Kishkindha Kaanda - Sarga 22
In this Sarga, Vāli says his last words to Sugreeva and Aṅgada, before departing to heaven.
He asks Sugreeva not to hold anything against him and to take the kingdom right away. He asks Sugreeva to take care of Aṅgada, as if he were his own son. He tells Sugreeva that Aṅgada is an equal to Sugreeva in prowess and would fight with Rākshasas in the future to the best of his abilities.
He advices Sugreeva not to ignore the advice of Tārā, an astute woman. Vāli also counsels Sugreeva that he should do the bid of Rāghava without fail and should never incur his displeasure. Then Vāli gives his golden chain to Sugreeva.
Vāli then advises his son Aṅgada to lead a life of balance and equanimity and to oblige the will of his uncle Sugreeva. He tells Aṅgada not to associate with the adversaries of Sugreeva.
After saying his final words to Sugreeva and Aṅgada, Vāli breathes his last. All the Vānaras cry aloud bitterly. They recall what a great hero he was and how he freed them from every fear, such as by fighting with Gōlabha, a Gandharva, for fifteen years and striking him down at the end.
Tārā falls on the ground embracing him.
4.22.1 வீக்ஷமாணஸ்து மந்தாஸு:
ஸர்வதோ மந்தமுச்ச்வஸந் ।
ஆதாவேவ து ஸுக்ரீவம்
ததர்ஸாநுஜமக்ரத: ॥
vīkṣamāṇastu mandāsuḥ
sarvatō mandamucchvasan ।
ādāvēva tu sugrīvam
dadarṡānujamagrataḥ ॥
Breathing with difficulty, his life ebbing fast,
Vāli looked around and saw Sugreeva in front of him.
4.22.2 தம் ப்ராப்தவிஜயம் வாலீ
ஸுக்ரீவம் ப்லவகேஸ்வர: ।
ஆபாஷ்ய வ்யக்தயா வாசா
ஸஸ்நேஹமிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
taṃ prāptavijayaṃ vālī
sugrīvaṃ plavagēṡvaraḥ ।
ābhāṣya vyaktayā vācā
sasnēhamidamabravīt ॥
Vāli, the lord of Vānaras,
said these words, very clearly,
to Sugreeva, the victorious,
in an affectionate manner:
4.22.3 ஸுக்ரீவ தோஷேண ந மாம்
கந்துமர்ஹஸி கில்பிஷாத் ।
க்ருஷ்யமாணம் பவிஷ்யேண
புத்திமோஹேந மாம் பலாத் ॥
sugrīva dōṣēṇa na mām
gantumarhasi kilbiṣāt ।
kṛṣyamāṇaṃ bhaviṣyēṇa
buddhimōhēna māṃ balāt ॥
Sugreeva! Please do not count my faults
against me, for my mind was forcibly dragged
into a delusion, as I was destined to a bad fate.
4.22.4 யுகபத்விஹிதம் தாத
ந மந்யே ஸுகமாவயோ: ।
ஸௌஹார்த ப்ராத்ருயுக்தம் ஹி
ததிதம் ஜாத நாந்யதா ॥
yugapadvihitaṃ tāta
na manyē sukhamāvayōḥ ।
sauhārda bhrātṛyuktaṃ hi
tadidaṃ jāta nānyathā ॥
I think, my dear, that we are not destined
to enjoy a good life at the same time.
The affection that should prevail
between brothers has taken a different turn.
4.22.5 ப்ரதிபத்ய த்வமத்யைவ
ராஜ்யமேஷாம் வநௌகஸாம் ।
மாமப்யத்யைவ கச்சந்தம்
வித்தி வைவஸ்வதக்ஷயம் ॥
pratipadya tvamadyaiva
rājyamēṣāṃ vanaukasām ।
māmapyadyaiva gacchantam
viddhi vaivasvatakṣayam ॥
Take this kingdom of the
Vana dwellers right at this moment.
Also consider me to be leaving
to the abode of Yama right away.
4.22.6 ஜீவிதம் ச ஹி ராஜ்யம் ச
ஸ்ரியம் ச விபுலாமிமாம் ।
ப்ரஜஹாம்யேஷ வை தூர்ணம்
மஹச்சாகர்ஹிதம் யஸ: ॥
jīvitaṃ ca hi rājyaṃ ca
ṡriyaṃ ca vipulāmimām ।
prajahāmyēṣa vai tūrṇam
mahaccāgarhitaṃ yaṡaḥ ॥
I, in a very short while, will leave behind
this life, the kingdom, this extensive wealth
and the great and unblemished renown.
4.22.7 அஸ்யாம் த்வஹமவஸ்தாயாம்
வீர வக்ஷ்யாமி யத்வச: ।
யத்யப்யஸுகரம் ராஜந்
கர்துமேவ ததர்ஹஸி ॥
asyāṃ tvahamavasthāyām
vīra vakṣyāmi yadvacaḥ ।
yadyapyasukaraṃ rājan
kartumēva tadarhasi ॥
O Veera! O King! I hope you would oblige my request
that I put forth, prompted by a situation like this,
regardless of how difficult it is!
4.22.8 ஸுகார்ஹம் ஸுகஸம்வ்ருத்தம்
பாலமேநமபாலிஸம் ।
பாஷ்பபூர்ணமுகம் பஸ்ய
பூமௌ பதிதமங்கதம் ॥
sukhārhaṃ sukhasaṃvṛddham
bālamēnamabāliṡam ।
bāṣpapūrṇamukhaṃ paṡya
bhūmau patitamaṅgadam ॥
Look at this Aṅgada, who is
still a child, though not immature,
who was raised in comfort and deserves comforts,
fallen on the ground with his faced covered in tears!
4.22.9 மம ப்ராணை: ப்ரியதரம்
புத்ரம் புத்ரமிவௌரஸம் ।
மயாஹீநமஹீநார்தம்
ஸர்வத: பரிபாலய ॥
mama prāṇaiḥ priyataram
putraṃ putramivaurasam ।
mayāhīnamahīnārtham
sarvataḥ paripālaya ॥
My son is more than my life to me.
Consider him as your own son and
take care of him in every manner,
so that he does not become directionless without me.
4.22.10 த்வமேவாஸ்ய ஹி தாதா ச
பரித்ராதா ச ஸர்வஸ: ।
பயேஷ்வபயதஸ்சைவ
யதாऽஹம் ப்லவகேஸ்வர ॥
tvamēvāsya hi dātā ca
paritrātā ca sarvaṡaḥ ।
bhayēṣvabhayadaṡcaiva
yathā'haṃ plavagēṡvara ॥
You should be his benefactor
and protector in every manner,
and you should free him from every fear
as I do, O lord of Vānaras!
4.22.11 ஏஷ தாராத்மஜஸ்ஸ்ரீமாந்
த்வயா துல்யபராக்ரம: ।
ரக்ஷஸாம் ச வதே தேஷாம்
அக்ரதஸ்தே பவிஷ்யதி ॥
ēṣa tārātmajaṡṡrīmān
tvayā tulyaparākramaḥ ।
rakṣasāṃ ca vadhē tēṣām
agratastē bhaviṣyati ॥
This richly endowed son of Tārā,
is your equal in prowess.
He will be in the forefront,
ahead of you, in killing the Rākshasas!
4.22.12 அநுரூபாணி கர்மாணி
விக்ரம்ய பலவாந்ரணே ।
கரிஷ்யத்யேஷ தாரேய:
தரஸ்வீ தருணோऽங்கத: ॥
anurūpāṇi karmāṇi
vikramya balavānraṇē ।
kariṣyatyēṣa tārēyaḥ
tarasvī taruṇō'ṅgadaḥ ॥
On the battlefield, this son of Tārā,
the powerful, strong, dashing and youthful Aṅgada,
will perform exploits in every way worthy of him.
4.22.13 ஸுஷேணதுஹிதா சேயம்
அர்தஸூக்ஷ்மவிநிஸ்சயே ।
ஔத்பாதிகே ச விவிதே
ஸர்வத: பரிநிஷ்டிதா ॥
suṣēṇaduhitā cēyam
arthasūkṣmaviniṡcayē ।
autpātikē ca vividhē
sarvataḥ pariniṣṭhitā ॥
This daughter of Susheṇa is
an expert in pursuing the core purpose
and in gauging every impediment
that could arise from any direction.
4.22.14 யதேஷா ஸாத்விதி ப்ரூயாத்
கார்யம் தந்முக்தஸம்ஸயம் ।
ந ஹி தாராமதம் கிஞ்சித்
அந்யதா பரிவர்ததே ॥
yadēṣā sādhviti brūyāt
kāryaṃ tanmuktasaṃṡayam ।
na hi tārāmataṃ kiñcit
anyathā parivartatē ॥
Whatever she advises as appropriate
should be done without hesitation,
for nothing ever happens
different from what Tārā foresees.
4.22.15 ராகவஸ்ய ச தே கார்யம்
கர்தவ்யமவிஸங்கயா ।
ஸ்யாததர்மோ ஹ்யகரணே
த்வாம் ச ஹிம்ஸ்யாத்விமாநித: ॥
rāghavasya ca tē kāryam
kartavyamaviṡaṅkayā ।
syādadharmō hyakaraṇē
tvāṃ ca hiṃsyādvimānitaḥ ॥
And you should do Rāghava’s work
with no hesitation whatsoever.
Not doing so would only be against Dharma.
Moreover, he might kill you, if slighted.
4.22.16 இமாம் ச மாலாமாதத்ஸ்வ
திவ்யாம் ஸுக்ரீவ காஞ்சநீம் ।
உதாரா ஸ்ரீஸ்ஸ்திதா ஹ்யாஸ்யாம்
ஸம்ப்ரஜஹ்யாந்ம்ருதே மயி ॥
imāṃ ca mālāmādhatsva
divyāṃ sugrīva kāñcanīm ।
udārā ṡrīssthitā hyāsyām
samprajahyānmṛtē mayi ॥
Sugreeva, wear this divine golden chain.
Its power to bestow riches will be lost once I die.
The magical powers of the golden chain
will be lost when it touches a dead body.
4.22.17 இத்யேவமுக்தஸ்ஸுக்ரீவோ
வாலிநா ப்ராத்ருஸௌஹ்ருதாத் ।
ஹர்ஷம் த்யக்த்வா புநர்தீநோ
க்ரஹக்ரஸ்த இவோடுராட் ॥
ityēvamuktassugrīvō
vālinā bhrātṛsauhṛdāt ।
harṣaṃ tyaktvā punardīnō
grahagrasta ivōḍurāṭ ॥
Thus told affectionately by his brother Vāli,
Sugreeva lost all his elation and
became woebegone again, like the eclipsed moon.
4.22.18 தத்வாலிவசநாச்சாந்த:
குர்வந்யுக்தமதந்த்ரித: ।
ஜக்ராஹ ஸோऽப்யநுஜ்ஞாதோ
மாலாம் தாம் சைவ காஞ்சநீம் ॥
tadvālivacanācchāntaḥ
kurvanyuktamatandritaḥ ।
jagrāha sō'bhyanujñātō
mālāṃ tāṃ caiva kāñcanīm ॥
With those words of Vāli, he felt comforted
and recovered from the fatigue (of fighting).
He accepted the golden chain as he was asked to.
4.22.19 தாம் மாலாம் காஞ்சநீம் தத்த்வா
த்ருஷ்ட்வாசைவாத்மஜம் ஸ்திதம் ।
ஸம்ஸித்த: ப்ரேத்யபாவாய
ஸ்நேஹாதங்கதமப்ரவீத் ॥
tāṃ mālāṃ kāñcanīm dattvā
dṛṣṭvācaivātmajaṃ sthitam ।
saṃsiddhaḥ prētyabhāvāya
snēhādaṅgadamabravīt ॥
Giving away that golden chain,
Vāli turned his eyes to son, standing nearby.
He, on the throes of death, spoke
these words affectionately to Aṅgada:
4.22.20 தேஸகாலௌ பஜஸ்வாத்ய
க்ஷமமாண: ப்ரியாப்ரியே ।
ஸுகது:க ஸஹ: காலே
ஸுக்ரீவவஸகோ பவ ॥
dēṡakālau bhajasvādya
kṣamamāṇaḥ priyāpriyē ।
sukhaduḥkha sahaḥ kālē
sugrīvavaṡagō bhava ॥
Now onwards, accept the situations
as they arise, pleasant or unpleasant.
Take in your stride, comforts and discomforts as they come.
Abide by Sugreeva’s will.
4.22.21 யதா ஹி த்வம் மஹாபாஹோ
லாலிதஸ்ஸததம் மயா ।
ந ததா வர்தமாநம் த்வாம்
ஸுக்ரீவோ பஹுமம்ஸ்யதே ॥
yathā hi tvaṃ mahābāhō
lālitassatataṃ mayā ।
na tathā vartamānaṃ tvām
sugrīvō bahumaṃsyatē ॥
O you of mighty arm,
I pampered you regardless of how you behaved.
Sugreeva would not like it
if you behave the same way hereafter.
4.22.22 நாऽஸ்யாமித்ரைர்கதம் கச்சே:
மா ஸத்ருபிரரிந்தம ।
பர்துரர்தபரோ தாந்த:
ஸுக்ரீவவஸகோ பவ ॥
nā'syāmitrairgataṃ gacchēḥ
mā ṡatrubhirarindama ।
bharturarthaparō dāntaḥ
sugrīvavaṡagō bhava ॥
You must not ally yourself with those
who are not friendly to him, or with those
who are his enemies, O subduer of the foe!
Be focused on the cause of your lord
with the complete control of senses,
and abide by Sugreeva’s will.
4.22.23 ந சாதிப்ரணய: கார்ய:
கர்தவ்யோऽப்ரணயஸ்ச தே ।
உபயம் ஹி மஹாந்தோஷம்
தஸ்மாதந்தரத்ருக்பவ ॥
na cātipraṇayaḥ kāryaḥ
kartavyō'praṇayaṡca tē ।
ubhayaṃ hi mahāndōṣaṃ
tasmādantaradṛgbhava ॥
Neither should you show excessive love
nor should you stay cold.
Both would be serious mistakes
and hence you should stick to the middle course.
4.22.24 இத்யுக்த்வாऽத விவ்ருத்தாக்ஷ:
ஸரஸம்பீடிதோ ப்ருஸம் ।
விவ்ருதைர்தஸநை ர்பீமை:
பபூவோத்க்ராந்தஜீவித: ॥
ityuktvā'tha vivṛttākṣaḥ
ṡarasampīḍitō bhṛṡam ।
vivṛtairdaṡanai rbhīmaiḥ
babhūvōtkrāntajīvitaḥ ॥
Having said these words, he,
his eyes rolling wildly,
suffering from excruciating pain from the arrow,
took his last breath, as
his fierce-looking teeth became bare.
4.22.25 ததோ விசுக்ருஸுஸ்தத்ர
வாநரா ஹதயூதபா: ।
பரிதேவயமாநாஸ்தே
ஸர்வே ப்லவகஸத்தமா: ॥
tatō vicukruṡustatra
vānarā hatayūthapāḥ ।
paridēvayamānāstē
sarvē plavagasattamāḥ ॥
Then, all the eminent Vānaras began
weeping and wailing, with their chief dead.
4.22.26-27a கிஷ்கிந்தா ஹ்யத்ய ஸூந்யாऽஸீத்
ஸ்வர்கதே வாநரேஸ்வரே ।
உத்யாநாநி ச ஸூந்யாநி
பர்வதா: காநநாநி ச ।
ஹதே ப்லவகஸார்தூலே
நிஷ்ப்ரபா வாநரா: க்ருதா: ॥
kiṣkindhā hyadya ṡūnyā'sīt
svargatē vānarēṡvarē ।
udyānāni ca ṡūnyāni
parvatāḥ kānanāni ca ।
hatē plavagaṡārdūlē
niṣprabhā vānarāḥ kṛtāḥ ॥
With the lord of the Vānaras gone to heaven,
Kishkindhā lay deserted, and so did the gardens,
the mountains and the woods.
With the death of the tiger among Vānaras,
the Vānaras lost all their luster.
4.22.27b-28 யஸ்ய வேகேந மஹதா
காநநாநி வநாநி ச ।
புஷ்பௌகேணாநுபத்யந்தே
கரிஷ்யதி ததத்ய க: ॥
yasya vēgēna mahatā
kānanāni vanāni ca ।
puṣpaughēṇānubadhyantē
kariṣyati tadadya kaḥ ॥
“As he flew past at high speeds,
the bunches of flowers in the
big forests and the Vanas
used to be swept off and follow him.
Who else will do that now?”
4.22.28b-29 யேந தத்தம் மஹத்யுத்தம்
கந்தர்வஸ்ய மஹாத்மந: ।
கோலபஸ்ய மஹாபாஹோ:
தஸவர்ஷாணி பஞ்ச ச ।
நைவ ராத்ரௌ ந திவஸே
தத்யுத்தமுபஸாம்யதி ॥
yēna dattaṃ mahadyuddham
gandharvasya mahātmanaḥ ।
gōlabhasya mahābāhōḥ
daṡavarṣāṇi pañca ca ।
naiva rātrau na divasē
tadyuddhamupaṡāmyati ॥
“He, the Mahātma, challenged
Gōlabha, a Gandharva of mighty arm,
in a great fight that lasted
for fifteen years without a break
through the days and nights.”
4.22.30 ததஸ்து ஷோடஸே வர்ஷே
கோலபோ விநிபாதித: ।
ஹத்வா தம் துர்விநீதம் து
வாலீ தம்ஷ்ட்ராகராலவாந் ।
ஸர்வாऽபயங்கரோऽஸ்மாகம்
கதமேஷ நிபாதித: ॥
tatastu ṣōḍaṡē varṣē
gōlabhō vinipātitaḥ ।
hatvā taṃ durvinītaṃ tu
vālī daṃṣṭrākarālavān ।
sarvā'bhayaṅkarō'smākam
kathamēṣa nipātitaḥ ॥
“Gōlabha was struck down in the sixteenth year.
Vāli of fierce fangs freed every one of us from fear
killing that wicked one.
How could that Vāli be struck down like this?”
4.22.31 ஹதே து வீரே ப்லவகாதிபே ததா
ப்லவங்கமாஸ்தத்ர ந ஸர்ம லேபிரே ।
வநேசரா: ஸிம்ஹயுதே மஹாவநே
யதா ஹி காவோ நிஹதே கவாம் பதௌ ॥
hatē tu vīrē plavagādhipē tadā
plavaṅgamāstatra na ṡarma lēbhirē ।
vanēcarāḥ siṃhayutē mahāvanē
yathā hi gāvō nihatē gavāṃ patau ॥
With the heroic lord of the Vānaras killed,
the Vānaras were as distraught
as cows in a great Vana frequented by a lion,
when their lord (the bull) has been killed.
4.22.32 ததஸ்து தாரா வ்யஸநார்ணவாப்லுதா
ம்ருதஸ்ய பர்துர்வதநம் ஸமீக்ஷ்ய ஸா ।
ஜகாம பூமிம் பரிரப்ய வாலிநம்
மஹாத்ருமம் சிந்நமிவாஸ்ரிதா லதா ॥
tatastu tārā vyasanārṇavāplutā
mṛtasya bharturvadanaṃ samīkṣya sā ।
jagāma bhūmiṃ parirabhya vālinaṃ
mahādrumaṃ chinnamivāṡritā latā ॥
Then Tārā, plunged in an ocean of grief,
gazed at the face of her dead husband and
fell down on the bare ground embracing Vāli,
like a creeper that had wound itself
around a giant tree that had been cut down.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
கிஷ்கிந்தாகாண்டே த்வாவிம்ஸஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
kiṣkindhākāṇḍē dvāviṃṡassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the twenty second Sarga
in Kishkindhā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.