Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 16 of 67 · 39 verses
Valin Struck Down
As Tara, whose face is like the moon, speaks so, Valin rebukes her and says: “How could I tolerate, for any reason, lovely-faced one, the furious roaring of this brother, and an enemy at that? For heroes never before assaulted, who never turn back in battle, enduring an insult is worse than death, timid one. I cannot bear the rage, in battle, of Sugriva the ‘lean-necked’, who wants a fight, nor his roaring. And you need not despair about Raghava for my sake: knowing dharma and grateful, how could he do wrong? Go back with the women; why follow me further? You have shown your love and your devotion to me. I will go and fight Sugriva; give up your alarm. I will humble his pride, but he will not be parted from his life. I will do what he wants as he stands in battle; struck by trees and blows of my fists, he will go back. The wicked one will not bear my pride and effort. You have done your part as my helper, Tara, and shown your love for me. I adjure you by my life: go back with your people. Enough; I will come back after conquering that brother in battle.” Embracing Valin, sweet-speaking, gracious Tara, weeping softly, walks around him keeping him on her right. Then, knowing mantras and wishing for his victory, she performs a rite for his safety and, overcome by grief, enters the inner apartments with the women.
When Tara has gone with the women into her own dwelling, Valin, angry, goes out of the city, hissing like a great snake. Sighing with great rage, very swift, casting his eyes in every direction, eager to see his enemy, glorious Valin sees golden-tawny Sugriva, girded well, firmly planted, blazing like fire. Seeing Sugriva standing ready, mighty-armed Valin, very angry, girds his garment tight. Tightly girded, raising his fist, the mighty one goes straight at Sugriva to fight, having made his moment; and Sugriva too, raising his clenched fist, comes on in still greater fury, aiming at Valin with his golden garland. Valin, his eyes copper-red with anger, says to Sugriva, skilled in battle, as he rushes at him with great speed: “This great fist, clenched tight, its fingers well bound, released by me with force, will go off with your life.” Told this, Sugriva angrily says to Valin: “And may this fist fall on your head and take your life.” Struck by him, Valin rushes at him angrily and becomes like a mountain spouting blood, as if with a crown. Sugriva, fearless, with force pulls up a sala and strikes Valin’s limbs with it, like a great mountain struck by the thunderbolt. Broken by the tree, staggered by the blow of the sala, Valin reels like an overloaded boat with its merchants on the sea. The two, of fearsome strength and valour, swift as Suparna, grown huge, terrible in form like the moon and sun in the sky, slayers of enemies, intent on finding each other’s weak points, fight on. Then Valin, full of strength and valour, grows stronger, and very mighty Sugriva, son of the sun, weakens. His pride broken by Valin, Sugriva, his valour flagging, angry at Valin, signals to Raghava. With trees and their branches, with peaks, with nails like the points of thunderbolts, with fists, knees, feet and arms, again and again, a terrible fight goes on between them, like that of Vritra and Vasava. The two forest-roaming monkeys fight, smeared with blood, threatening each other with great noises like two clouds. Then Raghava sees Sugriva, lord of the monkeys, weakening, and looking again and again in every direction. Seeing the lord of the monkeys in distress, Rama of great splendour, the hero, looks to his arrow, wishing to kill Valin. Fitting to his bow an arrow like a venomous snake, he draws the bow full, like Death the wheel of Time. At the sound of its bowstring the lords of the birds take fright and the beasts flee, bewildered as at the end of an age. Released by Raghava, with a sound like the thunderbolt, like blazing lightning, the great arrow falls on Valin’s chest. Struck by it with force, Valin of great splendour, lord of the monkeys, mighty, falls to the ground, like Indra’s banner flung down on the full-moon day of the month of Ashvayuja, his glory gone, senseless, his throat choked with tears, crying out slowly in pain. The best of men released that best of arrows, adorned with gold and silver, like Time at the end of an age, blazing, crusher of enemies, as Hara releases smoking fire from his mouth. Then, drenched with streams of blood like water, like a flowering ashoka tossed by the wind, the son of Vasava, senseless, falls to the ground in battle like Indra’s banner thrown down.
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तामेवं ब्रुवतीं तारां ताराधिपनिभाननाम् । वाली निर्भर्त्सयामास वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
As that Tara, whose face was like the lord of the stars, spoke so, Valin rebuked her and said these words:
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Valin Struck Down 1 min read.
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गर्जतोऽस्य सुसंरब्धं भ्रातुः शत्रोर्विशेषतः । मर्षयिष्यामि केनापि कारणेन वरानने ॥ २ ॥
“How, for any reason, lovely-faced one, shall I tolerate the furious roaring of this brother, and especially an enemy?
अधर्षितानां शूराणां समरेष्वनिवर्तिनाम् । धर्षणामर्षणं भीरु मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥ ३ ॥
“For heroes not assaulted, never turning back in battle, the toleration of an assault exceeds death, timid one.
सोढुं न च समर्थोऽहं युद्धकामस्य संयुगे । सुग्रीवस्य च संरम्भं हीनग्रीवस्य गर्जितम् ॥ ४ ॥
“And I am not able to bear in battle the rage of Sugriva, eager for battle, nor the roaring of the ‘lean-necked’ one.
न च कार्यो विषादस्ते राघवं प्रति मत्कृते । धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च कथं पापं करिष्यति ॥ ५ ॥
“And you need not despair about Raghava for my sake. Knowing dharma and grateful, how will he do wrong?
निवर्तस्व सह स्त्रीभिः कथं भूयोऽनुगच्छसि । सौहृदं दर्शितं तावन्मयि भक्तिस्त्वया कृता ॥ ६ ॥
“Turn back with the women; why do you follow me further? Love has been shown so far, and devotion to me has been made by you.
प्रतियोत्स्याम्यहं गत्वा सुग्रीवं जहि सम्भ्रमम् । दर्पं चास्य विनेष्यामि न च प्राणैर्वियोक्ष्यते ॥ ७ ॥
“Going, I will fight back against Sugriva; drop your alarm. And I will remove his pride, but he will not be parted from his life.
अहं ह्याजिस्थितस्यास्य करिष्यामि यदीप्सितम् । वृक्षैर्मुष्टिप्रहारैश्च पीडितः प्रतियास्यति ॥ ८ ॥
“For I will do what he wishes as he stands in battle. Pained by trees and blows of fists, he will go back.
न मे गर्वितमायस्तं सहिष्यति दुरात्मवान् । कृतं तारे सहायत्वं दर्शितं सौहृदं मयि ॥ ९ ॥
“The wicked one will not tolerate my pride and effort. Help has been done, Tara; love for me has been shown.
शापितासि मम प्राणैर्निवर्तस्व जनेन च । अलं जित्वा निवर्तिष्ये तमहं भ्रातरं रणे ॥ १० ॥
“You are adjured by my life: turn back with your people. Enough; having conquered that brother in battle, I will return.”
तं तु तारा परिष्वज्य वालिनं प्रियवादिनी । चकार रुदती मन्दं दक्षिणा सा प्रदक्षिणम् ॥ ११ ॥
Embracing that Valin, sweet-speaking Tara, gracious, weeping softly, walked around him keeping him on the right.
ततः स्वस्त्ययनं कृत्वा मन्त्रविद् विजयैषिणी । अन्तःपुरं सह स्त्रीभिः प्रविष्टा शोकमोहिता ॥ १२ ॥
Then, having performed a rite for his safety, knowing mantras, wishing his victory, she entered the inner apartments with the women, bewildered with grief.
प्रविष्टायां तु तारायां सह स्त्रीभिः स्वमालयम् । नगर्या निर्ययौ क्रुद्धो महासर्प इव श्वसन् ॥ १३ ॥
When Tara had entered her own dwelling with the women, he went out of the city, angry, hissing like a great snake.
स निःश्वस्य महारोषो वाली परमवेगवान् । सर्वतश्चारयन् दृष्टिं शत्रुदर्शनकांक्षया ॥ १४ ॥
Sighing, of great rage, Valin, of supreme speed, casting his eyes on every side, eager to see his enemy,
स ददर्श ततः श्रीमान् सुग्रीवं हेमपिङ्गलम् । सुसंवीतमवष्टब्धं दीप्यमानमिवानलम् ॥ १५ ॥
then the glorious one saw golden-tawny Sugriva, well girded, firmly planted, as if blazing like fire.
तं स दृष्ट्वा महाबाहुः सुग्रीवं पर्यवस्थितम् । गाढं परिदधे वासो वाली परमकोपनः ॥ १६ ॥
Seeing that Sugriva standing ready, mighty-armed Valin, extremely angry, girded his garment tightly.
स वाली गाढसंवीतो मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वीर्यवान् । सुग्रीवमेवाभिमुखो ययौ योद्धुं कृतक्षणः ॥ १७ ॥
That Valin, tightly girded, raising his fist, the mighty one, went facing Sugriva himself to fight, having made his moment.
श्लिष्टं मुष्टिं समुद्यम्य संरब्धतरमागतः । सुग्रीवोऽपि समुद्दिश्य वालिनं हेममालिनम् ॥ १८ ॥
And Sugriva too, raising his clenched fist, came on in greater fury, aiming at Valin with his golden garland.
तं वाली क्रोधताम्राक्षः सुग्रीवं रणकोविदम् । आपतन्तं महावेगमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १९ ॥
Valin, his eyes copper with anger, said these words to that Sugriva, skilled in battle, rushing at him with great speed:
एष मुष्टिर्महान् बद्धो गाढः सुनियताङ्गुलिः । मया वेगविमुक्तस्ते प्राणानादाय यास्यति ॥ २० ॥
“This great fist, clenched, tight, with fingers well bound, released with speed by me, will go taking your life.”
एवमुक्तस्तु सुग्रीवः क्रुद्धो वालिनमब्रवीत् । तव चैष हरन् प्राणान् मुष्टिः पततु मूर्धनि ॥ २१ ॥
Spoken to so, Sugriva, angry, said to Valin: “And may this fist fall on your head, taking your life.”
ताडितस्तेन तं क्रुद्धः समभिक्रम्य वेगतः । अभवच्छोणितोद्गारी सापीड इव पर्वतः ॥ २२ ॥
Struck by him, rushing at him angrily with speed, he became like a mountain spouting blood, as if with a crown.
सुग्रीवेण तु निःशङ्कं सालमुत्पाट्य तेजसा । गात्रेष्वभिहतो वाली वज्रेणेव महागिरिः ॥ २३ ॥
But by Sugriva, fearlessly, pulling up a sala with force, Valin was struck on the limbs, like a great mountain by the thunderbolt.
स तु वृक्षेण निर्भग्नः सालताडनविह्वलः । गुरुभारभराक्रान्ता नौः ससार्थेव सागरे ॥ २४ ॥
Broken by the tree, staggered by the blow of the sala, he was like a boat overloaded with a heavy burden, with its merchants, on the ocean.
तौ भीमबलविक्रान्तौ सुपर्णसमवेगितौ । प्रवृद्धौ घोरवपुषौ चन्द्रसूर्याविवाम्बरे ॥ २५ ॥
The two, of fearsome strength and valour, swift as Suparna, grown huge, terrible in form, like the moon and sun in the sky,
परस्परममित्रघ्नौ छिद्रान्वेषणतत्परौ । ततोऽवर्धत वाली तु बलवीर्यसमन्वितः ॥ २६ ॥
slayers of enemies, intent on seeking each other’s weak points: then Valin, endowed with strength and valour, grew,
सूर्यपुत्रो महावीर्यः सुग्रीवः परिहीयत । वालिना भग्नदर्पस्तु सुग्रीवो मन्दविक्रमः ॥ २७ ॥
and very mighty Sugriva, son of the sun, weakened. His pride broken by Valin, Sugriva, his valour flagging,
वालिनं प्रति सामर्षो दर्शयामास राघवम् । वृक्षैः सशाखैः शिखरैर्वज्रकोटिनिभैर्नखैः ॥ २८ ॥
angry at Valin, signalled to Raghava. With trees with branches, with peaks, with nails like the points of the vajra,
मुष्टिभिर्जानुभिः पद्भिर्बाहुभिश्च पुनः पुनः । तयोर्युद्धमभूद्घोरं वृत्रवासवयोरिव ॥ २९ ॥
with fists, knees, feet and arms again and again, the battle between them was terrible, like that of Vritra and Vasava.
तौ शोणिताक्तौ युध्येतां वानरौ वनचारिणौ । मेघाविव महाशब्दैस्तर्जमानौ परस्परम् ॥ ३० ॥
The two forest-roaming monkeys fought, smeared with blood, threatening each other with great noises like two clouds.
हीयमानमथापश्यत् सुग्रीवं वानरेश्वरम् । प्रेक्षमाणं दिशश्चैव राघवः स मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ ३१ ॥
Then Raghava saw Sugriva, lord of the monkeys, weakening, and looking again and again at the directions.
ततो रामो महातेजा आर्तं दृष्ट्वा हरीश्वरम् । स शरं वीक्षते वीरो वालिनो वधकांक्षया ॥ ३२ ॥
Then Rama of great splendour, seeing the lord of monkeys in distress, the hero looked to his arrow, wishing to kill Valin.
ततो धनुषि संधाय शरमाशीविषोपमम् । पूरयामास तच्चापं कालचक्रमिवान्तकः ॥ ३३ ॥
Then, fitting to his bow an arrow like a venomous snake, he drew that bow full, like Death the wheel of Time.
तस्य ज्यातलघोषेण त्रस्ताः पत्ररथेश्वराः । प्रदुद्रुवुर्मृगाश्चैव युगान्त इव मोहिताः ॥ ३४ ॥
At the sound of its bowstring the lords of the birds, terrified, and the beasts fled, bewildered as at the end of an age.
मुक्तस्तु वज्रनिर्घोषः प्रदीप्ताशनिसंनिभः । राघवेण महाबाणो वालिवक्षसि पातितः ॥ ३५ ॥
Released by Raghava, with a sound like the vajra, like blazing lightning, the great arrow was made to fall on Valin’s chest.
ततस्तेन महातेजा वीर्ययुक्तः कपीश्वरः । वेगेनाभिहतो वाली निपपात महीतले ॥ ३६ ॥
Then, struck by it with force, Valin of great splendour, endowed with valour, lord of the monkeys, fell to the ground,
इन्द्रध्वज इवोद्धूतः पौर्णमास्यां महीतले । आश्वयुक्समये मासि गतश्रीको विचेतनः । बाष्पसंरुद्धकण्ठस्तु वाली चार्तस्वरः शनैः ॥ ३७ ॥
like Indra’s banner thrown down on the earth on the full-moon day, at the time of the month Ashvayuja, his glory gone, senseless; and Valin, his throat choked with tears, crying out slowly in pain.
नरोत्तमः कालयुगान्तकोपमं शरोत्तमं काञ्चनरूप्यभूषितम् । ससर्ज दीप्तं तममित्रमर्दनं सधूममग्निं मुखतो यथा हरः ॥ ३८ ॥
The best of men released that best of arrows, like Time at the end of an age, adorned with gold and silver, blazing, crusher of enemies, as Hara releases fire with smoke from his mouth.
अथोक्षितः शोणिततोयविस्रवैः सुपुष्पिताशोक इवानिलोद्धतः । विचेतनो वासवसूनुराहवे प्रभ्रंशितेन्द्रध्वजवत् क्षितिं गतः ॥ ३९ ॥
Then, drenched with streams of blood like water, like a well-flowering ashoka tossed by the wind, senseless, the son of Vasava went to the ground in battle, like Indra’s banner thrown down.