यदेवं विहिते कार्ये यद्धितं पुरुषर्षभ। तत् तद् ब्रूहि नरश्रेष्ठ त्वर कालव्यतिक्रमः
Now that the matter stands thus, O best of men, speak whatever is proper and beneficial; hasten, for time is slipping away.
कुरुष्व सत्यं मम वानरेश्वर प्रतिश्रुतं धर्ममवेक्ष्य शाश्वतम्। मा वालिनं प्रेतगतो यमक्षये त्वमद्य पश्येर्मम चोदितः शरैः
O lord of the monkeys, fulfill your promise to me, keeping in mind the eternal law of righteousness. Do not let me see Vāli, who has gone to the realm of the dead, today, struck down by my arrows at your urging.
स पूर्वजं तीव्रविवृद्धकोपं लालप्यमानं प्रसमीक्ष्य दीनम्। चकार तीव्रां मतिमुग्रतेजा हरीश्वरे मानववंशवर्धनः
Seeing his elder brother, overcome with intense and growing anger, lamenting and looking dejected, the illustrious scion of Manu’s line, mighty in energy, made a firm resolve regarding the lord of the monkeys.
thumb|एकत्रिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे किष्किन्धाकाण्डे एकत्रिंशः सर्गः ॥४-
Listen to the thirty-first chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Kiṣkindhā section.
स कामिनं दीनमदीनसत्त्वं शोकाभिपन्नं समुदीर्णकोपम्। नरेन्द्रसूनुर्नरदेवपुत्रं रामानुजः पूर्वजमित्युवाच
The son of the king, the younger brother of Rāma, seeing his elder brother, who was lovesick, dejected yet steadfast in spirit, overwhelmed by grief and rising anger, spoke to him as follows.
न वानरः स्थास्यति साधुवृत्ते न मन्यते कर्मफलानुषङ्गान्। न भोक्ष्यते वानरराज्यलक्ष्मीं तथा हि नातिक्रमतेऽस्य बुद्धिः
This monkey will not remain virtuous, nor does he consider the consequences of his actions. He will not enjoy the prosperity of the monkey kingdom, for such is not the inclination of his mind.
मतिक्षयाद् ग्राम्यसुखेषु सक्त- स्तव प्रसादात् प्रतिकारबुद्धिः। हतोऽग्रजं पश्यतु वीरवालिनं न राज्यमेवं विगुणस्य देयम्
Because of his lack of judgment, he is attached to base pleasures; but by your favor, he has gained the resolve to retaliate. Let him see his heroic elder brother, Vāli, slain. A kingdom should not be given to one so lacking in virtue.
न धारये कोपमुदीर्णवेगं निहन्मि सुग्रीवमसत्यमद्य। हरिप्रवीरैः सह वालिपुत्रो नरेन्द्रपुत्र्या विचयं करोतु
I will not harbor this surging anger; today I will slay Sugrīva for his falsehood. Let Vāli’s son, together with the foremost monkeys, decide with the king’s daughter what is to be done.
तमात्तबाणासनमुत्पतन्तं निवेदितार्थं रणचण्डकोपम्। उवाच रामः परवीरहन्ता स्ववीक्षितं सानुनयं च वाक्यम्
As he leapt up, bow and arrows in hand, fierce in battle and intent on his purpose, Rāma, destroyer of enemy heroes, addressed him with words both considered and conciliatory.
नहि वै त्वद्विधो लोके पापमेवं समाचरेत्। कोपमार्येण यो हन्ति स वीरः पुरुषोत्तमः
Indeed, one such as you should not commit such a wrongful act in this world. The hero who, in anger, kills with restraint is the highest among men.
नेदमत्र त्वया ग्राह्यं साधुवृत्तेन लक्ष्मण। तां प्रीतिमनुवर्तस्व पूर्ववृत्तं च संगतम्
This is not something you should accept, Lakṣmaṇa, you who are of virtuous conduct. Follow that earlier affection and the established course.
सामोपहितया वाचा रूक्षाणि परिवर्जयन्। वक्तुमर्हसि सुग्रीवं व्यतीतं कालपर्यये
With words tempered by conciliation, avoiding harshness, you ought to speak to Sugrīva, now that the proper time has passed.
सोऽग्रजेनानुशिष्टार्थो यथावत् पुरुषर्षभः। प्रविवेश पुरीं वीरो लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा
Thus instructed by his elder brother, the best of men, the heroic Lakṣmaṇa, destroyer of enemy heroes, entered the city as was fitting.
ततः शुभमतिः प्राज्ञो भ्रातुः प्रियहिते रतः। लक्ष्मणः प्रतिसंरब्धो जगाम भवनं कपेः
Then Lakṣmaṇa, wise and of pure resolve, devoted to his brother’s welfare, though still incensed, went to the monkey king’s palace.
शक्रबाणासनप्रख्यं धनुः कालान्तकोपमम्। प्रगृह्य गिरिशृङ्गाभं मन्दरः सानुमानिव
He took up his bow, resembling that of Indra, terrible as the weapon of Death, and, like a mountain peak, he advanced, resembling Mandara with its summit.
यथोक्तकारी वचनमुत्तरं चैव सोत्तरम्। बृहस्पतिसमो बुद्ध्या मत्वा रामानुजस्तदा
Acting as instructed, and considering the appropriate response, Lakṣmaṇa, equal to Bṛhaspati in wisdom, pondered as he went.
कामक्रोधसमुत्थेन भ्रातुः क्रोधाग्निना वृतः। प्रभञ्जन इवाप्रीतः प्रययौ लक्ष्मणस्ततः
Enveloped by the fire of his brother’s wrath, which arose from desire and anger, Lakṣmaṇa, unappeased, proceeded like the wind-god.
सालतालाश्वकर्णांश्च तरसा पातयन् बलात्। पर्यस्यन् गिरिकूटानि द्रुमानन्यांश्च वेगितः
With force he felled sāl, tāla, and aśvakarṇa trees, and, swift as the wind, he scattered mountain peaks and other trees.
शिलाश्च शकलीकुर्वन् पद्भ्यां गज इवाशुगः। दूरमेकपदं त्यक्त्वा ययौ कार्यवशाद् द्रुतम्
Crushing rocks to pieces with his feet like a furious elephant, he quickly advanced, leaving a great distance behind in a single stride, compelled by his purpose.
तामपश्यद् बलाकीर्णां हरिराजमहापुरीम्। दुर्गामिक्ष्वाकुशार्दूलः किष्किन्धां गिरिसंकटे
The tiger among the Ikṣvāku line, Rāma, beheld Kiṣkindhā, the great city of the monkey king, crowded with cranes, difficult to approach, set amidst mountain fastnesses.
रोषात् प्रस्फुरमाणोष्ठः सुग्रीवं प्रति लक्ष्मणः। ददर्श वानरान् भीमान् किष्किन्धायां बहिश्चरान्
Lakṣmaṇa, his lips quivering with anger toward Sugrīva, saw the fierce monkeys who roamed outside Kiṣkindhā.
तं दृष्ट्वा वानराः सर्वे लक्ष्मणं पुरुषर्षभम्। शैलशृङ्गाणि शतशः प्रवृद्धांश्च महीरुहान्। जगृहुः कुञ्जरप्रख्या वानराः पर्वतान्तरे
Seeing Lakṣmaṇa, the best among men, all the monkeys, elephant-like in might, seized hundreds of mountain peaks and great trees in the mountain valleys.
तान् गृहीतप्रहरणान् सर्वान् दृष्ट्वा तु लक्ष्मणः। बभूव द्विगुणं क्रुद्धो बह्विन्धन इवानलः
Beholding all those monkeys armed and ready, Lakṣmaṇa became doubly enraged, like a fire fed by abundant fuel.
तं ते भयपरीताङ्गा क्षुब्धं दृष्ट्वा प्लवंगमाः। कालमृत्युयुगान्ताभं शतशो विद्रुता दिशः
Seeing him agitated, his limbs seized by fear, the monkeys, resembling death at the end of time, scattered by the hundreds in all directions.
ततः सुग्रीवभवनं प्रविश्य हरिपुंगवाः। क्रोधमागमनं चैव लक्ष्मणस्य न्यवेदयन्
Then the foremost monkeys, entering Sugrīva’s palace, reported to him both Lakṣmaṇa’s anger and his arrival.
तारया सहितः कामी सक्तः कपिवृषस्तदा। न तेषां कपिसिंहानां शुश्राव वचनं तदा
At that time, the passionate bull among monkeys, engrossed with Tārā, did not hear the words of those lion-like monkeys.
ततः सचिवसंदिष्टा हरयो रोमहर्षणाः। गिरिकुञ्जरमेघाभा नगरान्निर्ययुस्तदा
Then, at the command of the ministers, monkeys, thrilling to behold, resembling mountain elephants and clouds, departed from the city.
नखदंष्ट्रायुधाः सर्वे वीरा विकृतदर्शनाः। सर्वे शार्दूलदंष्ट्राश्च सर्वे विवृतदर्शनाः
All were armed with claws and fangs, heroes with fearsome appearances; all had tiger-like teeth and all displayed a terrifying aspect.
दशनागबलाः केचित् केचिद् दशगुणोत्तराः। केचिन्नागसहस्रस्य बभूवुस्तुल्यवर्चसः
Some had the strength of ten elephants, some were ten times stronger, and some equaled the might of a thousand elephants.
ततस्तैः कपिभिर्व्याप्तां द्रुमहस्तैर्महाबलैः। अपश्यल्लक्ष्मणः क्रुद्धः किष्किन्धां तां दुरासदाम्
Then Lakṣmaṇa, enraged, saw that formidable Kiṣkindhā, difficult to assail, filled with mighty monkeys wielding trees.