Kishkinda Kanda: Chapter 22

वीक्षमाणस्तु मन्दासुः सर्वतो मन्दमुच्छ्वसन्। आदावेव तु सुग्रीवं ददर्शानुजमग्रतः॥
Vāli, ranging on the verge of death, casting his looks arounds and sighing faintly, espied his younger brother Sugrīva before him.

तं प्राप्तविजयं वाली सुग्रीवं प्लवगेश्वरम्। आभाष्य व्यक्तया वाचा सस्नेहमिदमब्रवीत्॥
Welcoming that lord of monkeys with clear accents, Vāli addressed him affectionately saying.

सुग्रीव दोषेण न मां गन्तुमर्हसि किल्वषात्। कृष्यमाणं भविष्येण बुद्धिमोहेन मां बलात्॥
O Sugrīva, do you not take to your heart the improper conduct I have shown towards you, being attracted by inevitable foolishness, subject as I was to sin.

युगपद् विहितं तात न मन्ये सुखमावयोः। सौहार्दै भ्रातृयुक्तं हि तदिदं जातमन्यथा॥
Methinks, O brother, it is not our fortune to enjoy at the same time the double bliss of fraternal affection and the enjoyment of kingdom, or else why has it happened otherwise?

प्रतिपद्य त्वमद्यैव राज्यमेषां वनौकसाम्। मामप्यद्यैव गच्छन्तं विद्धि वैवस्वतक्षयम्॥
Do you acquire to-day this kingdom of the forest-ranges and know me as one who has departed to the abode of Death.

जीवितं च हि राज्यं च श्रियं च विपुलां तथा। प्रजहाम्येष वै तूर्णमहं चागर्हितं यशः॥
Soon shall I renounce iny life, kingdom, my exquisite grace and my blameless fame.

अस्यां त्वहमवस्थायां वीर वक्ष्यामि यद् वचः। यद्यप्यसुकरं राजन् कर्तुमेव त्वमर्हसि।७।।
It behoveth you, O hero, O king, to perform what I shall speak to you in this plight, however difficult it might be.

सुखाहँ सुखसंवृद्धं बालमेनमबालिशम्। वाष्पपूर्णमुखं पश्य भूमौ पतितमङ्गदम्॥
Do you behold Angada fallen on the ground with tears in his eyes-a little boy, incapable, brought up in luxury and deserving happiness.

मम प्राणैः प्रियतरं पुत्रं पुत्रमिवौरसम्। मया हीनमहीनार्थं सर्वतः परिपालय॥
Do you maintain this my son, dearer than my life, like to your own son, born of your loins, satisfying all his wants in my absence.

त्वमप्यस्य पिता दाता परित्राता च सर्वशः। भयेष्वभयदश्चैव यथाहं प्लवगेश्वर॥
O best of monkeys, like to me, you are his father, protector, conferrer of gifts and remover of fear.

एष तारात्मजः श्रीमांस्त्वया तुल्यपराक्रमः। रक्षसां च वधे तेषामग्रतस्ते भविष्यति॥
This graceful son of Tārā equals you in prowess and shall precede you in the destruction of Raksasas.

अनुरूपाणि कर्माणि विक्रम्य बलवान् रणे। करिष्यत्येष तारेयस्तेजस्वी तरुणोऽङ्गदः॥
This youthful Angada, Tārā's son, gifted with energy and strength, shall perform befitting exploits displaying his prowess in the battle.

सुषेणदुहिता चेयमर्थसूक्ष्मविनिश्चये। औत्पातिके च विविधे सर्वतः परिनिष्ठिता॥
Surasen's daughter is wonderfully expert in ascertaining sabtle things and giving counsels in the time of danger.

यदेषा साध्विति ब्रूयात् कार्यं तन्मुक्तसंशयम्। नहि तारामतं किंचिदन्यथा परिवर्तते॥
Do you, without the least doubt perform what shall the chaste lady instruct you to do; for Tārā's advice never goes without effect.

राघवस्य च ते कार्यं कर्तव्यमविशङ्कया। स्यादधर्मो ह्यकरणे त्वां च हिंस्यादमानितः॥
It behoveth you to perform Rāghava's service fearlessly or else you shall be visited with sin: on his being insulted you shall be injured.

इमां च मालामाधत्स्व दिव्यां सुग्रीव काञ्चनीम्। उदारा श्रीः स्थिता ह्यस्यां सम्प्रजह्यान्मृते मयि॥
O Sugrīva, do you put on this celestial golden garland-herein dwelleth the bounteous Sree who shall renounce me after my death.

इत्येवमुक्तः सुग्रीवो वालिना भ्रातृसौहृदात्। हर्षं त्यक्त्वा पुनर्दीनो ग्रहग्रस्त इवोडुराट्॥
Having been accosted thus by Vāli, out of fraternal affection, Sugrīva renouncing joy again became pale like to the Moon possessed by Rahu.

तद्वालिवचनाच्छान्तः कुर्वन् युक्तमतन्द्रितः। जग्राह सोऽभ्यनुज्ञातो मालां तां चैव काञ्चनीम्॥
Renouncing his inimical feelings, being thus addressed by Vāli and carrying out his words energetically Sugrīva accepted the golden garland as ordered (by him).

तां मालां काञ्चनीं दत्त्वा दृष्ट्वा चैवात्मजं स्थितम्। संसिद्धः प्रेत्यभावाय स्नेहादङ्गदमब्रवीत्॥
And conferring (upon Sugrīva) that golden garland and beholding his son before him, Vāli, resolved upon death, spoke to Angada, saying.

देशकालौ भजस्वाद्य क्षममाणः प्रियाप्रिये। सुखदुःखसहः काले सुग्रीववशगो भव॥
Do you place yourself now under the control of Sugrīva, ascertaining time and place, putting up with misery for your welfare and injury.

यथा हि त्वं महाबाहो लालितः सततं मया। न तथा वर्तमानं त्वां सुग्रीवो बहु मन्यते॥
O you having long arms, Sugrīva shall not regard you much, if did you remain in the same wise in which you hadst been brought up by me before*. The significance of the passage is as follows:You wert a mere child while I brought you up. But now you are a grown up young man and this is the time for you to serve your elders. Do you therefore serve Sugriva.

नास्यामित्रैर्गतं गच्छेर्मा शत्रुभिररिंदम। भर्तुरर्थपरो दान्तः सुग्रीववशगो भव॥
O slayer of foes, do you never mix with Sugrīva's enemies, and place yourself always under Sugrīva's control, having subdued your senses and being intent upon your master's (Sugriva's) welfare.

न चातिप्रणयः कार्यः कर्तव्योऽप्रणयश्च ते। उभयं हि महादोषं तस्मादन्तरदृग्भव॥
Do you not cultivate too much of friendship nor be wanting in it-for both of these extremes are sources of disasters. Do you therefore follow the golden mean.

इत्युक्त्वाथ विवृत्ताक्षः शरसम्पीडितो भृशम्। विवृतैर्दशनैर्भीमैर्बभूवोत्क्रान्तजीवितः॥
After he had said this, his eyes became expanded, his teeth were opened and his appearance became ghastly. And greatly pained by shafts he breathed his last.

ततो विचुक्रुशुस्तत्र वानरा हतयूथपाः। परिदेवयमानास्ते सर्वे प्लवगसत्तमाः॥
And thereupon, the monkeys, the foremost of those who go jumping, having lost their chief, bewailed and cried.

किष्किन्धां ह्यद्य शून्या च स्वर्गते वानरेश्वरे। उद्यानानि च शून्यानि पर्वताः काननानि च॥
On that monkey chief's departure to the land of celestials, Kişkindhā was divested of her lord, and gardens, hills and woods were all rendered lonely.

हते प्लवगशार्दूले निष्प्रभा वानराः कृताः। येन दत्तं महद् युद्धं गन्धर्वस्य महात्मनः॥ गोलभस्य महाबाहोर्दश वर्षाणि पञ्च च। नैव रात्रौ न दिवसे तद् युद्धमुपशाम्यति ॥ ततः षोडशमे वर्षे गोलभो विनिपातितः। तं हत्वा दुर्विनीतं तु वाली दंष्ट्राकरालवान्। सर्वाभयंकरोऽस्माकं कथमेष निपातितः॥
That best of monkeys, who fought a dreadful battle with the high-souled Gandharvas, being dead, all other monkeys became of pale countenance. Vāli entered into a terrible conflict with the mighty-armed Golava and fought for ten years and five, for nights and days without respite. And on the sixteenth year, Golabha was killed. Bringing about the destruction of that wicked Gandharba, Vāli, having terrible teeth, saved us all from fear. How has he been killed to-day?

हते तु वीरे प्लवगाधिपे तदा वनेचरास्तत्र न शर्म लेभिरे। वनेचराः सिंहयुते महावने यथा हि गावो निहते गवां पतौ॥
Like to kine, incapable of enjoying peace in a mighty forest filled with lions, their chief being dead, these forest-rangers could not attain to felicity on the demise of that lord of monkeys.

ततस्तु तारा व्यसनार्णवप्लुता मृतस्य भर्तुर्वदनं समीक्ष्य सा। जगाम भूमिं परिरभ्य वालिनं महादुमं छिन्नमिवाश्रिता लता॥
Thereupon, Tārā, sunk in the gulf of disaster, eyeing the countenance of her deceased lord, fell down to the ground embracing Vāli like to a creeper clinging for its support to a mighty but broken tree.