Shloka 4.46.22

पृथिवीमण्डलपरिज्ञानम् — Sugriva on Surveying the Earth’s Regions

Devanagari script

इदानीं मे स्मृतं राजन्यथा वाली हरीश्वरः।।4.46.21।।मतङ्गेन तदा शप्तो ह्यस्मिन्नाश्रममण्डले।प्रविशेद्यदि वै वाली मूर्धाऽस्य शतधा भवेत्।।4.46.22।।तत्र वासस्सुखोऽस्माकं निरुद्विग्नो भविष्यति।

Transliteration

idānīṁ me smṛtaṁ rājan yathā vālī harīśvaraḥ || 4.46.21 ||

mataṅgena tadā śapto hy asminn āśramamaṇḍale |

praviśed yadi vai vālī mūrdhā 'sya śatadhā bhavet || 4.46.22 ||

tatra vāsaḥ sukho 'smākaṁ nirudvigno bhaviṣyati |

Translation

Now I remember, O king: Vālī, lord of the monkeys, was once cursed by the sage Matanga within this hermitage’s bounds—if Vālī were to enter here, his head would split into a hundred pieces. Therefore our dwelling there will be easy and untroubled.

Context

'I remembed Matanga's curse to Vali, king of monkeys. Vali would not enter the site of Matanga's hermitage as his head would break into a hundred pieces if he did'. Therefore we thought it would be safe for us to reside in that place.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sugrīva
• Vālī
• Matanga
• Āśrama-maṇḍala (hermitage precinct)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Sacred law protects the innocent: dharma is upheld when even the powerful are checked by the moral force of a sage’s decree.

What is the narrative situation?

This is a repeated/renumbered presentation of the same idea: Matanga’s curse makes the hermitage precinct a secure refuge from Vālī.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom—using remembered dharmic constraints to create safety.