Summary
Sugreeva reports the incident that sparked off the indignation and ire of Vali towards Sugreeva. Sugreeva describes to Rama about the strength and heartless nature of Vali, with a kind of indirect portrayal of his enemy's capabilities.
Chapter [Sarga] 9 in Detail
vaalii naama mama bhraataa jyesthah shatru nisuudanah |
pituh bahumatah nityam mama ca api tathaa puraa || 4-9-1
"Oh, great enemy destroyer Rama, my elder brother Vali is a very dear one to our father, and even for me too he was so, earlier. [4-9-1]
pitari uparate tasmin jyestho ayam iti ma.ntribhih |
kapiinaam iishvaro raajye kritah parama sammatah || 4-9-2
After the demise of our father all the ministers have glorified him immensely and made him the king of all the monkeys as he is the elder. [4-9-2]
raajyam prashaasatah tasya pitri paitaamaham mahat |
aham sarvesu kaalesu pranatah presyavat sthitah || 4-9-3
While he was ruling the great kingdom of my father and forefathers, I have always bowed down to him like a servant and stood by him. [4-9-3]
maayaavii naama tejasvii puurvajo dundubheh sutah |
tena tasya mahad vairam vaalinah strii kritam puraa || 4-9-4
There was a fierce demon named Maayaavi, the elder brother of Dundubhi and the son of one demon named Maya. There was a great enmity between this Maayaavi and Vali owing to some female. [4-9-4]
sa tu supte jane raatrau kiskindhaa dvaaram aagatah |
nardati sma susam.hrabdho vaalinam ca aahvayat rane || 4-9-5
He that Maayaavi arrived at the doors of Kishkindha in a night when the people are sleeping, and blared very much inviting Vali for a fight. [4-9-5]
prasuptah tu mama bhraataa nardito bhairava svanam |
shrutvaa na mamrise vaalii nispapaata javaat tadaa || 4-9-6
Then my brother who was also sleeping well, on hearing that bellowing in a clamoring [silent] voice, did not tolerate and came out speedily. [4-9-6]
sa tu vai nihsritah krodhaat tam hantum asurottamam |
vaaryamaanah tatah striibhih mayaa ca pranata aatmanaa || 4-9-7
Though the females and I bowed reverently to prevent Vali, he came out of palace in all his anger to kill that great demon. [4-9-7]
sa tu nirdhuuya sarvaan no nirjagaama mahaabalah |
tatah aham api sauhaardaan nihsritah vaalinaa saha || 4-9-8
But Vali spurned all of us away and forged ahead, and then I also have started to go along with Vali in my entire predisposition [inclination]. [4-9-8]
sa tu me bhraataram dristvaa maam ca duuraat avasthitam |
asuro jaata sa.mtraasah pradudraava tadaa bhrisham || 4-9-9
A great fear was induced in that demon on seeing my brother and me too coming from a distance, and then he quickly ran away. [4-9-9]
tasmin dravati samtraste hi aavaam drutataram gatau |
prakaashah api kritah maargah candrena udgacchataa tadaa || 4-9-10
While he is running away in fear we quickly followed him on a path that is barely lit by moonlight of the moon who is just coming up. [4-9-10]
sa trinaih aavritam durgam dharanyaa vivaram mahat |
pravivesha asurah vegaat aavaam aasaadya visthitau || 4-9-11
That demon speedily entered an un-enterable cavity under the ground, covered with grass, and we too having reached there speedily stood at the aperture of that cavity for a while. [4-9-11]
tam pravistam ripum dristvaa bilam rosa vasham gatah |
maam uvaaca tato vaalii vacanam ksubhita indriyah || 4-9-12
Then Vali has gone into the enfoldment of fury on observing the entry of that demon into the hole, whereby his senses felt outraged, and he said this sentence to me. [4-9-12]
iha tistha adya sugriiva bila dvaari samaahitah |
yaavat atra pravishya aham nihanmi samare ripum || 4-9-13
Then Vali said to me, "Now you stay here on the alert, Sugreeva, at the entrance of this hole till I return on destroying the enemy in a fight on my entering this hole..." [4-9-13]
mayaa tu etat vacah shrutvaa yaacitah sa para.mtapah |
shaapayitvaa ca maam padbhyaam pravivesha bilam tatah || 4-9-14
On hearing those words I requested him to allow me too to come in to the hole, but he being the great tormentor of his enemies disallowed it, and he made me to swear on his feet and entered that hole. [4-9-15]
tasya pravistasya bilam saagrah sa.mvatsarah gatah |
sthitasya ca bila dvaari sah kaalah vyatyavartata || 4-9-15
Well over a year is over after his entering into that cleavage, and to me too who stayed at the entrance of the cleavage that much time had passed away. [4-9-15]
aham tu nastam tam jnaatvaa snehaat aagata sambhramah |
bhraataram na prapashyaami paapa shanki ca me manah || 4-9-16
I thought I lost him for my brother is unseen, and in all fondness towards him my mind started to doubt about some harm might have befallen on him. [4-9-16]
atha diirghasya kaalasya bilaat tasmaat vinihsritam |
sah phenam rudhiram dristvaa tato aham bhrishaduhkhitah || 4-9-17
After a long time blood with foam gushed out that hole, and on seeing it I was deeply saddened. [4-9-17]
nardataam asuraanaam ca dhvanih me shrotram aagatah |
na rastasya ca samgraame kroshato api svano guroh || 4-9-18
Sounds of screaming demon came to my ear, but the screeches of my brother who is involved in fight are unheard, in the least. [4-9-18]
aham tu avagatah buddhyaa cihnaih taih bhraataram hatam |
pidhaaya ca bila dvaaram shilayaa giri maatrayaa || 4-9-19
shokaartah ca udakam kritvaa kiskindhaam aagatah sakhe |
guuhamaanasya me tattvam yatnatah ma.ntribhih shrutam ||4-9-20
Oh, friend, Rama... I have surmised and concluded in mind by the indications that my brother is finished, and covered the cavity's opening with a mountain similar boulder, and performed water oblations to my deceased brother with saddening pain, and then returned to Kishkindha. But the ministers have persuaded and heard from me the actual happening though I was concealing it. [4-9-19, 20]
tatah aham taih samaagamya sametaih abhisecitah |
raajyam prashaasatah tasya nyaayato mama raaghava || 4-9-21
aajagaama ripum hatvaa daanavam sa tu vaanarah |
Then duly summoned by all of those ministers I was crowned, and while I was ruling the kingdom judiciously, oh, Raghava, that semi-human Vali returned on killing that demoniac enemy. [4-9-21, 22a]
abhisiktam tu maam dristvaa kopaat sa.mrakta locanah || 4-9-22
madiiyaan ma.ntrinah baddhvaa parusam vaakyam abraviit |
But on seeing me crowned his eyes were reddened in anger, and he arrested all my ministers as he spoke rudely. [4-9-22b, 23a]
nigrahe ca samarthasya tam paapam prati raaghava || 4-9-23
na praavartata me buddhih bhraatri gaurava yantritaa |
And oh, Raghava, though I was capable enough to counter him, my reason was controlled by my esteem to brotherhood, and I was indisposed to commit that sin of defying brotherhood. [4-9-25b, 24a]
hatvaa shatrum sah me bhraataa pravivesha puram tadaa || 4-9-24
maanayan tam mahaatmaanam yathaavat ca abhiavaadayam |
uktaah ca na aashisah tena sa.mtustena antaraatmanaa || 4-9-25
He that brother of mine entered the capital thus on destroying the enemy, and I hailed him as usual while respecting that audacious soul, but his inner self is unsatisfied and I remained unblest [not blessed]. [4-9-24b, 25]
natvaa paadau aham tasya mukutena asprisham prabho |
api vaalii mama krodhaat na prasaadam chakaara sah || 4-9-26
Oh, lord Rama, though I bowed with the crown touching his feet, he that rancorous [bitter deep-seated ill willed] Vali showed no quarter towards me." So said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-9-25]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye kiskindha kaande navamah sargah
Thus, this is the 9th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate