Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 12 of 67 · 42 verses
The Seven Salas; the First Duel
Hearing Sugriva’s well-spoken words, Rama of great splendour takes up his bow to give him proof. Taking the terrible bow and a single arrow, the giver of honour aims at the sala and lets fly, filling the directions with its sound. Released by the mighty one, the gold-adorned arrow pierces the seven salas, the mountain ridge, and enters the earth; and in a moment the very swift arrow, having pierced the salas, flies out and returns to his quiver. Seeing the seven salas split by the force of Rama’s arrow, the bull among monkeys is utterly amazed. Very pleased, Sugriva falls with his head to the ground, his ornaments hanging down, palms joined to Raghava. Delighted by that deed, he says to Rama, knower of dharma, best of all who know weapons: “With your arrows, bull among men, you could kill all the gods with Indra in battle, let alone Valin, lord. Who could stand before you in battle, Kakutstha, you who split seven great salas, a mountain and the earth with one arrow? Today my grief is gone, and my joy is supreme, having found you, a friend like great Indra and Varuna. Kill that Valin today, my enemy in the form of a brother, to please me, Kakutstha; I join my palms.” Embracing pleasant-looking Sugriva, very wise Rama replies, with Lakshmana’s agreement: “Let us go from here to Kishkindha. Go ahead of us quickly, Sugriva, and challenge Valin, who is a brother only in name.” They all go quickly to Kishkindha, Valin’s city, and stand hidden by trees in the dense forest. Sugriva, his garment girded tight, roars terribly to challenge Valin, as if splitting the sky with his roars. Hearing his brother’s roar, very mighty Valin, enraged, rushes out like the sun from behind the setting mountain. Then a tumultuous fight breaks out between Valin and Sugriva, terrible, like that of the planets Mercury and Mars in the sky. Senseless with anger, the brothers strike each other in battle with palms like thunderbolts and fists like the vajra. Then Rama, bow in hand, watches the two heroes, alike to each other, like the twin gods, the Ashvins. Because Raghava cannot tell Sugriva from Valin, he does not make up his mind to release his deadly arrow. Meanwhile Sugriva, broken by Valin, not seeing Raghava his protector, flees toward Rishyamuka. Exhausted, his limbs wet with blood, battered by blows, chased in anger by Valin, he enters the great forest. Seeing him enter the forest, Valin, out of fear of the curse, says, “You are spared,” and the mighty one turns back.
Raghava with his brother and Hanuman comes to that same forest where Sugriva is. Seeing Rama come with Lakshmana, Sugriva, ashamed, looking at the ground, says miserably: “You told me ‘Challenge him’, and showed me your valour, and then you let my enemy beat me. What is this you have done? You should have told me truly at the time, Raghava, ‘I will not kill Valin’; then I would not have gone from here.” As great-souled Sugriva speaks piteously in a miserable voice, Raghava answers: “Sugriva, listen, dear one, and let your anger go, to the reason I did not release this arrow. In ornaments, dress, size and gait, you and Valin are alike, Sugriva. In voice, splendour, look, valour and speech, monkey, I could not tell you apart. Confused by the likeness of form, best of monkeys, I did not release my very swift arrow, destroyer of enemies, terrible, life-ending, suspicious because of the likeness: I thought, ‘Let it not be the destruction at the root of us both.’ If you had been killed, hero, through my ignorance and haste, my folly and childishness would have been made known, lord of monkeys. Killing one who has been given a promise of safety is a great and terrible sin. Lakshmana, I and lovely Sita, we all depend on you; you are our refuge in this forest. So fight again, and do not doubt me, monkey. In a moment you will see Valin struck down in battle by my single arrow, writhing on the ground. Make a sign of recognition on yourself, lord of monkeys, by which I can know you when you are engaged in single combat. Lakshmana, pull up this flowering gajapushpi creeper with its auspicious marks and put it round great-souled Sugriva’s neck.” Lakshmana pulls up the flowering gajapushpi growing on the mountain slope and puts it round his neck. With that creeper hanging at his neck, glorious Sugriva shines like a cloud at twilight with a garland of cranes. Shining in body, reassured by Rama’s words, he goes with Rama and reaches Kishkindha again.
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एतच्च वचनं श्रुत्वा सुग्रीवस्य सुभाषितम् । प्रत्ययार्थं महातेजा रामो जग्राह कार्मुकम् ॥ १ ॥
Hearing these well-spoken words of Sugriva, Rama of great splendour took up his bow for the sake of proof.
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The Seven Salas; the First Duel 1 min read.
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स गृहीत्वा धनुर्घोरं शरमेकं च मानदः । सालमुद्दिश्य चिक्षेप पूरयन् स रवैर्दिशः ॥ २ ॥
Taking the terrible bow and one arrow, the giver of honour, aiming at the sala, let fly, filling the directions with its sound.
स विसृष्टो बलवता बाणः स्वर्णपरिष्कृतः । भित्त्वा सालान् गिरिप्रस्थं सप्तं भूमिं विवेश ह ॥ ३ ॥
Released by the mighty one, that arrow adorned with gold, piercing the seven salas and the mountain ridge, entered the earth.
सायकस्तु मुहूर्तेन सालान् भित्त्वा महाजवः । निष्पत्य च पुनस्तूणं तमेव प्रविवेश ह ॥ ४ ॥
And in a moment the very swift arrow, having pierced the salas and flown out, entered that same quiver again.
तान् दृष्ट्वा सप्त निर्भिन्नान् सालान् वानरपुङ्गवः । रामस्य शरवेगेन विस्मयं परमं गतः ॥ ५ ॥
Seeing those seven salas split by the force of Rama’s arrow, the bull among monkeys was filled with supreme wonder.
स मूर्ध्ना न्यपतद् भूमौ प्रलम्बीकृतभूषणः । सुग्रीवः परमप्रीतो राघवाय कृताञ्जलिः ॥ ६ ॥
He fell with his head to the ground, his ornaments hanging down, Sugriva, very pleased, with joined palms to Raghava.
इदं चोवाच धर्मज्ञं कर्मणा तेन हर्षितः । रामं सर्वास्त्रविदुषां श्रेष्ठं शूरमवस्थितम् ॥ ७ ॥
And delighted by that deed, he said this to Rama, knower of dharma, best of all who know weapons, the hero standing there:
सेन्द्रानपि सुरान् सर्वांस्त्वं बाणैः पुरुषर्षभ । समर्थः समरे हन्तुं किं पुनर्वालिनं प्रभो ॥ ८ ॥
“You are able to kill in battle with your arrows all the gods even with Indra, bull among men; how much more Valin, lord?
येन सप्त महासाला गिरिर्भूमिश्च दारिताः । बाणेनैकेन काकुत्स्थ स्थाता ते को रणाग्रतः ॥ ९ ॥
“You by whom seven great salas, a mountain and the earth were split with one arrow, Kakutstha: who will stand before you at the front of battle?
अद्य मे विगतः शोकः प्रीतिरद्य परा मम । सुहृदं त्वां समासाद्य महेन्द्रवरुणोपमम् ॥ १० ॥
“Today my grief is gone; today my joy is supreme, having found you, a friend like great Indra and Varuna.
तमद्यैव प्रियार्थं मे वैरिणं भ्रातृरूपिणम् । वालिनं जहि काकुत्स्थ मया बद्धोऽयमञ्जलिः ॥ ११ ॥
“Kill that enemy in the form of a brother, Valin, today, for my pleasure, Kakutstha; this joining of palms is made by me.”
ततो रामः परिष्वज्य सुग्रीवं प्रियदर्शनम् । प्रत्युवाच महाप्राज्ञो लक्ष्मणानुगतं वचः ॥ १२ ॥
Then Rama, embracing pleasant-looking Sugriva, very wise, replied with words approved by Lakshmana:
अस्माद्गच्छाम किष्किन्धां क्षिप्रं गच्छ त्वमग्रतः । गत्वा चाह्वय सुग्रीव वालिनं भ्रातृगन्धिनम् ॥ १३ ॥
“Let us go from here to Kishkindha. Go quickly ahead, and having gone, Sugriva, challenge Valin, brother only in smell.”
सर्वे ते त्वरितं गत्वा किष्किन्धां वालिनः पुरीम् । वृक्षैरात्मानमावृत्य ह्यतिष्ठन् गहने वने ॥ १४ ॥
All of them, going quickly to Kishkindha, Valin’s city, covering themselves with trees, stood in the dense forest.
सुग्रीवोऽप्यनदद् घोरं वालिनो ह्वानकारणात् । गाढं परिहितो वेगान्नादैर्भिन्दन्निवाम्बरम् ॥ १५ ॥
And Sugriva roared terribly for the purpose of challenging Valin, girded tightly, with speed, as if splitting the sky with roars.
तं श्रुत्वा निनदं भ्रातुः क्रुद्धो वाली महाबलः । निष्पपात सुसंरब्धो भास्करोऽस्ततटादिव ॥ १६ ॥
Hearing that roar of his brother, very mighty Valin, angry, rushed out greatly enraged, like the sun from the setting mountain’s edge.
ततः सुतुमुलं युद्धं वालिसुग्रीवयोरभूत् । गगने ग्रहयोर्घोरं बुधाङ्गारकयोरिव ॥ १७ ॥
Then a most tumultuous battle arose between Valin and Sugriva, terrible, like that of the planets Mercury and Mars in the sky.
तलैरशनिकल्पैश्च वज्रकल्पैश्च मुष्टिभिः । जघ्नतुः समरेऽन्योन्यं भ्रातरौ क्रोधमूर्च्छितौ ॥ १८ ॥
With palms like thunderbolts and with fists like the vajra, the two brothers, senseless with anger, struck each other in battle.
ततो रामो धनुष्पाणिस्तावुभौ समुदैक्षत । अन्योन्यसदृशौ वीरावुभौ देवाविवाश्विनौ ॥ १९ ॥
Then Rama, bow in hand, looked at both of them, two heroes alike to each other, both like the gods, the Ashvins.
यन्नावगच्छत् सुग्रीवं वालिनं वापि राघवः । ततो न कृतवान् बुद्धिं मोक्तुमन्तकरं शरम् ॥ २० ॥
Since Raghava could not make out Sugriva or Valin, he therefore did not make up his mind to release the ending arrow.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे भग्नः सुग्रीवस्तेन वालिना । अपश्यन् राघवं नाथमृष्यमूकं प्रदुद्रुवे ॥ २१ ॥
Meanwhile Sugriva, broken by that Valin, not seeing Raghava his protector, fled to Rishyamuka.
क्लान्तो रुधिरसिक्ताङ्गः प्रहारैर्जर्जरीकृतः । वालिनाभिद्रुतः क्रोधात् प्रविवेश महावनम् ॥ २२ ॥
Exhausted, his limbs sprinkled with blood, battered by blows, chased by Valin in anger, he entered the great forest.
तं प्रविष्टं वनं दृष्ट्वा वाली शापभयात् ततः । मुक्तो ह्यसि त्वमित्युक्त्वा स निवृत्तो महाबलः ॥ २३ ॥
Seeing him entered into the forest, Valin then, from fear of the curse, saying, “You are freed,” the very mighty one turned back.
राघवोऽपि सह भ्रात्रा सह चैव हनूमता । तदेव वनमागच्छत् सुग्रीवो यत्र वानरः ॥ २४ ॥
Raghava too, with his brother and with Hanuman, came to that same forest where Sugriva the monkey was.
तं समीक्ष्यागतं रामं सुग्रीवः सहलक्ष्मणम् । ह्रीमान् दीनमुवाचेदं वसुधामवलोकयन् ॥ २५ ॥
Seeing Rama come with Lakshmana, Sugriva, ashamed, looking at the ground, said this miserably:
आह्वयस्वेति मामुक्त्वा दर्शयित्वा च विक्रमम् । वैरिणा घातयित्वा च किमिदानीं त्वया कृतम् ॥ २६ ॥
“Telling me ‘Challenge him’, and showing your valour, and having had me struck by my enemy, what have you done now?
तामेव वेलां वक्तव्यं त्वया राघव तत्त्वतः । वालिनं न निहन्मीति ततो नाहमितो व्रजे ॥ २७ ॥
“At that very time it should have been said by you truly, Raghava, ‘I will not kill Valin’; then I would not have gone from here.”
तस्य चैवं ब्रुवाणस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः । करुणं दीनया वाचा राघवः पुनरब्रवीत् ॥ २८ ॥
To great-souled Sugriva speaking so piteously, with a miserable voice, Raghava spoke again:
सुग्रीव श्रूयतां तात क्रोधश्च व्यपनीयताम् । कारणं येन बाणोऽयं स मया न विसर्जितः ॥ २९ ॥
“Sugriva, let it be heard, dear one, and let anger be removed, the reason by which this arrow was not released by me.
अलंकारेण वेषेण प्रमाणेन गतेन च । त्वं च सुग्रीव वाली च सदृशौ स्थः परस्परम् ॥ ३० ॥
“In ornament, in dress, in size and in gait, you, Sugriva, and Valin are alike to each other.
स्वरेण वर्चसा चैव प्रेक्षितेन च वानर । विक्रमेण च वाक्यैश्च व्यक्तिं वां नोपलक्षये ॥ ३१ ॥
“In voice and in splendour, and in look, monkey, in valour and in speech, I do not perceive the difference between you two.
ततोऽहं रूपसादृश्यान्मोहितो वानरोत्तम । नोत्सृजामि महावेगं शरं शत्रुनिबर्हणम् ॥ ३२ ॥
“Therefore I, confused by the likeness of form, best of monkeys, did not release the very swift arrow that destroys enemies,
जीवितान्तकरं घोरं सादृश्यात् तु विशङ्कितः । मूलघातो न नौ स्याद्धि द्वयोरिति कृतो मया ॥ ३३ ॥
“life-ending, terrible, suspicious because of the likeness. ‘Let there not be root-destruction of both of us’: so it was done by me.
त्वयि वीर विपन्ने हि अज्ञानाल्लाघवान्मया । मौढ्यं च मम बाल्यं च ख्यापितं स्यात् कपीश्वर ॥ ३४ ॥
“For if you had perished, hero, through my ignorance and haste, my folly and childishness would have been proclaimed, lord of monkeys.
दत्ताभयवधो नाम पातकं महदद्भुतम् । अहं च लक्ष्मणश्चैव सीता च वरवर्णिनी ॥ ३५ ॥
“The killing of one given safety is a great and terrible sin. I and Lakshmana, and lovely Sita,
त्वदधीना वयं सर्वे वनेऽस्मिन् शरणं भवान् । तस्माद् युध्यस्व भूयस्त्वं मा माशङ्कीश्च वानर ॥ ३६ ॥
“we are all dependent on you; you are our refuge in this forest. Therefore fight again, and do not suspect me, monkey.
एतन्मुहूर्ते तु मया पश्य वालिनमाहवे । निरस्तमिषुणैकेन चेष्टमानं महीतले ॥ ३७ ॥
“In a moment, see Valin in the fight, struck down by me with one arrow, writhing on the ground.
अभिज्ञानं कुरुष्व त्वमात्मनो वानरेश्वर । येन त्वामभिजानीयां द्वन्द्वयुद्धमुपागतम् ॥ ३८ ॥
“Make a mark of recognition on yourself, lord of monkeys, by which I may recognise you engaged in single combat.
गजपुष्पीमिमां फुल्लामुत्पाट्य शुभलक्षणाम् । कुरु लक्ष्मण कण्ठेऽस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः ॥ ३९ ॥
“Pulling up this flowering gajapushpi with auspicious marks, Lakshmana, put it on the neck of this great-souled Sugriva.”
ततो गिरितटे जातामुत्पाट्य कुसुमायुताम् । लक्ष्मणो गजपुष्पीं तां तस्य कण्ठे व्यसर्जयत् ॥ ४० ॥
Then, pulling up that flowering gajapushpi grown on the mountain slope, Lakshmana put it on his neck.
स तया शुशुभे श्रीमाँल्लतया कण्ठसक्तया । मालयेव बलाकानां ससंध्य इव तोयदः ॥ ४१ ॥
With that creeper hanging on his neck, the glorious one shone like a cloud at twilight with a garland of cranes.
विभ्राजमानो वपुषा रामवाक्यसमाहितः । जगाम सह रामेण किष्किन्धां पुनराप सः ॥ ४२ ॥
Shining in body, reassured by Rama’s words, he went with Rama and reached Kishkindha again.