Summary
Sugreeva and Tara lament Vali's death. Sugreeva seeks permission of Rama to enter the funeral pyre of his brother Vali to self-immolate himself for his wrongdoing in getting his own brother killed. Tara asks Rama to kill her with the same arrow with which Vali is killed, so that she too can go to heavens to meet her husband.
Chapter [Sarga] 24 in Detail
tam aashu vegena duraasadena tu abhiplutaam shoka mahaarnavena |
pashyan tadaa vaali anujah tarasvii bhraatruh vadhena apratimena tepe || 4-24-1
On seeing Tara who quickly deluged in a speedy and vast ocean of intolerable anguish, then that Vali's mighty brother Sugreeva regretted for the killing of his matchless brother. [4-24-1]
sa baaspa puurnena mukhen pashyan kshanena nir.hvinna manaa manasvii |
jagaama raamasya shanaih samiipam bhrityaih vrittah sa.mpariduuyamaanah || 4-24-2
While that kind hearted Sugreeva observed Tara for a moment he is despaired at heart, tears filled his face, and lamenting very much he slowly paced to the near of Rama, surrounded by his attendants. [4-24-2]
sa tam samaasaadya grihiita caapam udaattam aashii visa tulya baanam |
yashashvinam lakshana lakshita a.ngam avasthitam raaghavam iti uvaaca || 4-24-3
On approaching him who is majestic, who is still handling his bow and snake-like arrow, a distinguished person with all of his limbs adorned with great attributes that an emperor should have by birth, to such a Raghava who is standing nearby, Sugreeva spoke this way. [4-24-3]
yathaa pratijnaatam idam narendra kritam tvayaa driusta phalam ca karma |
mama adya bhogesu narendra suuno mano nivrittam hata jivitena || 4-24-4
"As promised, oh, best king, you have accomplished this deed with its eventual fruition of getting back the kingdom and my wife, but now, oh, prince, my heart is backsliding from extravagances of kingdom and kingship, as my life itself is rendered despicable, for I got my brother killed. [4-24-4]
asyaam mahisyaam tu bhrisham rudatyaam pure ati vikroshati duhkha tapte |
hate nripe sa.mshayite a.ngade ca na raama raajye ramate mano me || 4-24-5
"When the king is killed, this empress is wailing bitterly, much wailing is there in city scorched in sadness, and Angada too is in a doubtful state of sustaining his lives in the fond of his father, as such oh, Rama, my heart is not taking delight in kingdom. [4-24-5]
krodhaad amarsaad ativipradharsaad bhraatur vadho me anumatah purastaat |
hate tu idaaniim hari yuudhape asmin sutiikshnam ikshvaaku vara pratapsye || 4-24-6
"In the first instance I have agreed for the elimination of my brother owing to my anger, intolerance and as I was subjected to too much ignominy, but now, oh, best one from Ikshvaku-s, when the chief of monkeys Vali is put to death, I am painfully remorseful. [4-24-6]
shreyo adya manye mama shaila mukhye tasmin hi vaasah ciram risyamuuke |
yathaa tathaa vartayatah sva vrityaa na imam nihatya tridivasaya laabhah || 4-24-7
"I think it would be better for me to live on that best mountain Rishyamuka for ever in an as is where is condition, somehow spending life befitting to a monkey, and achieving even heaven on killing my brother is of no good. [4-24-7]
na tvaa jighaamsaami cara iti yat maam ayam mahaatmaa matimaan uvaaca |
tasya eve tat raama vaco anuruupam idam vacah karma ca me anuruupam || 4-24-8
"The words which he used to speak to me saying, 'I do not wish to kill you, begone...' are befitting to that great-souled and rational Vanara, and my words in asking you to him to kill him, and my deeds in getting him killed are befitting to me, as an irrational Vanara. [4-24-8]
bhraataa katham naama mahaa gunasya bhraatur vadham raama virocayeta |
raajasya duhkhasya ca viira saaram vicintayan kaama puraskrito api || 4-24-9
"Indeed, oh, brave Rama, whether killing one's own brother will be self-torturous? Or, taking pleasure in kingdom on killing that brother will be more? Or, the distress ensuing that killing will be the most? Without truly discriminating these cruces, even if one has one's own avarice in prospect, who is he that is going to take pleasure in killing his own highly honored brother? Excepting me! [4-24-9]
vadho hi me mato na asiit sva mahaatmyaa avyatikramaat |
mama aasiit buddhih duraatmyaat praana haarii vyatikramah || 4-24-10
"Killing me is not in the intent of Vali violating his probity, but my intent has become evilly life taking, violating my own probity. [4-24-10]
druma shaakaa avabhagno aham muhurtam parinistanan |
svaantayitvaa anena uktah na punah kartum arhasi || 4-24-11
"I was whining for a time when Vali thrashed me with a tree branch, as if with a schoolmaster's cane, but later on comforting me he said this to me, 'do not do this again, this daring me to fight you back.' [4-24-11]
bhraatritvam aarya bhaavah ca dharmah ca anena rakshitah |
mayaa krodhah ca kaamah ca kapitvam ca pradarshitam || 4-24-12
"Fraternity, dignity and also probity are conserved by him, while I exhibited furiousness, enviousness and also naughtiness of a monkey. [4-24-12]
acintaniiyam parivarjaniiyam
aniipsaniiyam na anvekshaniiyam |
praapto asmi paapmaanam vayasya
bhraatuh vadha tvaastra vadhaat iva indrah || 4-24-13
"As Indra acquired sin on killing Vishvarupa, the son of Tvastha, I too derived a sin by killing my brother, which sin is absolutely unimaginable for quantification, totally undesirable at any given time, wholly discardable by sagacious souls, and a disgustingly horrible specter [ghost] of brotherly hate. [4-24-13]
paapmaanam indrasya mahii jalam ca vrikshaah ca kaamam jagrihuh striyah ca |
ko naama paapmaanam imam saheta shaakhaa mrigasya pratipattum icchet || 4-24-14
"Earth, waters, trees and women took the burden of Indra's sins, but who in name will bear the burden of this sin of mine, that too the sin of a monkey, who wishes to share? [4-24-14]
naa arhaami sanmaanam imam prajaanaam na yauva raajyam kuta eva raajyam |
adharma yuktam kula naasha yuktam evam vidham raaghava karma kritvaa || 4-24-15
"On undertaking this sort of deed that includes unjust and involves ruination of one's own race, I am unsuited for this sort of accolade from the subjects of this kingdom, and when I am ineligible to be the price regent of this kingdom, wherefore to become its regent? [4-24-15]
paapasya kartaa asmi vigarhitasya
kshudrasya loka apakritasya loke |
shoko mahaan mama abhivartate ayam
vristeh yathaa nimnam iva ambu vegah || 4-24-16
"In this world, I am a committer of a felony which is debased, highly damnable and pernicious to the world itself, whereupon this irresistible misery is rushing in on me, as with the rush of speeding rainy-waters towards a declivity. [4-24-16]
sodarya aghaataa apara gaatra vaalah sa.mtaapa hasta akshi shiro visaanah |
enomayo maam abhihanti hastii dripto nadii kuulam iva pravriddhah || 4-24- 17
"The sin of mine in killing my brother assumed a form of an elephant, where my sinister motives of killing my own brother have assumed that elephant's hind and tail, and my causing agony to my own brother has become that elephant's head, eyes, trunk, and tusks, with them that berserk and monstrous elephant called sin, is goring me as it would gore a riverbed. [4-24- 17]
amho batedam nri vara avisahya nivartate me hridi saadhu vrittam |
agnau vivarnam paritapya maanam kittam yathaa raaghava jaata ruupam || 4-24-18
"How difficult is this insufferable sacrilege of mine, oh, best king, owing to which my good breeding is shed from my heart, as with the gold, which if alloyed will be intolerant of that filth, but oh, Raghava, even the gold sheds itself from scum when melted, and though I melt in grief this scum of sacrilege is unshed. [4-24-18]
mahaa balaanaam hari yuuthapaanaam idam kulam raaghava man nimittam |
asya angadasya api ca shoka taapaat artha sthita praanam itiiva manye || 4-24-19
"I think this body of great-might monkey commanders is withstanding its lives in a halfway, oh, Raghava, just because of me and this Angada who is searing in anguish, for it is half-dead with the death of Vali. [4-24-19]
sutah sulabhah sujanah suvashyah kutah tu putrah sadrishah a.ngadena |
na ca api vidyeta sa viira desho yasmin bhavet sodara sannikarsah || 4-24-20
It is somehow easy to get a son who is an easygoing, easy to deal with like Angada in this world, but, oh, valiant Rama, where is the world wherein I can get Vali-like brother and wherein can be in his vicinity? [4-24-20]
adya angado viira varo na jiivet jiiveta maataa pari paalanaartham |
vinaa tu putram paritaapa diinaa saa naiva jiivet it nishcitam me || 4-24-21
"This best of brave ones, Angada, will not live reft [robbed] of his father, but his mother Tara has to live to foster her son Angada, but if Angada dies with his heartbroken for his farther, then without her son her misery will become miserable, and then she too may not live... this is my resolve. [4-24-21]
so aham pravekshyaami ati diiptam agnim
bhratraa ca putrena ca sakhyam icchan |
ime vicesyanti hari praviiraah
siitaam nideshe parivartamaanaah || 4-24-22
"Such as I am, I wish to enter a highly blazing fire seeking amity with my departed brother and as well with son Angada, and these best valiant monkeys will search for Seetha duly conducting themselves under your control. [4-24-22]
kritsnam tu te setsyati kaaryam etat mayi api atiite manujendra putra |
kulasya hantaaram ajiivana arham raama anujaaniihi krita agasam maam || 4-24-23
"Oh, prince, even if I am dead your mission will be achieved in its entirety, and oh, Rama, having perpetrated infraction I have become an eliminator of the propriety of our race, hence I have become an unworthy one to live, and hence permit me to commit myself to fire..." Thus Sugreeva said to Rama. [4-24-23]
iti evam aartasya raghu praviirah shrutvaa vaco vaali jaghanya jasya |
sa.mjaata baaspa para viira hantaa raamo muhuurtam vimanaa babhuuva || 4-24-24
On hearing the anguished words of the younger brother of Vali, namely Sugreeva, the eyes of Rama, the best valiant one from Raghu's dynasty and the eliminator of valiant enemies, are moistened and he became perturbed for a moment. [4-24-24]
tasmin kshane abhiikshnam avekshamaanah kshiti kshamaavaan bhuvanasya goptaa |
raamo rudantiim vyasane nimagnaam samutsukah sah atha dadarsha taaraam || 4-24-25
At that moment, Rama whose perseverance is like that of the earth and who is the protector of earth has seen Tara, who is wailing and repeatedly looking around as she is deluged in desperation, and then with all his concernedness Rama paced towards her. [4-24-25]
taam caaru netraam kapi si.mha naathaam patim samaashlisya tada shayaanaam |
utthaapayaamaasuh adiina sattvaam ma.ntri pradhaanaah kapi raaja patniim || 4-24-26
The prominent monkey ministers then started to raise her up, whose eyes are pleasant and intellect unfailing, and who had the lion among monkeys as her husband, but now collapsed on ground hugging her departed husband. [4-24-26]
saa visphura.ntii parirabhyamaanaa bhartuh samiipaat apaniiyamaanaa |
dadarsha raamam shara caapa paanim sva tejasaa suuryam iva jvala.ntam || 4-24-27
She who is hugging her husband wriggled highly when she is disengaged from him, and at a particular stage she saw Rama with his bow and arrow in his hands and who is resplendent like sun, by his own resplendence. [4-24-27]
su samvrittam paarthiva lakshanaih ca tam caaru netram mrigashaava netraa |
adrista puurvam purusa pradhaanam ayam sa kaakutstha iti prajajne || 4-24-28
On seeing at him whose eyes are graceful, one endowed with all kingly attributes, who looked best among men, and who is unseen so far, that fawn-eyed Tara realized him alone as that Rama. [4-24-28]
tasya indra kalpasya duraasadasya mahaanubhaavasya samiipam aaryaa |
aarta ati tuurnam vyasanam prapannaa jagaama taaraa parivihvalantii || 4-24-29
She on whom misfortune has chanced and who is anguished, that noble lady Tara went very quickly with highly squirming movements to the near of the highly exalted soul Rama, who matches Indra in his valor and an unreachable one for his enemies. [4-24-29]
tam saa samaasaadya vishuddha sattvam shokena sa.mbhraa.nta shariira bhaavaa |
manasvinii vaakyam uvaaca taaraa raamam rana utkarsana labdha lakshyam || 4-24-30
The body language of Tara which is so far disconcerted by the grief felt for Rama's perfect hitting, felling and achieving his object in war, namely Vali, is now disoriented to anger on seeing the very same Rama, as she is a self-respectful lady. But on arriving at the near of that very pure being Rama, that ireful body language of hers again reoriented itself to a sort of serenity, and then she spoke this to him. [4-24-30]
tvam aprameyah ca duraasadah ca jitendriyah ca uttama dharmakah ca |
akshiina kiirtih ca vicakshanah ca kshiti kshamavaan kshatajopamaa akshah || 4-24-31
"You are an indeterminable one, an inaccessible one, one with his self conquered, the supreme among righteous souls, your glory is unmitigated, and you are the one with clear discrimination, and in endurance earth-like, and your eyes are blood streaked like those of an emperor. [4-24-31]
tvam aatta baanaasana baana paanih mahaabalah sa.mhanana upapannah |
manusya dehaabhudayam vihaaya divyena dehaabhyudayena yuktah || 4-24-32
"You with your proportionate physic are a mighty one handling bows and arrows, but your bodily magnificence is more than that of magnificent humanly body. [4-24-32]
ena eva baanena hatah priyo me tena eva baanena hi maam jahi hi |
hataa gamisyaami samiipam asya na maam vinaa viira rameta vaalii || 4-24-33
"Oh, brave one, kill me too with the same arrow with which you have killed my dear husband, and on getting killed at your hand I wish to reach his near, as Vali takes no delight without me. [4-24-33]
svarge api padma amala patra netra sametya sa.mprekshya ca maam apashyan |
na hi esa uccaavaca taamra cuudaa vicitra vesaah apsaro abhajisyat || 4-24-34
"Though Vali with eyes like unblemished lotus petals reaches heaven he looks around for me, and not finding me there, he does not have a romance with celestial Apsara-s though they will be in amazing costumes and wear red-colored towering tiaras. [4-24-34]
svarge api shokam vivarnataam ca mayaa vinaa praapsyati viira vaalii |
ramye nagendrasya tataa avakaashe videha kanyaa arahito yathaa tvam || 4-24-35
"Even though Vali is in heaven he will derive despair and despondency without me, like you, who are despondent and despaired on the pleasant stretches of mountainsides of that best mountain Rishyamuka, as you are without Seetha. [4-24-35]
tvam vettha taavat vanitaa vihiinah
praapnoti duhkham purusah kumaarah |
tat tvam prajaanan jahi maam na vaalii
duhkham mama adarshanajam bhajeta || 4-24-36
"How a virile person derives discomfort without his woman, that much you know, isn't it! Because you are aware of it, you kill me; let not Vali get any discomfort when he does not find me. [4-24-36]
yat ca api manyeta bhavaan mahaatmaa
strii ghaata dosah tu bhaven na mahyam |
aatmaa iyam asya iti hi maam jahi tvam
na strii vadhah syaat manujendra putra || 4-24-37
"Oh, prince, as a high souled one even if you think that, "sin of killing a female will not befall on me?" But deem me as his soul, as scriptures say that the wife is the soul of husband, and hence kill me, then there will not be any blemish of woman killing. [4-24-37]
shaastra prayogaat vividhaah ca vedaat ananya ruupaah purusasya daaraah |
daara pradaanaat na hi daanam anyat pradrishyate jnaanavataam hi loke || 4-24-38
"In the course of implementing scriptural rituals, and even as contained in various Vedic sayings, wife is not a separate entity than her husband, and no better endowment than endowing a wife to an eligible bridegroom by bride's father is countenanced by the wise men in the world, isn't it. [4-24-38]
tvam ca api maam tasya mama priyasya pradaasyase dharmam avekshya viira |
anena daanena na lapsyase tvam adharma yogam mama viira ghaataat || 4-24-39
"Even you, oh, valiant one, on examining good and bad bestow me to my dear husband, and by that way, oh, brave one, by such an endowment of a wife to her husband, by way of killing and sending her to her husband, you too will not get any touch of sin. [4-24-39]
aartaam anaathaam apaniiyamaanaam evam gataam na arhasi maam ahantum |
aham hi maata.nga vilaasa gaaminaa plava.ngamaanaam risabhena dhiimataa |
vinaa varaarhottama hema maalinaa ciram na shakshyaami narendra jiivitum || 4-24-40
"Anguished and unprotected, such as I am, oh, king, I am being distracted from my departed husband by these Vanara misters, and it is unapt of you to not to kill me, as I am incapable to live without him, whose sprightly gait is like that of an elephant, a best one among fly-jumping Vanara-s, a courageous one, and who wears a precious and exquisite golden pendant..." Thus Tara pleaded with Rama for a mercy-death. [4-24-40]
iti evam uktah tu vibhuh mahaatmaa taaraam samaashvaasya hitam babhaase |
maa viira bhaarye vimatim kurusva loko hi sarvo vihito vidhaatraa || 4-24-41
Thus that way when Tara spoke to that lord and great-souled Rama, Rama consoling Tara well, spoke this word of expediency, "oh, wife of valiant one, let not your mind go raving, the Creator decreed all the world to be in this way, isn't so! [4-24-41]
tam caiva sarvam sukha duhkha yogam loko abraviit tena kritam vidhaatraa |
trayo api lokaa vihitam vidhaanam na ati kramante vashagaa hi tasya || 4-24-42
"And the same Creator has ordained mirth and misery , and even their association, so say sagely people. And even the triad of worlds is indeed under his control, and that triad too, cannot transgress the foreordained predestination. [4-24-42]
priitim paraam praapsyasi taam tathaa eva putrah ca te prapsyati yauva raajyam |
dhaatra vidhaanam vihitam tathaa eva na shuura patnyah paridevayanti || 4-24-43
"You will get paramount appeasement as before, and your son will become the crown prince, God has ordained destiny only in that way. Wives of the valiant ones will not mourn emotionally." Thus Rama consoled Tara. [4-24-43]
aashvaasitaa tena mahatmanaa tu prabhaava yuktena para.mtapena |
saa viira patnii dhvanataa mukhena suvesa ruupaa viraraam taaraa || 4-24-44
Thus consoled by that persuasive, noble-souled and enemy-burner Rama, that brave one's wife whose aspect is fair and whose attire is proper, she that paused her plaint, but with a puling expression. [4-24-44]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye kiskindha kaande catur vi.mshah sargah
Thus, this is the 24th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate