Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Lady Tara rushes out to reach her slain husband while the monkey generals seek of her to anoint Angada as king immediately or leave Kishkindha, for Sugreeva and his men may come occupying the city. She chides their advises away and proceeds to meet Vali. She arrives at that place, sees Rama and his brother Lakshmana, her husband Vali and his brother Sugreeva. She faints and wails for the departing soul of Vali. |
sa vaanara mahaaraajaH shayaanaH shara piiDitaH |
pratyukto hetumad vaakyaiH na uttaram pratyapadyata || 4-19-1
1. shara piiDitaH shayaanaH= agonised by, arrow, lying - sprawling; saH vaanara mahaa raajaH= he, vanara, great, king Vali; hetumat vaakyaiH= with reasonable, sentences; prati uktaH= in return, who is said [replied by Rama]; uttaram= reply; na prati apadyata= not, in turn, he derived, - find another reply.
That great vanara king Vali who is sprawling agonised by arrow, and to whom Rama gave a reply with well-reasoned words did not find any other reply to be given to Rama. [4-19-1]
ashmabhiH paribhinna a.ngaH paadapair aahato bhR^isham |
raama baaNena ca aakraanto jiivita a.nte mumoha saH || 4-19-2
2. ashmabhiH pari bhinna angaH= with boulders, variously, cracked, with limbs; paadapaiH bhR^isham aahataH= with trees, heavily, thrashed; raama baaNena ca= by Rama's, arrow, also; aakraantaH= vanquished; saH jiivita ante mumoha= he, at life, ending - at the time of breathing last, fainted.
He who is heavily thrashed with trees, whose limbs are variously cracked with boulders, and whom Rama's arrow finally vanquished, that Vali fainted at the time of his breathing his last. [4-19-2]
tam bhaaryaa baaNa mokSeNa raama dattena sa.myuge |
hatam plavaga shaarduulam taaraa shushraava vaalinam || 4-19-3
3. plavaga shaarduulam= monkey, the tiger; tam vaalinam= him, about Vali; samyuge= in fight; raama dattena= by Rama, given - accorded; baaNa mokSeNa= by arrow, release of; hatam= as perished; bhaaryaa taaraa shushraava= wife, Tara, heard.
Tara, wife of Vali, heard that the tigerly monkey Vali perished in fight by the arrow released by Rama.
This is also said as 'by the salvation accorded by Rama through his arrow...' raama datten shara moksheNa, but it is said to be a squeezed meaning according to the style of old Sanskrit.
saa saputra apriyam shrutvaa vadham bhartuH sudaaruNam |
niSpapaata bhR^isham tasmaat udvignaa giri ka.ndaraat || 4-19-4
4. sa putra= with, son; saa= she; bhartuH= husband's; su daaruNam= very, gruesome; a + priyam= un, pleasant; vadham shrutvaa=about killing, on hearing; bhR^isham udvignaa= highly, anguished; tasmaat giri kandaraat= from, that mountain's, cave - say Kishkindha; niSpapaata= fell out - rushed out.
On hearing the very gruesome killing of her husband that is unpleasant, she is highly anguished and rushed out of Kishkindha along with Angada. [4-19-4]
ye te a.ngada pariivaaraa vaanaraa hi mahaabalaaH |
te sakaarmukam aalokya raamam trastaaH pradudruvuH || 4-19-5
5. angada pariivaaraa= Angada's, escorts; ye mahaabalaaH vaanaraa= those, very mighty vanara-s are there; te= they; sa kaarmukam= with, bow; raamam aalokya= Rama, on seeing; trastaaH= scared [to death]; pradudravuH [pra du druvuH]= very, quickly, fled.
On seeing Rama with bow those very mighty vanara-s that form the escort of Angada are scared to death, and they very quickly fled from there towards Kishkindha. [4-19-5]
saa dadarsha tataH trastaan hariin aapatato drutam |
yuuthaad iva paribhraSTaan mR^igaan nihata yuuthapaan || 4-19-6
6. tataH= then; saa= she - Tara; trastaan= those who are scared; drutam= hastily; aa patataH= coming, falling - fleeing away disorderly; nihata yuuthapaan= that have killed, troop leader - master; yuuthaat= from herd; pari bhraSTaan= wandered off; mR^igaan iva= animal, like; hariin dadarsha= monkeys, she saw.
Then on her way towards field of combat she saw the monkeys that are frightened and fleeing in disorder, like those animals that have wandered off from their herd when their master is killed. [4-19-6]
taan uvaaca samaasaadya duHkhitaan duHkhitaa satii |
raama vitraasitaan sarvaan anubaddhaan iva iSubhiH || 4-19-7
7. duHkhitaan= who are distressed; iSubhiH anu+baddhaan iva= by arrows, followed closely - tracked down, as though; raama vi traasitaan= by Rama, highly, frightened; taan= them, the vanara-s; samaasaadya= on nearing; duHkhitaa satii= distressed, as she is; sarvaan uvaaca= to all, spoke.
Nearing those monkeys that are already distressed at the fall of Vali, and that are highly frightened by Rama, and that are fleeing as though Rama's arrow is still tracking them down, Tara spoke to all of them, distressed as she is. [4-19-7]
vaanaraa raaja si.mhasya yasya yuuyam puraH saraaH |
tam vihaaya suvitrastaaH kasmaad dravata durgataaH || 4-19-8
8. vaanaraaH= oh Vanara-s; yuuyam= you all; yasya raaja simhasya= to which, king, best; puraH saraaH= preceding, going before - ushers; tam vihaaya= him leaving off; suvitrastaaH - su vi trastaaH= very, highly, frightened; dur gataaH= woe, entered ones [woebegone, in desperation]; kasmaat dravata= what for, you run away.
"Oh! Vanara-s, what for you are running away in utter fright and desperation, leaving off your best king to whom all of you are ushers?" Thus Tara enquired with the monkeys. [4-19-8]
raajya hetoH sa cet bhraataa bhraatraa kR^IreNa paatitaH |
raameNa prasR^itaiH duuraat maargaNaiH duura paatibhiH || 4-19-9
9. kR^iireNa bhraatraa= by cruel, brother [by Sugreeva]; bhraataa= brother; saH= he [Vali]; raajya hetoH= kingdom, for the reason of; raameNa= by Rama; duuraat= from distance; pra+sR^itaiH= well, surging; duura paatibhiH= distantly, falling; maargaNaiH= with arrows; paatitaH= felled; cet= if / whether.
"Whether or not a cruel brother made his brother to fall for the reason of kingdom with the arrows of Rama which can surge well from distance and fall on distant target? Aver it. [4-19-9]
There is a grammarian's problem in this verse. The word chet usually used for ' if...' Then the meaning obtained is "If a brother is felled by his brother for the sake of kingdom, what if and why do you fear?" Then this may not justify Tara's decency. And if this cet is taken as prashnaarthaka 'interrogative...' then it may mean that she is trying to ascertain whether Vali is dead or still alive, to have a last glimpse. And enquiring in anguish would be normal in such situations. It may be correct to use 'whether' because it ensues 'not' and also as an alternative interrogative. And 'if' is used it is 'if of ignorance' but not 'of certainty' or 'of chance'. Anyway she is interested in information and orderliness of monkeys.
kapi patnyaa vacaH shrutvaa kapayaH kaama ruupiNaH |
praapta kaalam avishliSTam uucur vacanam a.nganaam || 4-19-10
10. kaama ruupiNaH kapayaH= at wish, guise-changers, monkeys; kapi patnyaa= of monkey [Vali's,] wife; vacaH shrutvaa= words, on hearing; praapta kaalam= chanced, time - befitting to time; avishliSTam [a vi shliSTam= not, very, coherent] - coherently; vacanam= sentence; anganaam uucuH= to lady [Tara,] spoke.
On hearing the words of monkey's wife those guise-changing monkeys spoke this sentence coherently to lady Tara, befitting to present time of chaos. [4-19-10]
jiivaputre nivartasva putram rakSasva ca andagam |
a.ntako raama ruupeNa hatvaa nayati vaalinam || 4-19-11
11. jiiva putre= alive, son - oh, one with a living son; ni vartasva= re, turn; putram andagam rakSasva ca= son, Angada, you safeguard, also; antakaH raama ruupeNa= Terminator, in Rama's, in form; vaalinam hatvaa nayati= Vali, on killing, leading away - taking away.
"Return, oh, lady with a living son, and safeguard Angada, for the Terminator in the form of Rama is taking away Vali on killing. [4-19-11]
kSiptaan vR^ikSaan samaavidhya vipulaaH ca shilaaH tathaa |
vaalii vajra samair baaNair vajreNa iva nipaatitaH || 4-19-12
12. kSiptaan vR^ikSaan= hurled, trees [at him]; tathaa= likewise; vipulaaH shilaaH= massive, boulders; vajra samaiH baaNaiH= thunderbolt, similar, with arrows; sam aavidhya= completely, on shattering; vaalii= Vali; vajreNa iva nipaatitaH= by thunderbolt, as if, felled.
"Shattering trees and massive boulders that Vali hurled at him with thunderbolt like arrows Rama felled Vali as if by thunderbolt. [4-19-12]
The plural number given to the 'arrows' may be observed. Rama shot Vali with only one arrow but each monkey is multiplying one arrow to become many. Rumours multiply thus.
abhibhuutam idam sarvam vidrutam vaanaram balam |
asmin plavaga shaarduule hate shakra sama prabhe || 4-19-13
13. shakra sama prabhe= Indra, similar, in brilliance; asmin plavaga shaarduule= this one [Vali's,] flier, tiger among; hate= when killed; idam sarvam vaanaram balam= this, all, vanara, force; abhibhuutam vidrutam= vanquished - felt defenceless, fled.
"When that tigerly fly-jumper Vali whose brilliance is similar to Indra is killed all this vanara force felt defenceless and fled. [4-19-13]
rakSyataam nagaram shuurair a.ngadaH ca abhiSicyataam |
padastham vaalinaH putram bhajiSyanti plava.mgamaaH || 4-19-14
14. nagaram shuuraiH rakSyataam= city, by brave ones, be safeguarded; angadaH ca abhiSicyataam= Angada, also, be anointed; pada stham= in place [who is on throne]; vaalinaH putram= Vali's, son Angada; plavamgamaaH bhajiSyanti= fly-jumpers, will adore - stand by.
"Let the city of Kishkindha be safeguarded and let Angada be anointed, and when Vali's son Angada is enthroned all the fly-jumpers will stand by him. [4-19-14]
athavaa arucitam sthaanam iha te ruciraanane |
aavishanti hi durgaaNi kSipram adya eva vaanaraaH || 4-19-15
15. rucira anane= oh, one with pleasant, face Tara; athavaa= or; iha te sthaanam= here, your, staying; a+rucitam= not, good; vaanaraaH= monkeys [of Sugreeva]; adya eva= today, only; kSipram durgaaNi= promptly, in to strongholds; aavishanti hi= they enter, indeed.
"Or, your staying here is not good, oh, one with a pleasant visage, for those monkeys of Sugreeva will promptly enter our strongholds on this day itself. [4-19-15]
abhaaryaaH saha bhaaryaaH ca santi atra vana caariNaH |
lubdhebhyo vipralabdheyaH tebhyo naH sumahad bhayam || 4-19-16
16. a+bhaaryaaH= without, wives; saha bhaaryaaH ca= with, wives, also; vana caariNaH atra santi= forest, moving ones, in there [in Kishkindha,] are there; lubdhebhyaH= by the cravers [of wives]; vipralabdhebhyaH [vi pra labdheyaH]= those that are victimised by us; tebhyaH= from them; naH= to us; su mahat= very, great; bhayam= danger is there.
"There are foresters in Kishkindha, some with wives and some without, some hankering after wives, some whom we have victimised, and from them we have very great danger." So said monkeys to Tara. [4-19-16]
Even in capital many followed the suite of Vali in incarcerating other's wives. Now they all may turn up since Sugreeva won the battle, assaulting such followers of Vali's style of living. This is the fear of individuals reported to Tara.
alpaa.ntara gataanaam tu shrutvaa vacanam a.nganaa |
aatmanaH pratiruupam saa babhaaSe caaru haasinii || 4-19-17
17. alpa antara gataanaam= small, distance, on going; vacanam shrutvaa= sentence, on hearing; caaru haasinii= one with winsome, smile; saa anganaa= she, that lady; aatmanaH pratiruupam= for herself, befitting; babhaaSe= she said.
On going a small distance ahead after listening those words, she whose smile will be winsome, that lady Tara said this befitting to her personality. [4-19-17]
The word apla antara is usually 'a little after...' But Prof. Satya Vrat includes this under rare words/expressions of Ramayana and gives meaning as 'small distance...' In any way a pause occurs now for her to reply. She is going towards the place where Vali is and monkeys are following her. She paced still ahead, gained a pause and then started to speak to them.
putreNa mama kim kaaryam kim raajyena kim aatmanaa |
kapi simhe mahaa bhaage tasmin bhartari nashyati || 4-19-18
18. kapi simhe= monkey, the lion; mahaa bhaage= of great, honour; tasmin bhartari= that, my husband's; nashyati sati= perished, when; mama= to me; putreNa kim kaaryam= by son, what, avail of; raajyena kim= by kingdom, what; aatmanaa kim= for myself, what [is the use.]
"Of what avail is a son, or a kingdom, or I to myself when my husband that lion like monkey with great honour perished. [4-19-18]
paada muulam gamiSyaami tasya eva aham mahaatmanaH |
yo asau raama prayuk{}tena shareNa vinipaatitaH || 4-19-19
19. yaH asau= who, he is; raama prayuktena shareNa= by Rama, projected, with arrow; vinipaatitaH= felled down; mahaatmanaH= of that great-souled one; tasya paada muulam eva= his, foot, at base, only; aham gamiSyaami= I, wish to go - I consign myself [on pyre.]
"I wish to consign myself at the base of foot of that great-soul, who is felled down by the arrow projected by Rama." So said Tara to fleeing monkeys. [4-19-19]
evam uk{}tvaa pradudraava rudatii shoka muurcChitaa |
shiraH ca uraH ca baahubhyaam duHkhena samabhighnatii || 4-19-20
20. evam uktvaa= thus, saying; rudatii= while wailing; shoka muurcChitaa= in agony, convulsing; duHkhena= in anguish; shiraH ca uraH ca= head, also, chest, also; baahubhyaam= with two hands; samabhighnatii [sam abhi ghnatii]= while slapping; pradudraava= speedily, rushed [towards Vali.]
Saying thus she started to wail and convulse in agony, and slapped her head and chest with both of her hands while she speedily rushed towards Vali. [4-19-20]
saa vrajantii dadarsha atha patim nipatitam bhuvi |
hantaaram daanava indraaNaam samareSu anivartinaam || 4-19-21
21. saa vrajantii= she, while advancing - trudging; atha= then; daanava indraaNaam= demons, arch-; hantaaram= destroyer of; samareSu a + nivartinaam= in combats, back, coming - not, retreating; bhuvi nipatitam= on ground, fallen down; patim dadarsha= husband, she saw.
While she is still trudging then she saw her husband who is the destroyer of arch-demons like Maayaavi and Dundubhi, and who never retreated in combats, but now fallen down on ground. [4-19-21]
kSeptaaram parvata indraaNaam vajraaNaam iva vaasavam |
mahaavaata samaaviSTam mahaamegha augha niHsvanam || 4-19-22
22. vajraaNaam vaasavam iva= for thunderbolts, Indra, as with; parvata indraaNaam kSeptaaram= mountains, the lofty ones, flinger of; mahaa vaata sama aviSTam= great, gust of winds, similar, having blast; mahaa megha augha niHsvanam= great, black-clouds, cluster, a roarer; [saa dadarsha= she, saw.]
She saw Vali who is a flinger of loftiest mountains as with Indra flinging his thunderbolt, who is a blaster as with great gusty winds, and who is a roarer as with a cluster of great black-clouds. [4-19-22]
shakratulya paraakraa.ntam vR^iSTvaa iva uparatam ghanam |
nardantam nardataam bhiimam shuuram shuureNa paatitam |
shaarduulena aamiSasya arthe mR^iga raajam iva aahatam || 4-19-23
23. shakra tulya para+aakraantam= Indra, equal, others, in invading; nardantam nardataam bhiimam= a thunderer, to [other] thunderers, violent; shuuram shuureNa paatitam= braving one [Vali,] by braver [Rama,] felled; aamiSasya arthe= for flesh, for the purpose of; shaarduulena= by tiger; aahatam= killed; mR^iga raajam iva= animal, the best, like; vR^iSTvaa uparatam ghanam iva= on downpour, quietened, black-cloud, like; [he is sprawling; saa dadarsha= she, saw.]
He who equals Indra in the invasion of enemies, a violent thunderer at the opponent thunderers, a brave one felled by still brave one, and who is like a best animal killed by a tiger for the purpose of flesh, and quietened like black-cloud at the end of downpour, At him she saw. [4-19-23]
Some commentators negate this simile of tiger to Rama, saying it abhuuta upama 'impossible smile...' By virtue Rama himself is the lion-king and comparing him with a lesser animal like tiger is objected, though Rama did not eliminate Vali for flesh or meat. The word shaarduula textually means a tiger in the present day context. For this commentators bring in the rulebook vyjayanti which says shaarduula also means a lion siÕho m®ga indra× pañc˜syo haryakÿa× þveta piðgala× vy˜dŸrn˜syo mah˜n˜da× þ˜rd¨lo amita vikrama
arcitam sarva lokasya sapataakam savedikam |
naaga hetoH suparNena caityam unmathitam yathaa || 4-19-24
24. sarva lokasya arcitam= by all, people, worshipped; sa pataakam= with, flags - decorated with; sa vedikam= with, podium; suparNena= by eagle; naaga hetoH [yathaa]= snake, for the reason of, [as with]; un+mathitam= highly, ravaged; caityam yathaa= a sanctum, as with; [paatitam saa dadarsha= fallen, she, saw.]
He who is like a sanctum that is hitherto worshipped by all people, that is decorated with flags and demarcated with podia, but just ravaged by an eagle for the sake of a snake which sneaked into that sanctum, and Tara saw such a Vali plumped on the ground. [4-19-24]
The word chaitya is not to be confounded with Buddhist monastery. In villages, even today, people will prepare a makeshift sanctum adorning it with a podium and flags for worships, and that being an open place snakes sneak in, for which eagles will come and sit on the flagstaff, and when catching its prey that eagle kicks off the flag post, and by the fall of that flagstaff that makeshift sanctum gets plumped onto ground.
avaSTabhya avatiSTha.ntam dadarsha dhanur uurjitam |
raamam raamaanujam caiva bhartuH caiva tathaa anujam || 4-19-25
25. uurjitam dhanuH= very powerful, bow; avaSTabhya= abutting on; ava tiSThantam= standing; raamam raama anujam caiva= at Rama, Rama's, younger brother - Lakshmana, also thus; tathaa= likewise; bhartuH anujam caiva= husband's, younger brother - Sugreeva, also thus; dadarsha= she saw.
She saw Rama standing and abutting on his very powerful bow, and his younger brother Lakshmana, even at the younger brother of her husband, namely Sugreeva. [4-19-25]
This verse reminds us of the results from brotherly love-hate, younger-elder brother relation. Lakshmana is appearing behind Rama while Sugreeva, over dying Vali.
taan atiitya samaasaadya bhartaaram nihatam raNe |
samiikSya vyathitaa bhuumau sa.mbhraa.ntaa nipapaata ha || 4-19-26
26. taan atiitya= them, going past; raNe nihatam= in combat routed; bhartaaram samaasaadya= at husband, on reaching; samiikSya= on observing closely; vyathitaa= distraught; sambhraantaa= dumbfounded; bhuumau nipapaata [ni pa paata ] ha= on earth, fell down, indeed.
Going past them she reached her husband who is routed in combat, and on observing him closely she indeed fell down on earth as she is distraught and dumbfounded. [4-19-26]
suptaa iva punar utthaaya aarya putra iti vaadinii |
ruroda saa patim dR^iSTvaa samviitam mR^ityu daamabhiH || 4-19-27
27. saa= she; suptaa iva= sleeping, as though; punaH utthaaya= again, rising up - reawakened; aarya putra iti vaadinii= noble's, son, thus, while saying; mR^ityu daamabhiH sam viitam= by death's, strings, fast, bound; patim dR^iSTvaa= husband, having seeing; ruroda= she wept.
On getting up as though reawakened from sleep she saw her husband bound fast by the strings of death, and then she wailingly addressed him as, "oh, nobleman's son..." [4-19-27]
taam avekSya tu sugriivaH kroshantiim kurariim iva |
viSaadam agamat kaSTam dR^iSTvaa ca a.ngadam aagatam || 4-19-28
28. sugriivaH= to Sugreeva; kurariim iva kroshantiim= female osprey, like, wailing one; taam avekSya= her, on observing; aagatam angadam ca dR^iSTvaa= one who arrived, Angada, also, on seeing; kaSTam viSaadam agamat= miserable, remorse, came upon him.
On observing her who is wailing like a female osprey, and even on looking at Angada who arrived there, a miserable remorse came upon Sugreeva. [4-19-28]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe ekonavi.mshaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 19th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : June 04]