyam bhraatarau krodha muurcChitau || 4-12-18

18. krodha muurcChitau= in frenzy, convulsed; bhraatarau= among two brothers; ashani kalpaiH= thunderbolts, similar; talaiH= with palms; vajra kalpaiH muSTibhiH= lightning, similar, with fists; samare anyonyam jaghnatuH = in fight, each other battered.

Those two brothers who are convulsed in frenzy battered each other in that fight with their thunderbolt-like palms, and lightning-like fists. [4-12-18]

tato raamo dhanuS paaNiH tau ubhau samudaikshata |
anyonya sadR^ishau viirau ubhau devau iva ashvinau || 4-12-19

19. tataH= then; raamaH dhanuS paaNiH= Rama, with bow, wielding in hand; devau ashvinau ubhau iva= gods, Ashwin, twins, like; anyonya sadR^ishau = each other, similar to the other; tau ubhau viirau samudaikshata [sam ut iikshata]= those two, valiant ones, watched them.

Then Rama wielding bow in his hand watched those valiant ones that are alike in their appearance, like the Ashwin twins among gods. [4-12-19]

The Twins of Gemini, as known in European astronomy by names Castor and Pollux, or the Dioskuri are the Ashwin twins of Hindus.

yat na avagacChat sugriivam vaalinam vaa api raaghavaH |
tato na kR^itavaan buddhim mok{}tum antakaram sharam || 4-12-20

20. raaghavaH= Raghava; sugriivam= Sugreeva; vaalinam vaa api= Vali, or, either; yat= by which reason; na avagacChat= not, descried; tataH= thereby; anta karam sharam= end, making [deadening,] arrow moktum= to release; buddhim= mind; na kR^itavaan= not, made.

For which reason Raghava could not differentiate between Sugreeva or Vali, for the same reason did not make up his mind to release his arrow, otherwise it would have been a deadening arrow, as confusion is the only reason for Rama. [4-12-20]

etasmin antare bhagnaH sugriivaH tena vaalinaa |
apashyan raaghavam naatham R^ishyamuukam pradudruve || 4-12-21

21. etasmin antare= in the, while; tena vaalinaa= by that, Vali; bhagnaH sugriivaH= broken - whacked, Sugreeva; naatham= the benefactor; raaghavam= Raghava; a + pashyan= not, seeing; R^ishyamuukam pra dudruve= to Rishyamuka, immediately, fled to.

Meanwhile Sugreeva is unable to spot out his benefactor Raghava as Vali whacked him down, and thereby he immediately fled to Mt. Rishyamuka. [4-12-21]

klaanto rudhira sik{}ta a.ngo prahaaraiH jarjarii kR^itaH |
vaalinaa abhidrutaH krodhaat pravivesha mahaavanam || 4-12-22

22. vaalinaa krodhaat abhi drutaH = by Vali, by fury, confronted / ran chasing; klaantaH rudhira sikta angaH= debilitated, blood, soaking, body-parts; prahaaraiH jarjarii kR^itaH= by thwacking, enervate, made into [enervated]; that Sugreeva; pravivesha mahaavanam= entered, great forest.

Sugreeva is debilitated and enervated by Vali's thwacking till his limbs soaked in blood, and he entered the great forest of Rishyamuka as Vali chased him. [4-12-22]

tam praviSTam vanam dR^iSTvaa vaalii shaapa bhayaat tataH |
muk{}to hi asi tvam iti uk{}tvaa sa nivR^itto mahaabalaH || 4-12-23

23. vanam praviSTam tam dR^iSTvaa= forest, entered, him [Sugreeva,] on seeing; mahaabalaH saH vaalii= great mighty, he that, Vali; tvam muktaH asi hi= you are, let off, indeed; iti uktvaa= thus, saying; shaapa bhayaat tataH nivR^ittaH= by curse's, fear, from there, returned.

On seeing Sugreeva's entry into the forest of Rishyamuka, Vali said to him "you are let off for now..." and saying so he returned to Kishkindha from there in view of fear from curse of Sage Matanga. [4-12-23]

raaghavo api saha bhraatraa saha caiva hanuumataa |
tadeva vanam aagacChat sugriivo yatra vaanaraH || 4-12-24

24. raaghavaH api= Raghava, also; saha bhraatraa= with, brother [Lakshmana]; hanuumataa ca saha eva= Hanuma, with, also, like that; yatra vaanaraH sugriivaH= where, monkey, Sugreeva is there; tat eva vanam aagacChat= to that, forest, alone, he came.

Raghava also came to that forest, along with his brother Lakshmana and along with Hanuma, where that monkey Sugreeva fled. [4-12-24]

tam samiikSya aagatam raamam sugriivaH saha lakSmaNam |
hriimaan diinam uvaaca idam vasudhaam avalokayan || 4-12-25

25. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; aagatam saha lakSmaNam= one who arrived, with, Lakshmana; tam raamam samiikSya= him, that Rama, on seeing; hriimaan vasudhaam avalokayan= ashamed one, ground, while looking at; diinam uvaaca idam= piteously, spoke, this.

Seeing the arrival of Rama with Lakshmana, Sugreeva ashamedly turned his eyes down to earth and piteously spoke this without eyeing Rama [4-12-25]

aahvayasva iti maam uk{}tvaa darshayitvaa ca vikramam |
vairiNaa ghaatayitvaa ca kim idaaniim tvayaa kR^itam || 4-12-26

26. aahvayasva iti maam uktvaa= invite [Vali,] thus, to me, on saying [encouraging]; darshayitvaa ca vikramam= showing, also, dexterity; vairiNaa ghaatayitvaa ca= by enemy, got battered; tvayaa idaaniim kim kR^itam= by you, now, what is, done.

"Showing your dexterity you encouraged me to invite Vali for fight, but you got me battered by my enemy, what is this done by you." [4-12-26]

taam eva velaam vak{}tavyam tvayaa raaghava tattvataH |
vaalinam na nihanmi iti tato na aham ito vraje || 4-12-27

27. Raaghava= oh, Raghava; taam velaam eva= at that, time, only; vaalinam na nihanmi= Vali, I do not, kill, iti tattvataH tvayaa vaktavyam= thus, truly, by you, should have been told; tataH= then; aham itaH na vraje= I, to here, would not, have come.

"You should have truly made it known at that time only, oh, Raghava, that you will not kill Vali, then I would not have come here, to Kishkindha. [4-12-27]

tasya ca evam bruvaaNasya sugriivasya mahaatmanaH |
karuNam diinayaa vaacaa raaghavaH punar abraviit || 4-12-28

28. mahaatmanaH tasya sugriivasya= great-souled one, of that, Sugreeva; diinayaa vaacaa= with pathetic, words; karuNam evam bruvaaNasya= woefully, this way, while saying; raaghavaH punaH abraviit= Raghava, again, said.

Rama replied that great-souled Sugreeva who is speaking woefully with pathetic words in this way. [4-12-28]

sugriiva shruuyataam taata krodhaH ca vyapaniiyataam |
kaaraNam yena baaNo ayam sa mayaa na visarjitaH || 4-12-29

29. taata sugriiva= dear, Sugreeva; yena= by which reason; saH ayam baaNaH= this, that, arrow – the arrow such as this; mayaa na visarjitaH= by me, not, let off; kaaraNam shruuyataam= reason, be heard; krodhaH vyapaniiyataam [vi apa niiyataam]= anger, be, aside, distanced - discarded.

"Sugreeva, by which reason I have not let-off an arrow such as that of mine, that reason may be heard and let the anger be discarded. [4-12-29]

ala.mkaareNa veSeNa pramaaNena gatena ca |
tvam ca sugriiva vaalii ca sadR^ishau sthaH parasparam || 4-12-30

30. alamkaareNa= by ornamentation; veSeNa= by attire; pramaaNena= in physicality gatena ca= by movements, also; tvam ca= you, and; sugriiva= oh, Sugreeva; vaalii ca= Vali, also; parasparam sadR^ishau sthaH= to each other, resemble, you both are there.

"By ornamentation, attire, physicality and movements, you and Vali look-alike. [4-12-30]

svareNa varcasaa ca eva prekSitena ca vaanara |
vikrameNa ca vaakyaiH ca vyak{}tim vaam na upalakSaye || 4-12-31

31. vaanara= oh monkey; svareNa= by voice; varcasaa= by bodily glow; ca eva= also, thus; prekSitena= by your looking; vikrameNa ca vaakyaiH ca= by bravery, also, by speech; vaam vyaktim na upalakSaye= among you, difference, not, spotted.

"By your voice, bodily glow also thus in your looking, also in bravery and in speech, oh monkey, I could not mark any difference. [4-12-31]

tato aham ruupa saadR^ishyaat mohito vaanarottama |
na utsR^ijaami mahaavegam sharam shatru nibarhaNam || 4-12-32

32. vaanara uttama= oh, monkey, the best; tataH= thereby; ruupa saadR^ishyaat mohitaH= by personalities, similarity, confused; aham= I; mahaa vegam= great, speeded; shatru nibarhaNam= enemy, annihilating one; sharam= arrow; na utsR^ijaami= not, released.

"Thereby, oh, great monkey, I have not released this great speeded and enemy annihilating arrow of mine as I was confused in the similarity of your personalities. [4-12-32]

jiivita antakaram ghoram saadR^ishyaat tu visha.nkitaH |
muulaghaato na nau syaaddhi dvayoH iti kR^ito mayaa || 4-12-33

33. saadR^ishyaat tu= by similarity, but; vi shankitaH= being ambiguous; jiivita antakaram ghoram= life, terminator, ghastly one; [arrow I did not release]; nau dvayoH muula ghaataH syaat hi= = to two of us, basic [object,] ruined, it will be, isn't it; hence; iti maya kR^itaH= thus [ thinking,] by me, not done.

"I was ambiguous by your similarities, as such I have not released this ghastly and life-taking arrow, otherwise the basic object of ours will be ruined, isn't it. [4-12-33]

tvayi viira vipanne hi aj~naan laaghavaan mayaa |
mauDhyam ca mama baalyam ca khyaapitam syaat kapiisvara || 4-12-34

34. viira= oh, brave one; kapiisvara= oh, monkey's, lord; a + j~naat= un, knowingly - by my unawareness; laaghavaat= by [my] fallacy; tvayi vipanne= you, when you become afflicted with hazard; maya= by me; mama= my; mauDhyam ca baalyam ca= imbecility, also; my, naivety, also; khyaapitam syaat= established, they will be [isn't it.]

"When my unawareness and fallacy hazardously afflicts none but you in the form of my own arrow, oh, brave lord of monkeys, then I will be establishing my own imbecility and naivety, isn't it. [4-12-34]

datta abhaya vadho naama paatakam mahat adbhutam |
aham ca lakshmaNaH ca eva siita ca varavarNinii || 4-12-35
tvat adhiinaa vayam sarve vane asmin sharaNam bhavaan |

35, 36a. datta abhaya vadhaH naama = given, protection, killing, means [killing one who is protected means]; paatakam mahat adbhutam= sin, highest, terrifying; aham ca lakshmaNaH ca eva= myself, also, Lakshmana, thus; vara varNinii siita ca= of exquisite, glow, Seetha, also; vayam sarve tvat adhiinaa = we, all, are under your, control – dependent on you; bhavaan asmin vane sharaNam= you are, in forest, this one, shelter,

"Eliminating one who is protected means a terrifying sin of highest order, even so, myself and Lakshmana and also thus Seetha with her exquisite glow are all dependent on you, and you are our shelterer in this forest. [4-12-35, 36a]

tasmaat yudhyasva bhuuyastvam maa sha.mkii ca vaanara || 4-12-36
etan muhuurte tu mayaa pashya vaalinam aahave |
nirastam iSuNaa ekena veSTamaanam mahiitale || 4-12-37

36. vaanara= oh, monkey; tasmaat tvam bhuuyaH yudhyasva = therefore, you, again, fight; maa= me; maa + shankii= don't, doubt; etat muhuurte tu= at this, moment, only; mayaa= by me; aahave= in fight; ekena iSuNaa nirastam= with single, arrow, reneder him ineffective; mahii tale veSTamaanam = on earth's, surface, squirming; vaalinam pashya = Vali, you may see.

"Therefore, oh, monkey, again you fight with him without doubting me, and I will render him ineffective at this moment only with a single arrow of mine, and you can see Vali squirming on the ground. [4-12-36, 37],

abhij~naanam kuruSva tvam aatmano vaanareshvara |
yena tvaam abhijaaniiyaam dvandva yuddham upaagatam || 4-12-38

38. vaanareshvara= oh, monkey's, lord; aatmanaH abhij~naanam kuruSva tvam= for yourself, identity, make, you; yena tvaam abhijaaniiyaam= by which, you, be identified; dvandva yuddham upaagatam tvaam= in duel, fight, engaged in, you.

"You have an identification for yourself, oh lord of monkeys, by which you can be identified when you are engaged in duel. [4-12-38]

gaja puSpiim imaam phullaam utpaaTya shubha lakSaNaam |
kuru lakSmaNa kaNThe asya sugriivasya mahaatmanaH || 4-12-39

39. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; imaam phullaam shubha akSaNaam gaja puSpiim= these, bloomed, beautiful, in their aspect, gaja, creeper; utpaaTya = on extracting – picking up; mahaatmanaH asya sugriivasya= noble-souled one, his, Sugreeva's; kaNThe kuru = around neck, you make you [place.]

"Lakshmana, pick up this gaja creeper that is beautiful in its appearance and let this noble souled Sugreeva be garlanded with that." So said Rama to Lakshmana. [4-12-39]

tato giri taTe jaataam utpaaTya kusumaayutaam |
lakSmaNo gaja puSpiim taam tasya kaNThe vyasarjayat || 4-12-40

40. tataH= then; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; giri taTe jaataam= at mountain, step, growing; kusuma aayutaam= flowers, together with; taam gaja puSpiim utpaaTya = that, gaja, creeper, on plucking; tasya kaNThe vyasarjayat [vi ava sarjayat]= his [Sugreeva's], around neck, slung it.

Then Lakshmana plucked that gaja creeper with flowers growing at the foot of the mountain, and slung it like a garland around the neck of that Sugreeva. [4-12-40] n

sa tathaa shushubhe shriimaan latayaa kaNTha sak{}tayaa |
maalayaa iva balaakaanaam sasa.mdhya iva toyadaH || 4-12-41

41. shriimaan= prosperous one [Sugreeva]; saH kaNTha saktayaa= he, with creeper, around neck; latayaa = with creeper; sa sandhya= with, sunset [colour]; toya daH= water-giver [black cloud]; balaakaanaam maalayaa iva = with herons, train of, like; shushubhe= shone forth.

He that prosperous Sugreeva with that flowery-creeper adorning his neck then shone forth like a black rain cloud against a backdrop of rich ochry colour of sunset, and with a train of herons adorning that cloud like a garland. [4-12-41]

vibhraajamaano vapuSaa raama vaakya samaahitaH |
jagaama saha raameNa kiSki.ndhaam punaraapa saH || 4-12-42

42. vapuSaa vi bhraajamaanaH = by physique, verily effulgent; saH= he that Sugreeva; raama vaakya samaahitaH= by Rama's, words, emboldened; saha raameNa= with, Rama; jagaama punaH kiSkindhaam= advanced, again, to Kishkindha; aapa= he reached it.

He that Sugreeva whose physique became effulgent by that creeper-garland is again emboldened by Rama's words, and he again advanced to Kishkindha with Rama, and reached it again. [4-12-42]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe dvaadashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 12th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 13

Introduction

After encouraging Sugreeva to challenge Vali for a second time duly wearing a flower garland as a mark of identification between the two brothers, Rama and others proceed to Kishkindha. On their way they chance to see a divine hermitage called sapta jana aashrama 'Hermitage of Seven Sages.' On worshipping it they proceed to Kishkindha.

R^ishyamuukaat sa dharmaatmaa kiSkindhaam lakSmaNa agrajaH |
jagaama saha sugriivo vaali vikrama paalitaam || 4-13-1
samudyamya mahat caapam raamaH kaa.ncana bhuuSitam |
sharaam ca aaditya sa.mkaashaan gR^ihiitvaa raNa saadhakaan || 4-13-2

1, 2. dharmaatmaa saH lakSmaNa agrajaH= righteous one, he, Lakshmana's, elder; raamaH= Rama; sam udyamya= on readying; kaancana bhuuSitam= in gold, decorated; mahat caapam= great, bow; aaditya samkaashaan= blazing sun, similar; raNa saadhakaan= in war, victorious; sharaam ca= arrows, also; gR^ihiitvaa= on taking; saha sugriivaH= with, Sugreeva; R^ishyamuukaat= from Rishyamuka; vaali vikrama paalitaam= by Vali's, valour, ruled; kiSkindhaam jagaama= to Kishkindha, proceeded.

That righteous Rama readying his great bow decorated with gold, and on taking blazing sun similar arrows that are victory-oriented in wars, proceeded from Rishyamuka along with Sugreeva to the city ruled by the valour of Vali, namely Kishkindha. [4-13-1, 2]

agrataH tu yayau tasya raaghavasya mahaatmanaH |
sugriivaH sa.mhata griivo lakSmaNaH ca mahaabalaH || 4-13-3

3. mahaatmanaH tasya raaghavasya= great soul, of that, Raghava; agrataH= ahead; samhata griivaH sugriivaH= stern, necked one, Sugreeva; mahaabalaH lakSmaNaH ca= great mighty one, Lakshmana, also; yayau= storde.

Stern-necked Sugreeva and the great mighty Lakshmana strode ahead of that great soul Rama. [4-13-3]

pR^iSThato hanumaan viiro nalo niilaH ca viiryavaan |
taaraH caiva mahaatejaa hari yuuthapa yuuthapaaH || 4-13-4

4. pR^iSThataH viiraH hanumaan= rearward, brave one Hanuma; viiryavaan nalaH niilaH ca= dauntless ones, Nala, Neela, also; mahaatejaa hari yuuthapa yuuthapaaH taaraH= of great energy, monkeys, captain of, captains Tara. [yayau= proceeded.]

The brave Hanuma, dauntless Nala and Neela, and the captain of monkey's captains Tara of great energy followed them rearward. [4-13-4]

te viikSamaaNaa vR^ikSaam ca puSpa bhaara avalambinaH |
prasanna a.mbuvahaaH caiva saritaH saagaram gamaaH || 4-13-5

5. te= they; puSpa bhaara avalambinaH vR^ikSaam= by flowers, weight, drooping, trees; prasanna ambu vahaaH= pleasant, water, carrying; saagaram gamaaH= to ocean, coursing; saritaH rivers; viikSamaaNaa= [yayau]= looking at, they moved on.

They moved on looking at the trees that are drooping with the weight of their flowers, and at he rivers that are carrying pleasant water while themselves are coursing towards ocean. [4-13-5]

kandaraaNi ca shailaam ca nirdaraaNi guhaaH tathaa |
shikharaaNi ca mukhyaani dariiH ca priya darshanaaH || 4-13-6

6. kandaraaNi= [house-like] caverns; shailaam= crags; nirdaraaNi guhaaH tathaa= ravines, caves, like that; shikharaaNi ca mukhyaani= peaks, also, monumental ones; dariiH ca priya darshanaaH= valleys, of pleasant, sight.

They on seeing house-like caverns, crags, ravines and caves, and monumental peaks, cavities that are pleasant for sight have moved on. [4-13-6]

The words kandara , and guha have different meanings. kandar˜õi= mandira ˜k˜ra parvata vivar˜õi house-like mountain cavities; nirdar˜õi= þaila vivar˜õi - guh˜×= deva kh˜ta giri bilv˜ni deep mountain caves made by divinities - Rama Tilaka.

vaiduurya vimalaiH toyaiH padmaiH ca aakosha kuDmalaiH |
shobhitaan sajalaan maarge taTaakaan ca avalokayan || 4-13-7

7. maarge= on way; taTaakaan= lakes; vaiduurya vimalaiH toyaiH= cat's eye-like [gem-like,] without, slime, waters; padmaiH ca aakosha kuDmalaiH= lotuses, to their orifices, buds; shobhitaan sa jalaan= glistening, with, waters; avalokayan= on observing; yayau= they went.

On their way they observed lakes that are glistening forth with gem-like waters without slime, and with lotus buds in budding stage. [4-13-7]

The word aakoshakuDmalaiH has other renderings. One is as above, saying the lotuses in lakes are still in the budding stage and they have not started to bloom. The other is that they are neither large not tiny in size. Another is that the stem is having all buds from below to its end, if the compound is separated as aa kosha kuDmalaiH .

Secondly the usage of vaiduurya vimala udaka is an often-repeated expression, which may not be construed that the waters are just like cats-eye or Lapis Lazule, the precocious gem in nava ratna / nine-gem combination. In fine composition it is smaraNa alankaara , a metaphorical memorabilia. If it is said that the water is like vaiduurya or cat's-eye or Lapis, it reminds us of all other eight gems including a diamond. As such the waters are crystalline and pellucid in their look like priceless gems, for water is the invaluable gem-like gift of nature and flowing waters are the priceless possessions for livelihood as well.

The following two verses contain the foots in one samaasa/ one compound which if read in a spell will be rhythmic. The first foot of verse nine is one samaasa / one compound only. Both the unbroken compound and segregated word order are given below for reading pleasure.

kaaraNDaissaarasai.rhamsai.rva~njulai.rjalakukkuTaiH |
cakravaakaisthaacaanyaishshakunai.rpratinaaditaan || - yadvaa -
kaaraNDaiH saarasaiH ha.msaiH va.njulaiH jala kukkuTaiH |
cakravaakaiH tathaa ca anyaiH shakunaiH pratinaaditaan || 4-13-8

8. kaaraNDaiH saarasaiH hamsaiH vanjulaiH jala kukkuTaiH= Karandava, Saarasa, Swans, Vanjula water, fowls; cakravaakaiH= Chakravaaka; tathaa ca= like that, also; anyaiH shakunaiH= with other, birds; prati naaditaan= in reverb, sounding [reverberant.]

Those lakes are reverberant with Karandava-s, Saarasa-s, Swans, Vanjula-s and other waterfowls, also like that with Chakravaaka-s and other birds. [4-13-8]

mR^idushaSpaa~Nkuraaahaaraannirbhayaanvanagocaraan |
carataa.msarvatopashyansthaliiSu hariNaansthitaan || - yadvaa -
mR^idu shaSpa a.nkura aahaaraan nirbhayaan vana gocaraan |
carataam sarvato apashyan sthaliiSu hariNaan sthitaan || 4-13-9

9. mR^idu shaSpa ankura aahaaraan= soft, grass, blade, feeding on; nir bhayaan vana gocaraan= without, fear, forest, movers; sthaliiSu= at places; sarvataH= everywhere; carataam sthitaan= moving, standing; apashyan hariNaan= have seen, deer.

They have seen fearless deer feeding on soft grass blades everywhere, somewhere moving here and there in the forest, and else where standing. [4-13-9]

taTaaka vairiNaH ca api shukla danta vibhuuSitaan |
ghoraan ekacaraan vanyaan dviradaan kuula ghaatinaH || 4-13-10

10. ghoraan=dangerous; taTaaka vairiNaH= lake, enemies; shukla danta vibhuuSitaan= white, tusks, ornamented with; eka caraan= elephantine, in oneness, moving; kuula ghaatinaH= lakebeds, destroyers; vanyaan dviradaan= forest, elephants; [they saw.]

They have also seen the forest elephants that have white tusks for their ornaments and that are moving in herds, and which are the dangerous enemies of lakes as they destroy lakebeds. [4-13-10]

mattan giri taTa udghuSTaan parvataan iva ja.ngamaan |
vaanaraan dvirada prakhyaan mahii reNu samukshitaan || 4-13-11

11. mattan vaanaraan= vigorous monkeys; giri taTa udghuSTaan= on mountain's, ridges, making noisy; jangamaan parvataan iva= mobile, mountains, like; dvirada prakhyaan= elephantine, in aspect; mahii reNu samukshitaan= earth's, dust, covered [on bodies.]

Also seen are the vigorous and elephantine monkeys that are like mobile mountains, begrimed with dust, and bellowing on mountain ridges. [4-13-11]

If the first foot mattaan giri taTa udghuSTaan is connected with verse 10, it can also be said in respect of elephants like 'the elephants in rut are moving like mobile mountains and noisy on the mountain crags.'

vane vana caraam ca anyaan khecaraam ca viha.mgamaan |
pashyantaH tvaritaa jagmuH sugriiva vasha vartinaH || 4-13-12

12. sugriiva vasha vartinaH= Sugreeva's, under control, that move – followers of Sugreeva; vane= in forest; anyaan vana caraam ca =other, forest movers, also; khe caraam viham gamaan= aloft, movers, sky, flyers; pashyantaH= on seeing; tvaritaa jagmuH= quickly, moved.

On seeing other forest beings in that forest and birds moving aloft in sky, those followers of Sugreeva quickly moved on. [4-13-12]

The two words vihangama and khecara mean a bird. But the vihangama is the cognate word and khecara is its adjective, as observed by Dr. Satya Vrat in his: The Ramayana - A Linguist Study.

teSaam tu gacChataam tatra tvaritam raghuna.ndanaH |
druma SaNDa vanam dR^iSTvaa raamaH sugriivam abraviit || 4-13-13

13. teSaam tvaritam gacChataam= they, while quickly, going; raghu nandanaH raamaH= Raghu's, delight of, Rama; tatra= there; druma SaNDa vanam= tree, clump, forest; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; sugriivam abraviit= to Sugreeva, said.

While they are quickly going, Rama, the delight of Raghu's dynasty, saw there a clump of forest trees and he asked Sugreeva like this. [4-13-13]

eSa megha iva aakaashe vR^ikSa SaNDaH prakaashate |
megha sa.nghaata vipulaH paryanta kadalii vR^itaH || 4-13-14

14. eSa vR^ikSa= SaNDaH= this, trees, cluster of; megha sanghaata vipulaH= like clouds, accumulation, extensive - thick; pari aanta= all, around; kadalii vR^itaH= plantain trees, surrounded by; aakaashe megha iva prakaashate= in sky, cloud [cloudscape,] like, shining forth.

"This cluster of trees surrounded with plantain trees is like an accumulation of thick clouds, and this is shining forth like a cloudscape in sky. [4-13-14]

kim etat j~naatum icChaami sakhe kautuuhalam mama |
kautuuhala apanayanam kartum icChaami aham tvayaa || 4-13-15

15. sakhe= oh, friend; kim etat= what, this; j~naatum icChaami= to know, I wish to; kautuuhalam mama= inquisitive, of mine; kautuuhala apanayanam kartum aham icChaami tvayaa= inquisitiveness, to be clear, be made, I, wish to, by you.

"What is this? I wish to know and oh, friend, I wish you to clear this inquisitiveness of mine. [4-13-15]

tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa raaghavasya mahaatmanaH |
gacChann eva aacacakSe atha sugriivaH tat mahad vanam || 4-13-16

16. mahaatmanaH tasya raaghavasya= great-soul, that, Raghava's; tat vacanam shrutvaa= that, sentence, on hearing; tataH= then; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; gacChann eva= while proceeding, only; tat mahat vanam aacacakSe= that, significance, of forest, described.

On hearing that sentence of that great soul Raghava, then Sugreeva described about the significance of that forest while proceeding on the way. [4-13-16]

etad raaghava vistiirNam aashramam shrama naashanam |
udyaana vana sa.mpannam svaadu muula phala udakam || 4-13-17

17. raaghava= Raghava; udyaana vana sampannam= pleasure, gardens, abundant in; svaadu muula phala udakam= having dainty, tubers, fruits, water; vistiirNam= spacious; etat shrama naashanam aashramam= this, weary, removing, hermitage

"Raghava, this spacious hermitage with abundant gardens and dainty tubers, fruits and water is a weary remover." Thus Sugreeva started telling Rama. [4-13-17]

atra saptajanaa naama munayaH sa.mshita vrataaH |
sapta eva aasan adhaH shiirSaa niyatam jala shaayinaH || 4-13-18

18. atra= in there; samshita vrataaH= dourly, vowed ones; niyatam= scrupulously; adhaH shiirSaa= downward, with heads; jala shaayinaH= always, in water reclining; saptajanaa naama= sapta jana [Seven Persons,] named; sapta eva= seven, thus; munayaH aasan= hermits, were there.

"There were hermits named sapta jana, Seven Persons, who were dourly vowed with their heads pendulous downward and legs up, as in shiirSa aasana , the upside-down yogic body posture, and who always reclined in water. [4-13-18]

sapta raatre kR^ita aahaaraa vaayunaa acala vaasinaH |
divam varSa shataiH yaataaH saptabhiH sakalevaraaH || 4-13-19

19. sapta raatre= for seven, nights [and days]; vaayunaa= on air; kR^ita aahaaraa= making, diet; a+cala vaasinaH= not, waveringly, they were living; saptabhiH varSa shataiH= seven years, hundred – for seven hundred years [of their ascesis]; sa kalevaraaH divam yaataaH= with, bodies, to heaven, they went.

"They were making diet on air alone that too once in seven days, and living unwaveringly in that way they practised their asceticism for seven hundred years and went to heavens with their bodies. [4-13-19]

teSaam etat prabhaaveNa druma praakaara sa.mvR^itam |
aashramam suduraadharSam api sa indraiH sura asuraiH || 4-13-20

20. druma praakaara samvR^itam= trees, compound wall, encircled with; etat aashramam= this, hermitage; teSaam prabhaaveNa= by their, influence; sa indraiH sura asuraiH api= with, Indra, by gods, by demons, even; su duraadharSam= highly, unassailable.

"This hermitage that has encircling trees for its compound wall has become highly unassailable even for Indra together with all gods and demons. [4-13-20]

pakSiNo varjayanti etat tathaa anye vanacaariNaH |
vishanti mohaad ye api atra na nivartante te punaH || 4-13-21

21. pakSiNaH= birds; tathaa anye vana caariNaH= thus, other, forest movers [animals]; etat varjayanti= this hermitage, they forbear; ye mohaat atra vishanti= those, unknowingly, in there, enter; te punaH na nivartante= they, again, not, returning.

"Birds and other forest moving animals forbear this hermitage and those that unknowingly enter in there they do not return. [4-13-21]

vibhuuSaNa ravaaaH ca atra shruuya.nte sakalaakSaraaH |
tuurya giita svanaaaH ca api gandho divyaH ca raaghava || 4-13-22

22. Raaghava= Raghava; atra= there; sakala= sa+kala+akSaraaH= with, artistically, worded; vibhuuSaNa ravaaH ca= ornament's, sounds, also; tuurya giita svanaaaH ca api= instrumental, lyrical, tunes; shruuyante= are audible; gandhaH divyaH= ca fragrance, divine, also – you can smell.

"From there artistically worded lyrical and instrumental tunes, and even the sounds of ornaments are audible, and oh, Raghava, one can sense a divine fragrance too. [4-13-22]

tretaagnayo api diipyante dhuumo hi eSa pradR^ishyate |
veSTayan iva vR^ikSa agraan kapota a.nga aruNo ghanaH || 4-13-23

23. tretaagnayaH api diipyante= triadic, ritual-fires, even, glow; vR^ikSa agraan= tree, tops; veSTayan iva= muffling, as though; kapota anga aruNaH= pigeon, body's, ochre-coloured [unlike those of white or grey Columba livia species]; ghanaH= thick; eSa dhuumaH pradR^ishyate hi= this, smoke, is apparent, indeed.

"Even the triadic ritual-fires glow there, and their thick and ochry coloured smoke like that of a reddish-brown pigeon is apparent muffling the treetops. [4-13-23]

ete vR^ikshaaH prakaashante dhuuma sa.msak{}ta mastakaaH |
megha jaala praticChannaa vaiduurya girayo yathaa || 4-13-24

24. dhuuma samsakta mastakaaH= smoke, mantled, with heads – at treetops; ete vR^ikshaaH= these, trees; megha jaala praticChannaaH= clouds, cluster of, overlaid; vaiduurya girayaH yathaa= lapis', mountains [gem-mountains,] as with; prakaashante= they beam forth.

"When that smoke is mantling their tops these trees are beaming forth like mountains of gems overlaid with clusters of clouds. [4-13-24]

kuru praNaamam dharmaatman teSaam uddishya raaghavaH |
lakSmaNena saha bhraatraa prayataH sa.myata a.njaliH || 4-13-25

25. dharmaatman= oh, righteous one; raaghavaH= Raghava; teSaam uddishya= them [the sages,] addressing; bhraatraa lakSmaNena saha= brother, along with, Lakshmana; prayataH= determinedly; samyata anjaliH= adjoining, palms; kuru praNaamam= offer, salutation.

"Offer salutations determinedly and adjoining palms addressing the sages called Seven Persons, oh Raghava, along with brother Lakshmana [4-13-25]

praNamanti hi ye teSaam R^iSiiNaam bhaavita aatmanaam |
na teSaam ashubham ki.mcit shariire raama dR^ishyate || 4-13-26

26. raama= Rama; bhaavita aatmanaam teSaam R^iSiiNaam= contemplated souls, at them, those sages; ye praNamanti= those, who offer salutations; teSaam shariire= to them, in bodies [bodily]; kimcit= in the least; a+shubham= not, auspicious – trauma; na vidyate= not, found.

"Those that offer salutations to those sages with contemplated souls will evince no bodily trauma in the least." Thus said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-13-26]

tato raamaH saha bhraatraa lakSmaNena kR^itaa.njaliH |
samuddishya mahaatmaanaH taan R^iSiin abhyavaadayat || 4-13-27

27. tataH raamaH saha bhraatraa lakSmaNena= then, Rama, with, brother, Lakshmana; kR^ita anjaliH= adjoining, palms; mahaatmaanaH taan R^iSiin samuddishya= great souled ones, them the sages, on addressing; abhyavaadayat= offered salutations.

Then Rama along with brother Lakshmana adjoined palms, addressed himself to the great-souled sages known as Seven Persons, and offered salutations to them. [4-13-27]

abhivaadya ca dharmaatmaa raamo bhraataa ca lakSmaNaH |
sugriivo vaanaraaaH caiva jagmuH sa.mhR^iSTa maanasaaH | 4-13-28

28. dharmaatmaa= righteous one; raamaH bhraataa lakSmaNaH sugriivaH vaanaraaaH caiva= Rama, brother, Lakshmana, Sugreeva, monkeys, also thus; abhivaadya= on worshipping; jagmuH sam hR^iSTa maanasaaH= proceeded, well, pleased, at heart.

That righteous Rama along with brother Lakshmana, Sugreeva and other monkeys having worshipped those sages proceeded to Kishkindha well-pleased at heart. [4-13-28]

te gatvaa duuram adhvaanam tasmaat sapta jana aashramaat |
dadR^ishuH taam duraadharSaam kiSkindhaam vaali paalitaam || 4-13-29

29. te tasmaat saptajana aashramaat= they, from that, Saptajana, hermitage; duuram adhvaanam gatvaa= long, on way, on going; vaali paalitaam duraadharSaam taam kiSkindhaam dadR^ishuH= by Vali, ruled, unassailable one, her, that Kishkindha, they saw.

Having gone a long way from that hermitage of Seven Persons they have seen that unassailable and Vali ruled city namely Kishkindha. [4-13-29]

tatastu raamaanuja raama vaanaraaH
pragR^ihya shastraaNi udita ugra tejasaa |
puriim suresha aatmaja viirya paalitaam
vadhaaya shatroH punar aagataaH iha || 4-13-30

30. tataH= then; udita ugra tejasaa= up surged, fiery, with flare of; raama anuja= Rama's, [younger] brother – Lakshmana; raamaH= Rama; vaanaraaH= monkeys; shastraaNi pragR^ihya= weapons, on taking, wielding; shatroH vadhaaya= enemy, to eliminate; suresha aatmaja= gods, lord – Indra's, son - Vali; viirya paalitaam= by his brawn, ruled; puriim= to city; punaH iha aagataaH= again, to here, they came.

Then Rama's bother Lakshmana, Rama, and other monkeys wielding their weapons and flaring with their upsurged fiery again came to eliminate that enemy Vali to the city that is ruled by the brawn of the same Vali, the son of Indra. [4-13-30]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe trayodashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 13th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 14

IntroductionSugreeva again requests Rama to ascertain whether he is prepared to eliminate Vali this time. Rama assures Sugreeva that he will not deviate from what he has promised, and he never would, and asks

Sugreeva to challenge Vali by way of inviting him for a duel. Sugreeva blares out inciting Vali to the duel

sarve te tvaritam gatvaa kiSkindhaam vaalinaH paalitaam |
vR^ikSair aatmaanam aavR^itya vyatiSThan gahane vane || 4-14-1

1. te sarve vaalinaH puriim kiSkindhaam= they, all, to Vali's, city, to Kishkindha; tvaritam gatvaa= quickly, on going; gahane vane vR^ikSaiH aatmaanam aavR^itya= in thickets, of forests, with trees, themselves, covering [themselves – camouflaging]; atiSThan= stayed waited on.

They all on quickly going to Kishkindha, the city of Vali, hedged themselves in the thickets of forest trees and waited. [4-14-1]

visaarya sarvato dR^iSTim kaanane kaanana priyaH |
sugriivo vipula griivaH krodham aahaarayad bhR^isham || 4-14-2

2. kaanana priyaH= forest, lover; vipula griivaH sugriivaH= tumultuous, voiced one, Sugreeva; kaanane sarvataH dR^iSTim visaarya= in forest, everywhere, his sight, on spreading out; bhR^isham krodham aahaarayat= tremendous, fury, he assumed.

That forest lover with tumultuous voice Sugreeva cast his eye everywhere and assumed tremendous fury. [4-14-2]

tataH tu ninadam ghoram kR^itvaa yuddhaaya ca aahvayat |
parivaaraiH parivR^ito naadair bhindan iva a.mbaram || 4-14-3
garjan iva mahaamegho vaayu vega purassaraH |

3. parivaaraiH parivR^itaH= with his followers, encompassed by; tataH naadaiH= then, with shouting; ambaram bhindan iva= sky, ripping, as though; vaayu vega purassaraH= by air's, dash, accelerated; mahaa meghaH iva garjan= great cloud, like, thundering;, ghoram ninadam kR^itvaa= ghastly, noise – war-whoop, on making; yuddhaaya ca ahvayat= for fight, also invited.

Then Sugreeva encompassed by his followers war-whooped ghastlily, like a great cloud that emerged accelerated by gusty wind and that is thundering as though to rip the sky, inviting Vali for fight. [4-14-3]

atha baalaarka sadR^isho dR^ipta simha gatiH tataH || 4-14-4
dR^iSTvaa raamam kriyaa dakSam sugriivo vaakyam abraviit |

4b, 5a. atha baala arka sadR^ishaH= then, young, sun [rising sun,] alike; dR^ipta simha gatiH= proud, lion, in stride; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; kriyaa dakSam= in deeds, expert [adroit one]; raamam= at Rama; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; tataH vaakyam abraviit= then, sentence, said;.

Then Sugreeva who is like the rising sun and whose stride is like that of a proud lion saw the adroit Rama and then said this sentence. [4-14-4b, 5a]

hari vaagurayaa vyaaptam tapta kaa.ncana toraNaam || 4-14-5
praaptaaH sma dhvaja ya.ntra aaDhyaam kiSkindhaam vaalinaH puriim |

5b, 6a. hari vaagurayaa vyaaptaam= monkey's, by snares, she who is spread out [Kishkindha]; tapta kaancana toraNaam= burnt [purified] golden, [decorated with] having arch-ways; dhvaja yantra aaDhyaam= flags, machinery, impregnated with; vaalinaH puriim kiSkindhaam praaptaaH sma= Vali's, city, at Kishkindha, arrived, we are.

" She whose arch-way is decorated in gold, who is spread out with snares of monkeys, and who is impregnated with flags and machinery, we arrived at such city of Vali, Kishkindha. [4-14-5b, 6a]

pratij~naa yaa kR^itaa viira tvayaa vaali vadhe puraa || 4-14-6
saphalaam kuru taam kSipram lataam kaala iva aagataH |

6b, 7a. viira= oh, brave one; tvayaa vaali vadhe= by you, in Vali's, killing; puraa yaa pratij~naa kR^itaa= earlier, which, promise, is made; taam= that; aagataH kaalaH lataam iva= on arrival, of time, creeper-plant, like; kSipram sa phalaam kuru= on time, with, fruition – make happen, you make.

"Oh Brave one, you make happen the promise you earlier made regarding the elimination of Vali on time, like the time of sprouting that enables a creeper-plant to bear a sprout on time. [4-14-6b, 7a]

The use of sprouting of a tendril, or fruition at this juncture is to express that Sugreeva is like the slender leafless shoot of a climbing plant that requires some firm-rooted tree to hang on and flourish. It is said lata, kavita, vanita na shobhate aashrayam vinaa climbing plant, poetry, or an young girl do not prosper without patronage. So Sugreeva is submitting himself, as a kainkarya to the patronage of Rama, like Lakshmana.

evam uk{}taH tu dharmaatmaa sugriiveNa sa raaghavaH || 4-14-7
tam eva uvaaca vacanam sugriivam shatru suudanaH |

7b, 8a. sugriiveNa evam uktaH= Sugreeva, this way, when said; dharmaatmaa= by righteous; shatru suudanaH= enemy, destroyer; saH raaghavaH= he, that Raghava; tam eva uvaaca vacanam= to him [to Sugreeva,] only, said, words.

When thus said by Sugreeva that enemy-destroyer and righteous Raghava said this word Sugreeva. [4-14-7b, 8a]

kR^ita abhij~naana cihnaH tvam anayaa gaja saahvayaa || 4-14-8
lakshmaNena samutpaaTya eSaa kaNThe kR^itaa tava |

8b, 9a. [yaa= by which]; eSaa lakshmaNena samutpaaTya= this, by Lakshmana, on plucking out; tava kaNThe kR^itaa= at neck, of yours, is made – what for it is garlanded; anayaa gaja saahvayaa= by this, gaja-flower, creeper-garland; tvam kR^ita abhij~naana cihnaH= you are, made, identification, is marked.

"By which creeper-garland that Lakshmana plucked out and garlanded you, by this creeper-garland of gaja-flowers alone your identification is marked. [4-14-8b, 9a]

sobhaase api adhikam viira latayaa kaNThasak{}tayaa || 4-14-9
vipariita iva aakaashe suuryo nakSatra maalayaa |

9b, 10a. viira= oh, brave one; kaNTha saktayaa latayaa= at neck, laced, by creeper-garland; aakaashe= in sky; vipariitaH= entwined / in night; suuryaH iva= sun, like / moon, like; adhikam sobhaase= impressively, you shine forth.

"Oh brave-one, you are shining forth with this creeper-garland laced at your neck like the night time sun with a garland of stars. [4-14-9b, 10a]

The usage of words vipariite and suuryaH iva are given many meanings. 1] pariita is said to be day and vi pariita is night and the Moon that traverses in the mid of night is called the Sun.

parŸtam tu div˜proktam viparŸtam tu þ˜rvarŸ |
r˜k˜ madhyagata× candra× s¨rya iti abhidhŸyate ||

So Sugreeva is like the sun at night with the garland of stars, a metonymical expression.

2] Sugreeva is like the Sun in sky with a necklace of night-stars, which is impossible and hence it is abbhuuta upama, hyperbole.

3] Moon takes the sunrays and illumines the night thus the expression vipariite suurya iva metaphors Moon with Sun as in bimbaprati bimba nyaaya , mirror-image syndrome.

[4] vipariite kale = the word kale that is at an extraordinary time when some catastrophe is foreseen, then it is 'like the Sun shining in the night with stars, Sugreeva is also shining thus. For this astrology says:

r˜trau indra dhanu× darþe div˜ nakÿtra darþane | tad r˜ÿ÷ra n˜dha n˜þa sy˜t iti garga bh˜ÿitam ||

Appearance of rainbow during night and appearance of night stars during daytime causes the destruction of the leader of that state, Garga says so.

Now that Sugreeva is appearing like the blazing Sun with garland of night stars, for he is wearing the gaja-flower garland, Rama foresees the destruction of the present lord of Kishkindha, namely Vali. Further Sugreeva is from Lord Sun's lineage. Govindaraja and Maheshvara Tiiratha agree on the last rendering.

adya vaali samuttham te bhayam vairam ca vaanara || 4-14-10
ekena aham pramokSyaami baaNa mokSeNa sa.myuge |

10b, 11a. vaanara= oh, monkey; adya aham= today, I will; samyuge= in fight; ekena baaNa mokSeNa= with single, arrow, on releasing; te= to you; vaali samuttham= by Vali, whipped up; bhayam vairam ca= fear, enmity, as well; pramokSyaami= I will set free.

"Oh Vanara, today itself I will set you free from the fear and enmity whipped up by Vali by releasing a single arrow in fight. [4-14-10b, 11a]

mama darshaya sugriiva vairiNam bhraatR^i ruupiNam || 4-14-11
vaalii vinihato yaavad vane paa.msuSu ceSTate |

11b, 12a. sugriiva= oh, Sugreeva; vairiNam bhraatR^i ruupiNam= enemy, in brother's, mien; mama darshaya= to me, you show; vaalii vinihataH= Vali, eliminated; vane paamsuSu= in forest, in dust; yaavat ceSTate= by then, he rolls.

"You show me your enemy in a brother's mien, oh, monkey, by then he will be rolling in the dust of this forest eliminated by me. [4-14-11b, 12a]

yadi dR^iSTi patham praapto jiivan sa vinivartate || 4-14-12
tato doSeNa maa gacChet sadyo garhecca maam bhavaan |

12b, 13a. dR^iSTi patham praaptaH= [my] sight, in the way, he gets [should I catch sight of him]; saH jiivan vinivartate yadi= [and if] he, to live, returns, if; tataH bhavaan= then, you can; sadyaH= immediately; maa doSeNa gacChet= me, with fault, you can find fault with me; maam garhet ca= me, you can deride, also.

"If he returns to live even after my espying him then immediately you can find fault with me, you can even deride me. [4-14-12b, 13a]

pratyakSam sapta te saalaa mayaa baaNena daaritaaH || 4-14-13
tato vetsi balena adya vaalinam nihatam mayaa |

13b, 14a. te pratyakSam= in your, presence; mayaa baaNena= by me, by arrow; sapta saalaa daaritaaH= seven, saala trees, are rived; tataH= thereby; adya maya balena= now, by my, might; vaalinam nihatam vetsi= Vali will be, dispatched, you will be knowing – be sure.

"Seven saala trees are rived with a single of arrow of mine in your presence, thereby be sure that Vali will be dispatched now, by my might. [4-14-13b, 14a]

anR^itam na uk{}ta puurvam me ciram kR^icChre api tiSThataa || 4-14-14
dharma lobha pariitena na ca vakSye katha.mcana |

14b, 15a. kR^icChre ciram tiSThataa api= in distress, for a long time, situated in – involved in, even if; dharma lobha pariitena= rectitude, in the interest of, bound by – bound by the anxiousness to implement righteousness; me anR^itam na ukta puurvam= by me, untruth, not, spoken, earlier; kathancana na ca vakSye= in anywise, not, also, going to be said.

"Just bound by the anxiousness to implement righteousness untruth is unsaid by me earlier though I am involved in distresses for a long time, and hereafter it will not be said in anywise. [4-14-14b, 15a]

saphalaam ca kariSyaami pratij~naam jahi sa.mbhramam || 4-14-15
prasuutam kalamakSetre varSeNa iva shatakratuH |

15b, 16a. shatakratuH varSeNa prasuutam kalama kSetre iva= Indra [fructifies,] by rain, sprouted, rice, field, as with; pratij~naam saphalaam kariSyaami=promise, fructify – will make happen, I will do; jahi sambhramam= kill, perplexity.

"As Indra fructifies the sprouted paddy field I will make happen my promise, hence leave off your perplexity." [4-14-15b, 16a]

tad aahvaana nimittam ca vaalino hemamaalinaH || 4-14-16
sugriiva kuru tam shabdam niSpated yena vaanaraH |

16b, 17a. sugriiva= Sugreeva; tat= thereby; hema maalinaH vaalinaH= one with golden pendant, Vali 's; aahvaana nimittam= for invitation, sake of; tam shabdam kuru= that [ such a,] sound, you make; yena vaanaraH niSpatet= by which, monkey [Vali,] comes out.

"Thereby to invite that Vali with golden pendant, oh, Sugreeva, you make such a war-cry by which that monkey Vali comes out. [4-14-16b, 17a]

jitakaashii jayashlaaghii tvayaa ca adharSitaH puraat || 4-14-17
niSpatiSyati asa.mgena vaalii sa priyasamyugaH |

17b, 18a. jita kaashii= by victory, one who shines forth; jaya shlaaghii= by triumphs, one who is given ovation; tvayaa a+dharSitaH= by you, not, assailed, not defeated; priya samyugaH= dearer, is combats [Vali is always a willing fighter]; saH= such as he is; vaali= that Vali; a+sangena= without, association – hindrance; puraat= from city [Kishkindha]; niSpatiSyati= comes out.

"Vali is a willing fighter who shines forth by his victories and one who is given ovation for his triumphs, and undefeated by you as yet, such as he is he may be incited with war-whoop so that he comes out without any hindrance. [4-14-17b, 18a]

Here the word jaya - bala shlaaghii gives another meaning that Vali lauds the opponent's might but discredits it to be inferior than his own might. Likewise tvayaa ca a dharSita also means that 'by you not overcome yet...' Sugreeva has just returned to Rama after a fight with Vali. So it is said that adharSaNa is in nishchaya ardhaka, and since Sugreeva encountered Vali once, Vali will not tolerate any more war cries from Sugreeva, thus comes out of Kishkindha. ripunagara gopura dv˜ram uparudhya vyuth˜ya bahir ˜gaccheti samud ghoÿaya | tadasaham˜no v˜li yuddha sannadho bahir nirgacched eva --- iti r˜ma vacanam - dharm˜k¨tam

ripuuNaam dharSitam shrutvaa marSayanti na sa.myuge || 4-14-18
jaanantaH tu svakam viiryam strii samakSam visheSataH |

18b, 19a. svakam viiryam jaanantaH= his own, valour, knowers - assertive; samyuge= in brawl; ripuuNaam dharSitam shrutvaa= of enemies, daring, on hearing; na marSayanti= will not, tolerate; strii samakSam visheSataH= ladies, presence, especially.

"One who is assertive of his own valour will not tolerate to hear enemy's daring in a brawl, that too in the presence of ladies." So said Rama to Sugreeva. [4-14-18b, 19a]

sa tu raama vacaH shrutvaa sugriivo hemapi.ngalaH || 4-14-19
nanarda kruura naadena vinirbhindan iva ambaram |

19b, 20a. hema pingalaH= one who has golden, yellow in hue; saH sugriivaH= that, Sugreeva; raama vacaH shrutvaa= Rama's, words, on hearing; ambaram vi+nir +bhindan= very, completely, to rend; iva= as though; kruura naadena nanarda= with a gruesome, blare, blared.

On hearing the words of Rama he that Sugreeva with golden yellow complexion blared a gruesome blare as though to completely rend the sky. [4-14-19b, 20a]

tatra shabdena vitrastaa gaavo yaanti hataprabhaaH || 4-14-20
raajadoSa paraamR^iSTaaH kulastriya iva aakulaaH |

20b, 21a. tatra= there; shabdena vitrastaa= by sound, highly scared; gaavaH= cows; yaanti hata prabhaaH= are running, marred, in their splendour; raaja doSa= king, at fault [misrule]; paraa mR^iSTaaH= by outsiders - invaders, mishandled – ill-treated; kula striya iva= well-born, ladies, like; aakulaaH= perturbed; [dudrave= fled helter-skelter.]

By that sound of Sugreeva the splendour of cows is marred and they are running helter-skelter like the well-born ladies who are mishandled by invaders due to the misrule of their own king. [4-14-20b, 21a]

dravanti ca mR^igaaH shiighram bhagnaa;iva raNe hayaaH |
patanti ca khagaa bhuumau kSiiNa puNyaa iva grahaaH || 4-14-21

21b, c. raNe bhagnaa hayaaH iva= in war, broken - defeated, horses, like; mR^igaaH shiighram dravanti= deer, hurriedly, fleeing; kSiiNa puNyaa grahaaH iva= diminished, merit, planets/stars, as if; khagaa bhuumau patanti ca= bird, onto ground, falling, also.

And deer are hurriedly fleeing like war worsted horses, and the sky-flying birds are falling to ground like planets or stars when their merit diminishes. [4-14-21b, c]

Sugreeva's blare made the mild cows, which so far not habituated to such sounds run hither and thither like horses. And they the running of cows also look like the scramble of well-born ladies when they are ill-treated, handling by their braids, by the invaders who conquer the kingdom due to the misrule of the king in throne. The deer is famous for speedy springing. But the noise made by Sugreeva impaired the faculty of springing of deer and the deer are now limping to flee like impaired war-horses in the war field. Some translations say the impairment is for horses. The sky flying birds need not touch the ground but they are now falling onto the ground due to the impact of the sound made by Sugreeva. Their falling is like the meteors falling onto ground. It is said that every liberated soul becomes a star in the sky, like the star of North Pole, dhruva tara . So also the planets and stars are the liberated soul of eminent saints or sages. Thus the falling of birds is compared to the falling of stars, planets, or meteors. This expression is shleSa with kaanti guNa ; Metaphoric colligates.

tataH sa jiimuuta kR^ita praNaado
naadam hi amu.ncat tvarayaa pratiitaH |
suuryaatmajaH shaurya vivR^iddha tejaaH
sarit patirvaa anila ca.ncala uurmiH || 4-14-22

22. tataH= then; suurya aatmajaH= Sun's, son; pratiitaH= well known; for jiimuuta kR^ita praNaadaH= like a cloud, who can make, great sounds; shaurya vivR^iddha tejaaH= by bravery, reinforced, vigour; anila cancala uurmiH= by air, drifted, waves; sarit patiH iva= rivers', husband [ocean] like; tvarayaa naadam amuncat hi= promptly, sound, he released, indeed.

Sugreeva, the son of Sun, who is well-known for cloud like thundering, and whose vigour is now reinforced by his bravery, then promptly released an oceanic roar like an ocean with splashing waves drifted by gales. [4-14-22]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe caturdashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 14th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 15

Introduction

Lady Tara is entered here. She is the granddaughter of Brihaspati, the Jupiter and wife of Vali and she is one of the exemplary females in this epic. She is entered only thrice in the vast of this epic, presently here, next at the fall of Vali and later to pacify the ire of Lakshmana. But her personality for analytical intelligence does not exit from the minds of readers. Here she advises Vali not to confront Sugreeva, as long as Rama stands guard to him. Further she says after a logical discourse and reasons, why not Sugreeva be made the Prince Regent of Kishkindha, even at this juncture, where she foresees a calamity to Vali. But Vali, maddened in his intellect by his brawny might slights her far fetching advice

atha tasya ninaadam tam sugriivasya mahaatmanaH |
shushraava antaHpura gato vaalii bhraatur amarSaNaH || 4-15-1

1. tataH= then; mahaatmanaH bhraatuH tasya sugriivasya= great-souled [plain-spoken] one, brother's, his, Sugreeva's; tam ninaadam= that, outcry; antaHpura gataH= to palace chambers, one who is in; amarSaNaH= illiberal one; vaalii shushraava= Vali, clearly heard.

Then the illiberal Vali has clearly heard that outcry of his plain-spoken brother Sugreeva from his palace chambers. [4-15-1]

shrutvaa tu tasya ninadam sarvabhuuta praka.mpanam |
madaH ca ekapade naSTaH krodhaH ca aapaadito mahaan || 4-15-2

2. tasya= his [Sugreeva's]; sarva bhuuta pra kampanam= all, beings, highly, shuddering; ninadam shrutvaa= outcry, on hearing; eka pade= in a trice; madaH ca naSTaH= [Vali's,] insolence, is diminished; mahaan krodhaH aapaaditaH ca= high, furore, superimposed, also.

On hearing Sugreeva's outcry that is shuddering all beings Vali's insolence is diminished as high furore superimposed on it. [4-15-2]

tato roSa pariita a.ngo vaalii sa kanaka prabhaH |
uparak{}ta iva aadityaH sadyo niSprabhataam gataH || 4-15-3

3. tataH= then; roSa pariita angaH= embitterment, overspreading, on limbs; saH vaalii= he, that Vali; kanaka prabhaH= one in golden, hue; uparakta aadityaH iva= eclipsed / after sunset, sun, like; sadyaH niS prabhataam gataH= immediately, without, luminosity, went into [rendered as.]

Then, embitterment overspreading on all his limbs Vali with golden-hue is immediately rendered non-luminous like the eclipsed sun. [4-15-3]

vaalii da.mSTraa karaalaH tu krodhaad diipta agni locanaH |
bhaati utpatita padmaabhaH samR^iNaala iva hradaH || 4-15-4

4. damSTraa karaalaH= with teeth, asymmetrical; krodhaat= by fury; diipta agni locanaH= burning, fire like, eyed; vaalii= Vali; ut patita padma aabhaH= [like] up, rooted, lotuses, in shine; sa mR^iNaala hradaH iva= with, stalks, lake, like bhaati= he shone forth.

With asymmetrical teeth and with burning fireball like eyes Vali is reflective of a lake whose red-lotuses are uprooted leaving stalks afloat. [4-15-4]

Vali's aspect is like a lake into which an elephant on its entry creates turmoil and uproots its red-lotuses, thus leaving the pond with their stalks afloat and its clear water turning reddish due to the elephant's heaving of the slushy red-mud. Maheshvara Tiirtha.

shabdam durmarSaNam shrutvaa niSpapaata tato hariH |
vegena ca pada nyaasair daarayan iva mediniim || 4-15-5

5. tataH= then; hariH= monkey Vali; shrutvaa dur marSaNam shabdam= on hearing, not, tolerable, noise; vegena pada nyaasaiH= speedily, by foot, placing [thumping feet]; mediniim daarayan iva= earth, shattering, as though; niSpapaata= bolted out.

That monkey Vali then on hearing that intolerable noise bolted out of palace chambers thumping his feet as though to shatter the earth. [4-15-5]

tam tu taaraa pariSvajya snehaad darshita sauhR^idaa |
uvaaca trasta sa.mbhraa.ntaa hita udarkam idam vacaH || 4-15-6

6. taaraa= Lady Tara; tam snehaat pariSvajya= him, in amity, on hugging; darshita sauhR^idaa= one who has shown, good will; trasta sambhraantaa= in fear, bewildered; hita udarkam idam vacaH= beneficial, futurity, this, word; uvaaca= said.

His wife Tara stepped in and showing goodwill and amity hugged him, for she is in fear and bewilderment, and said this word that is beneficial in its futurity if Vali heeds it. [4-15-6]

saadhu krodham imam viira nadii vegam iva aagatam |
shayanaad utthitaH kaalyam tyaja bhuk{}taam iva srajam || 4-15-7

7. viira= oh, brave one; nadii vegam iva aagatam= river's, speediness [gush,] like, that came; imam krodham= this, anger; kaalyam= in early hours; shayanaat utthitaH= from bed, on getting up; bhuktaam srajam iva= enjoyed, chaplet, like; saadhu tyaja= gently, leave off.

"Oh brave one, you better gently leave off this anger that is coming on like a gushing river as is done with an enjoyed chaplet on getting up from bed in early hours. [4-15-7]

kaalyam etena sa.mgraamam kariSyasi ca vaanara |
viira te shatru baahulyam phalgutaa vaa na vidyate || 4-15-8

8. vaanara= oh, monkey; etena kaalyam samgraamam kariSyasi= with him, in early hours / or at appropriate time, fighting, you can do; viira= oh brave one; te shatru baahulyam= to you, enemies, divers; phalgutaa vaa na vidyate= [your valour] trivialised, or, not, evident.

"Oh, monkey, you can fight with him in early hours of tomorrow, oh, brave one, evidently you neither have divers enemies nor your valour is trivialised."

Or

"You can fight with him at appropriate time, thereby your enemy is neither glorified nor you are trivialised evidently, for you are a braving one. [4-15-8]

Fighting on next day morning means that Sugreeva has come in the evening time. This is not accepted by some and they give meaning to the word kaalyam differently.

sahasaa tava niSkraamo mama taavat na rocate |
shruuyataam abhidhaasyaami yan nimittam nivaaryate || 4-15-9

9. sahasaa tava niSkraamaH= quickly, your, exiting; mama na rocate taavat= for me, not, pleasing - disagreeable; yan nimittam nivaaryate= by what, reason, you are dissuaded; shruuyataam abhidhaasyaami= let it be heard, I will tell.

"Your quick exiting is disagreeable for me, and what for you are dissuaded that may be listened as I tell. [4-15-9]

puurvam aapatitaH krodhaat sa tvaam aahvayate yudhi |
niSpatya ca nirastaH te hanyamaano disho gataH || 4-15-10

10. puurvam krodhaat aa patitaH= earlier, in anger came, falling on – came assaulting; tvaam yudhi aahvayate= you, for fight, he is inviting; te= to you [by you]; niS patya= on going out; nirastaH= defeated – made a nonentity; hanyamaanH dishaH gataH= by you, being battered, into directions, fled.

"Earlier Sugreeva came assaulting and inviting you for a combat, and you also have gone out and rendered him as a nonentity, and being battered by you he fled in all directions. [4-15-10]

tvayaa tasya nirastasya piiDitasya visheSataH |
iha etya punar aahvaanam sha.nkaam janayati iva me || 4-15-11

11. tvayaa= by you; nirastasya= who is undone; visheSataH piiDitasya= especially, tortured; tasya= such a one; iha punaH etya= to here, again, on coming,; aahvaanam= inviting you – for duel; me shankaam janayati iva= to me, doubt, causing, like that.

"He who is undone earlier by you, particularly after torturing by you, his coming here again and inviting you for a duel is causing a doubt in me. [4-15-11]

darpaH ca vyavasaayaH ca yaadR^ishaH tasya nardataH |
ninaadasya ca sa.mra.mbho na etat alpam hi kaaraNam || 4-15-12

12. nardataH= one who is shouting; tasya darpaH ca= his, arrogance, also; vyavasaayaH ca= endeavour, also; ninaadasya ca samrambhaH= furore's, also, rampage; etat alpam kaaraNam na hi= all this, with trivial, reason, not, isn't it.

"The arrogance and endeavour of the shouter, and even the rampage of his furore, all these will not have a trivial reason, isn't it. [4-15-12]

na asahaayam aham manye sugriivam tam iha aagatam |
avaSTabdha sahaayaH ca yam aashritya eSa ga.rjati || 4-15-13

13. iha aagatam tam sugriivam= to here, who came, that, Sugreeva is; a + sahaayam aham= not, assisted; na manye= not, I think; avaSTabdha sahaayaH ca= foregathering [unflinching,] support, also; yam aashritya eSaH garjati= whom, depending on, he is [Sugreeva is,] roaring.

"I do not think that Sugreeva has come here unaccompanied, and on whom he is dependant must be an unflinching support foregathered by Sugreeva. [4-15-13]

prakR^ityaa nipuNaH caiva buddhimaan caiva vaanaraH |
na apariikSita viiryeNa sugriivaH sakhyam eSyati || 4-15-14

14. prakR^ityaa nipuNaH caiva= by nature, [Sugreeva is] an expert, also thus; buddhimaan= clever one; vaanaraH= that monkey [Sugreeva]; a + pariikSita viiryeNa= without, examining, mettle; sugriivaH sakhyam= Sugreeva, friendship; na eSyati= will not, engage [in friendship.]

"By his nature Sugreeva is an expert and even so a clever one, and he does not enter into friendship with anyone without examining his mettle. [4-15-14]

puurvam eva mayaa viira shrutam kathayato vacaH |
a.ngadasya kumaarasya vakSyaami adya hitam vacaH || 4-15-15

15. viira= oh, brave one; puurvam eva kathayataH= already, only, [to me] told - briefed; kumaarasya angadasya vacaH= [our] son by Angada's, word - information; maya shrutam= by me, heard; hitam vacaH adya vakSyaami= helpful, word, now, I will tell.

"I am already briefed by our son Angada's information, and what I have heard I will now relate that helpful word to you. [4-15-15]

a.ngadaH tu kumaro ayam vanaa.ntam upanirgataH |
pravR^ittiH tena kathitaa caaraiH asiit niveditaa || 4-15-16

16. kumaraH ayam angadaH tu= son, this, Angada, but; vana antam upanirgataH= in forest, interior, [went and] came out of; tena pravR^ittiH kathitaa= by him, an account, is said; caaraiH niveditaa asiit= by spies, reported, it is.

"Son Angada said this account when he returned from forests, and to him spies are said to have reported this. [4-15-16]

ayodhya adhipateH putrau shuurau samara durjayau |
ikshvaakuuNaam kule jaatau prathitau raama lakshmaNau || 4-15-17
sugriiva priya kaamaartham praaptau tatra duraasadau |

17, 18a. ikshvaakuuNaam kule jaatau= Ikshvaku, dynasty, born in; ayodhya adhipateH putrau= Ayodhya's, king's, two sons; shuurau= valiant ones; samara dur jayau= in war, not, conquerable ones; raama lakshmaNau= Rama, Lakshmana; prathitau= are available [and moving in this country]; dur aasadau= those two being not, assailable ones; sugriiva priya kaama artham= Sugreeva's, longing, desire, to fulfil; tatra praaptau= there [at Sugreeva's place Rishyamuka,] arrived.

"Those that are born in Ikshvaku dynasty, sons of the king of Ayodhya, valiant and unconquerable ones in war, called Rama and Lakshmana are there in this country. These two unassailable ones have chanced there at Sugreeva's place to fulfil the longing desire of Sugreeva. [4-15-17, 18a]

sa te bhraatur hi vikhyaataH sahaayo raNa ka.rmaNi || 4-15-18
raamaH para balamardii yugaanta agniH iva utthitaH |

18b, 19a. raNa karmaNi vikhyaataH= in war, works, acclaimed one; utthitaH yuga anta agniH iva= flared up, era, end of, fire, like; para bala mardii= other's [enemy's,] strength, shatterer of; saH raamaH= that, Rama; te bhraatuH sahaayaH hi= your, brother's, helpmate, they say so.

"He is an acclaimed one for his warfare, and like the fire flaring up at the end of era he shatters the strength of enemies, and he is Rama your brother's helpmate, they say so. [4-15-18b, 19a]

nivaasa vR^ikSaH saadhuunaam aapannaanaam paraa gatiH | 4-15-19
aartaanaam sa.mshrayaH caiva yashasaH ca eka bhaajanam |

19b, 20a. saadhuunaam nivaasa vR^ikSaH= for the polite, a habitable, tree; aapannaanaam paraa gatiH= for woebegone, ultimate, course; aartaanaam sam shrayaH caiva= for agonised, a good, hospice; yashasaH ca eka bhaajanam= for grace, also, the only, abode.

"And he is said to the habitable tree for the polite, the ultimate course for the woebegone, a hospice for the agonised, and for grace Rama is the only abode. [4-15-19b, 20a]

j~naana vij~naana sa.mpanno nidesho nirataH pituH || 4-15-20
dhaatuunaam iva shailendro guNaanaam aakaro mahaan |

20b, 21. j~naana vi j~naana sampannaH= knowledge [of mundane things,] knowledge [of ultra-mundane things,] endowed with; pituH nideshaH nirataH [sthitaH= abides]= in father's, directive, always involved, [or, one who abides]; =; dhaatuunaam iva shaila indraH= for elements, like, mountain, the great –Himalayas; guNaanaam mahaan aakaraH= for merits, greatest, mine.

"He is endowed with the knowledge of mundane and ultra-mundane things, he always abides in the directives of his father, and as with Mt. Himalayas for all natural elements he is the greatest mine of merits. [4-15-20b, 21a]

tat kSamo na virodhaH te saha tena mahaatmanaa || 4-15-21
durjayena aprameyeNa raameNa raNa karmasu |

21b, 22a. tat= by that reason; mahaatmanaa= with great souled one; raNa karmasu durjayena= in conflicts, unconquerable one; a + prameyeNa= not, estimable - imponderable one; saha tena raameNa= with that, Rama; te virodhaH na kSamaH= your, enmity, not, admissible – inadmissible, inappropriate, inapposite.

"By that reason, with that unconquerable on in conflicts, an imponderable one and a great-soul Rama, your enmity is inapposite. [4-15-21b, 22a]

For the above three stanzas very lengthy commentary is rendered of which some points are detailed here. Lady Tara is elucidating the whole being of Rama as gathered by her from her son Angada. The second foot of verse 19 starts with the words nivaasa vR^iksha a habitable tree; if it be asked why Rama is compared with a tree, then it is said that tree requires no formalities like 'may I come in...' or 'rights of admission reserved...' etc., as with any other house or habitation, for taking hold of its shade. A tree first gives its shade to the traveller who seeks it and then affords its fruits or flowers satisfying the basic needs of the needy. So Rama is such a tree that protects and nourishes, should anybody seek his grace.

Next is saadhuunaam for polite supplicants he is the ultimate course. Tara is saying indirectly that Vali is not at all polite in treating Sugreeva either as crown prince of Kishkindha or as his own younger brother. As such Vali cannot supplicate to Rama at this stage for his impoliteness to Sugreeva and to Ruma, wife of Sugreeva, which is intolerable to Rama, and hence Vali shall not confront Rama. aartaanaam for earnest and anguished supplicants Rama is the ultimate recourse. This is what later said in Bhagavat Gita at 9-22, yoga skhemam vahamyaham... Vali may dismiss this idea saying that 'if Rama is the ultimate course for the polite supplicants, I have my recourse to other supreme lords, i.e., none other than Indra, my father...' And for this Tara is supplementing her thought in saying, yashasaH ca eka bhaajanaH the grace Rama is the only ultimate abode, where Indra and others are but penultimate. Hence as long as Rama is standing guard to Sugreeva, Sugreeva cannot be trivialised and this again as said in Bhagavad Gita, na me bhaktaH praNashyati... at 9-31.

Alternately, it is again as said later in Gita at 7-16 that chaturvidhaa bhajante maam... 'four kinds of devotees worship me...' Those four are, one who is seeking knowledge saadhuunaam; those that are interested in salvation, kaivalya kaamuka; like King Priikshit. One seeking of material gains aapannaanaam; those that seek the material gains that were not there previously to them, also called artha ardhii; like Sugreeva, Dhruva. One who is distraught aartaanaam; those that are in anguish like Gajendra, the Elephant caught in lake by crocodile in gajendra moksha. And the fourthly one who is a wise person yashasaH j~naani; gloriously enlightened one, like Shuka, Sanaka, Naarada, Bhiishma, Prahlada. And this wise one is impossible to exist and if he is there 'he is my soul j~naanii tu aatmaiva me matam...' Gita 7-18.For all these four kinds Rama is ...eka bhaajanam..., the only recourse.

Next is j~naana, vij~naana sampatti In that j~naana is privy to the materialistic, worldly, kingly affairs. vij~naana is the knowledge derived from the scriptures, providentially profound. Or, through karmadhaaraya, j~naanaH ca asau vij~naa sampannaH ca... corporeally he is the knowledge, and spiritually he is gnostic as well. Hence he is the phenomenon of the Supreme Being in maintaining dharma. In order to maintain that dharma Rama is now observant of his father's orders pituH nideshe nirataH. This pursuit of father's orders is but one of the many other attributes of his dharma, and that alone is said here as secondary attribute, upa lakshaNa. Hence in pursuing his dharma Rama may eradicate adharma of Vali, insofar as Vali's misdemeanours towards Sugreeva and his wife Ruma are concerned. guNaanaam aakaraH; with his auspicious merits he is a Great Mine. Usually these guNa-s, attributs of Vishnu are six as per Vaishnavaite classification, con solidating them as ShaDguNa sampatti , which are aishvarya, viirya, yashas, shrii, j~naana, vairaagya. And there are many more in the depth of the soul of Rama hitherto unexcavated. As such, there are innumerable and auspicious elements, or merits, in him dhaatuunaam shailendraH. These elements neither subdivide nor shake him off his Himalayan personality, in the pursuit to establish dharma.

shuura vakSyaami te ki.mcin na ca icChaami abhyasuuyitum || 4-15-22
shruuyataam kriyataam caiva tava vakSyaami yad hitam |

22b, 23a. shuura= oh, dauntless one; te kimcit vakSyaami= to you, a little, I will say; abhyasuuyitum= you to find fault in good merits, you to become overcritical; na ca icChaami= not, also, I wish; tava hitam yat vaksyaami= to you, what that is beneficial, that, I am saying; shruuyataam= be heard; kriyataam caiva= be done, also.

"Oh dauntless one, I tell you this much that you shall not become overcritical of him, and what I say is beneficial to you that may now be listened and even implemented. [4-15-22b, 23a]

yauvaraajyena sugriivam tuurNam saadhu abhiSecaya || 4-15-23
vigraham maa kR^ithaa viira bhraatraa raajan yaviiyasaa |

23b, 24a. viira=oh, resolute one; raajan= oh, king; tuurNam= quickly; sugriivam= Sugreeva be; yauvaraajyena= as prince regent; saadhu abhiSecaya= gently - decorously, anoint; yaviiyasaa bhraatraa= with younger, brother; vigraham maa kR^ithaa= hostility, not, be made.

"Oh, king, let Sugreeva be decorously and quickly anointed as prince regent, and oh, resolute one, let there be no hostility to your own younger brother. [4-15-23b, 24a]

aham hi te kSamam manye tena raameNa sauhR^idam || 4-15-24
sugriiveNa ca sa.mpriitim vairam utsR^ijya duurataH |

24b, 25a. vairam duurataH utsR^ijya= enmity, far away, discard; sugriiveNa sampriitim= with Sugreeva, harmony - unanimity; tena raameNa sauhR^idam= with him, Rama, solidarity; te kSamam aham manye hi= to you, appropriate, I, deem, in effect.

"Achieving unanimity with Sugreeva and solidarity with Rama by discarding enmity, in effect is appropriate for you, thus I deem. [4-15-24b, 25a]

laalaniiyo hi te bhraataa yaviiyaan eSa vaanaraH || 4-15-25
tatra vaa sannihastho vaa sarvathaa bandhuH eva te |

25b, 26a. yaviiyaan bhraataa= younger, brother; eSa vaanaraH= this, monkey Sugreeva; te laalaniiyaH hi= to you, to be keen about him, isn't it; tatra san vaa= there, he is, either; iha sthaH vaa= here, he is there, or; sarvathaa te bandhuH eva= in any way, kinsman, just, of yours.

"This Sugreeva is your younger brother and you should be keen about him, isn't it... and whether he is here or there in Rishyamuka he is just your brother. [4-15-25b, 26a]

nahi tena samam bandhum bhuvi pashyaami ki.mcana || 4-15-26
daana maanaadi satkarraiH kuruSva pratyanantaram |
vairam etat sam ut.hsrR^ijya tava paarshve sa tiSThatu || 4-15-27

26b, 27. tena samam bandhum= his, coequal, kindred spirit; kimcana= anyone; bhuvi na pashyaami hi= on earth, not, I see, indeed; etat vairam samutsrR^ijya= all this, enmity, completely leaving off; daana maana aadi satkarraiH= with bestowals, felicitations, and the like, honours; prati anantaram= like one who is very close / like one who is your legatee; kuruSva= you make; saH tava paarshve tiSThatu= him, by your, side, be kept.

"Indeed, I do not see anyone on earth a coequal to him in kindred spirit, hence leave off this enmity and honour him with bestowals and felicitations as an insider, and retain him at your side. [4-15-26b, 27]

sugriivo vipula griivo mahaabandhuH mataH tava |
bhraatR^i sauhR^idam aala.mbya na anyaa gati iha asti te || 4-15-28

28. vipula griivaH= broad, throated – boisterously, voiced; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; tava mahaa bandhuH mataH= your, an excellent, kinsman, accepted as – indisputable kinsman; bhraatR^i sauhR^idam aalambya= brother's, fondness, brace yourself; te iha anyaa gati na asti= to you, now, another, way out, is not, there.

"That boisterously voiced Sugreeva is indisputably an excellent kinsman of yours, and hence brace yourself with the fondness of brotherhood, as there is no other way out to you. [4-15-28]

yadi te mat priyam kaaryam yadi ca avaiSi maam hitaam |
yaacyamaanaH priyatvena saadhu vaakyam kuruSva me || 4-15-29

29. te mat priyam kaaryam [aveSi] yadi= to you, to me, dear, deed [if you consider,] if; maam hitaam avaiSi yadi ca= me, as expedient, means of attaining an end, [if you] believe, if; priyatvena= in loving attachment; yaacyamaanaH= you are being begged; me vaakyam saadhu kuruSva= my, word [of advise,] simply, you make happen.

"If you look upon to do my favoured deed, and if you look upon me as an expedient one, I beg of you in our loving attachment that my gentle word of advise be done. [4-15-29]

prasiida pathyam shruNu jalpitam hi me
na roSam eva anuvidhaatum arhasi |
kshamo hi te koshala raaja suununaa
na vigrahaH shakra sama tejasaa || 4-15-30

30. prasiida= be graceful; shruNu me pathyam jalpitam= listen, to my, expedient, small talk; roSam eva= rancour, alone; anuvidhaatum na arhasi= to follow up, not, becoming of you; shakra sama tejasaa= with Indra, equal, in dynamism; koshala raaja suununaa= with Kosala, king's, son; te vigrahaH na kshamaH hi= to you, confrontation, not, pardonable, indeed.

"Be graceful and it behove you to listen to my small but expedient talk, and following up rancour alone is unbecoming of you, thereby your confrontation with the Prince of Kosala will be unpardonable for his dynamism equals that of Indra." Thus Tara spoke to her husband Vali. [4-15-30]

tadaa hi taaraa hitam eva vaakyam
tam vaalinam pathyam idam babhaaSe |
na rocate tad vacanam hi tasya
kaala abhipannasya vinaasha kaale || 4-15-31

31. tadaa hi taaraa= then, indeed, Tara; tam vaalinam= to him, Vali; hitam pathyam= beneficial, advisable [though]; idam vaakyam babhaaSe= this, sentence, spoke; kaala abhipannasya= by fatality, impounded; tasya= to him to Vali; vinaasha kale= at doom, time; tat vacanam na rocate= that, word, is not, impressive.

Then, though Tara spoke beneficial and advisable words they are unimpressive to Vali for he is impounded by fatality and driven by time to his doom. [4-15-31]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe pa.ncadashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 15th 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