Passage 1
तारोवाच— बलवांस्त्वमसि मत्तो यद्याच्छिद्य ग्रहीष्यसि। कस्ते निरोद्धा तत्कार्यं तथाप्येतद्वचः शृणु॥१॥
Tārā said: “You are strong; if you tear the sword from me and take it, who can restrain you? Even so, hear these words.
Passage 2
आप्तेन साधु वक्तव्यं मन्तव्यं चापि साधुना। किं कर्तव्यं न मनुते यदि भाग्यविपर्ययात्॥२॥
“A trusted person must speak what is good, and a good person should consider it. Yet what can be done if adverse fate prevents one from taking counsel?
Passage 3
सन्ति ते बहवो वीराः कपयो रणदुर्मदाः। तेषामेकतमं प्रेयः किं नाज्ञापयसे युधे॥३॥
“You have many heroic monkeys, fierce and unconquerable in battle. Beloved, why not command one of them to fight?
Passage 4
तस्मिन् विनिर्जिते तेन प्रेषयान्यं महाभटम्। तस्मिन्नपि जिते त्वन्यं प्रेषयिष्यसि वै भटम्॥४॥
“If Sugrīva defeats that warrior, send another great champion; if he defeats that one too, you can send yet another.
Passage 5
अन्यथागतिमापन्ने त्वयि दुःशकुनैः प्रिय। कोऽन्यो विजेता सुग्रीवं ततो मा गच्छ दुःक्षणे॥५॥
“Beloved, if these evil omens bring you to misfortune, who else will defeat Sugrīva? Therefore do not go at this inauspicious moment.
Passage 6
न ज्ञायते कालबलाद् दुर्बलोऽपि बली भवेत्। अन्धायते दिवा फेरुर्निशि गृध्रश्च सुष्ठुदृक्॥६॥
“One cannot know what Time's power may do: even the weak can become strong. A jackal is blinded by day, while a vulture sees keenly at night.
Passage 7
कालस्य बलमाश्रित्य विजयस्व पुनः रिपुम्। अस्मिन् काले गते सोऽन्यः शुभ एव भविष्यति॥७॥
“Rely on the strength of a favorable time and then conquer your enemy. Once this present hour has passed, another will surely be auspicious.” Vālin Marches Out amid Evil Omens
Passage 8
इति ब्रुवाणां तां भार्यामनादृत्य बलोन्मदः। अगृह्णादसिमाच्छिद्य वालिः कालवशं गतः॥८॥
Mad with strength and already under Time's power, Vālin disregarded his speaking wife and tore the sword from her hand.
Passage 9
अन्तःपुरवधूवृन्दस्तं जये त्यब्रवीत्ततः। प्रतस्थौ बलसंदृप्तो युद्धाय सहसोद्धुरः॥९॥
The women of the inner apartments called, “Victory to you!” Inflamed by his strength and violently impetuous, he set out for battle.
Passage 10
विस्फारितदृगुत्सिक्तो बलदुर्मदमानसः। दुर्निमित्तानि निर्धूय प्राचलत्कपिराट् ततः॥१०॥
Eyes wide and bearing himself arrogantly, his heart intoxicated by strength, the monkey king brushed aside the evil omens and advanced.
Passage 11
रटन्ति कटुलं काका दिवि गृध्रा भ्रमन्ति च। रोदितीव घनो व्योम्नि मुमूर्षौ वासवाङ्गजे॥११॥
Crows cried harshly and vultures wheeled in the sky; as Indra's son approached death, a cloud seemed to weep in the heavens.
Passage 12
तमभिश्रवणोद्वेगं निनादं दधते शिवाः। दिवा रुवन्ति निःशङ्कं फेरकाः सम्मुखा रवेः॥१२॥
Female jackals raised a cry dreadful to hear, and other jackals howled fearlessly in daylight, facing the sun.
Passage 13
रुवन्ति पक्षिणः क्रूरं तरुकोटरवासिनः। वामेऽशुभा अगुर्दक्षे वामेऽगुर्दक्षतः शुभाः॥१३॥
Birds dwelling in tree hollows cried cruelly; inauspicious creatures moved on the left, while favorable ones crossed from the right toward the left.
Passage 14
अभूत्पुरः सधूमोऽग्निः काष्ठं दग्धं वनाग्निना। भिषजो विधवाश्चापि पुर एत्य बभाषिरे॥१४॥
A smoking fire appeared before him, with wood charred as by a forest blaze; physicians and widows also came before him and spoke.
Passage 15
तान् सर्वान् स विनिर्धूय प्रातिष्ठत गृहाङ्गणात्। बद्ध्वा परिकरं वालिर्वाचालो बलदुर्मदः॥१५॥
Vālin, boastful and drunk on strength, dismissed them all, fastened his battle gear, and departed from the palace courtyard.
Passage 16
इत्थं हठाद्विनिर्याते प्रेयसि स्वालयाद् भृशम्। शुशोच तत्क्षणे तारा दुर्निमित्तानि जानती॥१६॥
When her beloved thus left the palace in violent obstinacy, Tārā, who understood the evil omens, grieved intensely at that very moment.
Passage 17
तानि दुःशकुनान्यस्य शकुनान्येव तत्त्वतः। लाभमेष्यति कीशेन्द्रो यदयं रामतारके॥१७॥
Yet those evil omens were, in truth, auspicious for him, for this lord of monkeys would attain the saving grace of Rāma.
Passage 18
योगिनामपि यत्संगो दुरापस्तादृशे क्षणे। स लब्धस्तेन कीशेन जानेऽस्य सुकृतं कियत्॥१८॥
At such a moment that monkey attained the company that is difficult even for yogins to obtain. How immense his merit must have been! The Brothers Renew Their Combat
Passage 19
सोऽयुङ्क्त समरे गत्वा सुग्रीवेण बलोद्धतः। ददर्श रामश्च ततस्तावन्योन्यमुपागतौ॥१९॥
Swollen with strength, Vālin entered battle with Sugrīva. Rāma then saw the two approach one another.
Passage 20
आस्फोटयन्तौ दोर्दण्डमण्डलानि पृथक् पृथक्। मृगेन्द्रनादिनौ संख्ये रोषादारक्तलोचनौ॥२०॥
Each slapped his massive arms; roaring like lions in battle, both had eyes reddened with rage.
Passage 21
घोषयन्तौ दिशः सर्वाः प्रावृषीव पयोधरौ। अन्योन्यविजयाकाङ्क्षारोपिताटोपकोपनौ॥२१॥
They resounded through every direction like rain clouds in the monsoon, each mounting an angry display in his desire to conquer the other.
Passage 22
ज्येष्ठानुजौ युधि युतौ दृष्ट्वा रामः कृपानिधिः। सुग्रीवपक्षमाश्रित्य तस्थौ गुल्मान्तरे तदा॥२२॥
Seeing elder and younger brother joined in combat, compassionate Rāma took Sugrīva's side and stood concealed among the thickets.
Passage 23
अदृष्टकायः संलीय धृतधन्वा करद्वये। संहितेषुरमेयात्मा पश्यन् वृत्तं रहस्तयोः॥२३॥
His body unseen, the immeasurable Lord remained hidden, holding the bow in both hands with an arrow fitted, and watched their combat from concealment.
Passage 24
अथास्फोटयद् भुजौ गाढं वालिः संग्रामभूमिगः। आजुहाव रिपुं योद्धुं सीतेशसुहृदं कपिम्॥२४॥
Standing on the battlefield, Vālin struck his arms forcefully and challenged his enemy, the monkey befriended by Sītā's Lord, to fight.
Passage 25
सोऽपि रामस्य विश्वासादास्फोटयन्निजदोयुगम्। विजितोऽप्यमुना योद्धुं रणाङ्गणमवातरत्॥२५॥
Trusting Rāma, Sugrīva too struck his pair of arms and entered the arena to fight, although this same Vālin had defeated him before. Rāma Releases the Fatal Arrow
Passage 26
वालिर्विकाशखङ्गेन यावदस्य हरेच्छिरः। तावद्रामो मुमोचास्मिन् बाणं प्राणहरं दृढम्॥२६॥
Just as Vālin was about to take Sugrīva's head with his flashing sword, Rāma released a powerful, life-taking arrow at him.
Passage 27
कृत्याकृत्यमचिन्तयन् रघुपतिः स्वैश्वर्यमेवास्थितो मध्ये संगरमेतयोर्निजनिजोत्कृष्ट्ये बलाद् युध्यतोः। एकस्मिन् स्वसुहृत्तया सकरुणः श्रीमान् रघूणां पतिर्बाणं प्राणहरं प्रयुज्य धनुषान्यस्मिन् मुमोच क्षणात्॥२७॥
Lord Rāma, established in his own sovereignty beyond ordinary calculations of what should or should not be done, watched the two fight mightily to prove their respective superiority. Compassionate toward one as his friend, the glorious lord of the Raghus set a life-taking arrow to his bow and released it at the other in an instant.