Summary
Lady Tara is entered here. She is the granddaughter of Brihaspati, the Jupiter and wife of Vali and she is one of the exemplary females in this epic. She is entered only thrice in the vast of this epic, presently here, next at the fall of Vali and later to pacify the ire of Lakshmana. But her personality for analytical intelligence does not exit from the minds of readers. Here she advises Vali not to confront Sugreeva, as long as Rama stands guard to him. Further she says after a logical discourse and reasons, why not Sugreeva be made the Prince Regent of Kishkindha, even at this juncture, where she foresees a calamity to Vali. But Vali, maddened in his intellect by his brawny might slights her far fetching advice.
Chapter [Sarga] 15 in Detail
atha tasya ninaadam tam sugriivasya mahaatmanah |
shushraava antahpura gato vaalii bhraatur amarsanah || 4-15-1
Then the illiberal Vali has clearly heard that outcry of his plain-spoken brother Sugreeva from his palace chambers. [4-15-1]
shrutvaa tu tasya ninadam sarvabhuuta prakampanam |
madah ca ekapade nastah krodhah ca aapaadito mahaan || 4-15-2
On hearing Sugreeva's outcry that is shuddering all beings Vali's insolence is diminished as high furor [rage] superimposed on it. [4-15-2]
tato rosa pariita a.ngo vaalii sa kanaka prabhah |
uparakta iva aadityah sadyo nisprabhataam gatah || 4-15-3
Then, embitterment overspreading on all his limbs Vali with golden-hue is immediately rendered non-luminous like the eclipsed sun. [4-15-3]
vaalii damstraa karaalah tu krodhaad diipta agni locanah |
bhaati utpatita padmaabhah samrinaala iva hradah || 4-15-4
With asymmetrical teeth and with burning fireball like eyes Vali is reflective of a lake whose red-lotuses are uprooted leaving stalks afloat. [4-15-4]
shabdam durmarsanam shrutvaa nispapaata tato harih |
vegena ca pada nyaasair daarayan iva mediniim || 4-15-5
That monkey Vali then on hearing that intolerable noise bolted out of palace chambers thumping his feet as though to shatter the earth. [4-15-5]
tam tu taaraa parisvajya snehaad darshita sauhridaa |
uvaaca trasta sa.mbhraa.ntaa hita udarkam idam vacah || 4-15-6
His wife Tara stepped in and showing goodwill and amity hugged him, for she is in fear and bewilderment, and said this word that is beneficial in its futurity if Vali heeds it. [4-15-6]
saadhu krodham imam viira nadii vegam iva aagatam |
shayanaad utthitah kaalyam tyaja bhuktaam iva srajam || 4-15-7
"Oh brave one, you better gently leave off this anger that is coming on like a gushing river as is done with an enjoyed chaplet on getting up from bed in early hours. [4-15-7]
kaalyam etena sa.mgraamam karisyasi ca vaanara |
viira te shatru baahulyam phalgutaa vaa na vidyate || 4-15-8
"You can fight with him at appropriate time, thereby your enemy is neither glorified nor you are trivialized [cause to appear unimportant] evidently, for you are a braving one. [4-15-8]
sahasaa tava niskraamo mama taavat na rocate |
shruuyataam abhidhaasyaami yan nimittam nivaaryate || 4-15-9
"Your quick exiting is disagreeable for me, and what for you are dissuaded that may be listened as I tell. [4-15-9]
puurvam aapatitah krodhaat sa tvaam aahvayate yudhi |
nispatya ca nirastah te hanyamaano disho gatah || 4-15-10
"Earlier Sugreeva came assaulting and inviting you for a combat, and you also have gone out and rendered him as a nonentity, and being battered by you he fled in all directions. [4-15-10]
tvayaa tasya nirastasya piiditasya vishesatah |
iha etya punar aahvaanam shankaam janayati iva me || 4-15-11
"He who is undone earlier by you, particularly after torturing by you, his coming here again and inviting you for a duel is causing a doubt in me. [4-15-11]
darpah ca vyavasaayah ca yaadrishah tasya nardatah |
ninaadasya ca sa.mra.mbho na etat alpam hi kaaranam || 4-15-12
"The arrogance and endeavor of the shouter, and even the rampage of his furor, all these will not have a trivial reason, isn't it. [4-15-12]
na asahaayam aham manye sugriivam tam iha aagatam |
avastabdha sahaayah ca yam aashritya esa ga.rjati || 4-15-13
"I do not think that Sugreeva has come here unaccompanied, and on whom he is dependant must be an unflinching support foregathered by Sugreeva. [4-15-13]
prakrityaa nipunah caiva buddhimaan caiva vaanarah |
na apariiksita viiryena sugriivah sakhyam esyati || 4-15-14
"By his nature Sugreeva is an expert and even so a clever one, and he does not enter into friendship with anyone without examining his mettle. [4-15-14]
puurvam eva mayaa viira shrutam kathayato vacah |
a.ngadasya kumaarasya vaksyaami adya hitam vacah || 4-15-15
"I am already briefed by our son Angada's information, and what I have heard I will now relate that helpful word to you. [4-15-15]
angadah tu kumaro ayam vanaa.ntam upanirgatah |
pravrittih tena kathitaa caaraih asiit niveditaa || 4-15-16
"Son Angada said this account when he returned from forests, and to him spies are said to have reported this. [4-15-16]
ayodhya adhipateh putrau shuurau samara durjayau |
ikshvaakuunaam kule jaatau prathitau raama lakshmanau || 4-15-17
sugriiva priya kaamaartham praaptau tatra duraasadau |
"Those that are born in Ikshvaku dynasty, sons of the king of Ayodhya, valiant and unconquerable ones in war, called Rama and Lakshmana are there in this country. These two unassailable ones have chanced there at Sugreeva's place to fulfill the longing desire of Sugreeva. [4-15-17, 18a]
sa te bhraatur hi vikhyaatah sahaayo rana ka.rmani || 4-15-18
raamah para balamardii yugaanta agnih iva utthitah |
"He is an acclaimed one for his warfare, and like the fire flaring up at the end of era he shatters the strength of enemies, and he is Rama your brother's helpmate, they say so. [4-15-18b, 19a]
nivaasa vriksah saadhuunaam aapannaanaam paraa gatih | 4-15-19
aartaanaam sa.mshrayah caiva yashasah ca eka bhaajanam |
"And he is said to the habitable tree for the polite, the ultimate course for the woebegone, a hospice for the agonized, and for grace Rama is the only abode. [4-15-19b, 20a]
jnaana vijnaana sa.mpanno nidesho niratah pituh || 4-15-20
dhaatuunaam iva shailendro gunaanaam aakaro mahaan |
"He is endowed with the knowledge of mundane and ultra-mundane things, he always abides in the directives of his father, and as with Mt. Himalayas for all natural elements he is the greatest mine of merits. [4-15-20b, 21a]
tat ksamo na virodhah te saha tena mahaatmanaa || 4-15-21
durjayena aprameyena raamena rana karmasu |
"By that reason, with that unconquerable on in conflicts, an imponderable one and a great-soul Rama, your enmity is inapposite. [4-15-21b, 22a]
shuura vaksyaami te ki.mcin na ca icchaami abhyasuuyitum || 4-15-22
shruuyataam kriyataam caiva tava vaksyaami yad hitam |
"Oh dauntless one, I tell you this much that you shall not become overcritical of him, and what I say is beneficial to you that may now be listened and even implemented. [4-15-22b, 23a]
yauvaraajyena sugriivam tuurnam saadhu abhisecaya || 4-15-23
vigraham maa krithaa viira bhraatraa raajan yaviiyasaa |
"Oh, king, let Sugreeva be decorously and quickly anointed as prince regent, and oh, resolute one, let there be no hostility to your own younger brother. [4-15-25b, 24a]
aham hi te ksamam manye tena raamena sauhridam || 4-15-24
sugriivena ca sa.mpriitim vairam utsrijya duuratah |
"Achieving unanimity with Sugreeva and solidarity with Rama by discarding enmity, in effect is appropriate for you, thus I deem. [4-15-24b, 25a]
laalaniiyo hi te bhraataa yaviiyaan esa vaanarah || 4-15-25
tatra vaa sannihastho vaa sarvathaa bandhuh eva te |
"This Sugreeva is your younger brother and you should be keen about him, isn't it... and whether he is here or there in Rishyamuka he is just your brother. [4-15-25b, 26a]
nahi tena samam bandhum bhuvi pashyaami kimcana || 4-15-26
daana maanaadi satkarraih kurusva pratyanantaram |
vairam etat sam ut.hsrrijya tava paarshve sa tisthatu || 4-15-27
"Indeed, I do not see anyone on earth a coequal to him in kindred spirit, hence leave off this enmity and honor him with bestowals and felicitations as an insider, and retain him at your side. [4-15-26b, 27]
sugriivo vipula griivo mahaabandhuh matah tava |
bhraatri sauhridam aala.mbya na anyaa gati iha asti te || 4-15-28
"That boisterously voiced Sugreeva is indisputably an excellent kinsman of yours, and hence brace yourself with the fondness of brotherhood, as there is no other way out to you. [4-15-28]
yadi te mat priyam kaaryam yadi ca avaisi maam hitaam |
yaacyamaanah priyatvena saadhu vaakyam kurusva me || 4-15-29
"If you look upon to do my favored deed, and if you look upon me as an expedient one, I beg of you in our loving attachment that my gentle word of advise be done. [4-15-29]
prasiida pathyam shrunu jalpitam hi me
na rosam eva anuvidhaatum arhasi |
kshamo hi te koshala raaja suununaa
na vigrahah shakra sama tejasaa || 4-15-30
"Be graceful and it behove [fit] you to listen to my small but expedient talk, and following up rancor alone is unbecoming of you, thereby your confrontation with the Prince of Kosala will be unpardonable for his dynamism equals that of Indra." Thus Tara spoke to her husband Vali. [4-15-30]
tadaa hi taaraa hitam eva vaakyam
tam vaalinam pathyam idam babhaase |
na rocate tad vacanam hi tasya
kaala abhipannasya vinaasha kaale || 4-15-31
Then, though Tara spoke beneficial and advisable words they are unimpressive to Vali for he is impounded by fatality and driven by time to his doom. [4-15-31]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye kiskindha kaande pa.ncadashah sargah
Thus, this is the 15th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate