Chapter [Sarga] 9

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 capabilities.

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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.