Rama stared at Sugreeva with an amusing smile and then nodding his head took-up his bow. Then he took an arrow from the quiver and locked it to the bow. Then he aimed at a sala tree, and darted that arrow. The twang of his bowstring reverberated in all directions like a very loud thunder. The golden arrow released by Rama perforated NOT one but ALL the seven sala trees. And after perforating all the seven sala trees, the powerful arrow leveled the areas of the mountain, and then entered the earth. A moment later it emerged from the earth and swiftly rested in the quiver of Rama.
Comment.
Some experts on Valmiki Ramayana interpret the course of the arrow as under:
That arrow not only drilled one tree as asked by Sugreeva, but all the seven, and also a mountain from peak to core, and even entered the seventh earthly plane, that which is beneath the sixth plane of the earth, where atala, vitala, sutala, paataala, rasaatal, talaatala are the names of the six strata of earth.
End Comment
Sugreeva was profoundly flabbergasted by this demonstration of the capability of Rama. Sugreeva was so stunned and dumbfounded he was speechless. With tears (of joy, amazement astonishment etc.) running from his eyes he kneeled while his ornaments dangled, and prostrated before Raghava with his head touching the feet of Rama. Overjoyed with that deed Sugreeva told Rama "You have now demonstrated that you are abundantly and absolutely capable of eliminating even all the gods including Indra. I am now satisfied that liquidation of Vali would be a child's play for you. I am now feeling extremely happy that I got you as my friend.
"Oh, Rama, I humbly request you to eliminate that enemy of mine in a brother's semblance for my happiness." Hearing that Rama embraced Sugreeva and replied "Okay, my chum. Let us go to Kishkindha pronto. Oh, Sugreeva, you go in advance, and challenge your brother Vali for a duel."
They all jaunted off merrily with imbued confidence to Kishkindha, the city of Vali, and hedged themselves in the thickets of forest trees (within the bounds of the area covered by the curse of the maharishi Matanga) and waited. Sugreeva firmly tightened his girdle-cloth for the duel and proceeded ahead and shouted boisterously inviting Vali for a duel. Vali was incredulous to hear the call for a duel since the shouting voice of Sugreeva appeared as though to crack the sky. At the same time Vali became infuriated and rushed out impetuously of his palace chambers.
Then a very tumultuous and awful fight occurred between Vali and Sugreeva. Those two brothers who were convulsed in frenzy battered each other with their thunderbolt-like palms and lightning-like fists. Then Rama wielding bow in his hand watched those two valiant brothers who were alike in their appearance, like the Ashwin twins among gods. Due to this reason Rama could not differentiate between Sugreeva and Vali, and as such he could not take any action to kill Vali. Meanwhile Sugreeva was not able to withstand or counter the thrashings of his brother, Vali. As a result he ran away to the area that was out of bounds for Vali.
Vali, therefore, returned to his place.
Sugreeva went straight to Rama. Sugreeva felt ashamed and as such could not face Rama. Looking down he told Rama in a piteous voice, "Showing your dexterity you encouraged me to invite Vali for a fight, but you got me battered by my enemy. Why have you not taken any action? You should have truly made it known at that time, Raghava, that you would not kill Vali, then I would not have come here, to Kishkindha."
Rama, looking kindly at Sugreeva and replied softly
"Sugreeva, my dear friend, please listen. I will explain the reason why I did not take any action against Vali. Both of you brothers look very much alike in ornamentation, attire, physicality and movements. There in no difference in the voice, bodily glow, way of looking, also in bravery and in speech. I, therefore could not take any action.
"You have some identification for yourself so that I will not mistake you for Vali." Then Rama told Lakshmana "Lakshmana, please pick up a gaja creeper around there. They are very beautiful to look at. Please garland Sugreeva with that."
Lakshmana did that, of course. With that garland around his neck, Sugreeva shone forth like a black rain cloud against a backdrop of rich ochry colour of sunset, and with a train of herons adorning that cloud like a garland. Sugreeva felt that the garland has made him feel more strong and confidant. He also felt that his physique became effulgent by that garland. With a sense of an increased confidence Sugreeva started to meet Vali for the last time. Rama, Lakshmana and the other vanaras accompanied him.
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Comment.
Some experts on Valmiki Ramayana interpret the course of the arrow as under:
That arrow not only drilled one tree as asked by Sugreeva, but all the seven, and also a mountain from peak to core, and even entered the seventh earthly plane, that which is beneath the sixth plane of the earth, where atala, vitala, sutala, paataala, rasaatal, talaatala are the names of the six strata of earth.
End Comment
Sugreeva was profoundly flabbergasted by this demonstration of the capability of Rama. Sugreeva was so stunned and dumbfounded he was speechless. With tears (of joy, amazement astonishment etc.) running from his eyes he kneeled while his ornaments dangled, and prostrated before Raghava with his head touching the feet of Rama. Overjoyed with that deed Sugreeva told Rama "You have now demonstrated that you are abundantly and absolutely capable of eliminating even all the gods including Indra. I am now satisfied that liquidation of Vali would be a child's play for you. I am now feeling extremely happy that I got you as my friend.
"Oh, Rama, I humbly request you to eliminate that enemy of mine in a brother's semblance for my happiness." Hearing that Rama embraced Sugreeva and replied "Okay, my chum. Let us go to Kishkindha pronto. Oh, Sugreeva, you go in advance, and challenge your brother Vali for a duel."
They all jaunted off merrily with imbued confidence to Kishkindha, the city of Vali, and hedged themselves in the thickets of forest trees (within the bounds of the area covered by the curse of the maharishi Matanga) and waited. Sugreeva firmly tightened his girdle-cloth for the duel and proceeded ahead and shouted boisterously inviting Vali for a duel. Vali was incredulous to hear the call for a duel since the shouting voice of Sugreeva appeared as though to crack the sky. At the same time Vali became infuriated and rushed out impetuously of his palace chambers.
Then a very tumultuous and awful fight occurred between Vali and Sugreeva. Those two brothers who were convulsed in frenzy battered each other with their thunderbolt-like palms and lightning-like fists. Then Rama wielding bow in his hand watched those two valiant brothers who were alike in their appearance, like the Ashwin twins among gods. Due to this reason Rama could not differentiate between Sugreeva and Vali, and as such he could not take any action to kill Vali. Meanwhile Sugreeva was not able to withstand or counter the thrashings of his brother, Vali. As a result he ran away to the area that was out of bounds for Vali.
Vali, therefore, returned to his place.
Sugreeva went straight to Rama. Sugreeva felt ashamed and as such could not face Rama. Looking down he told Rama in a piteous voice, "Showing your dexterity you encouraged me to invite Vali for a fight, but you got me battered by my enemy. Why have you not taken any action? You should have truly made it known at that time, Raghava, that you would not kill Vali, then I would not have come here, to Kishkindha."
Rama, looking kindly at Sugreeva and replied softly
"Sugreeva, my dear friend, please listen. I will explain the reason why I did not take any action against Vali. Both of you brothers look very much alike in ornamentation, attire, physicality and movements. There in no difference in the voice, bodily glow, way of looking, also in bravery and in speech. I, therefore could not take any action.
"You have some identification for yourself so that I will not mistake you for Vali." Then Rama told Lakshmana "Lakshmana, please pick up a gaja creeper around there. They are very beautiful to look at. Please garland Sugreeva with that."
Lakshmana did that, of course. With that garland around his neck, Sugreeva shone forth like a black rain cloud against a backdrop of rich ochry colour of sunset, and with a train of herons adorning that cloud like a garland. Sugreeva felt that the garland has made him feel more strong and confidant. He also felt that his physique became effulgent by that garland. With a sense of an increased confidence Sugreeva started to meet Vali for the last time. Rama, Lakshmana and the other vanaras accompanied him.
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