चपलश्चपलैः सार्धं वानरैरकृतात्मभिः। जात्यन्ध इव जात्यन्धैर्मन्त्रयन् प्रेक्षसे नु किम्
Why do you, unstable yourself, surrounded by unstable monkeys lacking self-control, deliberate like a blind man among the blind?
अहं तु व्यक्ततामस्य वचनस्य ब्रवीमि ते। नहि मां केवलं रोषात् त्वं विगर्हितुमर्हसि
But I speak to you words that are clearly true; you should not blame me solely out of anger.
अस्य त्वं धरमाणस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः। रुमायां वर्तसे कामात् स्नुषायां पापकर्मकृत्
You, while Sugriva the great-souled endures, have acted out of desire with Rumā, your daughter-in-law, committing a sinful deed.
तद् व्यतीतस्य ते धर्मात् कामवृत्तस्य वानर। भ्रातृभार्याभिमर्शेऽस्मिन् दण्डोऽयं प्रतिपादितः
Therefore, for you who have strayed from righteousness and act according to desire, this punishment is prescribed for violating your brother's wife.
नहि लोकविरुद्धस्य लोकवृत्तादपेयुषः। दण्डादन्यत्र पश्यामि निग्रहं हरियूथप
For one who acts against the ways of the world and departs from worldly conduct, O monkey chief, I see no restraint other than punishment.
न च ते मर्षये पापं क्षत्रियोऽहं कुलोद्गतः। औरसीं भगिनीं वापि भार्यां वाप्यनुजस्य यः
Nor do I, a kṣatriya born of a noble line, tolerate your sin—whoever approaches his own father's, uterine sister's, or younger brother's wife out of desire.
प्रचरेत नरः कामात् तस्य दण्डो वधः स्मृतः। भरतस्तु महीपालो वयं त्वादेशवर्तिनः
If a man approaches such a woman out of desire, the punishment is declared to be death; but Bharata is the ruler, and we act according to his command.
त्वं च धर्मादतिक्रान्तः कथं शक्यमुपेक्षितुम्। गुरुधर्मव्यतिक्रान्तं प्राज्ञो धर्मेण पालयन्
And you, having transgressed righteousness, how could one who is wise and upholds righteousness overlook the violation of the duty owed to a superior?
भरतः कामयुक्तानां निग्रहे पर्यवस्थितः। वयं तु भरतादेशावधिं कृत्वा हरीश्वर। त्वद्विधान् भिन्नमर्यादान् निग्रहीतुं व्यवस्थिताः
Bharata is intent on restraining those given to desire; and we, O monkey lord, having set the limit by Bharata's command, are resolved to restrain those like you who have broken boundaries.
सुग्रीवेण च मे सख्यं लक्ष्मणेन यथा तथा। दारराज्यनिमित्तं च निःश्रेयस्करः स मे
My friendship with Sugriva is just as it is with Lakṣmaṇa; and for the sake of his wife and kingdom, this brings me the highest good.
प्रतिज्ञा च मया दत्ता तदा वानरसंनिधौ। प्रतिज्ञा च कथं शक्या मद्विधेनानवेक्षितुम्
And the vow I made then in the presence of the monkeys—how could someone like me disregard a vow?
तदेभिः कारणैः सर्वैर्महद्भिर्धर्मसंश्रितैः। शासनं तव यद् युक्तं तद् भवाननुमन्यताम्
Therefore, with all these great and righteous reasons, whatever command you give is proper; let it be approved by you.
सर्वथा धर्म इत्येव द्रष्टव्यस्तव निग्रहः। वयस्यस्योपकर्तव्यं धर्ममेवानुपश्यता
In every way, your act of restraint must be seen as dharma; one who seeks to help a friend should always consider righteousness.
शक्यं त्वयापि तत्कार्यं धर्ममेवानुवर्तता। श्रूयते मनुना गीतौ श्लोकौ चारित्रवत्सलौ। गृहीतौ धर्मकुशलैस्तथा तच्चरितं मया
You too are able to perform that duty, following only dharma; it is heard that Manu sang two verses, rich in virtue, which were adopted by those skilled in dharma, and I have followed that conduct.
राजभिर्धृतदण्डाश्च कृत्वा पापानि मानवाः। निर्मलाः स्वर्गमायान्ति सन्तः सुकृतिनो यथा
When kings enforce punishment, people who commit sins become pure and reach heaven, just as the virtuous do.
शासनाद् वापि मोक्षाद् वा स्तेनः पापात् प्रमुच्यते। राजा त्वशासन् पापस्य तदवाप्नोति किल्बिषम्
Whether by punishment or by release, a thief is freed from sin; but if a king does not punish the sinner, he himself incurs guilt.
आर्येण मम मान्धात्रा व्यसनं घोरमीप्सितम्। श्रमणेन कृते पापे यथा पापं कृतं त्वया
My noble ancestor Māndhātr̥ desired a terrible calamity; when a sin was committed by an ascetic, the sin was as you have committed.
अन्यैरपि कृतं पापं प्रमत्तैर्वसुधाधिपैः। प्रायश्चित्तं च कुर्वन्ति तेन तच्छाम्यते रजः
Even when other careless rulers commit sin, they perform atonement, and by that the stain is removed.
तदलं परितापेन धर्मतः परिकल्पितः। वधो वानरशार्दूल न वयं स्ववशे स्थिताः
Therefore, enough of sorrow; the killing is ordained by dharma, O foremost of monkeys, for we are not independent.
शृणु चाप्यपरं भूयः कारणं हरिपुंगव। तच्छ्रुत्वा हि महद् वीर न मन्युं कर्तुमर्हसि
Hear also another reason, O chief of monkeys; after hearing it, O hero, you should not be angry.
न मे तत्र मनस्तापो न मन्युर्हरिपुंगव। वागुराभिश्च पाशैश्च कूटैश्च विविधैर्नराः
I have no grief or anger about this, O chief of monkeys; for men, with snares, nets, and various traps,
प्रतिच्छन्नाश्च दृश्याश्च गृह्णन्ति सुबहून् मृगान्। प्रधावितान् वा वित्रस्तान् विस्रब्धानतिविष्ठितान्
Both hidden and visible, capture many animals—those that run, those that are frightened, those that are careless, and those that stand firmly.
प्रमत्तानप्रमत्तान् वा नरा मांसाशिनो भृशम्। विध्यन्ति विमुखांश्चापि न च दोषोऽत्र विद्यते
Men who eat meat strike both inattentive and attentive animals, even those who are turned away; and there is no fault in this.
यान्ति राजर्षयश्चात्र मृगयां धर्मकोविदाः। तस्मात् त्वं निहतो युद्धे मया बाणेन वानर। अयुध्यन् प्रतियुध्यन् वा यस्माच्छाखामृगो ह्यसि
Royal sages, skilled in dharma, go hunting here; therefore, you were killed in battle by me with an arrow, O monkey, whether fighting or not, because you are a branch-animal.
दुर्लभस्य च धर्मस्य जीवितस्य शुभस्य च। राजानो वानरश्रेष्ठ प्रदातारो न संशयः
For rare dharma, for life, and for good fortune, kings, O best of monkeys, are indeed the givers—there is no doubt.
तान् न हिंस्यान्न चाक्रोशेन्नाक्षिपेन्नाप्रियं वदेत्। देवा मानुषरूपेण चरन्त्येते महीतले
One should not harm them, nor abuse, nor insult, nor speak unpleasantly; these are gods who wander this earth in human form.
त्वं तु धर्ममविज्ञाय केवलं रोषमास्थितः। विदूषयसि मां धर्मे पितृपैतामहे स्थितम्
But you, not understanding dharma and relying only on anger, accuse me in dharma, which is established by fathers and grandfathers.
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण वाली प्रव्यथितो भृशम्। न दोषं राघवे दध्यौ धर्मेऽधिगतनिश्चयः
Thus addressed by Rāma, Vāli was greatly distressed; he did not find fault in Rāghava, having attained certainty in dharma.
प्रत्युवाच ततो रामं प्राञ्जलिर्वानरेश्वरः। यत् त्वमात्थ नरश्रेष्ठ तत् तथैव न संशयः
Then the king of monkeys, with joined palms, replied to Rāma: 'What you have said, O best of men, is indeed so—there is no doubt.'
प्रतिवक्तुं प्रकृष्टे हि नापकृष्टस्तु शक्नुयात्। यदयुक्तं मया पूर्वं प्रमादाद् वाक्यमप्रियम्
For it is only the superior who can respond to the superior, not the inferior; if earlier, through carelessness, I spoke words that were unfitting or unpleasant—