How Sugreeva Came to Know the Earth

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.46.1)

गतेषु वानरेन्द्रेषु रामः सुग्रीवमब्रवीत् । कथं भवान् विजानीते सर्वं वै मण्डलं भुवः ॥ 46.1 ॥

gateṣu vānarendreṣu rāmaḥ sugrīvamabravīt | kathaṃ bhavān vijānīte sarvaṃ vai maṇḍalaṃ bhuvaḥ || 46.1 ||

When the monkey chieftains had set out, Rama said to Sugreeva, "How is it that you know the entire circle of the earth so well?"

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.46.2)

सुग्रीवश्च ततो राममुवाच प्रणतात्मवान् । श्रूयतां सर्वमाख्यास्ये विस्तरेण वचो मम ॥ 46.2 ॥

sugrīvaśca tato rāmamuvāca praṇatātmavān | śrūyatāṃ sarvamākhyāsye vistareṇa vaco mama || 46.2 ||

Then Sugreeva, bowing humbly, said to Rama, "Listen, I shall tell you everything in detail; hear my words."

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.46.3)

यदा तु दुन्दुभिं नाम दानवं महिषाकृतिम् । परिकालयते वाली मलयं प्रति पर्वतम् ॥ 46.3 ॥

yadā tu dundubhiṃ nāma dānavaṃ mahiṣākṛtim | parikālayate vālī malayaṃ prati parvatam || 46.3 ||

"When Vali drove the buffalo-shaped demon named Dundubhi toward Mount Malaya,

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.46.4)

तदा विवेश महिषो मलयस्य गुहां प्रति । विवेश वाली तत्रापि मलयं तज्जिघांसया ॥ 46.4 ॥

tadā viveśa mahiṣo malayasya guhāṃ prati | viveśa vālī tatrāpi malayaṃ tajjighāṃsayā || 46.4 ||

then that buffalo entered a cave of Mount Malaya, and Vali, wishing to kill it, entered that same cave of Malaya.

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.46.5)

ततोऽहं तत्र निक्षिप्तो गुहाद्वारि विनीतवत् । न च निष्क्रमते वाली तदा संवत्सरे गते ॥ 46.5 ॥

tato'haṃ tatra nikṣipto guhādvāri vinītavat | na ca niṣkramate vālī tadā saṃvatsare gate || 46.5 ||

I, as an obedient brother, was then stationed by him at the mouth of the cave; a full year passed, yet Vali did not come out.

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.46.6)

ततः क्षतजवेगेन आपुपूरे तदा बिलम् । तदहं विस्मितो दृष्ट्वा भ्रातुः शोकविषार्दितः ॥ 46.6 ॥

tataḥ kṣatajavegena āpupūre tadā bilam | tadahaṃ vismito dṛṣṭvā bhrātuḥ śokaviṣārditaḥ || 46.6 ||

Then the cave became filled with a rush of blood; seeing this I was astonished, and stricken with the poison-like grief of my brother's loss.

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.46.7)

अथाहं गतबुद्धिस्तु सुव्यक्तं निहतो गुरुः । शिला पर्वतसंकाशा बिलद्वारि मया कृता ॥ 46.7 ॥

athāhaṃ gatabuddhistu suvyaktaṃ nihato guruḥ | śilā parvatasaṃkāśā biladvāri mayā kṛtā || 46.7 ||

Then I concluded, "My elder brother is surely slain," and I set a boulder as huge as a mountain across the mouth of the cave,

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.46.8)

अशक्नुवन्निष्क्रमितुं महिषो विनशिष्यति । ततोऽहमागां किष्किन्धां निराशस्तस्य जीविते ॥ 46.8 ॥

aśaknuvanniṣkramituṃ mahiṣo vinaśiṣyati | tato'hamāgāṃ kiṣkindhāṃ nirāśastasya jīvite || 46.8 ||

thinking the buffalo, unable to escape, would perish inside; then, having lost hope of my brother's being alive, I came to Kishkindha.

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.46.9)

राज्यं च सुमहत् प्राप्य तारां च रुमया सह । मित्रैश्च सहितस्तत्र वसामि विगतज्वरः ॥ 46.9 ॥

rājyaṃ ca sumahat prāpya tārāṃ ca rumayā saha | mitraiśca sahitastatra vasāmi vigatajvaraḥ || 46.9 ||

There I obtained the great kingdom, and Tara together with Ruma, and, surrounded by friends, I dwelt there free of anxiety.

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.46.10)

आजगाम ततो वाली हत्वा तं वानरर्षभः । ततोऽहमददां राज्यं गौरवाद् भययन्त्रितः ॥ 46.10 ॥

ājagāma tato vālī hatvā taṃ vānararṣabhaḥ | tato'hamadadāṃ rājyaṃ gauravād bhayayantritaḥ || 46.10 ||

Then Vali, that bull among vanaras, having slain the demon, returned; and out of deference — bound also by fear — I gave the kingdom back to him.

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.46.11)

स मां जिघांसुर्दुष्टात्मा वाली प्रव्यथितेन्द्रियः । परिकालयते क्रोधाद् धावन्तं सचिवैः सह ॥ 46.11 ॥

sa māṃ jighāṃsurduṣṭātmā vālī pravyathitendriyaḥ | parikālayate krodhād dhāvantaṃ sacivaiḥ saha || 46.11 ||

That evil-souled Vali, wishing to kill me, his senses in turmoil, out of fury drove me on again and again, as I fled together with my ministers.

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.46.12)

ततोऽहं वालिना तेन सोऽनुबद्धः प्रधावितः । नदीश्च विविधाः पश्यन् वनानि नगराणि च ॥ 46.12 ॥

tato'haṃ vālinā tena so'nubaddhaḥ pradhāvitaḥ | nadīśca vividhāḥ paśyan vanāni nagarāṇi ca || 46.12 ||

Then, pursued relentlessly by that Vali, I fled on and on, beholding as I went many rivers, forests, and cities.

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.46.13)

आदर्शतलसंकाशा ततो वै पृथिवी मया । अलातचक्रप्रतिमा दृष्टा गोष्पदवत् कृता ॥ 46.13 ॥

ādarśatalasaṃkāśā tato vai pṛthivī mayā | alātacakrapratimā dṛṣṭā goṣpadavat kṛtā || 46.13 ||

Then, in that flight, I saw the whole earth as though it were a mirror's surface, or a whirling circle of fire — and it seemed to me no bigger than a cow's hoof-print.

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.46.14)

पूर्वां दिशं ततो गत्वा पश्यामि विविधान् द्रुमान् । पर्वतान् सदरीन् रम्यान् सरांसि विविधानि च ॥ 46.14 ॥

pūrvāṃ diśaṃ tato gatvā paśyāmi vividhān drumān | parvatān sadarīn ramyān sarāṃsi vividhāni ca || 46.14 ||

Going then to the eastern quarter, I saw many kinds of trees, enchanting mountains with their caves, and numerous lakes.

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.46.15)

उदयं तत्र पश्यामि पर्वतं धातुमण्डितम् । क्षीरोदं सागरं चैव नित्यमप्सरसालयम् ॥ 46.15 ॥

udayaṃ tatra paśyāmi parvataṃ dhātumaṇḍitam | kṣīrodaṃ sāgaraṃ caiva nityamapsarasālayam || 46.15 ||

There I saw Mount Udaya, adorned with minerals, and also the Sea of Milk, which is forever the abode of the apsaras.

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.46.16)

परिकाल्यमानस्तु तदा वालिनाभिद्रुतो ह्यहम् । पुनरावृत्य सहसा प्रस्थितोऽहं तदा विभो ॥ 46.16 ॥

parikālyamānastu tadā vālinābhidruto hyaham | punarāvṛtya sahasā prasthito'haṃ tadā vibho || 46.16 ||

Being still driven on by Vali who had rushed after me, I turned back, O lord, and at once fled onward again.

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.46.17)

दिशस्तस्यास्ततो भूयः प्रस्थितो दक्षिणां दिशम् । विन्ध्यपादपसंकीर्णां चन्दनद्रुमशोभिताम् ॥ 46.17 ॥

diśastasyāstato bhūyaḥ prasthito dakṣiṇāṃ diśam | vindhyapādapasaṃkīrṇāṃ candanadrumaśobhitām || 46.17 ||

From that eastern quarter I fled once more, this time to the southern direction, dense with the trees of the Vindhyas and adorned with sandalwood groves.

Shloka 18 (kishkindha.46.18)

द्रुमशैलान्तरे पश्यन् भूयो दक्षिणतोऽपराम् । अपरां च दिशं प्राप्तो वालिना समभिद्रुतः ॥ 46.18 ॥

drumaśailāntare paśyan bhūyo dakṣiṇato'parām | aparāṃ ca diśaṃ prāpto vālinā samabhidrutaḥ || 46.18 ||

Passing among trees and mountains, and driven on again by Vali from the south, I reached yet another direction — the western.

Shloka 19 (kishkindha.46.19)

स पश्यन् विविधान् देशानस्तं च गिरिसत्तमम् । प्राप्य चास्तं गिरिश्रेष्ठमुत्तरं सम्प्रधावितः ॥ 46.19 ॥

sa paśyan vividhān deśānastaṃ ca girisattamam | prāpya cāstaṃ giriśreṣṭhamuttaraṃ sampradhāvitaḥ || 46.19 ||

Seeing many lands and the noble mountain Asta, and having reached that excellent mountain of the sunset, I then ran on far to the north.

Shloka 20 (kishkindha.46.20)

हिमवन्तं च मेरुं च समुद्रं च तथोत्तरम् । यदा न विन्दे शरणं वालिना समभिद्रुतः ॥ 46.20 ॥

himavantaṃ ca meruṃ ca samudraṃ ca tathottaram | yadā na vinde śaraṇaṃ vālinā samabhidrutaḥ || 46.20 ||

When, still pursued by Vali, I found no refuge — neither at the Himalayas, nor Mount Meru, nor the northern ocean —

Shloka 21 (kishkindha.46.21)

ततो मां बुद्धिसम्पन्नो हनुमान् वाक्यमब्रवीत् । इदानीं मे स्मृतं राजन् यथा वाली हरीश्वरः ॥ 46.21 ॥

tato māṃ buddhisampanno hanumān vākyamabravīt | idānīṃ me smṛtaṃ rājan yathā vālī harīśvaraḥ || 46.21 ||

then the wise Hanuman said this to me: "O king, I now remember how Vali, lord of the vanaras,

Shloka 22 (kishkindha.46.22)

मतङ्गेन तदा शप्तो ह्यस्मिन्नाश्रममण्डले । प्रविशेद् यदि वै वाली मूर्धास्य शतधा भवेत् ॥ 46.22 ॥

mataṅgena tadā śapto hyasminnāśramamaṇḍale | praviśed yadi vai vālī mūrdhāsya śatadhā bhavet || 46.22 ||

was once cursed by sage Matanga regarding this very hermitage-ground: if Vali should ever enter it, his head would split into a hundred pieces.

Shloka 23 (kishkindha.46.23)

तत्र वासः सुखोऽस्माकं निरुद्विग्नो भविष्यति । ततः पर्वतमासाद्य ऋष्यमूकं नृपात्मज ॥ 46.23 ॥

tatra vāsaḥ sukho'smākaṃ nirudvigno bhaviṣyati | tataḥ parvatamāsādya ṛṣyamūkaṃ nṛpātmaja || 46.23 ||

There, then, our dwelling will be peaceful and free of dread." So, O prince, I came to Mount Rishyamuka —

Shloka 24 (kishkindha.46.24)

न विवेश तदा वाली मतङ्गस्य भयात् तदा । एवं मया तदा राजन् प्रत्यक्षमुपलक्षितम् । पृथिवीमण्डलं सर्वं गुहामस्म्यागतस्ततः ॥ 46.24 ॥

na viveśa tadā vālī mataṅgasya bhayāt tadā | evaṃ mayā tadā rājan pratyakṣamupalakṣitam | pṛthivīmaṇḍalaṃ sarvaṃ guhāmasmyāgatastataḥ || 46.24 ||

and Vali, fearing Matanga's curse, never entered there. Thus, O king, I came to see with my own eyes this entire circle of the earth, and thereafter I came and settled in this cave."