Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 9 of 67 · 26 verses
The Cave of Mayavin
“My elder brother, named Valin, destroyer of enemies, was always highly esteemed by our father, and by me too, long ago. When our father died, the ministers made him lord of the monkeys in the kingdom, because he was the eldest, and he was highly respected. While he ruled the great kingdom of our fathers and grandfathers, I stood by him at all times, bowing like a servant. A splendid one named Mayavin, elder son of Dundubhi, had a great enmity with Valin long ago, over a woman. One night, when people were asleep, he came to the gate of Kishkindha, roared in great fury, and challenged Valin to battle. My brother Valin, asleep, heard him roar with a terrible voice and could not bear it; he rushed out at once. He came out in anger to kill that best of asuras, though the women and I, bowing low, tried to hold him back. But the very mighty one shook us all off and went out, and I too went out with Valin out of affection. Seeing my brother, and me standing at a distance, the asura took fright and ran off fast. As the terrified one fled, we went after him even faster; the path was lit by the rising moon. The asura quickly entered a great hole in the earth, hard to reach, covered with grass, and we came up to it and stopped. Seeing his enemy go into the hole, Valin, overcome by fury, his senses agitated, said to me: ‘Stay here now, Sugriva, at the mouth of the hole, alert, while I go in and kill the enemy in battle.’ Hearing this, I begged him to let me come, but the scorcher of foes made me swear by his feet to stay, and entered the hole. A full year and more went by after he entered it, and all that time I stayed at its mouth. Thinking him lost, troubled out of affection, not seeing my brother, my mind fearing the worst, after that long time I saw foaming blood come out of the hole, and I was deeply grieved. The roar of the asuras reached my ears, but not the voice of my elder brother, crying out as he fought. By those signs I concluded that my brother had been killed. I closed the mouth of the hole with a rock the size of a mountain, and, stricken with grief, offered him water, and came to Kishkindha, friend. Though I tried to hide it, the ministers heard of it. Then they gathered and consecrated me. While I was ruling the kingdom justly, Raghava, that monkey came back, having killed his enemy the danava. Seeing me consecrated, his eyes red with anger, he bound my ministers and spoke harsh words. Though I was able to restrain that evil one, Raghava, my mind did not turn to it, held back by respect for my brother. Having killed his enemy, my brother entered the city. Honouring the great soul, I greeted him properly, but he did not speak blessings to me with a glad heart. Bowing, I touched his feet with my crown, lord; but in his anger Valin showed me no favour.”
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वाली नाम मम भ्राता ज्येष्ठः शत्रुनिषूदनः । पितुर्बहुमतो नित्यं मम चापि तथा पुरा ॥ १ ॥
“My elder brother named Valin, destroyer of enemies, was always highly esteemed by our father, and so by me too, long ago.
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The Cave of Mayavin 1 min read.
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पितर्युपरते तस्मिन् ज्येष्ठोऽयमिति मन्त्रिभिः । कपीनामीश्वरो राज्ये कृतः परमसम्मतः ॥ २ ॥
“When our father had died, he was made lord of the monkeys in the kingdom by the ministers, ‘he is the eldest’, highly respected.
राज्यं प्रशासतस्तस्य पितृपैतामहं महत् । अहं सर्वेषु कालेषु प्रणतः प्रेष्यवत् स्थितः ॥ ३ ॥
“While he ruled the great kingdom of our fathers and grandfathers, I stood at all times bowing, like a servant.
मायावी नाम तेजस्वी पूर्वजो दुन्दुभेः सुतः । तेन तस्य महद्वैरं वालिनः स्त्रीकृतं पुरा ॥ ४ ॥
“A splendid one named Mayavin, elder son of Dundubhi: by him there was a great enmity with Valin long ago, made over a woman.
स तु सुप्ते जने रात्रौ किष्किन्धाद्वारमागतः । नर्दति स्म सुसंरब्धो वालिनं चाह्वयद् रणे ॥ ५ ॥
“When people were asleep, at night, he came to the gate of Kishkindha; very furious, he roared and challenged Valin to battle.
प्रसुप्तस्तु मम भ्राता नर्दतो भैरवस्वनम् । श्रुत्वा न ममृषे वाली निष्पपात जवात् तदा ॥ ६ ॥
“But my brother, asleep, hearing him roaring with a terrible voice, Valin could not bear it; he rushed out at once with speed.
स तु वै निःसृतः क्रोधात् तं हन्तुमसुरोत्तमम् । वार्यमाणस्ततः स्त्रीभिर्मया च प्रणतात्मना ॥ ७ ॥
“He went out in anger to kill that best of asuras, though held back then by the women and by me, bowing low.
स तु निर्धूय सर्वान् नो निर्जगाम महाबलः । ततोऽहमपि सौहार्दान्निःसृतो वालिना सह ॥ ८ ॥
“But the very mighty one, shaking us all off, went out. Then I too went out with Valin out of affection.
स तु मे भ्रातरं दृष्ट्वा मां च दूरादवस्थितम् । असुरो जातसंत्रासः प्रदुद्राव तदा भृशम् ॥ ९ ॥
“Seeing my brother, and me standing at a distance, the asura, terror arisen in him, then ran away fast.
तस्मिन् द्रवति संत्रस्ते ह्यावां द्रुततरं गतौ । प्रकाशोऽपि कृतो मार्गश्चन्द्रेणोद्गच्छता तदा ॥ १० ॥
“As he ran, terrified, we two went faster. The path was lit up too by the moon rising then.
स तृणैरावृतं दुर्गं धरण्या विवरं महत् । प्रविवेशासुरो वेगादावामासाद्य विष्ठितौ ॥ ११ ॥
“That asura with speed entered a great hole in the earth, hard to reach, covered with grass; we two came up and stood there.
तं प्रविष्टं रिपुं दृष्ट्वा बिलं रोषवशं गतः । मामुवाच ततो वाली वचनं क्षुभितेन्द्रियः ॥ १२ ॥
“Seeing the enemy entered into the hole, fallen into the power of anger, Valin then, his senses agitated, said these words to me:
इह तिष्ठाद्य सुग्रीव बिलद्वारि समाहितः । यावदत्र प्रविश्याहं निहन्मि समरे रिपुम् ॥ १३ ॥
“’Stay here now, Sugriva, at the mouth of the hole, alert, while I enter here and kill the enemy in battle.’
मया त्वेतद् वचः श्रुत्वा याचितः स परंतपः । शापयित्वा च मां पद्भ्यां प्रविवेश बिलं ततः ॥ १४ ॥
“Hearing these words, I begged him; but that scorcher of foes, having made me swear by his feet, then entered the hole.
तस्य प्रविष्टस्य बिलं साग्रः संवत्सरो गतः । स्थितस्य च बिलद्वारि स कालो व्यत्यवर्तत ॥ १५ ॥
“A year and more passed after he entered the hole, and that time passed with me standing at the mouth of the hole.
अहं तु नष्टं तं ज्ञात्वा स्नेहादागतसम्भ्रमः । भ्रातरं न प्रपश्यामि पापशङ्कि च मे मनः ॥ १६ ॥
“Thinking him lost, alarm come from affection, I did not see my brother, and my mind feared evil.
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य बिलात् तस्माद् विनिःसृतम् । सफेनं रुधिरं दृष्ट्वा ततोऽहं भृशदुःखितः ॥ १७ ॥
“Then, after a long time, seeing foaming blood come out from that hole, I was then deeply grieved.
नर्दतामसुराणां च ध्वनिर्मे श्रोत्रमागतः । न रतस्य च संग्रामे क्रोशतोऽपि स्वनो गुरोः ॥ १८ ॥
“The sound of asuras roaring reached my ear, but not the voice of my elder brother, crying out though engaged in battle.
अहं त्ववगतो बुद्ध्या चिह्नैस्तैर्भ्रातरं हतम् । पिधाय च बिलद्वारं शिलया गिरिमात्रया ॥ १९ ॥
“By those signs I concluded in my mind that my brother was killed. And closing the mouth of the hole with a rock the size of a mountain,
शोकार्तश्चोदकं कृत्वा किष्किन्धामागतः सखे । गूहमानस्य मे तत् त्वं यत्नतो मन्त्रिभिः श्रुतम् ॥ २० ॥
“stricken with grief, having offered water, I came to Kishkindha, friend. Though I hid it with effort, it was heard by the ministers.
ततोऽहं तैः समागम्य समेतैरभिषेचितः । राज्यं प्रशासतस्तस्य न्यायतो मम राघव ॥ २१ ॥
“Then I was consecrated by them, meeting together. While I was ruling the kingdom justly, Raghava,
आजगाम रिपुं हत्वा दानवं स तु वानरः । अभिषिक्तं तु मां दृष्ट्वा क्रोधात् संरक्तलोचनः ॥ २२ ॥
“that monkey came back, having killed the enemy, the danava. Seeing me consecrated, his eyes red with anger,
मदीयान् मन्त्रिणो बद्ध्वा परुषं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । निग्रहे च समर्थस्य तं पापं प्रति राघव ॥ २३ ॥
“binding my ministers, he spoke harsh words. And though I was able to restrain that evil one, Raghava,
न प्रावर्तत मे बुद्धिर्भ्रातृगौरवयन्त्रिता । हत्वा शत्रुं स मे भ्राता प्रविवेश पुरं तदा ॥ २४ ॥
“my mind did not turn to it, held back by respect for my brother. Having killed the enemy, my brother then entered the city.
मानयंस्तं महात्मानं यथावच्चाभिवादयम् । उक्ताश्च नाशिषस्तेन प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना ॥ २५ ॥
“Honouring that great soul, I greeted him properly; but no blessings were spoken by him with a glad heart.
नत्वा पादावहं तस्य मुकुटेनास्पृशं प्रभो । अपि वाली मम क्रोधान्न प्रसादं चकार सः ॥ २६ ॥
“Bowing, I touched his feet with my crown, lord; still Valin, in his anger, did not show me favour.”