Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 17 of 67 · 54 verses
Valin Accuses Rama
Struck by Rama’s arrow, Valin, harsh in battle, falls suddenly like a felled tree. He lies on the ground with all his limbs stretched out, adorned with refined gold, like the banner of the king of the gods with its cords let loose. With this lord of the hosts of monkeys and bears fallen, the earth no longer shines, like the sky without its moon. Even fallen on the ground, the great soul’s body is not abandoned by glory, by life, by splendour or by valour; for the fine golden garland set with jewels, given by Shakra, holds the chief monkey’s life, splendour and glory. With that golden garland, the hero, leader of monkey troops, is like a rain-cloud edged by twilight. His garland, his body and the arrow that pierced his vitals: a beauty made in three parts shines on him even as he lies fallen. That weapon of the hero, released from Rama’s bow, revealing the path to heaven, brings him to the highest state. Rama, followed by Lakshmana, sees him fallen so in battle, like a fire whose flames are gone, like Yayati fallen from the world of the gods when his merit ran out, like the sun cast down to earth by Time at the end of an age, unassailable like great Indra, unbearable like Upendra: great Indra’s son Valin, with his golden garland, broad-chested, mighty-armed, with blazing face and tawny eyes. Rama approaches him. Honouring the hero, who looks at them slowly, the two very mighty brothers Rama and Lakshmana come near. Seeing Raghava and mighty Lakshmana, Valin, lying on the ground, his splendour and life ebbing, struck down, his consciousness failing, speaks harsh words, yet courteous and joined with dharma, words full of meaning, to the one proud in battle:
“You are the son of a king, famous, pleasant to see. What virtue have you gained here by killing one whose face was turned away, so that I, engaged in battle with another, have met my death because of you? ‘Rama is of noble family, full of goodness, splendid, keeping his vows; Rama knows compassion and delights in the good of the people; he is merciful, of great energy, knows what is proper, firm in his vows’: this is the fame that all beings tell of you on earth. Self-control, calm, forgiveness, dharma, steadiness, truth, valour, and punishment for wrongdoers: these are the virtues of kings, king. Relying on those virtues, and on your high birth, I came out to meet Sugriva, though Tara forbade me. ‘You will not strike me while I am engaged with another and off my guard’: this was the thought that arose in me before I saw you. Now I know you, whose self is ruined, as a hypocrite with dharma for a banner, unrighteous, of evil conduct, like a well covered with grass; an evil one wearing the dress of the good, like a hidden fire. I did not recognise you, covered in a disguise of dharma. I have done no wrong in your country or your city, nor have I insulted you. Why do you kill one who is guiltless, a monkey who always lives on fruit and roots and roams the forest, who was not fighting you here but was engaged with another? You are a king’s son, trusted, pleasant to see; you even carry the visible signs of dharma, king. Who born in a kshatriya family, learned, free of doubt, would do a cruel deed while covered in the signs of dharma? Born in the Raghu line, known as righteous, why do you go about, though unworthy, in a worthy form? Conciliation, generosity, forgiveness, dharma, truth, steadiness and valour are the virtues of kings, king, and punishment for wrongdoers. We are forest-dwellers, Rama, beasts living on roots and fruit; this is our nature; but you are a man, lord of men. Land, gold and beauty are the causes of conflict; what greed could you have for my forest or my fruits? Policy and discipline, punishment and favour: the conduct of kings is not confused; kings do not act on whim. But you are ruled by desire, quick to anger, unsteady, confused in the duties of kings, intent only on your bow. You have no regard for dharma, and your mind is not fixed on wealth; acting on desire, you are dragged by your senses, lord of men. Having killed me here with an arrow, Kakutstha, though I had done no wrong, what will you say among the good, having done a loathsome deed? The killer of a king, the killer of a brahmana, the killer of a cow, the thief, one who delights in killing living beings, the unbeliever, and the younger brother who marries before his elder: all go to hell. The informer, the miser, the killer of a friend, and one who violates his teacher’s bed: these go to the world of the wicked, no doubt. My skin is not to be worn by the good; my hair and bones are shunned; and my flesh is not to be eaten by righteous men like you. Five five-clawed animals may be eaten by brahmanas and kshatriyas, Raghava: the porcupine, the hedgehog, the iguana, the hare, and fifth the tortoise. The wise do not touch my skin and bones, Rama, and my flesh is not to be eaten; yet I, a five-clawed creature, have been killed. Tara, who knows all, told me true and good words; I went past them in my folly and came under the power of Time. With you as her lord, Kakutstha, the earth is not protected, like a virtuous woman with an unrighteous husband. Deceitful, fraudulent, petty, with a falsely humble mind: how were you, an evil one, born of great-souled Dasharatha? I have been killed by Rama the elephant, who has broken the girth-rope of good conduct, who goes beyond the dharma of the good, who has thrown off the goad of dharma. What will you say, when you meet the good, after doing such an inauspicious, improper deed, condemned by the good? This valour you have shown against us, who were neutral, I do not see you show against those who have harmed you, Rama. Had you fought me in battle in plain view, prince, today you would see the god Vaivasvata, killed by me. But I, hard to approach, have been killed in battle by you unseen, like a man fallen into sin, bitten by a snake as he sleeps. If you killed me wishing to please Sugriva, had you only asked me first for this purpose, I would have brought you Maithili in a single day. I would have bound that wicked rakshasa who carried off your wife, Ravana, by the neck, without killing him in battle, and given him to you. Whether Maithili had been put in the waters of the ocean or in the underworld, I would have brought her at your command, like a white mare. It is right that Sugriva should gain the kingdom when I have gone to heaven; what is wrong is that you killed me unrighteously in battle. Perhaps the world is so arranged by Time. If you have a fitting answer, think it over well.” Having said this, his face parched, pained by the blow of the arrow, the great-souled son of the king of the monkeys looks at Rama, radiant as the sun, and falls silent.
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ततः शरेणाभिहतो रामेण रणकर्कशः । पपात सहसा वाली निकृत्त इव पादपः ॥ १ ॥
Then, struck by the arrow by Rama, Valin, harsh in battle, fell suddenly like a felled tree.
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स भूमौ न्यस्तसर्वाङ्गस्तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणः । अपतद् देवराजस्य मुक्तरश्मिरिव ध्वजः ॥ २ ॥
He fell on the ground, all his limbs stretched out, adorned with refined gold, like the banner of the king of the gods with its cords released.
अस्मिन् निपतिते भूमौ हर्यृक्षाणां गणेश्वरे । नष्टचन्द्रमिव व्योम न व्यराजत मेदिनी ॥ ३ ॥
When this lord of the hosts of monkeys and bears had fallen to the ground, the earth did not shine, like the sky with the moon lost.
भूमौ निपतितस्यापि तस्य देहं महात्मनः । न श्रीर्जहाति न प्राणा न तेजो न पराक्रमः ॥ ४ ॥
Even of that great soul fallen on the ground, glory did not leave the body, nor life, nor splendour, nor valour.
शक्रदत्ता वरा माला काञ्चनी रत्नभूषिता । दधार हरिमुख्यस्य प्राणांस्तेजः श्रियं च सा ॥ ५ ॥
The fine golden garland given by Shakra, adorned with jewels, held the chief monkey’s life, splendour and glory.
स तया मालया वीरो हैमया हरियूथपः । संध्यानुगतपर्यन्तः पयोधर इवाभवत् ॥ ६ ॥
With that golden garland, the hero, leader of monkey troops, was like a rain-cloud with its edges followed by twilight.
तस्य माला च देहश्च मर्मघाती च यः शरः । त्रिधेव रचिता लक्ष्मीः पतितस्यापि शोभते ॥ ७ ॥
His garland and his body, and the arrow that struck his vitals: beauty, made as if in three parts, shone on him even fallen.
तदस्त्रं तस्य वीरस्य स्वर्गमार्गप्रभावनम् । रामबाणासनक्षिप्तमावहत् परमां गतिम् ॥ ८ ॥
That weapon of the hero, thrown from Rama’s bow, revealing the way to heaven, carried him to the highest state.
तं तथा पतितं संख्ये गतार्चिषमिवानलम् । ययातिमिव पुण्यान्ते देवलोकादिह च्युतम् ॥ ९ ॥
Him, fallen so in battle, like fire with its flames gone, like Yayati fallen here from the world of the gods at the end of his merit,
आदित्यमिव कालेन युगान्ते भुवि पातितम् । महेन्द्रमिव दुर्धर्षमुपेन्द्रमिव दुःसहम् ॥ १० ॥
like the sun thrown down to earth by Time at the end of an age, unassailable like great Indra, unbearable like Upendra,
महेन्द्रपुत्रं पतितं वालिनं हेममालिनम् । व्यूढोरस्कं महाबाहुं दीप्तास्यं हरिलोचनम् ॥ ११ ॥
great Indra’s son fallen, Valin with his golden garland, broad-chested, mighty-armed, with blazing face and tawny eyes,
लक्ष्मणानुचरो रामो ददर्शोपससर्प च । तं तथा पतितं वीरं गतार्चिषमिवानलम् ॥ १२ ॥
Rama, followed by Lakshmana, saw, and approached. Him, the hero fallen so, like fire with its flames gone,
बहुमान्य च तं वीरं वीक्षमाणं शनैरिव । उपयातौ महावीर्यौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ १३ ॥
honouring that hero, who looked at them slowly as it were, the two very mighty brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, approached.
तं दृष्ट्वा राघवं वाली लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम् । अब्रवीत् परुषं वाक्यं प्रश्रितं धर्मसंहितम् ॥ १४ ॥
Seeing Raghava and very mighty Lakshmana, Valin spoke harsh words, courteous and joined with dharma,
स भूमावल्पतेजोऽसुर्निहतो नष्टचेतनः । अर्थसंहितया वाचा गर्वितं रणगर्वितम् ॥ १५ ॥
he on the ground, of little splendour and life, struck down, his consciousness lost, with speech full of meaning, to the proud one, proud in battle:
त्वं नराधिपतेः पुत्रः प्रथितः प्रियदर्शनः । पराङ्मुखवधं कृत्वा कोऽत्र प्राप्तस्त्वया गुणः । यदहं युद्धसंरब्धस्त्वत्कृते निधनं गतः ॥ १६ ॥
“You are a king’s son, famous, pleasant to look at. What virtue has been gained by you here, doing the killing of one with face turned away, that I, engaged in battle, have met my death because of you?
कुलीनः सत्त्वसम्पन्नस्तेजस्वी चरितव्रतः । रामः करुणवेदी च प्रजानां च हिते रतः ॥ १७ ॥
“’Rama is of noble family, full of goodness, splendid, of practised vows, knowing compassion, and delighting in the good of the people,
सानुक्रोशो महोत्साहः समयज्ञो दृढव्रतः । इत्येतत् सर्वभूतानि कथयन्ति यशो भुवि ॥ १८ ॥
“’merciful, of great energy, knowing what is proper, firm in vows’: this is the fame all beings tell of you on earth.
दमः शमः क्षमा धर्मो धृतिः सत्यं पराक्रमः । पार्थिवानां गुणा राजन् दण्डश्चाप्यपकारिषु ॥ १९ ॥
“Self-control, calm, forgiveness, dharma, steadiness, truth, valour are the virtues of kings, king, and punishment too for wrongdoers.
तान् गुणान् सम्प्रधार्याहमग्र्यं चाभिजनं तव । तारया प्रतिषिद्धः सन् सुग्रीवेण समागतः ॥ २० ॥
“Relying on those virtues, and on your high birth, though forbidden by Tara, I met with Sugriva.
न मामन्येन संरब्धं प्रमत्तं वेद्धुमर्हसि । इति मे बुद्धिरुत्पन्ना बभूवादर्शने तव ॥ २१ ॥
“’You will not strike me, engaged in fury with another, off my guard’: this was the thought that arose in me when I had not seen you.
स त्वां विनिहतात्मानं धर्मध्वजमधार्मिकम् । जाने पापसमाचारं तृणैः कूपमिवावृतम् ॥ २२ ॥
“I know you now, your self ruined, with dharma as a banner, unrighteous, of evil conduct, like a well covered with grass,
सतां वेषधरं पापं प्रच्छन्नमिव पावकम् । नाहं त्वामभिजानामि धर्मच्छद्माभिसंवृतम् ॥ २३ ॥
“an evil one wearing the dress of the good, like a hidden fire. I did not recognise you, covered with a disguise of dharma.
विषये वा पुरे वा ते यदा पापं करोम्यहम् । न च त्वामवजानेऽहं कस्मात् तं हंस्यकिल्बिषम् ॥ २४ ॥
“When do I do wrong in your country or your city? Nor do I insult you. Why do you kill one who is guiltless,
फलमूलाशनं नित्यं वानरं वनगोचरम् । मामिहाप्रतियुध्यन्तमन्येन च समागतम् ॥ २५ ॥
“a monkey always eating fruits and roots, roaming the forest, me, here not fighting you, engaged with another?
त्वं नराधिपतेः पुत्रः प्रतीतः प्रियदर्शनः । लिङ्गमप्यस्ति ते राजन् दृश्यते धर्मसंहितम् ॥ २६ ॥
“You are the son of a king, trusted, pleasant to look at; the sign joined with dharma is seen on you too, king.
कः क्षत्रियकुले जातः श्रुतवान् नष्टसंशयः । धर्मलिङ्गप्रतिच्छन्नः क्रूरं कर्म समाचरेत् ॥ २७ ॥
“Who, born in a kshatriya family, learned, with doubts destroyed, covered with the signs of dharma, would do a cruel deed?
त्वं राघवकुले जातो धर्मवानिति विश्रुतः । अभव्यो भव्यरूपेण किमर्थं परिधावसे ॥ २८ ॥
“Born in the Raghu line, famed as righteous, why do you run about, unworthy, in a worthy form?
साम दानं क्षमा धर्मः सत्यं धृतिपराक्रमौ । पार्थिवानां गुणा राजन् दण्डश्चाप्यपकारिषु ॥ २९ ॥
“Conciliation, giving, forgiveness, dharma, truth, steadiness and valour are the virtues of kings, king, and punishment for wrongdoers.
वयं वनचरा राम मृगा मूलफलाशिनः । एषा प्रकृतिरस्माकं पुरुषस्त्वं नरेश्वर ॥ ३० ॥
“We are forest-dwellers, Rama, beasts eating roots and fruits; this is our nature; but you are a man, lord of men.
भूमिर्हिरण्यं रूपं च विग्रहे कारणानि च । तत्र कस्ते वने लोभो मदीयेषु फलेषु वा ॥ ३१ ॥
“Land, gold and beauty are the causes in conflict. What greed is there for you there, in the forest or in my fruits?
नयश्च विनयश्चोभौ निग्रहानुग्रहावपि । राजवृत्तिरसंकीर्णा न नृपाः कामवृत्तयः ॥ ३२ ॥
“Policy and discipline both, punishment and favour too: the conduct of kings is unconfused; kings do not act at will.
त्वं तु कामप्रधानश्च कोपनश्चानवस्थितः । राजवृत्तेषु संकीर्णः शरासनपरायणः ॥ ३३ ॥
“But you are ruled by desire, angry and unsteady, confused in the conducts of kings, intent on the bow.
न तेऽस्त्यपचितिर्धर्मे नार्थे बुद्धिरवस्थिता । इन्द्रियैः कामवृत्तः सन् कृष्यसे मनुजेश्वर ॥ ३४ ॥
“You have no regard for dharma, nor is your mind fixed on wealth. Acting on desire, you are dragged by the senses, lord of men.
हत्वा बाणेन काकुत्स्थ मामिहानपराधिनम् । किं वक्ष्यसि सतां मध्ये कर्म कृत्वा जुगुप्सितम् ॥ ३५ ॥
“Having killed me here with an arrow, Kakutstha, who am without offence, what will you say in the midst of the good, having done a loathsome deed?
राजहा ब्रह्महा गोघ्नश्चोरः प्राणिवधे रतः । नास्तिकः परिवेत्ता च सर्वे निरयगामिनः ॥ ३६ ॥
“The killer of a king, the killer of a brahmana, the killer of a cow, a thief, one delighting in the killing of creatures, an unbeliever and a younger brother who marries first: all go to hell.
सूचकश्च कदर्यश्च मित्रघ्नो गुरुतल्पगः । लोकं पापात्मनामेते गच्छन्ते नात्र संशयः ॥ ३७ ॥
“The informer and the miser, the killer of a friend, the violator of the teacher’s bed: these go to the world of the evil-souled; there is no doubt here.
अधार्यं चर्म मे सद्भी रोमाण्यस्थि च वर्जितम् । अभक्ष्याणि च मांसानि त्वद्विधैर्धर्मचारिभिः ॥ ३८ ॥
“My skin is not to be worn by the good; hair and bone are avoided; and the flesh is not to be eaten by righteous men like you.
पञ्च पञ्चनखा भक्ष्या ब्रह्मक्षत्रेण राघव । शल्यकः श्वाविधो गोधा शशः कूर्मश्च पञ्चमः ॥ ३९ ॥
“Five five-clawed animals are to be eaten by brahmanas and kshatriyas, Raghava: the porcupine, the hedgehog, the iguana, the hare, and fifth the tortoise.
चर्म चास्थि च मे राम न स्पृशन्ति मनीषिणः । अभक्ष्याणि च मांसानि सोऽहं पञ्चनखो हतः ॥ ४० ॥
“And the wise do not touch my skin and bone, Rama, and the flesh is not to be eaten; yet I, a five-clawed one, am killed.
तारया वाक्यमुक्तोऽहं सत्यं सर्वज्ञया हितम् । तदतिक्रम्य मोहेन कालस्य वशमागतः ॥ ४१ ॥
“Words were spoken to me by all-knowing Tara, true and good; going beyond them in folly, I have come under the power of Time.
त्वया नाथेन काकुत्स्थ न सनाथा वसुंधरा । प्रमदा शीलसम्पूर्णा पत्येव च विधर्मणा ॥ ४२ ॥
“With you as her lord, Kakutstha, the earth is not protected, like a woman full of virtue with an unrighteous husband.
शठो नैकृतिकः क्षुद्रो मिथ्याप्रश्रितमानसः । कथं दशरथेन त्वं जातः पापो महात्मना ॥ ४३ ॥
“Deceitful, fraudulent, petty, falsely humble in mind: how were you, evil one, born of great-souled Dasharatha?
छिन्नचारित्र्यकक्ष्येण सतां धर्मातिवर्तिना । त्यक्तधर्माङ्कुशेनाहं निहतो रामहस्तिना ॥ ४४ ॥
“By Rama the elephant, who has broken the girth-rope of good conduct, who transgresses the dharma of the good, who has thrown off the goad of dharma, I have been killed.
अशुभं चाप्ययुक्तं च सतां चैव विगर्हितम् । वक्ष्यसे चेदृशं कृत्वा सद्भिः सह समागतः ॥ ४५ ॥
“Inauspicious and improper and condemned by the good: what will you say, having done such a thing, when you meet with the good?
उदासीनेषु योऽस्मासु विक्रमोऽयं प्रकाशितः । अपकारिषु ते राम नैवं पश्यामि विक्रमम् ॥ ४६ ॥
“This valour which has been shown against us, who were neutral, I do not see such valour of yours against wrongdoers, Rama.
दृश्यमानस्तु युध्येथा मया युधि नृपात्मज । अद्य वैवस्वतं देवं पश्येस्त्वं निहतो मया ॥ ४७ ॥
“If you had fought being seen by me in battle, prince, today you would be seeing the god Vaivasvata, killed by me.
त्वयादृश्येन तु रणे निहतोऽहं दुरासदः । प्रसुप्तः पन्नगेनैव नरः पापवशं गतः ॥ ४८ ॥
“But I, hard to approach, have been killed in battle by you unseen, like a man fallen into the power of sin, by a snake while asleep.
सुग्रीवप्रियकामेन यदहं निहतस्त्वया । मामेव यदि पूर्वं त्वमेतदर्थमचोदयः । मैथिलीमहमेकाह्ना तव चानीतवान् भवेः ॥ ४९ ॥
“Since I have been killed by you wishing to please Sugriva, if you had urged me alone first for this purpose, I would have brought Maithili to you in one day.
राक्षसं च दुरात्मानं तव भार्यापहारिणम् । कण्ठे बद्ध्वा प्रदद्यां तेऽनिहतं रावणं रणे ॥ ५० ॥
“And having bound by the neck that wicked rakshasa, carrier-off of your wife, Ravana, not killed in battle, I would have given him to you.
न्यस्तां सागरतोये वा पाताले वापि मैथिलीम् । आनयेयं तवादेशाच्छ्वेतामश्वतरीमिव ॥ ५१ ॥
“Whether Maithili was put in the waters of the ocean, or even in the underworld, I would bring her at your command, like a white mare.
युक्तं यत्प्राप्नुयाद् राज्यं सुग्रीवः स्वर्गते मयि । अयुक्तं यदधर्मेण त्वयाहं निहतो रणे ॥ ५२ ॥
“It is fitting that Sugriva should obtain the kingdom when I have gone to heaven; what is unfitting is that I have been killed unrighteously by you in battle.
काममेवंविधो लोकः कालेन विनियुज्यते । क्षमं चेद्भवता प्राप्तमुत्तरं साधु चिन्त्यताम् ॥ ५३ ॥
“Surely the world is ordered so by Time. If a fitting answer has been reached by you, let it be thought out well.”
इत्येवमुक्त्वा परिशुष्कवक्त्रः शराभिघाताद् व्यथितो महात्मा । समीक्ष्य रामं रविसंनिकाशं तूष्णीं बभौ वानरराजसूनुः ॥ ५४ ॥
Having said this, his face parched, pained by the blow of the arrow, the great-souled son of the king of the monkeys, looking at Rama, radiant as the sun, fell silent.