Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
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.
©2000, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao, [Revised : March, '04]