Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 10 of 67 · 35 verses
Sugriva Driven Out
“When he had come back, filled with fury and agitated, I tried to appease my brother, wishing his good: ‘By good fortune you have come back safe, and the enemy has been killed by you. You alone are the protector of me, who have none, joy of the protectorless. Accept from me this umbrella with its many ribs, like the risen full moon, with the yak-tail fan, which I have been holding. In distress I stood at the mouth of the hole for a year, king. Seeing blood come up from the hole at its mouth, my heart shaken with grief, my senses greatly confused, I closed the mouth of the hole with a mountain peak, left the place and entered Kishkindha again. Seeing me here in despair, the citizens and ministers consecrated me, not by my wish; you should forgive me for that. You alone are king, worthy of honour, and I am always as I was before. This appointment to kingship was made because of your absence. The city, with its ministers and citizens, has been kept free of thorns. I return this kingdom to you as a trust. Do not be angry with me, gentle one, destroyer of enemies. I beg you with my head, king; I have joined my palms. The ministers and citizens met and, by force, appointed me to kingship, for fear that the empty land would be conquered.’ As I spoke so affectionately, that monkey rebuked me and said, ‘Shame on you!’, and said much more of that kind. Gathering the subjects and the respected ministers, he spoke words of the greatest contempt about me among our friends: ‘You know that one night that great asura Mayavin, angry and eager for battle, challenged me. Hearing his words, I came out of the royal palace, and this most cruel brother followed me quickly. The very mighty one, seeing me with a companion at night, ran in terror when he saw the two of us coming. Chased with speed, he entered a great hole. Knowing he had entered that very terrible, very great hole, I said to this brother of mine, cruel to look at: “I have no power to go back from here to the city without killing him. Wait at the mouth of the hole while I kill him.” Thinking that this one stood there, I entered the hole, hard to reach. As I searched for him there, a year passed. That enemy was found by me, terror-bringing, through my persistence, and I killed him at once with all his kin. With the flood of blood that came from his mouth as he bellowed on the ground, the hole was filled and hard to cross. Having killed that valiant enemy, I could not find my way out with ease; I saw the mouth of the hole closed. I cried out “Sugriva!” again and again, but there was no answer from anywhere, and I was deeply grieved. With many kicks I knocked the rock down; then I came out by that way and reached the city. There I was shut out by this cruel Sugriva, who wanted the kingdom for himself, forgetting his brother’s love.’ Having said this, the monkey Valin, without fear, drove me out then with a single garment. Cast out by him, my wife taken, Raghava, in fear of him I went over the whole earth with its forests and oceans. Grieved by the taking of my wife, I entered Rishyamuka, best of mountains, which Valin cannot attack, for a certain reason. I have told you all this, the great tale of enmity. See, Raghava, the calamity that has come upon me, though I am innocent. You who take away the fear of all the world, hero, please show me favour by restraining him, out of my fear of Valin.”
Spoken to so, the splendid one who knows dharma begins to speak words joined with dharma to Sugriva, as if smiling: “These sharp arrows of mine, unfailing, like the sun, will fall in fury on that ill-behaved Valin. Only as long as I do not see him, the one who took your wife, will that evil-souled Valin, corrupter of right conduct, live. Judging by myself, I see you are sunk in an ocean of grief. I will bring you across; you will surely gain abundance.” Hearing his words, which increase joy and manhood, Sugriva, very pleased, speaks very great words.
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ततः क्रोधसमाविष्टं संरब्धं तमुपागतम् । अहं प्रसादयांचक्रे भ्रातरं हितकाम्यया ॥ १ ॥
“Then, when he had come back, filled with anger, agitated, I set about appeasing my brother, wishing his good:
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दिष्ट्यासि कुशली प्राप्तो निहतश्च त्वया रिपुः । अनाथस्य हि मे नाथस्त्वमेकोऽनाथनन्दन ॥ २ ॥
“’By good fortune you have come back well, and the enemy has been killed by you. You alone are protector of me, who am without protector, joy of the protectorless.
इदं बहुशलाकं ते पूर्णचन्द्रमिवोदितम् । छत्रं सवालव्यजनं प्रतीच्छस्व मया धृतम् ॥ ३ ॥
“’Accept this umbrella of mine, with many ribs, like the risen full moon, with the yak-tail fan, held by me for you.
आर्तस्तत्र बिलद्वारि स्थितः संवत्सरं नृप । दृष्ट्वा च शोणितं द्वारि बिलाच्चापि समुत्थितम् ॥ ४ ॥
“’In distress I stood there at the mouth of the hole for a year, king. And seeing blood risen up from the hole at its mouth,
शोकसंविग्नहृदयो भृशं व्याकुलितेन्द्रियः । अपिधाय बिलद्वारं शैलशृङ्गेण तत् तदा ॥ ५ ॥
“’my heart shaken with grief, my senses greatly confused, closing the mouth of the hole then with a mountain peak,
तस्माद् देशादपाक्रम्य किष्किन्धां प्राविशं पुनः । विषादात्त्विह मां दृष्ट्वा पौरैर्मन्त्रिभिरेव च ॥ ६ ॥
“’going away from that place, I entered Kishkindha again. Seeing me here in despair, by the citizens and ministers
अभिषिक्तो न कामेन तन्मे क्षन्तुं त्वमर्हसि । त्वमेव राजा मानार्हः सदा चाहं यथा पुरा ॥ ७ ॥
“’I was consecrated, not by desire; you should forgive me for that. You alone are king, worthy of honour, and I am always as before.
राजभावे नियोगोऽयं मम त्वद्विरहात् कृतः । सामात्यपौरनगरं स्थितं निहतकण्टकम् ॥ ८ ॥
“’This appointment of me to kingship was made because of separation from you. The city, with ministers and citizens, has stood with its thorns removed.
न्यासभूतमिदं राज्यं तव निर्यातयाम्यहम् । मा च रोषं कृथाः सौम्य मम शत्रुनिषूदन ॥ ९ ॥
“’This kingdom, held as a trust, I return to you. And do not be angry with me, gentle one, destroyer of enemies.
याचे त्वां शिरसा राजन् मया बद्धोऽयमञ्जलिः । बलादस्मिन् समागम्य मन्त्रिभिः पुरवासिभिः ॥ १० ॥
“’I beg you with my head, king; this joining of palms is made by me. By force, the ministers and city-dwellers meeting together,
राजभावे नियुक्तोऽहं शून्यदेशजिगीषया । स्निग्धमेवं ब्रुवाणं मां स विनिर्भर्त्स्य वानरः ॥ ११ ॥
“’I was appointed to kingship, from fear that the empty land would be conquered.’ Me, speaking affectionately so, that monkey rebuked,
धिक्त्वामिति च मामुक्त्वा बहु तत्तदुवाच ह । प्रकृतीश्च समानीय मन्त्रिणश्चैव सम्मतान् ॥ १२ ॥
“and saying to me, ‘Shame on you!’, he said much of this and that. And gathering the subjects and the respected ministers,
मामाह सुहृदां मध्ये वाक्यं परमगर्हितम् । विदितं वो मया रात्रौ मायावी स महासुरः ॥ १३ ॥
“he spoke to me, among friends, words of utmost censure: ‘It is known to you that at night that great asura Mayavin
मां समाह्वयत क्रुद्धो युद्धाकांक्षी तदा पुरा । तस्य तद् भाषितं श्रुत्वा निःसृतोऽहं नृपालयात् ॥ १४ ॥
“’challenged me, angry, wanting battle, then, long ago. Hearing those words of his, I went out from the royal palace,
अनुयातश्च मां तूर्णमयं भ्राता सुदारुणः । स तु दृष्ट्वैव मां रात्रौ सद्वितीयं महाबलः ॥ १५ ॥
“’and this most cruel brother followed me quickly. But he, the very mighty one, seeing me with a companion at night,
प्राद्रवद् भयसंत्रस्तो वीक्ष्यावां समुपागतौ । अभिद्रुतस्तु वेगेन विवेश स महाबिलम् ॥ १६ ॥
“’ran, terrified with fear, seeing the two of us come near. Chased with speed, he entered a great hole.
तं प्रविष्टं विदित्वा तु सुघोरं सुमहद्बिलम् । अयमुक्तोऽथ मे भ्राता मया तु क्रूरदर्शनः ॥ १७ ॥
“’Knowing he had entered that very terrible, very great hole, this brother of mine, cruel to look at, was told by me:
अहत्वा नास्ति मे शक्तिः प्रतिगन्तुमितः पुरीम् । बिलद्वारि प्रतीक्ष त्वं यावदेनं निहन्म्यहम् ॥ १८ ॥
“’”I have no power to go back from here to the city without killing him. Wait at the mouth of the hole while I kill him.”
स्थितोऽयमिति मत्वाहं प्रविष्टस्तु दुरासदम् । तं मे मार्गयतस्तत्र गतः संवत्सरस्तदा ॥ १९ ॥
“’Thinking “this one stands here”, I entered the hole, hard to reach. As I searched for him there, a year then passed.
स तु दृष्टो मया शत्रुरनिर्वेदाद् भयावहः । निहतश्च मया सद्यः स सर्वैः सह बन्धुभिः ॥ २० ॥
“’That enemy was seen by me, terror-bringing, through persistence, and killed by me at once, with all his kin.
तस्यास्यात्तु प्रवृत्तेन रुधिरौघेण तद्बिलम् । पूर्णमासीद् दुराक्रामं स्तनतस्तस्य भूतले ॥ २१ ॥
“’With the flood of blood flowing from his mouth as he bellowed on the ground, that hole was full and hard to cross.
सूदयित्वा तु तं शत्रुं विक्रान्तं तमहं सुखम् । निष्क्रामं नैव पश्यामि बिलस्य पिहितं मुखम् ॥ २२ ॥
“’Having slain that valiant enemy, I did not see my way out at ease; the mouth of the hole was closed.
विक्रोशमानस्य तु मे सुग्रीवेति पुनः पुनः । यतः प्रतिवचो नास्ति ततोऽहं भृशदुःखितः ॥ २३ ॥
“’As I cried out “Sugriva!” again and again, since there was no answer from anywhere, I was then deeply grieved.
पादप्रहारैस्तु मया बहुभिः परिपातितम् । ततोऽहं तेन निष्क्रम्य पथा पुरमुपागतः ॥ २४ ॥
“’With many kicks it was knocked down by me; then, coming out by that way, I reached the city.
तत्रानेनास्मि संरुद्धो राज्यं मृगयताऽऽत्मनः । सुग्रीवेण नृशंसेन विस्मृत्य भ्रातृसौहृदम् ॥ २५ ॥
“’There I was shut out by this one, seeking the kingdom for himself, by cruel Sugriva, forgetting a brother’s love.’
एवमुक्त्वा तु मां तत्र वस्त्रेणैकेन वानरः । तदा निर्वासयामास वाली विगतसाध्वसः ॥ २६ ॥
“Having said this to me there, the monkey Valin, rid of fear, then banished me with a single garment.
तेनाहमपविद्धश्च हृतदारश्च राघव । तद्भयाच्च महीं सर्वां क्रान्तवान् सवनार्णवाम् ॥ २७ ॥
“Cast out by him, and my wife taken, Raghava, out of fear of him I traversed the whole earth with its forests and oceans.
ऋष्यमूकं गिरिवरं भार्याहरणदुःखितः । प्रविष्टोऽस्मि दुराधर्षं वालिनः कारणान्तरे ॥ २८ ॥
“Grieved by the taking of my wife, I have entered Rishyamuka, best of mountains, hard for Valin to attack, for a certain reason.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं वैरानुकथनं महत् । अनागसा मया प्राप्तं व्यसनं पश्य राघव ॥ २९ ॥
“All this has been told to you, the great tale of the enmity. See the calamity, Raghava, that has come to me, who am without fault.
वालिनश्च भयात् तस्य सर्वलोकभयापह । कर्तुमर्हसि मे वीर प्रसादं तस्य निग्रहात् ॥ ३० ॥
“And from fear of that Valin, you who take away the fear of all the world, hero, you should show me favour by restraining him.”
एवमुक्तः स तेजस्वी धर्मज्ञो धर्मसंहितम् । वचनं वक्तुमारेभे सुग्रीवं प्रहसन्निव ॥ ३१ ॥
Spoken to so, that splendid one who knows dharma began to speak words joined with dharma to Sugriva, as if smiling:
अमोघाः सूर्यसंकाशा निशिता मे शरा इमे । तस्मिन् वालिनि दुर्वृत्ते पतिष्यन्ति रुषान्विताः ॥ ३२ ॥
“These sharp arrows of mine, unfailing, like the sun, will fall, full of fury, on that ill-behaved Valin.
यावत् तं नहि पश्येयं तव भार्यापहारिणम् । तावत् स जीवेत् पापात्मा वाली चारित्रदूषकः ॥ ३३ ॥
“As long as I do not see him, the carrier-off of your wife, so long may that evil-souled Valin, corrupter of conduct, live.
आत्मानुमानात् पश्यामि मग्नस्त्वं शोकसागरे । त्वामहं तारयिष्यामि बाढं प्राप्स्यसि पुष्कलम् ॥ ३४ ॥
“By inference from myself, I see you sunk in an ocean of grief. I will bring you across; you will surely obtain abundance.”
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा हर्षपौरुषवर्धनम् । सुग्रीवः परमप्रीतः सुमहद्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ३५ ॥
Hearing those words of his, increasing joy and manhood, Sugriva, very pleased, spoke very great words.