Sloka & Translation

[Tara suspects Sugriva's intention --- advises Vali to make alliance with Rama --- obstructs Vali from going for war]

atha tasya ninādaṅ taṅ sugrīvasya mahātmanaḥ.

śuśrāvāntaḥ pura gatō vālī bhrāturamarṣaṇaḥ4.15.1৷৷


atha then, mahātmanaḥ venerable, bhrātuḥ brother, tasya sugrīvasya Sugriva's, taṅ ninādam that sound, āntaḥpuragataḥ into the inner chambers, amarṣaṇaḥ indignant, vālī Vali, śuśrāva heard.

The indignant Vali, who was in the harem, heard the roaring of his venerable brother, Sugriva.
śrutvā tu tasya ninadaṅ sarvabhūtaprakampanam.

madaścaikapadē naṣṭaḥ krōdhaścāpatitō mahān4.15.2৷৷


tasya his, sarvabhūtaprakampanam that shook all creatures, ninadam roar, śrutvā having heard, ēkapadē at once, madaḥ ca vanity naṣṭaḥ lost, mahān violent, krōdhaḥ rage, āpāditaśca was aroused

The roar (of Sugriva) that frightened all beings gave Vali's vanity a jolt and at once aroused in him violent rage.
sa tu rōṣaparītāṅgō vālī sandhyākanakaprabhaḥ.

uparakta ivādityassadyō niṣprabhatāṅ gataḥ4.15.3৷৷


tataḥ then, rōṣaparītāṅgaḥovercome with anger, kanakaprabhaḥ radiant like gold, vālīVali, uparaktaḥ eclipsed, ādityaḥ iva like the Sun, sadyaḥat once, niṣprabhatām pale, gataḥ became

Overcome with anger, Vali looked pale like the eclipsed Sun with the golden radiance faded from his face.
vālī daṅṣṭrākarālastu krōdhāddīptāgnisannibhaḥ.

bhātyutpatitapadmastu samṛṇāḷa iva hradaḥ4.15.4৷৷


daṅṣṭrākarālaḥ of fierce teeth, krōdhāt in anger, dīptāgnisannibhaḥ like the flaming fire, vālī Vali, utpatitapadmastu a pond with uprooted lotuses, samṛṇālaḥ with the stalks, hradaḥ iva like a pond

Vali, who looked fierce with his teeth and whose eyes shone like a flaming fire through anger looked like a pond with the lotuses and their stalks uprooted.
śabdaṅ durmarṣaṇaṅ śrutvā niṣpapāta tatō hariḥ.

vēgēna caraṇanyāsairdārayanniva mēdinīm4.15.5৷৷


tataḥ then, hariḥ Sugriva, durmarṣaṇam intolerable, śabdam sound, śrutvā on hearing, vēgēna hurriedly, padanyāsaiḥ long strides, mēdinīm earth, dārayanniva as if breaking, niṣpapāta rushed out

Unable to tolerate Sugriva's roar, Vali stepped out hurriedly, taking long strides as if breaking the earth.
taṅ tu tārā pariṣvajya snēhāddarśitasauhṛdāḥ.

uvāca trastasambhrāntā hitōdarkamidaṅ vacaḥ4.15.6৷৷


tārā Tara, tam him, snēhāt with love, pariṣvajya embraced, darśitasauhṛdāḥ glanced lovingly, trastasambhrāntā perplexed out of fear, hitōdarkam a good counsel, idaṅ vacaḥ these words, uvāca spoke

Tara, perplexed out of fear, glanced at Vali lovingly, embraced him and gave him wise counsel:
sādhu krōdhamimaṅ vīra nadīvēgamivāgatam.

śayanādutthitaḥ kālyaṅ tyaja bhuktāmiva srajam4.15.7৷৷


vīra valiant Vali, nadīvēgamiva like the flood of river, āgatam come, imam this, krōdham with anger, kālyam entertained at this time, śayanāt from bed, utthitaḥ got up, bhuktām used up, srajamiva like a flower garland, sādhu the wise, tyaja give up.

'O valiant Vali! anger has overtaken you like the flood of a river. It is natural for you to be angry at this time, but shake off your anger just as the wise discard a flower garland already used up.
kālyamētēna saṅgrāmaṅ kariṣyasi ca vānara!.

vīra! tē śatrubāhulyaṅ phalgutā vā na vidyatē4.15.8৷৷


vānara! monkey, ētēna with him, kālyam tomorrow morning, saṅgrāmam fight, kariṣyasi wish to wage, vīra hero, tē to you, śatrubāhulyam respect enemy more, phalgutā vā weak also, na vidyatē not become

'O monkey! fight him only tomorrow morning. By this you are not going to prove your weakness or increase your respect for the enemy.
sahasā tava niṣkrāmō mama tāvanna rōcatē.

śrūyatāṅ cābhidhāsyāmi yannimittaṅ nivāryasē4.15.9৷৷


sahasā rashly, tava you, niṣkrāmaḥ exit, mama for me, na rōcatē tāvam do not feel good, yannimittam for what reason, nivāryasē you are prevented, abhidhāsyāmi I will explain, śrūyatām listen.

'I do not like your rashness. I will explain the reason I am preventing you. Listen:
pūrvamāpatitaḥ krōdhātsa tvāmāhvayatē yudhi.

niṣpatya ca nirastastē hanyamānō diśō gataḥ4.15.10৷৷


saḥ he, pūrvam earlier, krōdhāt raged, āpatitaḥ came, tvām you, āhvayatē challenging you, tē for
you, niṣpatya attacked, nirastaḥ thrown , hanyamānaḥ struck , diśaḥ directions, gataḥ went.

'Earlier, he (Sugriva) came and challenged you to a duel. You struck him in anger, and defeated, he fled, running in all directions. Now his challenge rouses my suspicion.
tvayā tasya nirastasya pīḍitasya viśēṣataḥ.

ihaitya punarāhvānaṅ śaṅkāṅ janayatīva mē4.15.11৷৷


tvayā by you, nirastasya defeated by you, viśēṣataḥ specially, pīḍitasya hurt by you, tasya his, iha here, punaḥ again, ētya after coming, āhvānam inviting you, mē to me, śaṅkām suspicion, janayatīva arouses.

'One who is defeated and badly mauled by you is again coming and inviting you to a duel in this manner arouses suspicion in me.
darpaśca vyavasāyaśca yādṛśastasya nardataḥ.

ninādaścāpi saṅrambhō naitadalpaṅ hi kāraṇam4.15.12৷৷


nardataḥ roaring, tasya his, darpaśca and his arrogance, vyavasāyaśca determination also, ninādasya roaring, saṅrambhaḥ insolence, ētat all this, alpam small, kāraṇam cause, na hi cannot be.

'His determination, his insolence, his roaring, his arrogance-all this cannot be for a small reason.
nāsahāyamahaṅ manyē sugrīvaṅ tamihāgatam.

avaṣṭabdhasahāyaśca yamāśrityaiṣa garjati4.15.13৷৷


iha here, āgatam came, taṅ sugrīvam that Sugriva, asahāyam without any help, na manyē not think so, avaṣṭabdhasahāya certainly sought refuge, yam big, āśritya having taken help, ēṣaḥ he, garjati is roaring.

'Certainly Sugriva has not come here to give a war-cry without any external help. The
person whose refuge he has sought is not a small one.
prakṛtyā nipuṇaścaiva buddhimāṅścaiva vānaraḥ.

aparīkṣitavīryēṇa sugrīvassahanaiṣyati৷৷4.15.14৷৷


prakṛtyā nipuṇaścaiva naturally a clever, buddhimāṅścaiva wise person, vānaraḥ monkey, sugrīvaḥ Sugriva, aparīkṣitavīryēṇa without testing the ability of the ally, sakhyam friendship na ēṣyati will not make

'Sugriva is clever by nature. He is wise. Without assessing the ability of the ally he will not enter into friendship.
pūrvamēva mayā vīra! śrutaṅ kathayatō vacaḥ.

aṅgadasya kumārasya vakṣyāmitvā hitaṅ vacaḥ4.15.15৷৷


vīra O hero, pūrvamēva earlier, kathayataḥ what he spoke, kumārasya from the son, aṅgadasya of Angada, vacaḥ news, maya by me, śrutam heard, hitam good, vacaḥ words, adya now, vakṣyāmi tvā will tell you.

'O hero! I have heard the news earlier from our son Angada. I will tell you what he had heard and what he has said to me:
aṅgadastu kumārō.yaṅ vanāntamupanirgataḥ.

pravṛttistēna kathitā cārai rāptairnivēditā4.15.16৷৷


kumāraḥ son, ayam aṅgadaḥ this Angada, vanāntam to the forest, upanirgataḥ had gone, tēna by him, pravṛtti: news, kathitā narrated, cāraiḥ by spies, nivēditā revealed.

'When our son Angada was out into the forest he had collected some reports from the spies which he has transmitted to me.
ayōdhyādhipatēḥ putrau śūrau samaradurjayau.

ikṣvākūṇāṅ kulē jātau prathitau rāmalakṣmaṇau4.15.17৷৷

sugrīvapriyakāmārthaṅ prāptau tatra durāsadau.


ikṣvākūṇām of Ikshvaku, kulē race, jātau both born, ayōdhyādhipatēḥ king of Ayodhya, putrau sons, śūrau two heroic, samaradurjayau inviacible in war, rāmalakṣmaṇau Rama and Lakshmana, prasthitau both had, durāsadau both unconquerable, sugrīvapriyakāmārtham to please Sugriva, tatra there, prāptau came.

'Rama and Lakshmana, two heroic sons of the king of Ayodhya born of the Ikshvaku race, are invincible in war. They have come there to help Sugriva.
tava bhrāturhi vikhyātassahāyō raṇakarkaśaḥ.

rāmaḥ parabalāmardī yugāntāgnirivōtthitaḥ4.15.18৷৷


raṇakarkaśaḥ crushing the foes in war, vikhyātaḥ famous man, utthitaḥ sprung up, yugāntāgniriva like fire at the end of creation, parabalāmardī who slayed strong enemies like Khara, saḥ rāmaḥ that Rama, tē your, bhrātuḥ brother's, sahāyaḥ hi will help.

'Rama, famous for crushing foes in war, like the fire that breaks out at the dissolution of the world, has slain strong enemies like Khara and will help your brother.
nivāsavṛkṣaḥ sādhūnāmāpannānāṅ parā gatiḥ.

ārtānāṅ saṅśrayaścaiva yaśasaścaikabhājanam4.15.19৷৷


sādhūnām to the virtuous people, nivāsavṛkṣaḥ a sheltering tree, āpannānām to the destitutes, parā supreme, gatiḥ refuge, ārtānām to the distressed, saṅśrayaścaiva protector, yaśasaḥ fame, ēkabhājanam sole repository.

'He is like a sheltering tree to the virtuous, an ultimate refuge for the destitutes and a protector of the distressed. He is the sole repository of fame.
jñānavijñānasampannō nidēśē nirataḥ pituḥ.

dhātūnāmiva śailēndrō guṇānāmākarō mahān4.15.20৷৷


jñānavijñānasampannaḥ endowed with knowledge of scriptures science and, pituḥ father's, nidēśē at the command, sthitaḥ stood by, śailēndraḥ lord of mountains, dhātūnāmiva like the mine of minerals, guṇānām for all virtues, mahān great, ākaraḥ a mine.

'He is endowed with the knowledge of science and scriptures. He stood by his father's command. He is like a mine of virtues just as the lord of the mountain is a mine of minerals.
tatkṣamaṅ na virōdhastē saha tēna mahātmanā.

durjayēnāpramēyēna rāmēṇa raṇakarmasu4.15.21৷৷


tat therefore, mahātmanā great, raṇakarmasu in war, durjayēna unconquerable, apramēyēna of immeasurable, tēna rāmēṇa by that Rama, tē to you, virōdhaḥ enmity, na kṣamam not desirable.

'Rama is immeasurable in prowess and unconquerable in war. Therefore, enmity with him is not desirable for you.
śūra! vakṣyāmi tē kiñcinna cēcchāmyabhyasūyitum.

śrūyatāṅ kriyatāṅ caiva tava vakṣyāmi yaddhitam4.15.22৷৷


śūra valiant, tē to you, kiñcit a little, vakṣyāmi I will tell, abhyasūyitum not to dislike you, na icchāmi not intend to, tava your, hitam welfare, yat vakṣyāmi telling for your sake, śrūyatām please listen, kriyatāṅ ca do as I say.

'O hero, this I tell you not because I dislike you, but because I wish your welfare. Listen, and do as I say
yauvarājyēna sugrīvaṅ tūrṇaṅ sādhvabhiṣēcaya.

vigrahaṅ mā kṛthā vīra! bhrātrā rājanbalīyasā4.15.23৷৷


vīra hero, rājan king, tvam you, tūrṇam swiftly, sugrīvam Sugriva, yauvarājyēna you may consecrate, abhiṣēcaya on consecration, yavīyasā with an younger one, bhrātrā brother, vigraham enmity, mā kṛthā do not have.

'O king! O hero! consecrate your brother Sugriva as prince at once. Do not create enmity with him.
ahaṅ hi tē kṣamaṅ manyē tēna rāmēṇa sauhṛdam.

sugrīvēṇa ca samprītiṅ vairamutsṛjya dūrataḥ4.15.24৷৷


vairam enmity, dūrataḥ to a distance, utsṛjya shed, sugrīvēṇa with Sugriva, samprītim love, tēna rāmēṇa with Rama, sauhṛdam friendship, tē to you, kṣamam is the right, aham I, manyē I think.

'Leave enmity with Sugriva far behind. Make friendship with Rama. I think it is the right thing for you.
lālanīyō hi tē bhrātā yavīyānēṣa vānaraḥ.

tatra vā sannihasthō vā sarvathā bandhurēva tē4.15.25৷৷


yavīyān bhrātā he is your younger brother, ēṣaḥ vānaraḥ this monkey, tē to you, lālanīyaḥ hi deserves your protection, tatra there, san vā ihasthō vā whether he is here(at kishkinda) or there (at Rishyamuka), sarvathā all means, tē your, bandhurēva relation.

'This monkey is your younger brother and, therefore, deserves your protection. Whether he is here or there, he is your brother.
na hi tēna samaṅ bandhuṅ bhuvi paśyāmi kañcana4.15.26৷৷

dānamānādisatkāraiḥ kuruṣva pratyanantaram.

vairamētatsamutsṛjya tava pārśvē sa tiṣṭhatu4.15.27৷৷


tēna with him, samam equal, bandhum relation, kañcana whoever, bhuvi on this earth, na paśyāmi hi I do not see, ētat this, vairam enmity, samutsṛjya give up, dānamānādisatkāraiḥ by honouring him, by giving wealth and respect, pratyanantaram after that, kuruṣva you may do, saḥ he, tava your, pārśvē by the side, tiṣṭhatu remain.

'Indeed I do not see any of your relatives comparable to him on earth. Give up enmity with him. Give him wealth. Give him respect. Keep him by your side.
sugrīvō vipulagrīvastavabandhussadā mataḥ.

bhrātṛssauhṛdamālamba nānyā gatirihāsti tē4.15.28৷৷


vipulagrīvaḥ broad-necked, sugrīvaḥ Sugriva, tava your, mahābandhuḥ great relation, mataḥ your, bhrātṛsauhṛdam brotherly affection, ālamba you extend, tē to you, iha now, anyāgatiḥ alternative, nāsti no

'Extend your brotherly affection to broad-necked Sugriva. He is always your great relation. There is no alternative for you other than this at present.
yadi tē matpriyaṅ kāryaṅ yadi cāvaiṣi māṅ hitām.

yācyamānaḥ prayatnēna sādhu vākyaṅ kuruṣva mē4.15.29৷৷


tē to you, matpriyam a favour to me, kāryaṅ yadi if it is going to be done, mām me, hitām a good counsel, avēṣi yadi if you treat me so, prayatnēna by the effort, yācyamānaḥ pray you, mē my, vākyam words, sādhu please, kuruṣva heed.

'Pray, do me this favour. Treat me as your well-wisher. Heed my advice given with care.
prasīda pathyaṅ śṛṇu jalpitaṅ hi mē

na rōṣa mēvānuvidhātumarhasi.

kṣamō hi tē kōsalarājasūnunā

na vigrahaśśakrasamānatējasā4.15.30৷৷


prasīda quieten your mind, mē my, pathyam beneficial, jalpitaṅ word, śṛṇu listen, rōṣamēva only anger, anuvidhātum follow, na arhasi you should not, śakrasamānatējasā resembling Indra in splendour, kōsalarājasūnunā with the prince of the kingdom of Kosala, tē you, vigrahaḥ enmity, na kṣamaḥ hi not fit for you.

'Do not lose your temper. Quieten your mind. My advice is beneficial to you. You should not fight with the prince of Kosala who is comparable to Indra in splendour.It is not proper for you.'
tadā hi tārā hitamēva vākyaṅ

taṅ vālinaṅ pathyamidaṅ babhāṣē.

na rōcatē tadvacanaṅ hi tasya

kālābhipannasya vināśakālē4.15.31৷৷


tadā then, tārā Tara, taṅ vālinam to Vali, hitam counsel, pathyam beneficial, idaṅ vākyam these words, babhāṣē spoke, kālābhipannasya influenced by bad time, tasya his, vināśakālē at the time of destruction, tat vacanam those words, na rōcatē not liking.

Even though Tara gave good counsel to Vali at the hour of destruction, the advice did not find favour with him as he was under the influence of unfavourable time (seized by death).
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē pañcadaśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the fifteenth sarga of Kishkindakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.