Sugriva's Sorrow, Rama's Vow to Slay Bali, and the Marks of True Friendship
Sugriva recounts his humiliation, fear, and suffering before Rama. The Lord promises to slay Bali and explains the noble qualities of a true friend.
Kishkindha Kand · Episode 3 / 14
Episode Text
नाथ बालि अरु मैं द्वौ भाई। प्रीति रही कछु बरनि न जाई॥ मयसुत मायावी तेहि नाऊँ। आवा सो प्रभु हमरें गाऊँ॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nātha bāli aru maiṃ dvau bhāī। prīti rahī kachu barani na jāī॥ mayasuta māyāvī tehi nāūṃ। āvā so prabhu hamareṃ gāūṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
O Lord, Bali and I were two brothers. Such was the love between us that it cannot be described. O Lord, a son of Maya was named Mayavi; he came to our village.
अर्ध राति पुर द्वार पुकारा। बाली रिपु बल सहइ न पारा॥ धावा बालि देखि सो भागा। मैं पुनि गयउँ बंधु सँग लागा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ardha rāti pura dvāra pukārā। bālī ripu bala sahai na pārā॥ dhāvā bāli dekhi so bhāgā। maiṃ puni gayauṃ bandhu saṅga lāgā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
At midnight he cried out at the city gate. Bali could not withstand the enemy's strength. Bali ran; seeing him, that one fled. I too then went after my brother.
गिरिबर गुहाँ पैठ सो जाई। तब बालीं मोहि कहा बुझाई॥ परिखेसु मोहि एक पखवारा। नहिं आवौं तब जानेसु मारा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
giribara guhāṃ paiṭha so jāī। taba bālīṃ mohi kahā bujhāī॥ parikhesu mohi eka pakhavārā। nahiṃ āvauṃ taba jānesu mārā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
That Mayavi entered a mountain cave. Then Bali explained to me, 'Wait for me for one fortnight. If I do not return by then, know that I have been killed.'
मास दिवस तहँ रहेउँ खरारी। निसरी रुधिर धार तहँ भारी॥ बालि हतेसि मोहि मारिहि आई। सिला देइ तहँ चलेउँ पराई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
māsa divasa tahaṃ raheuṃ kharārī। nisarī rudhira dhāra tahaṃ bhārī॥ bāli hatesi mohi mārihi āī। silā dei tahaṃ caleuṃ parāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
O Kharrari, I stayed there for a month and a day. From there, a great stream of blood came forth. Then I thought, 'He has killed Bali, and now he will come to kill me.' So I placed a stone at the cave entrance and fled.
मंत्रिन्ह पुर देखा बिनु साईं। दीन्हेउ मोहि राज बरिआईं॥ बाली ताहि मारि गृह आवा। देखि मोहि जियँ भेद बढ़ावा॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mantrinha pura dekhā binu sāīṃ। dīhneu mohi rāja bariāīṃ॥ bālī tāhi māri gṛha āvā। dekhi mohi jiyaṃ bheda baṛhāvā॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
When the ministers saw the city without a ruler, they forcibly gave me the kingdom. Bali killed him and returned home. Seeing me, he became deeply hostile in his heart.
रिपु सम मोहि मारेसि अति भारी। हरि लीन्हेसि सर्बसु अरु नारी॥ ताकें भय रघुबीर कृपाला। सकल भुवन मैं फिरेउँ बिहाला॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ripu sama mohi māresi ati bhārī। hari līnhesi sarbasu aru nārī॥ tākeṃ bhaya raghubīra kṛpālā। sakala bhuvana maiṃ phireuṃ bihālā॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
He struck me as one would strike an enemy and took away all I had, along with my wife. O merciful Raghuvir, for fear of him I wandered in misery through all the worlds.
इहाँ साप बस आवत नाहीं। तदपि सभीत रहउँ मन माहीं॥ सुनि सेवक दुख दीनदयाला। फरकि उठीं द्वै भुजा बिसाला॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ihāṃ sāpa basa āvata nāhīṃ। tadapi sabhīta rahauṃ mana māhīṃ॥ suni sevaka dukha dīnadayālā। pharaki uṭhīṃ dvai bhujā bisālā॥ 7 ॥
Meaning:
Because of the curse, he does not come here; yet I remain afraid in my heart. Hearing His servant's sorrow, the two mighty arms of the merciful Lord Rama twitched.
सुनु सुग्रीव मारिहउँ बालिहि एकहिं बान। ब्रह्म रुद्र सरनागत गएँ न उबरिहिं प्रान॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunu sugrīva mārihauṃ bālihi ekahiṃ bāna। brahma rudra saranāgata gaeṃ na ubarihiṃ prāna॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
Listen, Sugriva: I shall kill Bali with a single arrow. Even if he seeks refuge with Brahma and Rudra, his life will not be saved.
जे न मित्र दुख होहिं दुखारी। तिन्हहि बिलोकत पातक भारी॥ निज दुख गिरि सम रज करि जाना। मित्रक दुख रज मेरु समाना॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
je na mitra dukha hohiṃ dukhārī। tinhahi bilokata pātaka bhārī॥ nija dukha giri sama raja kari jānā। mitraka dukha raja meru samānā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Those who do not feel sorrow at a friend’s sorrow incur great sin merely by looking at them. Regard your own mountain-like sorrow as dust, and regard your friend’s dust-like sorrow as Meru (the great mountain).
जिन्ह कें असि मति सहज न आई। ते सठ कत हठि करत मिताई॥ कुपथ निवारि सुपंथ चलावा। गुन प्रगटै अवगुनन्हि दुरावा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jinha keṃ asi mati sahaja na āī। te saṭha kata haṭhi karata mitāī॥ kupatha nivāri supantha calāvā। guna pragaṭai avagunanhī durāvā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Those who do not naturally possess such wisdom—why do fools stubbornly form friendships? A friend’s duty is to stop a friend from the wrong path and lead him onto the right path. He should reveal virtues and conceal faults.
देत लेत मन संक न धरई। बल अनुमान सदा हित करई॥ बिपति काल कर सतगुन नेहा। श्रुति कह संत मित्र गुन एहा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
deta leta mana saṅka na dharai। bala anumāna sadā hita karaī॥ bipati kāla kara sataguna nehā। śruti kaha santa mitra guna ehā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
In giving and taking, let the mind hold no suspicion. Act only for good, according to one’s ability. In times of adversity, let affection increase a hundredfold. The Veda says: these are the qualities of a saintly friend.
आगें कह मृदु बचन बनाई। पाछें अनहित मन कुटिलाई॥ जाकर चित अहि गति सम भाई। अस कुमित्र परिहरेहिं भलाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
āgeṃ kaha mṛdu bacana banāī। pācheṃ anahita mana kuṭilāī॥ jākara cita ahi gati sama bhāī। asa kumitra pariharehiṃ bhalāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
One who speaks sweetly in front but schemes harm behind, and whose mind is crooked—O brother, whose heart is twisted like the motion of a snake—there is only good in abandoning such a false friend.
सेवक सठ नृप कृपन कुनारी। कपटी मित्र सूल सम चारी॥ सखा सोच त्यागहु बल मोरें। सब बिधि घटब काज मैं तोरें॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sevaka saṭha nṛpa kṛpana kunārī। kapaṭī mitra sūla sama cārī॥ sakhā soca tyāgahu bala moreṃ। saba bidhi ghaṭaba kāja maiṃ toreṃ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
A foolish servant, a miserly king, a fallen woman, and a deceitful friend—these four are like thorns. O friend, put aside your worry and rely on my strength. In every way, I shall help you and make your task succeed.
कह सुग्रीव सुनहु रघुबीरा। बालि महाबल अति रनधीरा॥ दुंदुभि अस्थि ताल देखराए। बिनु प्रयास रघुनाथ ढहाए॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaha sugrīva sunahu raghubīrā। bāli mahābala ati ranadhīrā॥ duṃdubhi asthi tāla dekhārāe। binu prayāsa raghunātha ḍhahāe॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
Sugriva said, “O Raghuvir, listen. Bali is exceedingly powerful and very valiant in battle.” Then Sugriva showed Rama the bones of the demon Dundubhi and the tala trees. Without effort, Lord Raghunatha felled them.
देखि अमित बल बाढ़ी प्रीती। बालि बधब इन्ह भइ परतीती॥ बार बार नावइ पद सीसा। प्रभुहि जानि मन हरष कपीसा॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dekhi amita bala bāḍhī prītī। bāli badhaba inha bhai pratītī॥ bāra bāra nāvai pada sīsā। prabhuhi jāni mana haraṣa kapīsā॥ 7 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing Rama’s immeasurable strength, Sugriva’s affection deepened, and he became convinced that Rama would surely slay Bali. Again and again he bowed his head at Rama’s feet, and recognizing the Lord, the monkey-king rejoiced within.