Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 9

Meaning

“Vālī by name is my elder brother, capable of exterminating his foes. He was held in great esteem by our father and likewise made much of by me too in the past. (1)

Meaning

“Our aforesaid father having died, Vālī, who was supremely honoured by all, was installed by the ministers on the throne of Kiṣkindhā as the ruler of monkeys, on the ground of his being the elder prince. (2)

Meaning

“While he justly ruled over his big ancestral kingdom, I remained submissive to him at all times and stood like his servant. (3)

Meaning

“There was a glorious son of the demon Maya, elder than Dundubhi. The said Vālī formerly had a bitter enmity with him on account of a woman. (4)

Meaning

“Arrived at the gates of Kiṣkindhā at dead of night, when people were asleep, he for his part thundered and challenged Vālī to a duel, highly enraged as he was. (5)

Meaning

“Hearing the frightful roar of the thundering Māyāvī, my brother, Vālī, who was fast asleep, did not brook his challenge and briskly sallied forth at once. (6)

Meaning

Emerged in fury to kill Māyāvī, the foremost of demons, Vālī for his part was actually restrained from that daring act by the women of his gynaeceum as well as by me, whose body was bent low with submission. (7)

Meaning

“Repelling us all, Vālī, however, who was possessed of extraordinary might, went forth. Out of affection I too thereupon sallied forth with Vālī. (8)

Meaning

“Seized with terror to see from a distance my elder brother, Vālī, stationed in a firm position to give battle, as well as myself, Māyāvī forthwith ran quickly for life. (9)

Meaning

“While he was fleeing alarmed for life, we two followed faster; the road was illumined at that time by the moon appearing in the horizon. (10)

Meaning

“The aforesaid demon entered with expedition a large hole in the earth, which was covered with grass and hence difficult of access; while we two stood rooted on reaching the spot. (11)

Meaning

“Fallen a prey to anger on seeing his aforesaid adversary having penetrated deep into a hole, Vālī thereupon spoke to me as follows, his mind being agitated : (12)

Meaning

“ ‘Remain alert at the mouth of this hole today, O Sugrīva, till I, penetrating deep into the hole, make short work of my enemy in the course of a duel.’ (13)

Meaning

“Though implored by me to take myself alongwith him on hearing this command, Vālī, for his part, the scorcher of his foes, thereupon penetrated deep into the hole, binding me on oath in the name of his own person to remain outside. (14)

Meaning

“More than a year slipped away since he penetrated deep into the hole and the same period elapsed even as I remained stationed at the mouth of the hole. (15)

Meaning

“Since I did not perceive my elder brother with my own eyes all these long months, my mind began to apprehend his death. Nay, concluding him to have been killed by the demon, I for my part was overcome by a feeling of misgiving through affection. (16)

Meaning

“Then, on seeing after a long time blood mixed with foam emerged from the aforesaid hole, I felt extremely distressed because of that. (17)

Meaning

“The yell of thundering demons too reached my ears, while the noise of my elder brother, even though he was roaring while engaged in the encounter, did not fall on my ears. (18)

Meaning

“By recourse to reason on the strength of the aforesaid indications, I, for my part, concluded my elder brother to have been killed. Nay, blocking up the mouth of the hole with a rock as big as a hillock, and offering water to the spirit of the deceased, stricken as I was with grief, I returned to Kiṣkindhā, O friend ! Although I concealed the truth, the secret was learnt by the ministers with effort. (19-20)

Meaning

“Having met together and deliberated with one another, I was thereupon installed on the throne of Kiṣkindhā by the ministers in a body. Having got rid of his adversary, the demon (Māyāvī), the aforesaid monkey, my elder brother, Vālī, for his part came home while I was ruling his kingdom with justice, O scion of Raghu! Seeing me installed on the throne he had his eyes actually turned crimson due to anger. (21-22)

Meaning

“Nay, binding my ministers in chains, he spoke harsh words to them. Even though I was capable of restraining that sinful monkey, Vālī, O scion of Raghu, my mind, which was weighed down by a feeling of reverence for my elder brother, did not feel inclined to do so. Having killed his adversary, the said brother of mine forthwith entered the capital in due course. (23-24)

Meaning

“Holding as I did the high-minded Vālī in esteem, I greeted him with due reverence: benedictions, however, were not pronounced by him with a highly rejoiced mind. (25)

Meaning

“Bowing down to him I touched his feet with my crown, O lord ! Due to anger, however, the said Vālī did not relent.” (26)