The Challenge to Vali

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.14.1)

सर्वे ते त्वरितं गत्वा किष्किन्धां वालिनः पुरीम् । वृक्षैरात्मानमावृत्य व्यतिष्ठन् गहने वने ॥ 14.1 ॥

sarve te tvaritaṃ gatvā kiṣkindhāṃ vālinaḥ purīm | vṛkṣairātmānamāvṛtya vyatiṣṭhan gahane vane || 14.1 ||

All of them, going swiftly to Kishkindha, the city of Vali, stayed concealed, covering themselves with trees in the dense forest.

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.14.2)

विसार्य सर्वतो दृष्टिं कानने काननप्रियः । सुग्रीवो विपुलग्रीवः क्रोधमाहारयद् भृशम् ॥ 14.2 ॥

visārya sarvato dṛṣṭiṃ kānane kānanapriyaḥ | sugrīvo vipulagrīvaḥ krodhamāhārayad bhṛśam || 14.2 ||

Sugriva, lover of the forest, casting his gaze everywhere about the woodland, that loud-voiced one worked himself into a towering fury.

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.14.3)

ततस्तु निनदं घोरं कृत्वा युद्धाय चाह्वयत् । परिवारैः परिवृतो नादैर्भिन्दन्निवाम्बरम् ॥ 14.3 ॥

tatastu ninadaṃ ghoraṃ kṛtvā yuddhāya cāhvayat | parivāraiḥ parivṛto nādairbhindannivāmbaram || 14.3 ||

Then, surrounded by his followers, as though rending the sky with their cries, raising a terrible war-cry, he challenged Vali to battle,

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.14.4)

गर्जन्निव महामेघो वायुवेगपुरःसरः । अथ बालार्कसदृशो दृप्तसिंहगतिस्ततः ॥ 14.4 ॥

garjanniva mahāmegho vāyuvegapuraḥsaraḥ | atha bālārkasadṛśo dṛptasiṃhagatistataḥ || 14.4 ||

thundering like a great cloud driven by the force of the wind, and then, his gait proud as a lion, glowing like the newly risen sun,

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.14.5)

दृष्ट्वा रामं क्रियादक्षं सुग्रीवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । हरिवागुरया व्याप्तां तप्तकाञ्चनतोरणाम् ॥ 14.5 ॥

dṛṣṭvā rāmaṃ kriyādakṣaṃ sugrīvo vākyamabravīt | harivāgurayā vyāptāṃ taptakāñcanatoraṇām || 14.5 ||

looking at Rama, skilled in action, Sugriva spoke these words: "We have reached Vali's city, Kishkindha, spread with monkey-snares and adorned with archways of burnished gold,

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.14.6)

प्राप्ताः स्म ध्वजयन्त्राढ्यां किष्किन्धां वालिनः पुरीम् । प्रतिज्ञा या कृता वीर त्वया वालिवधे पुरा ॥ 14.6 ॥

prāptāḥ sma dhvajayantrāḍhyāṃ kiṣkindhāṃ vālinaḥ purīm | pratijñā yā kṛtā vīra tvayā vālivadhe purā || 14.6 ||

rich in flags and devices. That promise, O hero, which you made long ago concerning the slaying of Vali —

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.14.7)

सफलां कुरु तां क्षिप्रं लतां काल इवागतः । एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा सुग्रीवेण स राघवः ॥ 14.7 ॥

saphalāṃ kuru tāṃ kṣipraṃ latāṃ kāla ivāgataḥ | evamuktastu dharmātmā sugrīveṇa sa rāghavaḥ || 14.7 ||

make it bear fruit now, swiftly, as a creeper bears fruit when its season comes." Thus addressed, the righteous Raghava, destroyer of foes,

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.14.8)

तमेवोवाच वचनं सुग्रीवं शत्रुसूदनः । कृताभिज्ञानचिह्नस्त्वमनया गजसाह्वया ॥ 14.8 ॥

tamevovāca vacanaṃ sugrīvaṃ śatrusūdanaḥ | kṛtābhijñānacihnastvamanayā gajasāhvayā || 14.8 ||

spoke these words in reply to Sugriva: "By this mark of recognition you bear, this gaja-flower creeper,

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.14.9)

लक्ष्मणेन समुत्पाट्य एषा कण्ठे कृता तव । शोभसेऽप्यधिकं वीर लतया कण्ठसक्तया ॥ 14.9 ॥

lakṣmaṇena samutpāṭya eṣā kaṇṭhe kṛtā tava | śobhase'pyadhikaṃ vīra latayā kaṇṭhasaktayā || 14.9 ||

which Lakshmana plucked and placed about your neck, you shine forth all the more splendidly, O hero, this creeper clinging to your throat,

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.14.10)

विपरीत इवाकाशे सूर्यो नक्षत्रमालया । अद्य वालिसमुत्थं ते भयं वैरं च वानर ॥ 14.10 ॥

viparīta ivākāśe sūryo nakṣatramālayā | adya vālisamutthaṃ te bhayaṃ vairaṃ ca vānara || 14.10 ||

as though the sun in the sky were entwined with a garland of stars. Today, O monkey, this fear and enmity roused in you by Vali,

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.14.11)

एकेनाहं प्रमोक्ष्यामि बाणमोक्षेण संयुगे । मम दर्शय सुग्रीव वैरिणं भ्रातृरूपिणम् ॥ 14.11 ॥

ekenāhaṃ pramokṣyāmi bāṇamokṣeṇa saṃyuge | mama darśaya sugrīva vairiṇaṃ bhrātṛrūpiṇam || 14.11 ||

I shall dispel with the release of a single arrow in this fight. Show me now, Sugriva, that enemy of yours in your own brother's guise,

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.14.12)

वाली विनिहतो यावद्वने पांसुषु चेष्टते । यदि दृष्टिपथं प्राप्तो जीवन् स विनिवर्तते ॥ 14.12 ॥

vālī vinihato yāvadvane pāṃsuṣu ceṣṭate | yadi dṛṣṭipathaṃ prāpto jīvan sa vinivartate || 14.12 ||

until Vali lies struck down, rolling in the dust of the forest. And should he come within the range of my sight and yet somehow live and turn back,

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.14.13)

ततो दोषेण मागच्छेत् सद्यो गर्हेच्च मां भवान् । प्रत्यक्षं सप्त ते साला मया बाणेन दारिताः ॥ 14.13 ॥

tato doṣeṇa māgacchet sadyo garhecca māṃ bhavān | pratyakṣaṃ sapta te sālā mayā bāṇena dāritāḥ || 14.13 ||

then you may at once fault me for it and reproach me. You have seen with your own eyes how seven sala trees were rent by a single arrow of mine;

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.14.14)

ततो वेत्सि बलेनाद्य वालिनं निहतं मया । अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे चिरं कृच्छ्रेऽपि तिष्ठता ॥ 14.14 ॥

tato vetsi balenādya vālinaṃ nihataṃ mayā | anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ me ciraṃ kṛcchre'pi tiṣṭhatā || 14.14 ||

be assured, then, that by that same strength Vali too shall now be slain by me.

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.14.15)

धर्मलोभपरीतेन न च वक्ष्ये कथंचन । सफलां च करिष्यामि प्रतिज्ञां जहि संभ्रमम् ॥ 14.15 ॥

dharmalobhaparītena na ca vakṣye kathaṃcana | saphalāṃ ca kariṣyāmi pratijñāṃ jahi saṃbhramam || 14.15 ||

Bound as I am by devotion to righteousness, I have never spoken an untruth, however great the distress I have endured — nor shall I speak one now, in any way. I shall make your promise bear fruit; cast off your agitation.

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.14.16)

प्रसूतं कलमक्षेत्रं वर्षेणेव शतक्रतुः । तदाह्वाननिमित्तं च वालिनो हेममालिनः ॥ 14.16 ॥

prasūtaṃ kalamakṣetraṃ varṣeṇeva śatakratuḥ | tadāhvānanimittaṃ ca vālino hemamālinaḥ || 14.16 ||

As Indra brings the sown rice-field to fruit with rain, so shall this promise bear fruit." Then, to draw gold-garlanded Vali out,

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.14.17)

सुग्रीव कुरु तं शब्दं निष्पतेद् येन वानरः । जितकाशी जयश्लाघी त्वया चाधर्षितः पुरात् ॥ 14.17 ॥

sugrīva kuru taṃ śabdaṃ niṣpated yena vānaraḥ | jitakāśī jayaślāghī tvayā cādharṣitaḥ purāt || 14.17 ||

"raise that cry, O Sugriva, by which the monkey will come rushing out — he who, ever triumphant, ever exulting in victory, never once vanquished by you,

Shloka 18 (kishkindha.14.18)

निष्पतिष्यत्यसङ्गेन वाली स प्रियसंयुगः । रिपूणां धर्षितं श्रुत्वा मर्षयन्ति न संयुगे ॥ 14.18 ॥

niṣpatiṣyatyasaṅgena vālī sa priyasaṃyugaḥ | ripūṇāṃ dharṣitaṃ śrutvā marṣayanti na saṃyuge || 14.18 ||

will burst forth unhindered from the city, for Vali ever delights in combat. Hearing his enemy's daring proclaimed, he will not bear it in that encounter,

Shloka 19 (kishkindha.14.19)

जानन्तस्तु स्वकं वीर्यं स्त्रीसमक्षं विशेषतः । स तु रामवचः श्रुत्वा सुग्रीवो हेमपिङ्गलः ॥ 14.19 ॥

jānantastu svakaṃ vīryaṃ strīsamakṣaṃ viśeṣataḥ | sa tu rāmavacaḥ śrutvā sugrīvo hemapiṅgalaḥ || 14.19 ||

especially before the eyes of women, for he well knows his own valour." Then Sugriva, golden-hued, hearing Rama's words,

Shloka 20 (kishkindha.14.20)

ननर्द क्रूरनादेन विनिर्भिन्दन्निवाम्बरम् । तत्र शब्देन वित्रस्ता गावो यान्ति हतप्रभाः ॥ 14.20 ॥

nanarda krūranādena vinirbhindannivāmbaram | tatra śabdena vitrastā gāvo yānti hataprabhāḥ || 14.20 ||

roared with a savage cry, as though rending the very sky asunder. At that sound the terrified cows fled about, their splendour dimmed,

Shloka 21 (kishkindha.14.21)

राजदोषपरामृष्टाः कुलस्त्रिय इवाकुलाः । द्रवन्ति च मृगाः शीघ्रं भग्ना इव रणे हयाः । पतन्ति च खगा भूमौ क्षीणपुण्या इव ग्रहाः ॥ 14.21 ॥

rājadoṣaparāmṛṣṭāḥ kulastriya ivākulāḥ | dravanti ca mṛgāḥ śīghraṃ bhagnā iva raṇe hayāḥ | patanti ca khagā bhūmau kṣīṇapuṇyā iva grahāḥ || 14.21 ||

bewildered like well-born women wronged through a king's misrule; and deer fled swiftly, like horses routed in war, and birds fell to the ground, like stars whose merit is spent.

Shloka 22 (kishkindha.14.22)

ततः स जीमूतकृतप्रणादो नादं ह्यमुञ्चत् त्वरया प्रतीतः । सूर्यात्मजः शौर्यविवृद्धतेजाः सरित्पतिर्वाऽनिलचञ्चलोर्मिः ॥ 14.22 ॥

tataḥ sa jīmūtakṛtapraṇādo nādaṃ hyamuñcat tvarayā pratītaḥ | sūryātmajaḥ śauryavivṛddhatejāḥ saritpatirvā'nilacañcalormiḥ || 14.22 ||

Then that son of the Sun, well known for his cloud-like roar, his vigour redoubled by valour, resolutely let loose that cry at once, like the ocean, lord of rivers, whose waves are stirred by the wind.