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—
तत्रापि खलु मे दोषं कर्तुं नार्हसि राघव। त्वं हि दृष्टार्थतत्त्वज्ञः प्रजानां च हिते रतः। कार्यकारणसिद्धौ च प्रसन्ना बुद्धिरव्यया
Even then, O Rāghava, you should not find fault with me; for you are one who perceives the true nature of things, devoted to the welfare of the people, and your clear and unwavering intellect is established in discerning right action and its cause.
मामप्यवगतं धर्माद् व्यतिक्रान्तपुरस्कृतम्। धर्मसंहितया वाचा धर्मज्ञ परिपालय
If I, too, have acted in a way that departed from righteousness, knowingly or unknowingly, O knower of dharma, protect me with words joined to righteousness.
बाष्पसंरुद्धकण्ठस्तु वाली सार्तरवः शनैः। उवाच रामं सम्प्रेक्ष्य पङ्कलग्न इव द्विपः
With his throat choked by tears, Vāli, uttering a cry of pain, slowly spoke to Rāma, gazing at him like an elephant stuck in the mud.
न चात्मानमहं शोचे न तारां नापि बान्धवान्। यथा पुत्रं गुणज्येष्ठमङ्गदं कनकाङ्गदम्
I do not grieve for myself, nor for Tārā, nor for my kin, as much as I do for my son Aṅgada, who is foremost in virtue and adorned with golden ornaments.
स ममादर्शनाद् दीनो बाल्यात् प्रभृति लालितः। तटाक इव पीताम्बुरुपशोषं गमिष्यति
Deprived of seeing me, he, who has been cherished from childhood, will waste away like a pond whose water has been drunk dry.
बालश्चाकृतबुद्धिश्च एकपुत्रश्च मे प्रियः। तारेयो राम भवता रक्षणीयो महाबलः
He is a child, his understanding unformed, my only beloved son; O Rāma, the mighty son of Tārā must be protected by you.
सुग्रीवे चाङ्गदे चैव विधत्स्व मतिमुत्तमाम्। त्वं हि गोप्ता च शास्ता च कार्याकार्यविधौ स्थितः
Direct your highest wisdom towards Sugrīva and Aṅgada; for you are both protector and guide, steadfast in discerning what should and should not be done.
या ते नरपते वृत्तिर्भरते लक्ष्मणे च या। सुग्रीवे चाङ्गदे राजंस्तां चिन्तयितुमर्हसि
The conduct you show towards Bharata and Lakṣmaṇa, O king, that same conduct you should consider for Sugrīva and Aṅgada.
मद्दोषकृतदोषां तां यथा तारां तपस्विनीम्। सुग्रीवो नावमन्येत तथावस्थातुमर्हसि
Just as you would ensure that Sugrīva does not disregard Tārā, who is devoted to austerity and bears the blame for my faults, so you should act.
त्वया ह्यनुगृहीतेन शक्यं राज्यमुपासितुम्। त्वद्वशे वर्तमानेन तव चित्तानुवर्तिना
For one favored by you, it is possible to rule the kingdom, living according to your will and following your mind.
शक्यं दिवं चार्जयितुं वसुधां चापि शासितुम्। त्वत्तोऽहं वधमाकांक्षन् वार्यमाणोऽपि तारया
It is possible to attain heaven and to rule the earth by acting under your guidance; yet, even as Tārā tried to restrain me, I sought my death at your hands.
सुग्रीवेण सह भ्रात्रा द्वन्द्वयुद्धमुपागतः। इत्युक्त्वा वानरो रामं विरराम हरीश्वरः
I entered into single combat with my brother Sugrīva; having spoken thus to Rāma, the lord of the monkeys fell silent.
स तमाश्वासयद् रामो वालिनं व्यक्तदर्शनम्। साधुसम्मतया वाचा धर्मतत्त्वार्थयुक्तया
Then Rāma, with words approved by the virtuous and filled with the meaning of dharma, comforted Vāli, whose understanding was clear.
न संतापस्त्वया कार्य एतदर्थं प्लवङ्गम। न वयं भवता चिन्त्या नाप्यात्मा हरिसत्तम। वयं भवद्विशेषेण धर्मतः कृतनिश्चयाः
You should not be troubled for this reason, O monkey; we are not to be grieved over by you, nor should you, best of monkeys, grieve for yourself. In this matter, we have acted with firm resolve according to dharma.
दण्ड्ये यः पातयेद् दण्डं दण्ड्यो यश्चापि दण्ड्यते। कार्यकारणसिद्धार्थावुभौ तौ नावसीदतः
He who imposes punishment on the guilty, and the one who is punished—both, having fulfilled the purpose of action and its cause, should not be sorrowful.
तद् भवान् दण्डसंयोगादस्माद् विगतकल्मषः। गतः स्वां प्रकृतिं धर्म्यां दण्डदिष्टेन वर्त्मना
Therefore, by receiving the due punishment, you are freed from sin, and have attained your own righteous nature by the path prescribed by justice.
त्यज शोकं च मोहं च भयं च हृदये स्थितम्। त्वया विधानं हर्यग्र्य न शक्यमतिवर्तितुम्
Abandon grief, delusion, and the fear that dwells in your heart; for, O foremost of monkeys, the ordained order cannot be transgressed by you.
यथा त्वय्यङ्गदो नित्यं वर्तते वानरेश्वर। तथा वर्तेत सुग्रीवे मयि चापि न संशयः
As Angada is always devoted to you, O lord of the monkeys, so too should Sugriva be devoted to me—of this there is no doubt.
स तस्य वाक्यं मधुरं महात्मनः समाहितं धर्मपथानुवर्तितम्। निशम्य रामस्य रणावमर्दिनो वचः सुयुक्तं निजगाद वानरः
Hearing these sweet, thoughtful, and righteous words of the great-souled Rama, the monkey, skilled in battle, spoke well-chosen words.
शराभितप्तेन विचेतसा मया प्रभाषितस्त्वं यदजानता विभो। इदं महेन्द्रोपमभीमविक्रम प्रसादितस्त्वं क्षम मे नरेश्वर
When, distressed by arrows, I spoke to you unknowingly, O lord, you—whose might is like Indra's and whose valor is terrifying—have been appeased; forgive me, O king.