Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Tara's lamentation for her departing husband Vali. She unlike other forest beings who just forsake the dead partner, weeps bitterly for Vali and holds Sugreeva and Rama responsible for the untimely death of Vali. The common nature of humans is portrayed through the Vanara empress. |
raama caapa visR^iSTena shareNa a.ntakareNa tam |
dR^iSTvaa vinihatam bhuumau taaraa taaraadhipa aananaa || 4-20-1
saa samaasaadya bhartaaram paryaSvajata bhaaminii |
1, 2a. taara adhipa aananaa= stars, lord, faced one [having a lovely face like moon, Tara]; bhaaminii= resentful lady; saa taaraa= such as she is, that Tara; raama caapa visR^iSTena= Rama's, bow, released; antakareNa shareNa= terminator [like,] with arrow; vinihatam= fallen down; tam bhartaaram bhuumau dR^iSTvaa= him, that husband, on floor, on seeing; samaasaadya paryaSvajata= reached, and embraced.
On seeing her husband felled to ground with a terminator like arrow released by Rama, that resentful lady Tara whose face is lovely like the moon, reached and embraced him. [4-20-1]
iSuNaa abhihatam dR^iSTvaa vaalinam ku.njaropamam || 4-20-2
vaanaram parvata indra aabham shoka sa.mtapta maanasaa |
taaraa tarum iva unmuulam paryadevayat aaturaa || 4-20-3
2b, 3. iSuNaa abhihatam= by arrow, shot down; kunjara upamam= elephant, in simile; parvata indra aabham= [like] mountain, best one, in shine; unmuulam tarum iva= uprooted, tree, like; vaanaram vaalinam dR^iSTvaa= vanara, at Vali, on seeing; taaraa aaturaa= Tara, agonised; shoka samtapta maanasaa= by grief, scorched, with heart; paryadevayat= wailed fretfully.
Tara is agonised when she saw the elephantine and mountainous vanara, namely Vali, reduced to no more than an uprooted tree, and she wailed fretfully with grief scorching heart. [4-20-2b, 3]
raNe daaruNa vikraanta praviira plavataam vara |
kim idiinaam puro bhaagaam adya tvam na abhibhaaSase || 4-20-4
4. raNe daaruNa= in fight, a stern one; vikraanta= victorious one; pra viira= best, valiant; plavataam vara= among fliers, the best; idiinaam= now - so far; puraH bhaagaam= before, you behind - not blamed you; a + puraH bhaagam= not, before, your side [at your behind, I who never blamed you before or behind you]; such as I am; tvam kim adya na abhibhaaSase= you, why, now, not, greet - talk.
"Oh, stern one in fights, oh, victorious one, oh, best valiant, oh, best flier, I have never blamed you either in your presence or in your absence, why do not you talk to me now? [4-20-4]
uttiSTha hari shaarduula bhajasva shayana uttamam |
na evam vidhaaH sherate hi bhuumau nR^ipati sattamaaH || 4-20-5
5. hari shaarduula uttiSTha= oh, monkey, the tiger, arise; bhajasva shayana uttamam= take, bed, best one; evam vidhaaH nR^ipati sattamaaH= this, kind of, by kings, the best; bhuumau na sherate hi= on soil, will not, repose, isn't it.
"Arise, oh, tigerly monkey, you have to make use of a best bed as best kings will not on repose on soil in this way, isn't it. [4-20-5]
atiiva khalu te kaa.ntaa vasudhaa vasudhaadhipa |
gata asur api taam gaatraiH maam vihaaya niSevase || 4-20-6
6. vasudhaa adhipa= land, lord - oh, king; te vasudhaa atiiva kaantaa khalu= to you, earth, highly, cherished [darling,] indeed; gata asuH api= gone - drained, lives, though; maam vihaaya= me, leaving off; gaatraiH taam niSevase= with limbs, her, you adore - embrace.
"The earth seems to be a highly cherished darling of yours, oh, lord of the land, as you still embrace her with your limbs leaving me off, even when your lives are drained. [4-20-6]
These dialogs of Tara are not statements of facts but a kind of question like imperatives as, "Is this earth a highly cherished darling of yours than me, that is why you still cling to her leaving me off, am I that bad..." "Have you built a heavenly city in the pathway of heaven and you go there leaving me, am I unfit to come with you..." and the like.
vyak{}tam adya tvayaa viira dharmataH sa.mpravartataa |
kiSki.ndhaa iva purii ramyaa svarga maarge vinirmitaa || 4-20-7
7. viira= oh, valiant one; dharmataH= righteously; sampravartataa [sam pra vartataa]= who conducts himself; tvayaa= by you; adya kiSkindhaa iva= now, Kishkindha, like; ramyaa purii= delightful, city; svarga maarge= to heaven, on path; vi nirmitaa= well built; vyaktam= it is evident.
"It is evident that you, who conduct yourself righteously, must have built a Kishkindha-like delightful city in the pathway to heaven by your leaving lovely Kishkindha. [4-20-7]
yaani asmaabhiH tvayaa saardham vaneSu madhu ga.ndhiSu |
vihR^itaani tvayaa kaale teSaam uparamaH kR^itaH || 4-20-8
8. tvayaa= by you; asmaabhiH saardham= with us, along with; madhu gandhiSu vaneSu= sweet smelling [or, with liquor, odour,] in forests; yaani vihR^itaani kaale= which, pleasure trips, in time - from time to time; teSaam uparamaH tvayaa kR^itaH= to them, stoppage - bring to an end, by you, made.
"You bring an end to the pleasure trips you made along with us in the sweet smelling forests from time to time by your departing. [4-20-8]
niraana.ndaa niraashaa aham nimagnaa shoka saagare |
tvayi pa.ncatvam aapanne mahaayuuthapa yuuthape || 4-20-9
9. mahaa yuuthapa yuuthape= oh, great, chief, of chiefs [ of monkeys]; tvayi pancatvam aapanne= on you, fifth state, befallen; aham= I am; nir+aanandaa= without, happiness; nir+aashaa= without, hope; shoka saagare nimagnaa= sadness, sea, drowned.
"When this fifth state betiding you, oh, great chief of chiefs of monkeys, I am dejected, despaired and drowned in the sea of sadness. [4-20-9]
Where the preceding four states of living beings are, waking state, dream state, and the state of deep sleep. There is another undistinguished fourth called turriya . Death is the fifth one.
hR^idayam susthiram mahyam dR^iSTvaa vinihatam bhuvi |
yan na shoka abhisa.mtaptam sphuTate adya sahasradhaa || 4-20-10
10. mahyam= for me; hR^idayam su sthiram= heart is, very, sturdy; yat= why because; vinihatam bhuvi [patitam]= killed, on ground, [fallen you]; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; shoka abhisamtaptam= in sorrow, tormented; adya= now; sahasradhaa na sphuTate= into thousand [splints,] not, splintering.
"My heart is very sturdy - perhaps, even on seeing you slain and fallen to ground, it is not splintering now into thousand splints, though it is tormented by sorrow. [4-20-10]
sugriivasya tvayaa bhaaryaa hR^itaa sa ca vivaasitaH |
yat tat tasya tvayaa vyuSTiH praaptaa iyam plavagaadhipa || 4-20-11
11. plavaga adhipa= oh, fliers, chief of; tvayaa= by you; yat= for which [reason]; sugriivasya= Sugreeva's; bhaaryaa hR^itaa= wife, snatched away; saH ca vivaasitaH= he, also, expelled [ from Kishkindha]; tat= by that reason; tvayaa= by you; tasya= of that [misdeed]; iyam vyuSTiH praaptaa= this, result, obtained.
"By which reason you have snatched away Sugreeva's wife, oh, chief of fliers, and even expelled him from Kishkindha, that is the reason why you got this result. [4-20-11]
niHshreyasa paraa mohaat tvayaa ca aham vigarhitaa |
yaa eSaa abruvam hitam vaakyam vaanarendra hita eSiNii || 4-20-12
12. vaanara indra= oh, monkey, the best; niHshreyasa paraa= well-being, interested in; hita eSiNii= welfare, wishing; yaa= she who is; eSa== this me; hitam vaakyam abruvam= beneficial, word, when said; aham tvayaa mohaat vi garhitaa= I, by you, unmindfully, refused - brushed me aside.
"I am she who said a beneficial word to you with an interest in your well-being and wishing your welfare, but oh, best monkey, you unmindfully brushed me off. [4-20-12]
ruupa yauvana dR^iptaanaam dakshiNaanaam ca maanada |
nuunam apsarasaam aarya cittaani pramathiSyasi || 4-20-13
13. maana da= of honour, endower of; aarya= oh, honourable one; ruupa yauvana dR^iptaanaam= by beauty, by youthfulness, those who are proud of; dakshiNaanaam= by experts in romance; apsarasaam= celestial's, of apsara-s; cittaani= hearts; pramathiSyasi= you will stir up; nuunam= definitely.
"Oh, endower of honour, apsara-s, the celestial dancers, will be proud of their beauty, youthfulness, and expertise in romance, and oh, honourable one, you can stir up their hearts towards you by your gallantry, definite is that. [4-20-13]
kaalo niHsa.mshayo nuunam jiivita a.ntakaraH tava |
balaat yena avapanno asi sugriivasya avasho vasham || 4-20-14
14. niH samshayaH= without, doubting - undoubtable; kaalaH= Time [or, death]; tava= for you; jiivita anta karaH= life, end, made [ended your life]; nuunam= definitely; yena= by which [Time/Death]; a+vashaH= uncontrollable such as you are; balaat= perforce / capability; sugriivasya vasham ava+pannaH asi= Sugreeva's, control, obtained [Time brought you down,] you are.
"The Time which is an undoubtable factor in respect of anybody has ended your life, definite is that, and that Time alone perforce brought you, who are otherwise an uncontrollable force, to the control of Sugreeva.
Or
The Death / Time no doubt has a concern with anyone for it is the ender of life, and definitely it chanced upon you by the capability of Sugreeva in getting support of Rama, and Sugreeva alone controlled you, who are otherwise an uncontrollable force. [4-20-14]
asthaane vaalinam hatvaa yudhyamaanam pareNa ca |
na sa.mtapyati kaakutsthaH kR^itvaa sugarhitam || 4-20-15
15. kaakutsthaH= Rama; pareNa yudhyamaanam= with other, fighting; vaalinam= Vali; a + sthaane= not, in proper place, or, in an unbefitting method; hatvaa= on killing; su garhitam [karma]= highly, deplorable [deed]; kR^itvaa= on doing; na sam tapyati= not, at all, worried.
"Rama's killing Vali when he is fighting with another is unbefitting in its method, and he too is not at all worried for doing such a highly deplorable deed. [4-20-15]
This verse is not found in some texts like critical edition and in Eastern recension etc.
vaidhavyam shoka sa.mtaapam kR^ipaNam akR^ipaNaa satii |
aduhkha upacitaa puurvam vartayiSyaami anaathavat || 4-20-16
16. puurvam= in early times - so far; a+kR^ipaNam satii= not, doleful, I am; a + duHkha upacitaa= not, sadness, accompanied with - not saddened; anaatha vat= desolated one, as with; kR^ipaNaa= dolefulness; vaidhavyam =widowhood; shoka samtaapam= sadness, seethed by; vartayiSyaami= I have to undergo.
"So far I am not doleful or saddened, but now as a desolate seethed by sorrow I have to undergo widowhood and dolefulness. [4-20-16]
laalitaH ca a.ngado viiraH sukumaaraH sukhocitaH |
vatsyate kaam avasthaam me pitR^ivye krodha muurcChite || 4-20-17
17. pitR^ivye krodha muurcChite= when paternal-uncle, in fury, fit of; laalitaH= one who is raised fondly; sukumaaraH= graceful one; sukha ucitaH= for comforts, used to; viiraH= brave one; me angadaH= my, Angada; kaam avasthaam vatsyate= which, predicament, he undergoes.
"My Angada is raised fondly, a brave one with gracefulness and one who is accustomed to comforts, but which will be the predicament he has to undergo when his paternal-uncle Sugreeva gets into a fit of fury. [4-20-17]
kuruSva pitaram putra sudR^iSTam dharma vatsalam |
durlabham darshanam tasya tava vatsa bhaviSyati || 4-20-18
18. putra= oh, son Angada; dharma vatsalam= virtue, patron of; tava pitaram= your, father; su dR^iSTam= one who is clearly seen; kuruSva= make - see your father clearly; vatsa= oh, boy; tasya darshanam durlabham bhaviSyati= his, sight, impossible, it will be [from now on.]
"Oh, son Angada, clearly see your father, a patron of virtue, oh, boy, later it is impossible to catch a glimpse of him." Thus Tara said to her son Angada. [4-20-18]
samaashvaasaya putram tvam sa.mdesham sa.mdishasva me |
muurdhni ca enam samaaghraaya pravaasam prasthito hi asi || 4-20-19
19. tvam putram= you, let son be; sam+aashvaasaya= assuage - well, reassured; enam muurdhni samaaghraaya- him, on forehead, on smelling [kissing]; me samdesham samdishasva= to me, message, give; pravaasam prasthitaH asi hi= to another world, you started, you are, isn't it..
"You have started towards other world, isn't it, so reassure your son, kiss goodbye on his forehead, and give me your parting messages." So said Tara to Vali. [4-20-19]
raameNa hi mahat karma kR^itam tvaam abhinighnataa |
aanR^iNyam tu gatam tasya sugriivasya pratishrave || 4-20-20
20. tvaam= you; abhinighnataa [abhi ni ghnataa]= [when he] hit you down; raameNa mahat karma kR^itam hi= by Rama, great, deed, is done, really; sugriivasya pratishrave= to Sugreeva, [in the matter of] promise; tasya= his - Rama's; a+nR^iNyam= no, debt - debtless; gatam tu= obtained, but.
"Really, Rama has not only done a great deed of hitting you down, but he also achieved indebtedness towards Sugreeva, both in a single promise. [4-20-20]
sakaamo bhava sugriiva rumaam tvam pratipatsyase |
bhu.nkSva raajyam anudvignaH shasto bhraataa ripuH tava || 4-20-21
21. sugriiva= oh, Sugreeva; sa kaamaH bhava= fulfilled, desires [with contentment,] you be; tvam rumaam prati+patsyase= Ruma, you, again, you get; an+udvignaH= un, ruffled; raajyam bhunkSva= kingdom, you wallow in; tava ripuH bhraataa shastaH= your, enemy, brother, is hushed - silenced.
"Now, you are to your heart's content Sugreeva as you regain your wife Ruma, you may even wallow in the kingdom unworriedly as your enemy-brother is silenced." So said Tara to Sugreeva. [4-20-21]
kim maam evam pralapatiim priyaam tvam na abhibhaaSase |
imaaH pashya varaa bahvayaH bhaaryaaH te vaanareshvara || 4-20-22
22. vaanara iishvara= oh, vanara-s, lord; evam= this way; pra+lapatiim= highly, one who is prattling; priyaam= to dear one; maam= to me; tvam kim na abhi+bhaaSase= you, why, not, talk to me; te bahvayaH varaaH bhaaryaaH= your, several, comely, wives; imaaH= here they are; pashya= you see.
""Oh, lord of monkeys, why do not you talk to me, the dear wife of yours, when I am prattling at length, by the way, several of your comely wives are here, they are here, see them." Thus Tara lamented. [4-20-22]
tasyaa vilapitam shrutvaa vaanaryaH sarvataH ca taaH |
parigR^ihya a.ngadam diinaa duhkha aartaaH paricukrushuH || 4-20-23
23. sarvataH= those that are around; taaH vaanaryaH= those, vanara females; tasyaa vilapitam shrutvaa= her [Tara's], lamentation, on listening; angadam parigR^ihya= Angada, on embracing; diinaa= becoming pathetic; duhkha aartaaH= saddened, pitiably; paricukrushuH= piteously wept.
On listening Tara's lamentation the vanara females that are around became plaintive, saddened pitiably and wept piteously embracing Angada. [4-20-23]
kim a.ngadam sa a.ngada viira baaho
vihaaya yaato asi adya ciram pravaasam |
na yuk{}tam evam guNa sa.mnikR^iSTam
vihaaya putram priya putram priya caaru veSam || 4-20-24
24. sa angada viira baahuH= with, bicep-lets, mighty, armed one [Vali]; priya putram angadam vihaaya= dear, son, Angada, on leaving; ciram pravaasam= eternal, abode; kim yaataH asi= why, going, you are; guNa samnikR^iSTam= with qualities, come close to - one with best aptitudes; priya caaru veSam= in pleasant, exquisite, getup; putram son [in such a getup]; vihaaya= on leaving; evam= this way of going; na yuktam= not, befitting.
"Oh, one with bracelets on your mighty arms, why you are going to an eternal abode leaving your dear son Angada? Your going away leaving such a son, who possesses best aptitudes that comes close to your abilities, and the one who always wears an exquisitely pleasant getup, is unbefitting. [4-20-24]
yadi apriyam ki.mcid asa.mpradhaarya
kR^itam mayaa syaat tava diirgha baaho |
kSamasva me tat hari vamsha naatha
vrajaami muurdhnaa tava viira paadau || 4-20-25
25. diirgha baaho= oh, long, armed one - masterful one; hari vamsha naatha= oh, monkeys, lineage, lord of; viira= oh, brave one; a + sampradhaarya= not, discriminatingly; mayaa tava= by me, to you [with you]; a + priyam= un, desirable; kimcit= in the lest; kR^itam syaat yadi= done, is there, if; me tat kSamasva= me, for that, pardon me; muurdhnaa tava paadau vrajaami= with forehead, at your, two feet, I am going - I bow down.
"If I have done any undesirable deed in an indiscriminate way, even in the least, I may be pardoned for that, and here I bow down at your feet... oh, masterful one... oh, the lord of monkeys lineage... oh, brave one... [Thus Tara wept for Vali.] [4-20-25]
tathaa tu taaraa karuNam ruda.ntii
bhartuH samiipe saha vaanariibhiH |
vyavasyata praayam anindya varNaa
upopaveSTum bhuvi yatra vaalii || 4-20-26
26. a + nindya varNaa= un, blemished, complexion - one with; taaraa= Tara; bhartuH samiipe= husband's, in proximity; vaanariibhiH saha= female Vanara-s, along with; tathaa= that way; karuNam rudantii= pitiably, weeping; vaalii yatra= Vali, where he is; bhuvi= [there] on ground; praayam= death; upa upaveSTum= to sit nearby of [death, self-immolation]; vyavasyata [vi ava syata]= she dropped down.
That Tara with her unblemished complexion is seated in the close proximity of her husband along with other vanara females, and weeping pitiably in that way, she decided to self-immolate, and thus she flounced down onto ground where Vali is slouching. [4-20-26]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe vi.mshaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 20th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : June 04]