Chapter 9

Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

VERSE 1

वाली नाम मम भ्राता ज्येष्ठः शत्रु निषूदनः
पितुः बहुमतः नित्यम् मम च अपि तथा पुरा

vālī nāma mama bhrātā jyeṣṭhaḥ śatru niṣūdanaḥ
pituḥ bahumataḥ nityam mama ca api tathā purā

SYNONYMS

śatru niṣūdanaḥ = oh, enemy, destroyer: Rama | vālī nāma mama jyeṣṭhaḥ bhrātā: Vali, named, my elder brother | pituḥ: to our father, bahumataH = very dear | nityam: always | purā: earlier | mama ca api: for me, to, even | tathā: like that. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 2

पितरि उपरते तस्मिन् ज्येष्ठो अयम् इति मंत्रिभिः
कपीनाम् ईश्वरो राज्ये कृतः परम सम्मतः

pitari uparate tasmin jyeṣṭho ayam iti maṃtribhiḥ
kapīnām īśvaro rājye kṛtaḥ parama sammataḥ

SYNONYMS

tasmin pitari uparate: that, father, on demise of | ayam jyeṣṭhaḥ iti: he is, elder one, thus deciding | rājye parama sammataḥ: in kingdom, immense, on glorification | mantribhiḥ kṛtaḥ: ministers, he is made as kapiinaam iishvaraH = for monkeys, king. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 3

राज्यम् प्रशासतः तस्य पितृ पैतामहम् महत्
अहम् सर्वेषु कालेषु प्रणतः प्रेष्यवत् स्थितः

rājyam praśāsataḥ tasya pitṛ paitāmaham mahat
aham sarveṣu kāleṣu praṇataḥ preṣyavat sthitaḥ

SYNONYMS

aham: I am | mahat pitṟ^u paitāmaham: great, father's, forefather's | rājyam: kingdom | praśāsataḥ: while ruling | tasya: to him | sarveṣu: in all | kāleṣu: times | praṇataḥ: bowed down | preṣyavat: like a servant | sthitaḥ: stood by. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 4

मायावी नाम तेजस्वी पूर्वजो दुन्दुभेः सुतः
तेन तस्य महद् वैरम् वालिनः स्त्री कृतम् पुरा

māyāvī nāma tejasvī pūrvajo dundubheḥ sutaḥ
tena tasya mahad vairam vālinaḥ strī kṛtam purā

SYNONYMS

dundubheḥ pūrvajaḥ: Dundubhi's, elder brother | [mayaḥ] sutaḥ: Maya's, son | māyāvī nāma tejasvī [āsīt]: Maayaavi, named, fierce one [was there] | purā tasya vālinaḥ: previously, with him, that Vali | tena: to him [to Dundubhi] | strī kṛtam: female, due to | mahat vairam: great enmity | [āsīt: was there.] |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 5

स तु सुप्ते जने रात्रौ किष्किन्धा द्वारम् आगतः
नर्दति स्म सुसम्रब्धो वालिनम् च आह्वयत् रणे

sa tu supte jane rātrau kiṣkindhā dvāram āgataḥ
nardati sma susamrabdho vālinam ca āhvayat raṇe

SYNONYMS

rātrau: in night | supte jane: while sleeping, people are | saḥ tu: he, but that Maayaavi | kiśkindhā dvāram āgataḥ: Kishkindha's, at the doors of, arrived | su samrabdhaḥ: very, blaring | nardati sma: shouting, he was | vālinam ca rane āhvayat: Vali is, invited, for a fight. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 6

प्रसुप्तः तु मम भ्राता नर्दितो भैरव स्वनम्
श्रुत्वा न ममृषे वाली निष्पपात जवात् तदा

prasuptaḥ tu mama bhrātā nardito bhairava svanam
śrutvā na mamṛṣe vālī niṣpapāta javāt tadā

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | pra suptaḥ tu: well, sleeping, but | mama bhrātā: my brother | narditaḥ bhairava svanam śrutvā: bellowing, in a clamouring voice, on hearing | na mamṛśe: not tolerated | javāt: speedily | niṣpapāta: fell out [ palace chambers,] came out. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 7

स तु वै निःसृतः क्रोधात् तम् हन्तुम् असुरोत्तमम्
वार्यमाणः ततः स्त्रीभिः मया च प्रणत आत्मना

sa tu vai niḥsṛtaḥ krodhāt tam hantum asurottamam
vāryamāṇaḥ tataḥ strībhiḥ mayā ca praṇata ātmanā

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | saḥ tu: he [Vali,] but | strībhiḥ: by women | praṇata ātmanā: bowing, themselves [while rquesting] | mayā ca: by me, also | vāryamāṇaḥ: though prevented | tam asurottamam: him, demon, the best | hantum: to kill | krodhāt: in anger | nihsṛtaḥ vai: came out, really. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 8

स तु निर्धूय सर्वान् नो निर्जगाम महाबलः
ततः अहम् अपि सौहार्दान् निःसृतः वालिना सह

sa tu nirdhūya sarvān no nirjagāma mahābalaḥ
tataḥ aham api sauhārdān niḥsṛtaḥ vālinā saha

SYNONYMS

saḥ tu: he, but | mahābalaḥ: greatly strengthened one | sarvān naḥ: all of us | nirdhūya: on spurning away | nirjagāma: forged ahead | tataḥ: then | aham api: I also | sauhārdāt: by predisposition | nihsṛtaḥ: started | vālinā saha: Vali, along with. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 9

स तु मे भ्रातरम् दृष्ट्वा माम् च दूरात् अवस्थितम्
असुरो जात संत्रासः प्रदुद्राव तदा भृशम्

sa tu me bhrātaram dṛṣṭvā mām ca dūrāt avasthitam
asuro jāta saṃtrāsaḥ pradudrāva tadā bhṛśam

SYNONYMS

saḥ tu: he, also | asuraḥ: the demon | me bhrātaram: my, brother | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | mām ca: me, also | dūrāt avasthitam: from a distance, coming on | tadā: then | jāta sam trāsaḥ: induced, with, fear | pra dudrāva: well, ran away | bhṛśam: quickly. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 10

तस्मिन् द्रवति संत्रस्ते हि आवाम् द्रुततरम् गतौ
प्रकाशः अपि कृतः मार्गः चन्द्रेण उद्गच्छता तदा

tasmin dravati saṃtraste hi āvām drutataram gatau
prakāśaḥ api kṛtaḥ mārgaḥ candreṇa udgacchatā tadā

SYNONYMS

sam traste: with, fear | tasmin: he | dravati: while running away | āvām: we two | druta taram: very quickly | gatau: followed | tadā: then | udgacchatā candreṇa mārgaḥ api prakāśaḥ kṛtaḥ: just arising, by moon, the way, even, to brightness, it is made [way is lit by moonlight alone.] |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 11

स तृणैः आवृतम् दुर्गम् धरण्या विवरम् महत्
प्रविवेश असुरः वेगात् आवाम् आसाद्य विष्ठितौ

sa tṛṇaiḥ āvṛtam durgam dharaṇyā vivaram mahat
praviveśa asuraḥ vegāt āvām āsādya viṣṭhitau

SYNONYMS

saḥ asuraḥ: he, that demon | dharaṇyā: in ground | dur gam: an un-enterable one | tṛṇaiḥ: with grass | āvṛtam: covered | mahat vivaram: a great, cleavage, cavity | vegāt: speedily | praviveśa: entered | āvām: we | āsādya: reached at [that cleavage] viSThitau = stood there [for a while.] |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 12

तम् प्रविष्टम् रिपुम् दृष्ट्वा बिलम् रोष वशम् गतः
माम् उवाच ततो वाली वचनम् क्षुभित इन्द्रियः

tam praviṣṭam ripum dṛṣṭvā bilam roṣa vaśam gataḥ
mām uvāca tato vālī vacanam kṣubhita indriyaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | bilam praviṣṭam tam ripum dṛṣṭvā: in the hole, entered, him, that enemy, on observing | roṣa vaśam gataḥ: fury's, enfold, gone into | kṣubhita indriyaḥ: one with outraged, senses | mām vacanam uvāca: to me, this sentence, said. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 13

इह तिष्ठ अद्य सुग्रीव बिल द्वारि समाहितः
यावत् अत्र प्रविश्य अहम् निहन्मि समरे रिपुम्

iha tiṣṭha adya sugrīva bila dvāri samāhitaḥ
yāvat atra praviśya aham nihanmi samare ripum

SYNONYMS

aham atra praviśya: I, into this, on entering | samare ripum yāvat nihanmi: in fight, enemy, till, I destroy [and come back] | samāhita: on the alert | adya: now | iha: here | bila dvāri: at hole's, entrance | tiṣṭha: you stay. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 14

मया तु एतत् वचः श्रुत्वा याचितः स परंतपः
शापयित्वा च माम् पद्भ्याम् प्रविवेश बिलम् ततः

mayā tu etat vacaḥ śrutvā yācitaḥ sa paraṃtapaḥ
śāpayitvā ca mām padbhyām praviveśa bilam tataḥ

SYNONYMS

etat vacaḥ śrutvā: those, words, on hearing | mayā tu param tapaḥ yācitaḥ: by me, but, great tormentor [of enemies,] is requested [for my entering the hole] | saḥ: he that Vali | mām padbhyām śāpayitvā: me, on his feet, made me to swear | tataḥ bilam praviveśa: then, the hole, he entered. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 15

तस्य प्रविष्टस्य बिलम् साग्रः संवत्सरः गतः
स्थितस्य च बिल द्वारि सः कालः व्यत्यवर्तत

tasya praviṣṭasya bilam sāgraḥ saṃvatsaraḥ gataḥ
sthitasya ca bila dvāri saḥ kālaḥ vyatyavartata

SYNONYMS

bilam praviṣṭasya tasya: cleavage, entered, to him | sa agraḥ: well, over | samvatsaraḥ: a year | gataḥ: is over | mama: me too | dvāri: at the entrance | sthitasya ca: stayed, also | saḥ: that | kālaḥ: time | vyatyavartata: passed away. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 16

अहम् तु नष्टम् तम् ज्ञात्वा स्नेहात् आगत संभ्रमः
भ्रातरम् न प्रपश्यामि पाप शङ्कि च मे मनः

aham tu naṣṭam tam jñātvā snehāt āgata saṃbhramaḥ
bhrātaram na prapaśyāmi pāpa śaṅki ca me manaḥ

SYNONYMS

aham tu: I, but | naṣṭam tam: lost, him | jñātvā: on knowing [on thinking] | snehāt: in fondness | āgata sambhramaḥ: came upon, alarm | bhrātaram: bother | na ca paśyāmi: not, also, able to see | me manaḥ pāpa śanki ca: my, mind, harm, doubting. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 17

अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य बिलात् तस्मात् विनिःसृतम्
सः फेनम् रुधिरम् दृष्ट्वा ततो अहम् भृशदुःखितः

atha dīrghasya kālasya bilāt tasmāt viniḥsṛtam
saḥ phenam rudhiram dṛṣṭvā tato aham bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ

SYNONYMS

atha: afterwards | dīrghasya kālasya: a long time | tasmāt: from that | bilāt: from hole | vi nisṛtam: well, gush out | sa phenam: with, foam | rudhiram: blood | dṛstvā: on seeing | tataḥ aham: then, I am | bhṛśa dukhitaḥ: deeply, saddened. |

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 18

नर्दताम् असुराणाम् च ध्वनिः मे श्रोत्रम् आगतः
न रस्तस्य च संग्रामे क्रोशतो अपि स्वनो गुरोः

nardatām asurāṇām ca dhvaniḥ me śrotram āgataḥ
na rastasya ca saṃgrāme krośato api svano guroḥ

SYNONYMS

nardatām: screams | asurāṇām ca: of the demon, also | dhvaniḥ: sounds | me śrotram āgataḥ: to my, ear, came | sangrāme ratasya: in fight, involved in | krośataḥ api: on who is screeching, even | guroḥ: of my brother | svanaḥ: sounds | na ca: not, even [heard.] |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 19

अहम् तु अवगतः बुद्ध्या चिह्नैः तैः भ्रातरम् हतम्
पिधाय च बिल द्वारम् शिलया गिरि मात्रया

aham tu avagataḥ buddhyā cihnaiḥ taiḥ bhrātaram hatam
pidhāya ca bila dvāram śilayā giri mātrayā

SYNONYMS

sakhe: oh, friend | aham tu: I, but | taiḥ cihnaiḥ: by those, indications | bhrātaram hatam buddhyā avagataḥ: brother, ended, with a mind, with thinking [infer doubtfully, surmised] | giri mātrayā śilayā: mountain, just in measure, with boulder | bila dvāram pidhāya ca: cavity's, entrance, on covering, even | śoka artaḥ ca udakam kṛtvā: in sadness, pained, also, waters, performed [having oblated] | kiṣkindhām: to Kishkishkindha | āgataḥ: returned | me: by me | gūhamānasya: one who is concealing | tattvam yatnataḥ: actuality, by persuasion | mantribhiḥ śrutam: by ministers, was heard. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 21

ततः अहम् तैः समागम्य समेतैः अभिषेचितः
राज्यम् प्रशासतः तस्य न्यायतो मम राघव

tataḥ aham taiḥ samāgamya sametaiḥ abhiṣecitaḥ
rājyam praśāsataḥ tasya nyāyato mama rāghava

SYNONYMS

, 22a| tataḥ: then | sametaiḥ taiḥ samāgamya: all of them [the ministers,] by those ministers, summoned | aham abhiśecitaḥ: I am, crowned | tasya mama: such as I am, by me | rājyam nyāyataḥ pra śāsataḥ: kingdom, judiciously, while being ruled | saḥ vānaraḥ: he, that semi-human | ripum dānavam hatvā: enemy, demon, on killing | ājagāma: he returned. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 22

अभिषिक्तम् तु माम् दृष्ट्वा कोपात् संरक्त लोचनः

abhiṣiktam tu mām dṛṣṭvā kopāt saṃrakta locanaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 23a| abhiśiktam tu mām dṛṣṭvā: who is crowned, but, me, on seeing | kopāt: in anger | sam rakta locanaḥ: well, reddened, eyes | madīyān: of me | mantriṇaḥ: ministers | baddhvā: arrested | paruṣam vākyam abravīt: rude, sentences, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 23

निग्रहे च समर्थस्य तम् पापम् प्रति राघव

nigrahe ca samarthasya tam pāpam prati rāghava

SYNONYMS

nigrahe api samarthasya: to counter him, even though, I am capable | me buddhiḥ: my, reason | bhrātṛ gaurava yantritā: brotherhood, in esteem, controlled by | tam pāpam prati: that, sin [of defying brother,] towards | na prāvartata: not, disposed to. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 24

हत्वा शत्रुम् सः मे भ्राता प्रविवेश पुरम् तदा

hatvā śatrum saḥ me bhrātā praviveśa puram tadā

SYNONYMS

b, 25| me bhrātā saḥ: my, brother, he that Vali | hatvā śatrum tadā praviveśa puram: having destroyed, enemy, then, entered, capital tam | maha ātmānam mānayan: him that audacious soul, while respecting | yathāvat ca abhivādayam: as usual, also, hailed | tena samtuṣṭena antarātmanā: by him, with satisfied, inner self | āśiṣaḥ na uktāḥ ca: blessings, not, said, even. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 26

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे नवमः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe navamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

prabhuḥ: oh, lord Rama | aham natvā tasya pādau mukuṭena aspṛśam: I, though bowed, at his, feet, with crown, though touched | api: even then | saḥ vāli krodhāt: he, that Vali, with rancour | mama prasādam na cakāra: leniency [quarter,] not, done [showed no quarter.] |

TRANSLATION

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]