Shloka 16

किष्किन्धायां सुग्रीवस्य नादः

Sugriva’s War-Cry at Kishkindha

Devanagari script

तदाह्वाननिमित्तं त्वं वालिनो हेममालिनः।सुग्रीव कुरु तं शब्दं निष्पतेद्येन वानरः4.14.16।।

Transliteration

tad āhvāna-nimittaṃ tvaṃ vālino hema-mālinaḥ | sugrīva kuru taṃ śabdaṃ niṣpated yena vānaraḥ ||

Translation

హే సుగ్రీవా, హేమమాలాధారి వాలిని పిలిచే నిమిత్తం నీవు అటువంటి నాదం చేయి; దానితో ఆ వానరుడు బయటికి దూకి వస్తాడు.

Word by Word

तत्that

आह्वान-निमित्तम्the means/cause of summoning

त्वम्you

वालिनःof Vali

हेम-मालिनः(of him) wearing a golden garland

सुग्रीवO Sugriva

कुरुmake/do

तम्that

शब्दम्sound/cry

निष्पतेत्may rush out

येनby which

वानरःthe monkey (Vali)

Context

'O Sugriva! give a war-cry so that Vali adorned with a golden garland will come out.

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Sugrīva

Vāli

FAQs

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

Dharma here operates as disciplined action toward justice: the confrontation is initiated in an orderly, intentional manner rather than through chaos or indiscriminate violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma tells Sugrīva to issue a loud call/war-cry to draw Vāli out of Kiṣkindhā, setting the stage for the decisive encounter.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage guided by counsel—Sugrīva is urged to act bravely but according to a planned method.