किष्किन्धा-काण्ड > वाली का तारा को डांटना, श्री राम के तीर से घायल होना




Vali dismissing Tara's words, who is dissuading him to confront Rama, starts out to fight out Sugreeva. A ghastly fight ensues in which Vali depletes Sugreeva's strength by the boon and Indra's chest-plate, and thus Sugreeva seeks Rama's help. Rama shoots his arrow which hits Vali on chest, but does not render him dead immediately. Thus that great mighty and unassailable Vali is brought down to ground.

ताम् एवम् ब्रुवतीम् ताराम् ताराधिप निभ आननाम् |
वाली निर्भर्त्सयामास वचनम् च इदम् अब्रवीत् || ४-१६-१
While Tara with a face that shines like the lord of stars is speaking thus, Vali dauntingly spoke to her with these words. [4-16-1]
गर्जतो अस्य च सुसंरब्धम् भ्रातुः शत्रोर् विशेषतः |
मर्षयिष्यामि केन कारणेन वरानने || ४-१६-२
"He is an younger brother and an adversary in particular, oh, pretty-faced Tara, can I by any reason tolerate him when he kept raving on frenetically, tell me. [4-16-2]
अधर्षितानाम् शूराणाम् समरेषु अनिवर्तिनाम् |
धर्षणाम् अर्षणम् भीरु मरणात् अतिरिच्यते || ४-१६-३
"To those valiant ones who neither give ground nor get assailed in wars, oh, shyly, endurance of a overweening war-whoop is more than death. [4-16-3]
सोढुम् न च समर्थो अहम् युद्ध कामस्य संयुगे |
सुग्रीवस्य च संरंभम् हीन ग्रीवस्य गर्जतम् || ४-१६-४
"I am incapable of withstanding that dumbly Sugreeva's bawling commotion desiring a brawling duel. [4-16-4]
न च कार्यो विषादः ते राघवम् प्रति मत् कृते |
धर्मज्ञः च कृतज्ञः च कथम् पापम् करिष्यति || ४-१६-५
"Also, you need not bother about Raghava's doing some harm to me, as I wonder how a diligent man and knower of virtue can commit sin. [4-16-5]
निवर्तस्व सह स्त्रीभिः कथम् भूयो अनुगच्छसि |
सौहृदम् दर्शितम् तावत् मयि भक्तिः त्वया कृता || ४-१६-६
"How do you follow me again, you return with all these females, truly you have expressed your friendliness owing to your devotion to me. [4-16-6]
प्रति योत्स्यामि अहम् गत्वा सुग्रीवम् जहि संभ्रमम् |
दर्पम् च अस्य विनेष्यामि न च प्राणैर् वियोक्ष्यते || ४-१६-७
"You may do away with your perplexity as I will retaliate Sugreeva on my going there only to drive him and his arrogance out, but without letting his lives loose. [4-16-7]
अहम् हि अजि स्थितस्य अस्य करिष्यामि यत् ईप्सितम् |
वृक्षैः मुष्टि प्रहारैः च पीडितः प्रति यास्यति || ४-१६-८
"As he is firmed up for a combat, I will indeed have to effectuate what his desire is, by caning with trees and fistfights, by which roughed up he returns. [4-16-8]
न मे गर्वितम् आयस्तम् सहिष्यति दुरात्मवान् |
कृतम् तारे सहायत्वम् दर्शितम् सौहृदम् मयि || ४-१६-९
"My nerve and pace of combat will be insufferable to that malign minded Sugreeva, oh, Tara, you have offered your helping suggestion and you have shown all your friendliness to me, it is enough. [4-16-9]
शापिता असि मम प्राणैः निवर्तस्व जनेन च |
अलम् जित्वा निवर्तिष्ये तम् अहम् भ्रातरम् रणे || ४-१६-१०
"I adjured you on my lives, return with your followers, and I shall return to you on easily defeating and returning that 'brother of mine." Said Vali to Tara. [4-16-10]
तम् तु तारा परिष्वज्य वालिनम् प्रिय वादिनी |
चकार रुदती मन्दम् दक्षिणा सा प्रदक्षिणम् || ४-१६-११
She that pleasant articulator and talented Tara then hugged and circumabulated Vali, suppressing her moaning, as an honour to the braver. [4-16-11]
ततः स्वस्त्ययनम् कृत्वा मंत्रवित् विजय एषिणी |
अंतःपुरम् सह स्त्रीभिः प्रविष्टा शोक मोहिता || ४-१६-१२
Then she who is a hymnodist that Tara has performed a hymnal bon voyage wishing triumph to Vali, and entered palace chambers along with other females, disoriented by her own sadness. [4-16-12]
प्रविष्टायाम् तु तारायाम् सह स्त्रीभिः स्वम् आलयम् |
नगर्या निर्ययौ क्रुद्धो महा सर्प इव श्वसन् || ४-१६-१३
On Tara entering her own palace chambers along with other females, Vali emerged out of the city hissing like an infuriated great snake. [4-16-13]
स निःश्वस्य महारोषो वाली परम वेगवान् |
सर्वतः चारयन् दृष्टिम् शत्रु दर्शन कांक्षया || ४-१६-१४
He that highly rancorous Vali suspired with high audacity and spread his sight everywhere intending to sight his enemy. [4-16-14]
स ददर्श ततः श्रीमान् सुग्रीवम् हेम पिङ्गलम् |
सुसंवीतम् अवष्टब्धम् दीप्यमानम् इव अनलम् || ४-१६-१५
Then that celebrated Vali saw Sugreeva who is in golden-ochre hue, whose girdle cloth is tightened for a fight, and who is with an air of self-confidence, blazing like fiery-fire. [4-16-15]
तम् स दृष्ट्वा महाबाहुः सुग्रीवम् पर्यवस्थितम् |
गाढम् परिदधे वासो वाली परम कोपिनः || ४-१६-१६
That strong armed Vali who is highly provoked has also tightened his girdle cloth on seeing proximately available Sugreeva. [4-16-16]
स वाली गाढ संवीतो मुष्टिम् उद्यम्य वीर्यवान् |
सुग्रीवम् एव अभिमुखो ययौ योद्धुम् कृत क्षणः || ४-१६-१७
He that formidable Vali strongly tightening his girdle-cloth too, and proceeded towards Sugreeva in a well timed manner uplifting fists to fight him off. [4-16-17]
श्लिष्टम् मुष्टिम् समुद्यम्य संरब्धतरम् आगतः |
सुग्रीवो अपि समुद्दिश्य वालिनम् हेम मालिनम् || ४-१६-१८
Even Sugreeva has come at that imprudent Vali with golden pendant, on tightening his fists, lifting them up at the ready, and aiming them well at Vali. [4-16-18]
तम् वाली क्रोध ताम्राक्षः सुग्रीवम् रण कोविदम् |
आपतंतम् महा वेगम् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत् || ४-१६-१९
Vali spoke this word to that Sugreeva who is swooping down on him, whose eyes are reddened in fury, and who is an expert and expeditious in fighting. [4-16-19]
एष मुष्टिर् महान् बद्धो गाढः सुनियत अंगुलिः |
मया वेग विमुक्तः ते प्राणान् आदाय यास्यति || ४-१६-२०
"Properly clenching fingers this great fist of mine is firmly clenched, and it will unclench only on taking your lives when I pitch this on you at full speed." So said Vali threateningly to Sugreeva. [4-16-20]
एवम् उक्तः तु सुग्रीवः क्रुद्धो वालिनम् अब्रवीत् |
तव च एष हरन् प्राणान् मुष्टिः पततु मूर्धनि || ४-१६-२१
Thus said, Sugreeva with high dudgeon said, "this fist of mine shall fall on your forehead plundering your lives." [4-16-21]
ताडितः तेन तम् क्रुद्धः समभिक्रम्य वेगतः |
अभवत् शोणित उद्गारी सापीड इव पर्वतः || ४-१६-२२
Coming near instantaneously Vali hit him, whereby Sugreeva is enraged and became like a mountain streaming blood in its torrents. [4-16-22]
सुग्रीवेण तु निःशंकम् सालम् उत्पाट्य तेजसा |
गात्रेषु अभिहतो वाली वज्रेण इव महा गिरिः || ४-१६-२३
But Sugreeva unhesitatingly uprooted a saala tree with his force and thrashed the limbs of Vali as with the thunderbolt thrashing a great mountain. [4-16-23]
स तु वृक्षेण निर्भग्नः साल ताडन विह्वलः |
गुरु भार भर आक्रान्ता नौः ससार्था इव सागरे || ४-१६-२४
But Vali when thwacked with saala tree had staggered and looked like a tossing ship in an ocean filled with heavy weight of merchandise and brimming with merchants, but on the brink of wrecking. [4-16-24]
तौ भीम बल विक्रान्तौ सुपर्ण सम वेगिनौ |
प्रयुद्धौ घोर वपुषौ चन्द्र सूर्यौ इव अंबरे || ४-१६-२५
परस्परम् अमित्र घ्नौ च्छिद्र अन्वेषण तत्परौ |
Those two, Vali and Sugreeva, with their sensational energy, triumphing zeal, frightful physiques, swiftness as good as the Divine Eagle Garuda, vigilance in exploring perilous body parts of one another, ravagement of their own enemies fought frighteningly, like the sun and moon in the sky, which is inconceivable. [4-16-25, 26a]
ततो अवर्धत वाली तु बल वीर्य समन्वितः || ४-१६-२६
सूर्य पुत्रो महावीर्यः सुग्रीवः परिहीयत |
But Vali being the possessor of might and vigour progressed and though greatly mighty is son of sun, Sugreeva, regressed. [4-16-26b, 27a]
वालिना भग्न दर्पः तु सुग्रीवो मन्द विक्रमः || ४-१६-२७
वालिनम् प्रति सामर्षो दर्शयामास राघवम् |
Sugreeva became retardant in aggression when Vali routed his pride and then he exasperatedly started searching for Raghava to counteract Vali. [4-16-27]
वृक्षैः स शाखैः शिखरैः वज्र कोटि निभैः नखैः || ४-१६-२८
मुष्टिभिः जानुभिः पद्भिः बाहुभिः च पुनः पुनः |
तयोः युद्द्धम् अभूत् घोरम् वृत्र वासवोः इव || ४-१६-२९
Among those two there happened a deadly fight time and again using trees with branches, peaks of mountains, their own nails that are similar to the razor-sharp edges of thunderbolts, and with fists, knees, feet, and arms, like the fight that once chanced between demon Vritra and Indra. [4-16-28b, 29]
तौ शोणितात्कौ युध्येताम् वानारौ वन् चारिणौ |
मेघौ इव महा शब्दैः तर्जमानौ परस्परम् || ४-१६-३०
Those forest moving vanara-s that are soaked in blood have gone on clashing, threatening each other, like two clouds clashing uproariously. [4-16-30]
हीयमानम् अथ अपश्यत् सुग्रीवम् वानरेश्वरम् |
प्रेक्षमाणम् दिशः च एव राघवः स मुहुर् मुहुर् || ४-१६-३१
Raghava has then seen the lord of monkeys Sugreeva who is repeatedly eyeing all sides for help and who is even deteriorating in his enterprise. [4-16-31]
ततो रामो महातेजा आर्तम् दृष्ट्वा हरीश्वरम् |
स शरम् वीक्षते वीरो वालिनो वध कांक्षया || ४-१६-३२
On seeing the lord of monkeys Sugreeva in a forlornness, then the refulgent and fearless Rama scanned for an arrow aiming to eliminate Vali. [4-16-32]
ततो धनुषि संधाय शरम् आशी विष उपमम् |
पूरयामास तत् चापम् काल चक्रम् इव अन्तकः || ४-१६-३३
Then on tautening a venomous serpent like arrow in the bow, Rama started to draw out bowstring, whereby that bow attained a similitude with the Time-disc of the Terminator. [4-16-33]
तस्य ज्यातल घोषेण त्रस्ताः पत्ररथेश्वराः |
प्रदुद्रुवुर् मृगाः च एव युगांत इव मोहिताः || ४-१६-३४
At the blast of bowstring the lordly birds and animals are panicked, like those that will be startled by the approach of ear ending, and they all fled. [4-16-34]
मुक्तस्तु वज्र निर्घोषः प्रदीप्त अशनि संनिभः |
राघवेण महा बाणो वालि वक्षसि पातितः || ४-१६-३५
The arrow released by Raghava that has the boom of thunderbolt's thunderclap and the flashes of a lightning fell on the chest of Vali. [4-16-35]
ततः तेन महातेजा वीर्य युक्तः कपीश्वरः |
वेगेन अभिहतो वाली निपपात मही तले || ४-१६-३६
Hit by the fleetness of that arrow then that highly magnificent and intrepid lord of monkeys Vali fell onto the plane of earth. [4-16-36]
इन्द्र ध्वज इव उद्धूत पौर्ण मास्याम् महीतले |
अश्वयुक् समये मासि गत सत्त्वो विचेतनः |
बाष्प संरुद्ध कण्ठस्तु वाली च आर्त स्वरः शनैः || ४-१६-३७
Like the flag that will be raised in honour of Indra during the month of ashvin on a full-moon day, but thrown onto earth along with its flagstaff after the festival, Vali with depleted energy and dissipated vitality slowly fell onto ground, and with tears blocking throat he moaned piteously. [4-16-37]
नरोत्तमः काल युगांतकोपमम् शरोत्तमम् कांचन रूप्यभूषितम् |
ससर्ज दीप्तम् तम् अमित्र मर्दनम् स धूममग्निम् मुखतो यथा हरः || ४-१६-३८
That best one among men Rama released a blazing and enemy subjugating arrow which in simile is like an Epoch-ender at the end of era, and that best arrow decorated in gold and silver looked like the glance from the Third-Eye of Rudra, emitting fire with smoke. [4-16-38]
अथ उक्षितः शोणित तोय विस्रवैः
सुपुष्पित अशोक इव अचलोद्गतः |
विचेतनो वासव सूनुर् आहवे
प्रभ्रञ्शित इन्द्र ध्वजवत् क्षितिम् गतः || ४-१६-३९
That Indra's son Vali, dampened with blood and sweat, then looked like just felled Ashoka tree which has stemmed up and so far standing high on a mountain with fully bloomed clusters of its blood-red flowers, and when his anima is undone he even looked like the flagstaff on which a flag is raised in honour of Indra, but which is altogether dislodged and abandoned on the ground. [4-16-39]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे षोडशः सर्गः