The Bali-Sugriva Battle and Bali's Deliverance
A fierce battle takes place between Bali and Sugriva, and Rama finally strikes Bali with his arrow. In his final moments, Bali attains insight into the Lord's will and receives deliverance through Rama's grace.
Kishkindha Kand · Episode 5 / 14
Episode Text
अस कहि चला महा अभिमानी। तृन समान सुग्रीवहि जानी॥ भिरे उभौ बाली अति तर्जा। मुठिका मारि महाधुनि गर्जा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asa kahi calā mahā abhimānī। tṛna samāna sugrīvahi jānī॥ bhire ubhau bālī ati tarjā। muṭhikā māri mahādhuni garjā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Saying this, the greatly arrogant Bali went off, considering Sugriva no more than a blade of grass. The two fought; Bali threatened Sugriva fiercely and struck him with a fist, roaring loudly.
तब सुग्रीव बिकल होइ भागा। मुष्टि प्रहार बज्र सम लागा॥ मैं जो कहा रघुबीर कृपाला। बंधु न होइ मोर यह काला॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taba sugrīva bikala hoi bhāgā। muṣṭi prahāra bajra sama lāgā॥ maiṃ jo kahā raghubīra kṛpālā। baṃdhu na hoi mora yaha kālā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Then Sugriva fled in distress. The blow of Bali’s fist struck him like a thunderbolt. [Sugriva said:] O compassionate Raghuvir, I told you before that Bali is not my brother—he is my doom.
एकरूप तुम्ह भ्राता दोऊ। तेहि भ्रम तें नहिं मारेउँ सोऊ॥ कर परसा सुग्रीव सरीरा। तनु भा कुलिस गई सब पीरा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ekarūpa tumha bhrātā doū। tehi bhrama teṃ nahiṃ māreuṃ soū॥ kara parasā sugrīva sarīrā। tanu bhā kulisa gaī saba pīrā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
[Lord Rama said:] You two brothers have the same form, and because of that confusion I did not strike him. Then Rama touched Sugriva’s body with his hand, and Sugriva’s body became like a thunderbolt; all pain vanished.
मेली कंठ सुमन कै माला। पठवा पुनि बल देइ बिसाला॥ पुनि नाना बिधि भई लराई। बिटप ओट देखहिं रघुराई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
melī kaṃṭha sumana kai mālā। paṭhavā puni bala dei bisālā॥ puni nānā bidhi bhaī larāī। biṭapa oṭa dekhahiṃ raghurāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Then Rama placed a garland of flowers around Sugriva’s neck and sent him off, granting him great strength. They fought again in many ways, while Lord Raghunatha watched from behind a tree.
बहु छल बल सुग्रीव कर हियँ हारा भय मानि। मारा बालि राम तब हृदय माझ सर तानि॥ ८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bahu chala bala sugrīva kara hiyã hārā bhaya māni। mārā bālī rāma taba hṛdaya mājha sara tāni॥ 8 ॥
Meaning:
Sugriva used many devices and much strength, but in the end, overcome by fear, he was defeated at heart. Then Rama drew his bow and shot an arrow into Bali’s heart.
परा बिकल महि सर के लागें। पुनि उठि बैठ देखि प्रभु आगें॥ स्याम गात सिर जटा बनाएँ। अरुन नयन सर चाप चढ़ाएँ॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
parā bikal mahi sara ke lāgeṃ। puni uṭhi baiṭha dekhi prabhu āgeṃ॥ syāma gāta sira jaṭā banāeṃ। aruna nayana sara cāpa caṛhāeṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
As the arrow struck, Bali became bewildered and fell to the ground. Then he rose and sat up, and seeing the Lord before him, he said: His body is dark-hued, his hair is bound in matted locks, his eyes are red, and he holds a bow and arrows.
पुनि पुनि चितइ चरन चित दीन्हा। सुफल जन्म माना प्रभु चीन्हा॥ हृदयँ प्रीति मुख बचन कठोरा। बोला चितइ राम की ओरा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
puni puni citai carana cita dīnhā। suphala janma mānā prabhu cīnhā॥ hṛdayaṃ prīti mukha bacana kaṭhorā। bolā citai rāma kī orā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Again and again Bali looked toward the Lord and fixed his mind at His feet. Recognizing the Lord, he considered his life fulfilled. Love was in his heart, but his words were stern. Looking toward Rama, he spoke.
धर्म हेतु अवतरेहु गोसाईं। मारेहु मोहि ब्याध की नाईं॥ मैं बैरी सुग्रीव पिआरा। अवगुन कवन नाथ मोहि मारा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dharma hetu avaterehu gosāīṃ। mārehu mohi byādha kī nāīṃ॥ maiṃ bairī sugrīva piyārā। avaguṇa kavan nātha mohi mārā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
O Lord, you have incarnated for the sake of righteousness, and yet you struck me like a hunter from hiding? I am the enemy, and Sugriva is dear to you? O Lord, for what fault have you killed me?
अनुज बधू भगिनी सुत नारी। सुनु सठ कन्या सम ए चारी॥ इन्हहि कुदृष्टि बिलोकइ जोई। ताहि बधें कछु पाप न होई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
anuja badhu bhaginī suta nārī। sunu saṭha kanyā sama e cārī॥ inhahi kudṛṣṭi bilokai joī। tāhi badheṃ kachu pāpa na hoī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Listen, fool: the wife of a younger brother, a sister, a son's wife, and a daughter—these four are to be regarded alike. Whoever looks at them with evil intent incurs no sin in killing him.
मूढ़ तोहि अतिसय अभिमाना। नारि सिखावन करसि न काना॥ मम भुज बल आश्रित तेहि जानी। मारा चहसि अधम अभिमानी॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mūḍha tohi atisaya abhimānā। nāri sikhāvana karasi na kānā॥ mama bhuja bala āśrita tehi jānī। mārā cahasi adhama abhimānī॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
Fool, you are utterly arrogant. You did not heed your wife's counsel. Knowing Sugriva to be sheltered by the strength of My arms, you still tried to kill him, you wretched, proud one.
सुनहु राम स्वामी सन चल न चातुरी मोरि। प्रभु अजहूँ मैं पापी अंतकाल गति तोरि॥ ९ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunahu rāma svāmī san cala na cāturī mori। prabhu ajahūṃ maiṃ pāpī antakāla gati tori॥ 9 ॥
Meaning:
Bali said, 'Listen, O Rama. My cleverness can never prevail before my Lord. O Lord, even now I am still a sinner, though I have found refuge in You at the hour of death.'
सुनत राम अति कोमल बानी। बालि सीस परसेउ निज पानी॥ अचल करौं तनु राखहु प्राना। बालि कहा सुनु कृपानिधाना॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunata rāma ati komala bānī। bāli sīsa paraseu nija pānī॥ acala karauṃ tanu rākhu prānā। bāli kahā sunu kṛpānidhānā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing Bali's very gentle words, Rama touched his head with His own hand. He said, 'Let your body become steadfast; keep your life.' Bali replied, 'Listen, O treasure of mercy.'
जन्म जन्म मुनि जतनु कराहीं। अंत राम कहि आवत नाहीं॥ जासु नाम बल संकर कासी। देत सबहि सम गति अबिनासी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
janma janma muni jatanu karāhīṃ। anta rāma kahi āvata nāhīṃ॥ jāsu nāma bala śaṅkara kāsī। deta sabahi sama gati abināsī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Birth after birth the sages perform spiritual disciplines, yet at the end they do not even manage to utter 'Rama.' By the power of whose name, Shankar in Kashi grants everyone the same imperishable state.
सो नयन गोचर जासु गुन नित नेति कहि श्रुति गावहीं। जिति पवन मन गो निरस करि मुनि ध्यान कबहुँक पावहीं॥ मोहि जानि अति अभिमान बस प्रभु कहेउ राखु सरीरही। अस कवन सठ हठि काटि सुरतरु बारि करिहि बबूरही॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
so nayana gocara jāsu guna nita neti kahi śruti gāvahīṃ। jiti pavana mana go nirasa kari muni dhyāna kabahuṃka pāvahīṃ॥ mohi jāni ati abhimāna basa prabhu kaheu rākhu sarīrahī। asa kavana saṭha haṭhi kāṭi surataru bāri karihi babūrahī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The Vedas ceaselessly sing of Him, saying 'not this, not this'; He is the One whom the sages sometimes glimpse in meditation after conquering breath and mind and stripping the senses of worldly relish. You have judged me to be overly proud and told me to keep this body. But what fool would stubbornly cut down a wish-fulfilling tree and make a babool hedge from it—meaning, why should one reject You, who grant all fulfillment, in order to preserve this perishable body?
अब नाथ करि करुना बिलोकहु देहु जो बर मागऊँ। जेहिं जोनि जन्मौं कर्म बस तहँ राम पद अनुरागऊँ॥ यह तनय मम सम बिनय बल कल्यानप्रद प्रभु लीजिऐ। गहि बाँह सुर नर नाह आपन दास अंगद कीजिऐ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
aba nātha kari karuṇā bilokahu dehu jo bara māgauṃ। jehiṃ joni janmauṃ karma basa tahaṃ rāma pada anurāgauṃ॥ yaha tanaya mama sama binaya bala kalyāṇaprada prabhu lījiai। gahi bāṃha sura nara nāha āpana dāsa aṃgada kījiai॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
O Lord, now look on me with compassion and grant the boon I ask. In whatever birth I may take by the force of karma, there may I remain devoted to Rama's feet. O bestower of welfare, accept this son of mine, Angad, who is like me in humility and strength. And O Lord of gods and men, take him by the arm and make him Your own servant.
राम चरन दृढ़ प्रीति करि बालि कीन्ह तनु त्याग। सुमन माल जिमि कंठ ते गिरत न जानइ नाग॥ १० ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāma carana dṛḍha prīti kari bāli kīnha tanu tyāga। sumana māla jimi kaṇṭha te girata na jāna i nāga॥ 10 ॥
Meaning:
With steadfast love for Rama's feet, Bali gave up his body just as an elephant does not notice a garland of flowers slipping from its neck.