Valmiki Ramayana - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

सर्वे ते त्वरितम् गत्वा किष्किन्धाम् वालिनः पालिताम्
वृक्षैर् आत्मानम् आवृत्य व्यतिष्ठन् गहने वने

sarve te tvaritam gatvā kiṣkindhām vālinaḥ pālitām
vṛkṣair ātmānam āvṛtya vyatiṣṭhan gahane vane

SYNONYMS

te sarve vālinaḥ purīm kiṣkindhām: they, all, to Vali's, city, to Kishkindha | tvaritam gatvā: quickly, on going | gahane vane vṛkṣaiḥ ātmānam āvṛtya = in thickets, of forests, vith trīs, themselves, covering [themselves: camouflaging] | atiṣṭhan: stayed waited on. |

TRANSLATION

They all on quickly going to Kishkindha, the city of Vali, hedged themselves in the thickets of forest trees and waited. [4-14-1]

VERSE 2

विसार्य सर्वतो दृष्टिम् कानने कानन प्रियः
सुग्रीवो विपुल ग्रीवः क्रोधम् आहारयद् भृशम्

visārya sarvato dṛṣṭim kānane kānana priyaḥ
sugrīvo vipula grīvaḥ krodham āhārayad bhṛśam

SYNONYMS

kānana priyaḥ: forest, lover | vipula grīvaḥ sugrīvaḥ: tumultuous, voiced one, Sugreeva | kānane sarvataḥ dṛṣṭim visārya: in forest, everywhere, his sight, on spreading out | bhṛśam krodham āhārayat: tremendous, fury, he assumed. |

TRANSLATION

That forest lover with tumultuous voice Sugreeva cast his eye everywhere and assumed tremendous fury. [4-14-2]

VERSE 3

ततः तु निनदम् घोरम् कृत्वा युद्धाय च आह्वयत्
परिवारैः परिवृतो नादैर् भिन्दन् इव अंबरम्

tataḥ tu ninadam ghoram kṛtvā yuddhāya ca āhvayat
parivāraiḥ parivṛto nādair bhindan iva aṃbaram

SYNONYMS

parivāraiḥ parivṛtaḥ: with his followers, encompassed by | tataḥ nādaiḥ: then, with shouting | ambaram bhindan iva: sky, ripping, as though | vāyu vega purassaraḥ: by air's, dash, accelerated | mahā meghaḥ iva garjan: great cloud, like, thundering | , ghoram ninadam kṛtvā = ghastly, noise: war-whoop, on making | yuddhāya ca ahvayat: for fight, also invited. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 4

अथ बालार्क सदृशो दृप्त सिम्ह गतिः ततः

atha bālārka sadṛśo dṛpta simha gatiḥ tataḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 5

हरि वागुरया व्याप्तम् तप्त कांचन तोरणाम्

hari vāgurayā vyāptam tapta kāṃcana toraṇām

SYNONYMS

b, 6a| hari vāgurayā vyāptām: monkey's, by snares, she who is spread out [Kishkindha] | tapta kāncana toraṇām: burnt [purified] golden, [decorated with] having arch-ways | dhvaja yantra āḍhyām: flags, machinery, impregnated with | vālinaḥ purīm kiṣkindhām prāptāḥ sma: Vali's, city, at Kishkindha, arrived, we are. |

TRANSLATION

" 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]

VERSE 6

प्रतिज्ञा या कृता वीर त्वया वालि वधे पुरा

pratijñā yā kṛtā vīra tvayā vāli vadhe purā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"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]

PURPORT

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.

VERSE 7

एवम् उक्तः तु धर्मात्मा सुग्रीवेण स राघवः

evam uktaḥ tu dharmātmā sugrīveṇa sa rāghavaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

When thus said by Sugreeva that enemy-destroyer and righteous Raghava said this word Sugreeva. [4-14-7b, 8a]

VERSE 8

कृत अभिज्ञान चिह्नः त्वम् अनया गज साह्वया

kṛta abhijñāna cihnaḥ tvam anayā gaja sāhvayā

SYNONYMS

b, 9a| [yā: by which] | eṣā lakśmaṇena samutpāṭya: this, by Lakshmana, on plucking out | tava kaṇṭhe kṛtā = at neck, of yours, is made: what for it is garlanded | anayā gaja sāhvayā: by this, gaja-flower, creeper-garland | tvam kṛta abhijñāna cihnaḥ: you are, made, identification, is marked. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 9

सोभासे अपि अधिकम् वीर लतया कण्ठसक्तया

sobhāse api adhikam vīra latayā kaṇṭhasaktayā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"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]

PURPORT

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. 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: 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.

VERSE 10

अद्य वालि समुत्थम् ते भयम् वैरम् च वानर

adya vāli samuttham te bhayam vairam ca vānara

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 11

मम दर्शय सुग्रीव वैरिणम् भ्रातृ रूपिणम्

mama darśaya sugrīva vairiṇam bhrātṛ rūpiṇam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 12

यदि दृष्टि पथम् प्राप्तो जीवन् स विनिवर्तते

yadi dṛṣṭi patham prāpto jīvan sa vinivartate

SYNONYMS

b, 13a| dṛṣṭi patham prāptaḥ: [my] sight, in the way, he gets [should I catch sight of him] | saḥ jīvan vinivartate yadi: [and if] he, to live, returns, if | tataḥ bhavān: then, you can | sadyaḥ: immediately | mā doṣeṇa gacchet: me, with fault, you can find fault with me | mām garhet ca: me, you can deride, also. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 13

प्रत्यक्षम् सप्त ते साला मया बाणेन दारिताः

pratyakṣam sapta te sālā mayā bāṇena dāritāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 14

अनृतम् न उक्त पूर्वम् मे चिरम् कृच्छ्रे अपि तिष्ठता

anṛtam na ukta pūrvam me ciram kṛcchre api tiṣṭhatā

SYNONYMS

b, 15a| kṛcchre ciram tiṣṭhatā api = in distress, for a long time, situated in: involved in, even if | dharma lobha parītena = rectitude, in the interest of, bound by: bound by the anxiousness to implement righteousness | me anṛtam na ukta pūrvam: by me, untruth, not, spoken, earlier | kathancana na ca vakṣye: in anywise, not, also, going to be said. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 15

सफलाम् च करिष्यामि प्रतिज्ञाम् जहि संभ्रमम्

saphalām ca kariṣyāmi pratijñām jahi saṃbhramam

SYNONYMS

b, 16a| śatakratuḥ varṣeṇa prasūtam kalama kṣetre iva: Indra [fructifies,] by rain, sprouted, rice, field, as with | pratijñām saphalām kariṣyāmi = promise, fructify: will make happen, I will do | jahi sambhramam: kill, perplexity. |

TRANSLATION

"As Indra fructifies the sprouted paddy field I will make happen my promise, hence leave off your perplexity." [4-14-15b, 16a]

VERSE 16

तद् आह्वान निमित्तम् च वालिनो हेममालिनः

tad āhvāna nimittam ca vālino hemamālinaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 17

जितकाशी जयश्लाघी त्वया च अधर्षितः पुरात्

jitakāśī jayaślāghī tvayā ca adharṣitaḥ purāt

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"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]

PURPORT

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 dvaaram uparudhya vyuthaaya bahir aagaccheti samud ghoShaya | tadasahamaano vaali yuddha sannadho bahir nirgacched eva --- iti raama vacanam - dharmaakuutam

VERSE 18

रिपूणाम् धर्षितम् श्रुत्वा मर्षयन्ति न संयुगे

ripūṇām dharṣitam śrutvā marṣayanti na saṃyuge

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 19

स तु राम वचः श्रुत्वा सुग्रीवो हेमपिंगलः

sa tu rāma vacaḥ śrutvā sugrīvo hemapiṃgalaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 20

तत्र शब्देन वित्रस्ता गावो यान्ति हतप्रभाः

tatra śabdena vitrastā gāvo yānti hataprabhāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 21

द्रवन्ति च मृगाः शीघ्रम् भग्ना;इव रणे हयाः
पतन्ति च खगा भूमौ क्षीण पुण्या इव ग्रहाः

dravanti ca mṛgāḥ śīghram bhagnā;iva raṇe hayāḥ
patanti ca khagā bhūmau kṣīṇa puṇyā iva grahāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, c| raṇe bhagnā hayāḥ iva = in var, broken: defeated, horses, like | mṛgāḥ śīghram dravanti: deer, hurriedly, fleeing | kṣīṇa puṇyā grahāḥ iva: diminished, merit, planets/stars, as if | khagā bhūmau patanti ca: bird, onto ground, falling, also. |

TRANSLATION

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]

PURPORT

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.

VERSE 22

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे चतुर्दशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe caturdaśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

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]