Summary
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.
Chapter [Sarga] 20 in Detail
raama caapa visristena sharena a.ntakarena tam |
dristvaa vinihatam bhuumau taaraa taaraadhipa aananaa || 4-20-1
saa samaasaadya bhartaaram paryasvajata bhaaminii |
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 dristvaa vaalinam ku.njaropamam || 4-20-2
vaanaram parvata indra aabham shoka sa.mtapta maanasaa |
taaraa tarum iva unmuulam paryadevayat aaturaa || 4-20-3
Tara is agonized 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
"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 nripati sattamaah || 4-20-5
"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
"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]
vyaktam adya tvayaa viira dharmatah sa.mpravartataa |
kiski.ndhaa iva purii ramyaa svarga maarge vinirmitaa || 4-20-7
"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 |
vihritaani tvayaa kaale tesaam uparamah kritah || 4-20-8
"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 pancatvam aapanne mahaayuuthapa yuuthape || 4-20-9
"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]
hridayam susthiram mahyam dristvaa vinihatam bhuvi |
yan na shoka abhisa.mtaptam sphutate adya sahasradhaa || 4-20-10
"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 hritaa sa ca vivaasitah |
yat tat tasya tvayaa vyustih praaptaa iyam plavagaadhipa || 4-20-11
"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
"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 driptaanaam dakshinaanaam ca maanada |
nuunam apsarasaam aarya cittaani pramathisyasi || 4-20-13
"Oh, endower of honor, Apsara-s, the celestial dancers, will be proud of their beauty, youthfulness, and expertise in romance, and oh, honorable 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
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 kritvaa sugarhitam || 4-20-15
"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]
vaidhavyam shoka sa.mtaapam kripanam akripanaa satii |
aduhkha upacitaa puurvam vartayisyaami anaathavat || 4-20-16
"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 pitrivye krodha muurcchite || 4-20-17
"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 sudristam dharma vatsalam |
durlabham darshanam tasya tava vatsa bhavisyati || 4-20-18
"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
"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 kritam tvaam abhinighnataa |
aanrinyam tu gatam tasya sugriivasya pratishrave || 4-20-20
"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
"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
""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 |
parigrihya a.ngadam diinaa duhkha aartaah paricukrushuh || 4-20-23
On listening Tara's lamentation the Vanara females that are around became plaintive, saddened pitiably and wept piteously embracing Angada. [4-20-23]
kim angadam sa angada viira baaho
vihaaya yaato asi adya ciram pravaasam |
na yuktam evam guna sa.mnikristam
vihaaya putram priya putram priya caaru vesam || 4-20-24
"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
kritam mayaa syaat tava diirgha baaho |
ksamasva me tat hari vamsha naatha
vrajaami muurdhnaa tava viira paadau || 4-20-25
"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
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.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate