| Vaali, who
never refused a fight, rushed forth impetuously, followed by Sugreeva; and seeing them,
the Raakshasa fled. Pursuing him they saw him disappear into a great cave the mouth of
which was overgrown with brushwood. Vaali bade Sugreeva-exacting an oath from him-to wait
at the entrance for him and plunged into the darkness of the cave after the foe. Sugreeva waited long, but no Vaali came and as he stood racked with
doubt, indistinct shouts and groans, which seemed to his horror-struck cars his brother's,
issued from the cave and presently there gushed out of it foaming blood which made him
sure that Vaali had perished in the struggle.
To make sure that the victorious Raakshasa would not rush
out in the elation of triumph and destroy Kishkindha, Sugreeva blocked the entrance of the
cave with a huge rock and returned to Kishkindha with his tale of Vaali's death. As a
rulerless state invites disaster, he was persuaded by the ministers and elders to occupy
the vacant throne. |
