Sloka & Translation

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

tatassamupajighrantī kapirājasya tanmukham.

patiṅ lōkāccyutaṅ tārā mṛtaṅ vacanamabravīt4.23.1৷৷


tataḥ then, lōkāccyutaṅ departed from the world, tārā Tara, kapirājasya king of monkeys', tat mukham his forehead, samupajighrantī smelt (kissed), mṛtam dead, patim husband, vacanam these words, abravīt said.

Tara kissed (smelt) the forehead of the king of monkeys who had departed and said:
śēṣē tvaṅ viṣamē duḥkhamakṛtvā vacanaṅ mama.

upalōpacitē vīra! suduḥkhē vasudhātalē4.23.2৷৷


vīra hero!, mama my,vacanam words, akṛtvā not cared, tvam you, viṣamē on a hard, upalōpacitē carpeted with stones, suduḥkhē very painful, vasudhātalē on the ground, duḥkham sadly, śēṣē lying

'O hero, not caring for my words (of caution), you are now lying with great pain on hard stones on the ground.
mattaḥ priyatarā nūnaṅ vānarēndra! mahī tava.

śēṣē hi tāṅ pariṣvajya māṅ ca na pratibhāṣasē4.23.3৷৷


vānarēndra O lord of monkeys, mahī the earth, tava to you, mattaḥ more than me, nūnam surely, priyatarā dearer, hi indeed, tām to her, pariṣvajya embracing, śēṣē in the end, mām me, na pratibhāṣasē ca 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.
sugrīvasya vaśaṅ prāptō vidhirēṣabhavatyahō.

sugrīva ēva vikrāntō vīra! sāhasikapriya!4.23.4৷৷


vīra hero, sāhasikapriya! one who determined and brave, sugrīvasya Sugriva's, vaśaṅ prāptaḥ you have lost to, sugrīva ēva only Sugriva, vikrāntaḥ valiant, ēṣaḥ that way, vidhiḥ fate, bhavati declared, ahō Oh!

'O lover of brave deeds, fate has brought you under the sway of Sugriva, although he had lost to you.
ṛkṣavānaramukhyāstvāṅ balinaḥ paryupāsatē.

ēṣāṅ vilapitaṅ kṛcchramaṅgadasya ca śōcataḥ4.23.5৷৷

mama cēmā giraḥ śrutvā kiṅ tvaṅ na pratibudhyasē.


ṛkṣavānaramukhyāḥ leader of bears and monkeys, balinaḥ powerful, tvām your, paryupāsatē are standing near,ēṣām of these, kṛcchram entire, vilapitam wailing, śōcataḥ crying in grief, aṅgadasya ca Angada's, mama my, imāḥ these, giraḥ words, śrutvā on hearing, tvam you, kim why, na pratibudhyasē 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? .
idaṅ tacchūraśayanaṅ yatra śēṣē hatō yudhi.

śāyitā nihatā yatra tvayaiva ripavaḥ purā4.23.6৷৷


tvayaiva by yourself, purā earlier, nihatāḥ killed, ripavaḥ enemies, yatra there, śāyitāḥ they are made to lie down, tat that, śūraśayanam the reclining place for heroes, idam this, yudhi in war, hataḥ killed, yatra where, (tatra there), śēṣē you are lying.

'Earlier you have killed enemies in combats and made them lie down where now you lie.
viśuddhasattvābhijana priyayuddha mama priya.

māmanāthāṅ vihāyaikāṅ gatastvamasi mānada4.23.7৷৷


viśuddhasattvābhijana born into pure and noble clan, priyayuddha O lover of battle, mānada O venerable one, mama priya my dear, tvam you, anāthām an orphan, mām me, ēkām vihāya leaving me alone, gataḥ went.

'O venerable hero, born in a pure and noble family, you are a lover of battles. Now you have left me an orphan.
śūrāya na pradātavyā kanyā khalu vipaścitā.

śūrabhāryāṅ hatāṅ paśya sadyō māṅ vidhavāṅ kṛtām4.23.8৷৷


vipaścitā by wise men, kanyā a girl, śūrāya for a warrior, na pradātavyā should not be given in marriage, sadyaḥ presently, vidhavāṅ kṛtām rendered a widow, hatām killed, śūrabhāryām wife of a warrior, mām me, paśya 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.
avabhagnaśca mē mānō bhagnā mē śāśvatī gatiḥ4.23.9৷৷

agādhē ca nimagnā.smi vipulē śōkasāgarē.


mē my, mānaḥ pride, avabhagnaśca is crushed, mē my, śāśvatī gatiḥ ultimate resort, bhagnā is shattered, agādhē in a bottomless, vipulē in a vast, śōkasāgarē in ocean of sorrow, nimagnā plunged, asmi 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.
aśmasāramayaṅ nūnamidaṅ mē hṛdayaṅ dṛḍham4.23.10৷৷

bhartāraṅ nihataṅ dṛṣṭvā yannādya śatadhā kṛtam.


nihatam killed, bhartāram husband, dṛṣṭvā seeing, yat since, adya now, śatadhā into a hundred, na kṛtam not broken, mē my, dṛḍham hard, idaṅ hṛdayam this heart, aśmasāramayam made of stone, nūnam surely.

'My heart is surely made of hard stone yet it has not split into a hundred pieces even on seeing my husband slain৷৷
suhṛccaiva hi bhartā ca prakṛtyā mama ca priyaḥ.

āhavē ca parākrāntaśśūraḥ pañcatvamāgataḥ4.23.11৷৷


mama my, prakṛtyā by nature, priyaḥ dear, suhṛcchaiva a friend also, bhartā ca and husband, āhavē in battle, parākrāntaḥ a powerful, śūraḥ hero, pañcatvam death, āgataḥ reached.

'He was my husband, my friend and naturally my loving king. He was powerful in battle.Alas! the hero has died.
patihīnā tu yā nārī kāmaṅ bhavatu putriṇī.

dhanadhānyaissupūrṇā.pi vidhavētyucyatē budhaiḥ4.23.12৷৷


yā nārī any woman, patihīnā without husband, putriṇī mother of sons, bhavatu kāmam even so, dhanadhānyaissupūrṇā.pi a prosperous lady with wealth and grain in abundance, budhaiḥ by learned people, vidhavēti only a widow, ucyatē 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.
svagātraprabhavē vīra! śēṣē rudhiramaṇḍalē.

krimirāgaparistōmē tvamātmaśayanē yathā4.23.13৷৷


vīra O hero!, svagātraprabhavē flowing from your body, rudhiramaṇḍalē in a pool of blood, krimirāgaparistōmē crimson bed, tvamātmaśayanē in sleeping, yathā as such, śēṣē 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?
rēṇuśōṇitasaṅvītaṅ gātraṅ tava samantataḥ.

parirabdhuṅ na śaknōmi bhujābhyāṅ plavagarṣabha! 4.23.14৷৷


plavagarṣabha! O bull among monkeys!, samantataḥ all over, rēṇuśōṇitasaṅvītam covered with dust particles and blood, tava gātram your body, bhujābhyām with my arms, parirabdhum to embrace, na śaknōmi 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?.
kṛtakṛtyō.dya sugrīvō vairē.sminnatidāruṇē.

yasya rāmavimuktēna hṛtamēkēṣuṇā bhayam4.23.15৷৷


atidāruṇē very dreadful, asmin vairē his enmity, sugrīvaḥ Sugriva, adya now, kṛtakṛtyaḥ has achieved his goal, yasya at whose, bhayam fear, rāmavimuktēna released by Rama, ēkēṣuṇā one single arrow, hṛtam is dispelled.

'Sugriva has achieved his goal in his dreadful enmity (with you). His fear is dispelled by a single arrow released by Rama.
śarēṇa hṛdi lagnēna gātrasaṅsparśanē tava.

vāryāmi tvāṅ nirīkṣantī tvayi pañcatvamāgatē4.23.16৷৷


tvayi your, pañcatvam death, āgatē reached, hṛdi in the chest, śarēṇa by the arrow, lagnēna by arrow pierced, gātrasaṅsparśanē touching limbs, vāryāmi refrain from, tvāṅ your, nirīkṣantī 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).'
udvavarha śaraṅ nīlastasya gātragataṅ tadā.

girigahvarasaṅlīnaṅ dīptamāśīviṣaṅ yathā4.23.17৷৷


tadā then, nīlaḥ Nila, tasya his, gātragatam deadbody, śaram arrow, girigahvarasaṅlīnam hidden in the mountain cave(heart), dīptam glowing, āśīviṣaṅ yathā like a serpent, udvavarha 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.
tasya niṣkṛṣyamāṇasya bāṇasya ca babhau dyutiḥ.

astamastakasaṅruddhō raśmirdinakarādiva4.23.18৷৷


niṣkṛṣamāṇasya as it was being pulled out, tasya of that, bāṇasya arrow's, dyutiḥ glow, dinakarāt Sun's, astamastakasaṅruddhaḥ obstructed by the peak of the western mountain, raśmiḥ iva like the rays, babhau 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.
pētuḥ kṣatajadhārāstu vraṇēbhyastasya sarvaśaḥ.

tāmragairikasampṛktā dhārā iva dharādharāt4.23.19৷৷


tasya from his, vraṇēbhyaḥ wound, kṣatajadhārāḥ streams of blood, dharādharāt from a mountain, tāmragairikasampṛktāḥ red mixed with copper, dhārāḥ iva like the streams, sarvaśaḥ all over, pētuḥ
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.
avakīrṇaṅ vimārjantī bhartāraṅ raṇarēṇunā.

asrairnayanajaiśśūraṅ siṣēcāstrasamāhatam4.23.20৷৷


raṇarēṇunā war-dust, avakīrṇam covered, bhartāram husband, vimārjantī wiped, astrasamāhatam wounded with the weapon, śūram warrior, nayanajaiḥ water from the eyes, apraiḥ with tears, siṣēca sprinkled.

She (Tara) wiped the body wounded with the weapon and covered with war-dust, sprinkling her tear drops from her eyes.
rudhirōkṣitasarvāṅgaṅ dṛṣṭvā vinihataṅ patim.

uvāca tārā piṅgākṣaṅ putramaṅgadamaṅganā4.23.21৷৷


aṅganā woman, tārā Tara, vinihatam killed, rudhirōkṣitasarvāṅgam all parts of his body drenched in blood, patim husband, dṛṣṭvā seeing, putram son, piṅgākṣam tawny-eyed, aṅgadam Angada, uvāca said.

Turning to the body of her husband fully drenched in blood, thus spoke Tara to her tawny-eyed son Angada:
avasthāṅ paścimāṅ paśya pituḥ putra! sudāruṇām.

samprasaktasya vairasya gatō.ntaḥ pāpakarmaṇā4.23.22৷৷


putra Son!, pituḥ of father, sudāruṇām most terrific, paścimāṅ at the end, avasthām condition, paśya see, pāpakarmaṇā on account of the sinful deeds, samprasaktasya that which was forced on him, vairasya out of the enmity, antaḥ end, gataḥ reached.

'O son! you see the most terrific end of your father on whom enmity forced sinful deeds.
bālasūryōdayatanuṅ prayāntaṅ yamasadanam.

abhivādaya rājānaṅ pitaraṅ putra! mānadam4.23.23৷৷


putra son!, bālasūryōdayatanum body (red) like the rising Sun, yamasadanam abode of Yama, prayāntam departing , rājānam king, mānadam venerable, pitaram father, abhivādaya 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.'
ēvamuktassamutthāya jagrāha caraṇau pituḥ.

bhujābhyāṅ pīnavṛttābhyāmaṅgadō.hamiti bruvan4.23.24৷৷


ēvam that way, uktaḥ advised, samutthāya got up, aham I am, aṅgadaḥ Angada, iti thus, bruvan speaking, pīnavṛttābhyām stout, bhujābhyām both shoulders, pituḥ of father, caraṇau feet, jagrāha clasped.

Thus advised by Tara, Angada got up, clasped his father's feet with his stout arms, and saluted, saying, 'I am Angada.'
abhivādayamānaṅ tvāmaṅgadaṅ tvaṅ yathā purā.

dīrghāyurbhava putrēti kimarthaṅ nābhibhāṣasē4.23.25৷৷


tvām to you, abhivādayamānam saluting, aṅgadam Angada, tvam you, putra son!, dīrghāyuḥ long-lived, bhava be, iti thus, kimarthaṅ why, yathā purā like earlier, nābhibhāṣasē 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).
ahaṅ putrasahāyā tvāmupāsē gatacētasam.

siṅhēna nihataṅ sadyō gaussavatsēva gōvṛṣam4.23.26৷৷


sadyaḥ now, siṅhēna by a lion, nihatam struck, gōvṛṣam mighty bull, savatsā along with her calf, gauḥ iva like a calf, putrasahāyā wait upon with son, aham I am, gatacētasam lost consciousness (died), tvām you, upāsē 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).
iṣṭvā saṅgrāmayajñēna rāmapraharaṇāmbhasi.

asminnavabhṛthē snātaḥ kathaṅ patnyā mayā vinā4.23.27৷৷


saṅgrāmayajñēna iṣṭvā having performed a sacrificial war, patnyā with wife, mayā vinā without me, rāmaprahraraṇāmbhasi in the water of Rama's arrow, asmin in this, avabhṛthē in this bath taken at the end of a sacrifice, katham how, snātaḥ did you bathe?

'You have performed a war-sacrifice. 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?
yā dattā dēvarājēna tava tuṣṭēna saṅyugē.

śātakumbhamayīṅ mālāṅ tāṅ tē paśyāmi nēha kim4.23.28৷৷


saṅyugē in the battle, tuṣṭēna pleased, dēvarājēna by the king of gods (Indra), yā such one, tava to your, dattā gifted, tām that one, śātakumbhamayīṅ a golden one, mālām necklace, iha now, kim why, na paśyāmi 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?
rājyaśrīrna jahāti tvāṅ gatāsumapi mānada.

sūryasyāvartamānasya śailarājamiva prabhā4.23.29৷৷


mānada venerable, śailarājam king of mountains, āvartamānasya as he returns, sūryasya the Sun's, prabhā iva like light, rājyaśrīḥ kingly glory, gatāsum api even though departed, tvām you, na jahāti 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)
na mē vacaḥ pathyamidaṅ tvayā kṛtaṅ

na cāsmi śaktā hi nivāraṇē tava.

hatā saputrā.smi hatēna saṅyugē

saha tvayā śrīrvijahāti māmiha4.23.30৷৷


tvayā by you, mē mine, pathyam proper, idaṅ vacaḥ these words, na kṛtam not followed, tava your, nivāraṇē in preventing, śaktā capable, na asmi ca hi I was not, saṅyugē in war, hatēna one who is killed, suputrā along with my son, hatāsmi I am dead, śrīḥ goddess of fortune, tvayā saha along with you, māmiha from me, vijahāti 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.'
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē trayōviṅśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the twentythird sarga of Kishkindakanda of the Holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.