Sloka & Translation

[Tara laments -- Vali regrets about Tara's fate -- Vali calls Angada to witness Tara's plight]

ततस्समुपजिघ्रन्ती कपिराजस्य तन्मुखम्।

पतिं लोकाच्च्युतं तारा मृतं वचनमब्रवीत्4.23.1।।


ततः then, लोकाच्च्युतं departed from the world, तारा Tara, कपिराजस्य king of monkeys', तत् मुखम् his forehead, समुपजिघ्रन्ती smelt (kissed), मृतम् dead, पतिम् husband, वचनम् these words, अब्रवीत् said.

Tara kissed (smelt) the forehead of the king of monkeys who had departed and said:
शेषे त्वं विषमे दुःखमकृत्वा वचनं मम।

उपलोपचिते वीर सुदुःखे वसुधातले4.23.2।।


वीर hero, मम my,वचनम् words, अकृत्वा not cared, त्वम् you, विषमे on a hard, उपलोपचिते carpeted with stones, सुदुःखे very painful, वसुधातले on the ground, दुःखम् sadly, शेषे lying

'O hero, not caring for my words (of caution), you are now lying with great pain on hard stones on the ground.
मत्तः प्रियतरा नूनं वानरेन्द्र मही तव।

शेषे हि तां परिष्वज्य मां च न प्रतिभाषसे4.23.3।।


वानरेन्द्र O lord of monkeys, मही the earth, तव to you, मत्तः more than me, नूनम् surely, प्रियतरा dearer, हि indeed, ताम् to her, परिष्वज्य embracing, शेषे in the end, माम् me, न प्रतिभाषसे च not replying me.

'O lord of monkeys you lie in the end, embracing the earth and not replying to me.
Surely you deem this earth dearer than me.
सुग्रीवस्य वशं प्राप्तो विधिरेषभवत्यहो।

सुग्रीव एव विक्रान्तो वीर साहसिकप्रिय4.23.4।।


वीर hero, साहसिकप्रिय one who determined and brave, सुग्रीवस्य Sugriva's, वशं प्राप्तः you have lost to, सुग्रीव एव only Sugriva, विक्रान्तः valiant, एषः that way, विधिः fate, भवति declared, अहो Oh

'O lover of brave deeds, fate has brought you under the sway of Sugriva, although he had lost to you.
ऋक्षवानरमुख्यास्त्वां बलिनः पर्युपासते।

एषां विलपितं कृच्छ्रमङ्गदस्य च शोचतः4.23.5।।

मम चेमा गिरः श्रुत्वा किं त्वं न प्रतिबुध्यसे।


ऋक्षवानरमुख्याः leader of bears and monkeys, बलिनः powerful, त्वाम् your, पर्युपासते are standing near,एषाम् of these, कृच्छ्रम् entire, विलपितम् wailing, शोचतः crying in grief, अङ्गदस्य च Angada's, मम my, इमाः these, गिरः words, श्रुत्वा on hearing, त्वम् you, किम् why, न प्रतिबुध्यसे you are not getting up.

'Oh powerful Vali leaders of the bears and monkeys, the entire lot are standing near you, wailing. Angada has been crying in grief. How is it that you are not rising up even after hearing their wailing voices and my call? .
इदं तच्छूरशयनं यत्र शेषे हतो युधि।

शायिता निहता यत्र त्वयैव रिपवः पुरा4.23.6।।


त्वयैव by yourself, पुरा earlier, निहताः killed, रिपवः enemies, यत्र there, शायिताः they are made to lie down, तत् that, शूरशयनम् the reclining place for heroes, इदम् this, युधि in war, हतः killed, यत्र where, (तत्र there), शेषे you are lying.

'Earlier you have killed enemies in combats and made them lie down where now you lie.
विशुद्धसत्त्वाभिजन प्रिययुद्ध मम प्रिय।

मामनाथां विहायैकां गतस्त्वमसि मानद4.23.7।।


विशुद्धसत्त्वाभिजन born into pure and noble clan, प्रिययुद्ध O lover of battle, मानद O venerable one, मम प्रिय my dear, त्वम् you, अनाथाम् an orphan, माम् me, एकाम् विहाय leaving me alone, गतः went.

'O venerable hero, born in a pure and noble family, you are a lover of battles. Now you have left me an orphan.
शूराय न प्रदातव्या कन्या खलु विपश्चिता।

शूरभार्यां हतां पश्य सद्यो मां विधवां कृताम्4.23.8।।


विपश्चिता by wise men, कन्या a girl, शूराय for a warrior, न प्रदातव्या should not be given in marriage, सद्यः presently, विधवां कृताम् rendered a widow, हताम् killed, शूरभार्याम् wife of a warrior, माम् me, पश्य you may see.

'It is said by wise men that a girl should not be given in marriage to a warrior. See me, the wife of a warrior, now rendered a widow.
अवभग्नश्च मे मानो भग्ना मे शाश्वती गतिः4.23.9।।

अगाधे च निमग्नाऽस्मि विपुले शोकसागरे।


मे my, मानः pride, अवभग्नश्च is crushed, मे my, शाश्वती गतिः ultimate resort, भग्ना is shattered, अगाधे in a bottomless, विपुले in a vast, शोकसागरे in ocean of sorrow, निमग्ना plunged, अस्मि I am.

'My pride is crushed. My husband, the ultimate resort for me is shattered.I am
plunged in a vast, bottomless ocean of grief.
अश्मसारमयं नूनमिदं मे हृदयं दृढम्4.23.10।।

भर्तारं निहतं दृष्ट्वा यन्नाद्य शतधा कृतम्।


निहतम् killed, भर्तारम् husband, दृष्ट्वा seeing, यत् since, अद्य now, शतधा into a hundred, न कृतम् not broken, मे my, दृढम् hard, इदं हृदयम् this heart, अश्मसारमयम् made of stone, नूनम् surely.

'My heart is surely made of hard stone yet it has not split into a hundred pieces even on seeing my husband slain৷৷
सुहृच्चैव हि भर्ता च प्रकृत्या मम च प्रियः।

आहवे च पराक्रान्तश्शूरः पञ्चत्वमागतः4.23.11।।


मम my, प्रकृत्या by nature, प्रियः dear, सुहृच्छैव a friend also, भर्ता च and husband, आहवे in battle, पराक्रान्तः a powerful, शूरः hero, पञ्चत्वम् death, आगतः reached.

'He was my husband, my friend and naturally my loving king. He was powerful in battle.Alas the hero has died.
पतिहीना तु या नारी कामं भवतु पुत्रिणी।

धनधान्यैस्सुपूर्णाऽपि विधवेत्युच्यते बुधैः4.23.12।।


या नारी any woman, पतिहीना without husband, पुत्रिणी mother of sons, भवतु कामम् even so, धनधान्यैस्सुपूर्णाऽपि a prosperous lady with wealth and grain in abundance, बुधैः by learned people, विधवेति only a widow, उच्यते is called so.

'Even if a woman without husband, is blessed with sons and abundant wealth and grain, still learned people call her a widow.
स्वगात्रप्रभवे वीर शेषे रुधिरमण्डले।

क्रिमिरागपरिस्तोमे त्वमात्मशयने यथा4.23.13।।


वीर O hero, स्वगात्रप्रभवे flowing from your body, रुधिरमण्डले in a pool of blood, क्रिमिरागपरिस्तोमे crimson bed, त्वमात्मशयने in sleeping, यथा as such, शेषे you are lying.

'O hero how is it that you are lying in a crimson bed of the pool of blood flowing from your body?
रेणुशोणितसंवीतं गात्रं तव समन्ततः।

परिरब्धुं न शक्नोमि भुजाभ्यां प्लवगर्षभ 4.23.14।।


प्लवगर्षभ O bull among monkeys, समन्ततः all over, रेणुशोणितसंवीतम् covered with dust particles and blood, तव गात्रम् your body, भुजाभ्याम् with my arms, परिरब्धुम् to embrace, न शक्नोमि not able to.

'O bull among monkeys how can I embrace you with my arms as your body is covered with dust particles and blood?.
कृतकृत्योऽद्य सुग्रीवो वैरेऽस्मिन्नतिदारुणे।

यस्य रामविमुक्तेन हृतमेकेषुणा भयम्4.23.15।।


अतिदारुणे very dreadful, अस्मिन् वैरे his enmity, सुग्रीवः Sugriva, अद्य now, कृतकृत्यः has achieved his goal, यस्य at whose, भयम् fear, रामविमुक्तेन released by Rama, एकेषुणा one single arrow, हृतम् is dispelled.

'Sugriva has achieved his goal in his dreadful enmity (with you). His fear is dispelled by a single arrow released by Rama.
शरेण हृदि लग्नेन गात्रसंस्पर्शने तव।

वार्यामि त्वां निरीक्षन्ती त्वयि पञ्चत्वमागते4.23.16।।


त्वयि your, पञ्चत्वम् death, आगते reached, हृदि in the chest, शरेण by the arrow, लग्नेन by arrow pierced, गात्रसंस्पर्शने touching limbs, वार्यामि refrain from, त्वां your, निरीक्षन्ती only looking at you.

'The arrow which has pierced your body prevents me from embracing you. I am only looking at you lying (not removing the arrow lest you die).'
उद्ववर्ह शरं नीलस्तस्य गात्रगतं तदा।

गिरिगह्वरसंलीनं दीप्तमाशीविषं यथा4.23.17।।


तदा then, नीलः Nila, तस्य his, गात्रगतम् deadbody, शरम् arrow, गिरिगह्वरसंलीनम् hidden in the mountain cave(heart), दीप्तम् glowing, आशीविषं यथा like a serpent, उद्ववर्ह made effort.

Then Nila took out the arrow from Vali's heart with due effort as one would pull out a glowing serpent hidden in the mountain cave.
तस्य निष्कृष्यमाणस्य बाणस्य च बभौ द्युतिः।

अस्तमस्तकसंरुद्धो रश्मिर्दिनकरादिव4.23.18।।


निष्कृषमाणस्य as it was being pulled out, तस्य of that, बाणस्य arrow's, द्युतिः glow, दिनकरात् Sun's, अस्तमस्तकसंरुद्धः obstructed by the peak of the western mountain, रश्मिः इव like the rays, बभौ appeared.

As the arrrow(drenched in blood) was being pulled out, its glow looked like the Sun's rays obstructed by the peak of the western mountain.
पेतुः क्षतजधारास्तु व्रणेभ्यस्तस्य सर्वशः।

ताम्रगैरिकसम्पृक्ता धारा इव धराधरात्4.23.19।।


तस्य from his, व्रणेभ्यः wound, क्षतजधाराः streams of blood, धराधरात् from a mountain, ताम्रगैरिकसम्पृक्ताः red mixed with copper, धाराः इव like the streams, सर्वशः all over, पेतुः
flowed.

The streams of blood that flowed all over from the wounds of his body appeared like streams of water mixed with red and copper colour.
अवकीर्णं विमार्जन्ती भर्तारं रणरेणुना।

अस्रैर्नयनजैश्शूरं सिषेचास्त्रसमाहतम्4.23.20।।


रणरेणुना wardust, अवकीर्णम् covered, भर्तारम् husband, विमार्जन्ती wiped, अस्त्रसमाहतम् wounded with the weapon, शूरम् warrior, नयनजैः water from the eyes, अप्रैः with tears, सिषेच sprinkled.

She (Tara) wiped the body wounded with the weapon and covered with wardust, sprinkling her tear drops from her eyes.
रुधिरोक्षितसर्वाङ्गं दृष्ट्वा विनिहतं पतिम्।

उवाच तारा पिङ्गाक्षं पुत्रमङ्गदमङ्गना4.23.21।।


अङ्गना woman, तारा Tara, विनिहतम् killed, रुधिरोक्षितसर्वाङ्गम् all parts of his body drenched in blood, पतिम् husband, दृष्ट्वा seeing, पुत्रम् son, पिङ्गाक्षम् tawnyeyed, अङ्गदम् Angada, उवाच said.

Turning to the body of her husband fully drenched in blood, thus spoke Tara to her tawnyeyed son Angada:
अवस्थां पश्चिमां पश्य पितुः पुत्र सुदारुणाम्।

सम्प्रसक्तस्य वैरस्य गतोऽन्तः पापकर्मणा4.23.22।।


पुत्र Son, पितुः of father, सुदारुणाम् most terrific, पश्चिमां at the end, अवस्थाम् condition, पश्य see, पापकर्मणा on account of the sinful deeds, सम्प्रसक्तस्य that which was forced on him, वैरस्य out of the enmity, अन्तः end, गतः reached.

'O son you see the most terrific end of your father on whom enmity forced sinful deeds.
बालसूर्योदयतनुं प्रयान्तं यमसदनम्।

अभिवादय राजानं पितरं पुत्र मानदम्4.23.23।।


पुत्र son, बालसूर्योदयतनुम् body (red) like the rising Sun, यमसदनम् abode of Yama, प्रयान्तम् departing , राजानम् king, मानदम् venerable, पितरम् father, अभिवादय offer salutations.

'O son offer salutations to your venerable father, the king, departing for the abode of Yama (lord of death) looking (red with blood) like the rising Sun.'
एवमुक्तस्समुत्थाय जग्राह चरणौ पितुः।

भुजाभ्यां पीनवृत्ताभ्यामङ्गदोऽहमिति ब्रुवन्4.23.24।।


एवम् that way, उक्तः advised, समुत्थाय got up, अहम् I am, अङ्गदः Angada, इति thus, ब्रुवन् speaking, पीनवृत्ताभ्याम् stout, भुजाभ्याम् both shoulders, पितुः of father, चरणौ feet, जग्राह clasped.

Thus advised by Tara, Angada got up, clasped his father's feet with his stout arms, and saluted, saying, 'I am Angada.'
अभिवादयमानं त्वामङ्गदं त्वं यथा पुरा।

दीर्घायुर्भव पुत्रेति किमर्थं नाभिभाषसे4.23.25।।


त्वाम् to you, अभिवादयमानम् saluting, अङ्गदम् Angada, त्वम् you, पुत्र son, दीर्घायुः longlived, भव be, इति thus, किमर्थं why, यथा पुरा like earlier, नाभिभाषसे not speaking?

'Why do you not, with the words 'May you live long'', bless, as before, your son Angada who is greeting you? (said Tara).
अहं पुत्रसहाया त्वामुपासे गतचेतसम्।

सिंहेन निहतं सद्यो गौस्सवत्सेव गोवृषम्4.23.26।।


सद्यः now, सिंहेन by a lion, निहतम् struck, गोवृषम् mighty bull, सवत्सा along with her calf, गौः इव like a calf, पुत्रसहाया wait upon with son, अहम् I am, गतचेतसम् lost consciousness (died), त्वाम् you, उपासे I serve you.

'Just like a cow followed by its calf would attend upon a mighty bull struck by a lion I will wait with my son upon you who have lost consciousness (died).
इष्ट्वा सङ्ग्रामयज्ञेन रामप्रहरणाम्भसि।

अस्मिन्नवभृथे स्नातः कथं पत्न्या मया विना4.23.27।।


सङ्ग्रामयज्ञेन इष्ट्वा having performed a sacrificial war, पत्न्या with wife, मया विना without me, रामप्रह्ररणाम्भसि in the water of Rama's arrow, अस्मिन् in this, अवभृथे in this bath taken at the end of a sacrifice, कथम् how, स्नातः did you bathe?

'You have performed a warsacrifice. You have bathed in the waters of Rama's weapon signifying the end of the sacrifice. How did you take this customary bath without me, your wife?
या दत्ता देवराजेन तव तुष्टेन संयुगे।

शातकुम्भमयीं मालां तां ते पश्यामि नेह किम्4.23.28।।


संयुगे in the battle, तुष्टेन pleased, देवराजेन by the king of gods (Indra), या such one, तव to your, दत्ता gifted, ताम् that one, शातकुम्भमयीं a golden one, मालाम् necklace, इह now, किम् why, न पश्यामि I do not see.

'Why do I not see on your chest the golden necklace gifted by the king of the gods (Indra), pleased with you in the battle?
राज्यश्रीर्न जहाति त्वां गतासुमपि मानद।

सूर्यस्यावर्तमानस्य शैलराजमिव प्रभा4.23.29।।


मानद venerable, शैलराजम् king of mountains, आवर्तमानस्य as he returns, सूर्यस्य the Sun's, प्रभा इव like light, राज्यश्रीः kingly glory, गतासुम् अपि even though departed, त्वाम् you, न जहाति not left.

'O venerable one, even though life has departed from you, kingly glory does not leave you any more than the light of the setting son leaves the king of mountains. (western mountain)
न मे वचः पथ्यमिदं त्वया कृतं

न चास्मि शक्ता हि निवारणे तव।

हता सपुत्राऽस्मि हतेन संयुगे

सह त्वया श्रीर्विजहाति मामिह4.23.30।।


त्वया by you, मे mine, पथ्यम् proper, इदं वचः these words, न कृतम् not followed, तव your, निवारणे in preventing, शक्ता capable, न अस्मि च हि I was not, संयुगे in war, हतेन one who is killed, सुपुत्रा along with my son, हतास्मि I am dead, श्रीः goddess of fortune, त्वया सह along with you, मामिह from me, विजहाति has deserted.

'You have not followed my advice. I did not have the capacity to prevent you from going to war. The result is, you are killed and I am ruined along with my son. The goddess of fortune also is deserting me as well as your son.'
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये किष्किन्धाकाण्डे त्रयोविंशस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the twentythird sarga of Kishkindakanda of the Holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.