Tara's Lament

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.20.1)

रामचापविसृष्टेन शरेणान्तकरेण तम् । दृष्ट्वा विनिहतं भूमौ तारा ताराधिपानना ॥ 20.1 ॥

rāmacāpavisṛṣṭena śareṇāntakareṇa tam | dṛṣṭvā vinihataṃ bhūmau tārā tārādhipānanā || 20.1 ||

Seeing him struck down on the ground by that death-dealing arrow loosed from Rama's bow, Tara, her face like the moon among stars —

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.20.2)

सा समासाद्य भर्तारं पर्यष्वजत भामिनी । इषुणाभिहतं दृष्ट्वा वालिनं कुञ्जरोपमम् ॥ 20.2 ॥

sā samāsādya bhartāraṃ paryaṣvajata bhāminī | iṣuṇābhihataṃ dṛṣṭvā vālinaṃ kuñjaropamam || 20.2 ||

that indignant lady approached her husband and embraced him, seeing Vali, huge as an elephant, struck down by the arrow.

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.20.3)

वानरं पर्वतेन्द्राभं शोकसंतप्तमानसा । तारा तरुमिवोन्मूलं पर्यदेवयतातुरा ॥ 20.3 ॥

vānaraṃ parvatendrābhaṃ śokasaṃtaptamānasā | tārā tarumivonmūlaṃ paryadevayatāturā || 20.3 ||

Seeing that vanara, majestic as a mountain-lord, now like an uprooted tree, Tara, her heart scorched with grief, wailed in anguish:

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.20.4)

रणे दारुणविक्रान्त प्रवीर प्लवतां वर । किमिदानीं पुरोभागामद्य त्वं नाभिभाषसे ॥ 20.4 ॥

raṇe dāruṇavikrānta pravīra plavatāṃ vara | kimidānīṃ purobhāgāmadya tvaṃ nābhibhāṣase || 20.4 ||

"O terrible in battle, O victorious hero, O best among fliers, why do you not speak to me now, who never once found fault with you, before or behind your back?

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.20.5)

उत्तिष्ठ हरिशार्दूल भजस्व शयनोत्तमम् । नैवंविधाः शेरते हि भूमौ नृपतिसत्तमाः ॥ 20.5 ॥

uttiṣṭha hariśārdūla bhajasva śayanottamam | naivaṃvidhāḥ śerate hi bhūmau nṛpatisattamāḥ || 20.5 ||

"Rise, O tiger among monkeys, and take to a worthier bed — the best of kings do not lie sprawled thus upon the bare ground.

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.20.6)

अतीव खलु ते कान्ता वसुधा वसुधाधिप । गतासुरपि तां गात्रैर्मां विहाय निषेवसे ॥ 20.6 ॥

atīva khalu te kāntā vasudhā vasudhādhipa | gatāsurapi tāṃ gātrairmāṃ vihāya niṣevase || 20.6 ||

"Truly the earth must be your most cherished beloved, O lord of the land, since even with your life gone you embrace her with your limbs, forsaking me.

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.20.7)

व्यक्तमद्य त्वया वीर धर्मतः सम्प्रवर्तता । किष्किन्धेव पुरी रम्या स्वर्गमार्गे विनिर्मिता ॥ 20.7 ॥

vyaktamadya tvayā vīra dharmataḥ sampravartatā | kiṣkindheva purī ramyā svargamārge vinirmitā || 20.7 ||

"It is plain, O hero, that you who ever conducted yourself righteously have now built, in leaving delightful Kishkindha, some equally lovely city upon the very path to heaven.

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.20.8)

यान्यस्माभिस्त्वया सार्धं वनेषु मधुगन्धिषु । विहृतानि त्वया काले तेषामुपरमः कृतः ॥ 20.8 ॥

yānyasmābhistvayā sārdhaṃ vaneṣu madhugandhiṣu | vihṛtāni tvayā kāle teṣāmuparamaḥ kṛtaḥ || 20.8 ||

"All those pleasure-journeys we once made together with you through the sweet-scented forests — to those you have now, in time, put an end.

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.20.9)

निरानन्दा निराशाहं निमग्ना शोकसागरे । त्वयि पञ्चत्वमापन्ने महायूथपयूथपे ॥ 20.9 ॥

nirānandā nirāśāhaṃ nimagnā śokasāgare | tvayi pañcatvamāpanne mahāyūthapayūthape || 20.9 ||

"Joyless and hopeless am I, drowned in a sea of grief, now that you, chief among the chiefs of the great troops, have met the fifth state of being.

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.20.10)

हृदयं सुस्थितं मह्यं दृष्ट्वा निपतितं भुवि । यन्न शोकाभिसंतप्तं स्फुटतेऽद्य सहस्रधा ॥ 20.10 ॥

hṛdayaṃ susthitaṃ mahyaṃ dṛṣṭvā nipatitaṃ bhuvi | yanna śokābhisaṃtaptaṃ sphuṭate'dya sahasradhā || 20.10 ||

"Sturdy indeed must be this heart of mine, that even seeing you struck down and fallen upon the ground, it does not this day split into a thousand pieces, though tormented by grief.

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.20.11)

सुग्रीवस्य त्वया भार्या हृता स च विवासितः । यत् तत् तस्य त्वया व्युष्टिः प्राप्तेयं प्लवगाधिप ॥ 20.11 ॥

sugrīvasya tvayā bhāryā hṛtā sa ca vivāsitaḥ | yat tat tasya tvayā vyuṣṭiḥ prāpteyaṃ plavagādhipa || 20.11 ||

"Because you seized Sugriva's wife and drove him into exile, O lord of the vanaras, this is the very consequence you have reaped for that deed.

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.20.12)

निःश्रेयसपरा मोहात् त्वया चाहं विगर्हिता । यैषाब्रुवं हितं वाक्यं वानरेन्द्र हितैषिणी ॥ 20.12 ॥

niḥśreyasaparā mohāt tvayā cāhaṃ vigarhitā | yaiṣābruvaṃ hitaṃ vākyaṃ vānarendra hitaiṣiṇī || 20.12 ||

"Deeply concerned for your true good, I, who wished only your welfare, once spoke beneficial words to you — but you, in your delusion, scorned me for it.

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.20.13)

रूपयौवनदृप्तानां दक्षिणानां च मानद । नूनमप्सरसामार्य चित्तानि प्रमथिष्यसि ॥ 20.13 ॥

rūpayauvanadṛptānāṃ dakṣiṇānāṃ ca mānada | nūnamapsarasāmārya cittāni pramathiṣyasi || 20.13 ||

"O bestower of honour, surely you would have stirred the hearts even of the Apsaras, proud of their beauty and youth and skilled in the arts of love, O noble one.

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.20.14)

कालो निःसंशयो नूनं जीवितान्तकरस्तव । बलाद् येनावपन्नोऽसि सुग्रीवस्यावशो वशम् ॥ 20.14 ॥

kālo niḥsaṃśayo nūnaṃ jīvitāntakarastava | balād yenāvapanno'si sugrīvasyāvaśo vaśam || 20.14 ||

"It is beyond doubt that Time, the ender of life, has undone you, by whose force you, otherwise uncontrollable, fell under the sway of Sugriva.

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.20.15)

अस्थाने वालिनं हत्वा युध्यमानं परेण च । न संतप्यति काकुत्स्थः कृत्वा कर्मसुगर्हितम् ॥ 20.15 ॥

asthāne vālinaṃ hatvā yudhyamānaṃ pareṇa ca | na saṃtapyati kākutsthaḥ kṛtvā karmasugarhitam || 20.15 ||

"Killing Vali improperly, while he was engaged in fighting another, is a highly deplorable deed — and Kakutstha feels not the least remorse for having done it.

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.20.16)

वैधव्यं शोकसंतापं कृपणाकृपणा सती । अदुःखोपचिता पूर्वं वर्तयिष्याम्यनाथवत् ॥ 20.16 ॥

vaidhavyaṃ śokasaṃtāpaṃ kṛpaṇākṛpaṇā satī | aduḥkhopacitā pūrvaṃ vartayiṣyāmyanāthavat || 20.16 ||

"I, who was never before pitiable, must now endure widowhood and the anguish of grief, once accompanied by joy, but now bereft like one utterly forsaken.

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.20.17)

लालितश्चाङ्गदो वीरः सुकुमारः सुखोचितः । वत्स्यते कामवस्थां मे पितृव्ये क्रोधमूर्च्छिते ॥ 20.17 ॥

lālitaścāṅgado vīraḥ sukumāraḥ sukhocitaḥ | vatsyate kāmavasthāṃ me pitṛvye krodhamūrcchite || 20.17 ||

"My brave Angada, so tenderly reared, so delicate, so accustomed to comfort — what plight shall he now suffer when his uncle falls into a fit of fury?

Shloka 18 (kishkindha.20.18)

कुरुष्व पितरं पुत्र सुदृष्टं धर्मवत्सलम् । दुर्लभं दर्शनं तस्य तव वत्स भविष्यति ॥ 20.18 ॥

kuruṣva pitaraṃ putra sudṛṣṭaṃ dharmavatsalam | durlabhaṃ darśanaṃ tasya tava vatsa bhaviṣyati || 20.18 ||

"Look well upon your father now, O son, that patron of virtue — for hereafter it will be impossible to see him, O child."

Shloka 19 (kishkindha.20.19)

समाश्वासय पुत्रं त्वं संदेशं संदिशस्व मे । मूर्ध्न्नि चैनं समाघ्राय प्रवासं प्रस्थितो ह्यसि ॥ 20.19 ॥

samāśvāsaya putraṃ tvaṃ saṃdeśaṃ saṃdiśasva me | mūrdhnni cainaṃ samāghrāya pravāsaṃ prasthito hyasi || 20.19 ||

"Reassure your son, and give me your parting words, kissing him upon the forehead — for you have indeed set out now upon your final journey.

Shloka 20 (kishkindha.20.20)

रामेण हि महत् कर्म कृतं त्वामभिनिघ्नता । आनृण्यं तु गतं तस्य सुग्रीवस्य प्रतिश्रवे ॥ 20.20 ॥

rāmeṇa hi mahat karma kṛtaṃ tvāmabhinighnatā | ānṛṇyaṃ tu gataṃ tasya sugrīvasya pratiśrave || 20.20 ||

"Truly Rama has done a great deed in striking you down, and in the very same act he has discharged the debt of the promise he made to Sugriva.

Shloka 21 (kishkindha.20.21)

सकामो भव सुग्रीव रुमां त्वं प्रतिपत्स्यसे । भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यमनुद्विग्नः शस्तो भ्राता रिपुस्तव ॥ 20.21 ॥

sakāmo bhava sugrīva rumāṃ tvaṃ pratipatsyase | bhuṅkṣva rājyamanudvignaḥ śasto bhrātā ripustava || 20.21 ||

"Be content now, Sugriva — you shall regain Ruma; enjoy the kingdom without a care, for your enemy-brother has been silenced."

Shloka 22 (kishkindha.20.22)

किं मामेवं प्रलपतीं प्रियां त्वं नाभिभाषसे । इमाः पश्य वरा बह्वयो भार्यास्ते वानरेश्वर ॥ 20.22 ॥

kiṃ māmevaṃ pralapatīṃ priyāṃ tvaṃ nābhibhāṣase | imāḥ paśya varā bahvayo bhāryāste vānareśvara || 20.22 ||

"Why do you not answer me, your beloved, as I lament so? O lord of the vanaras, look — here are your many lovely wives."

Shloka 23 (kishkindha.20.23)

तस्या विलपितं श्रुत्वा वानर्यः सर्वतश्च ताः । परिगृह्याङ्गदं दीना दुःखार्ताः प्रतिचुक्रुशुः ॥ 20.23 ॥

tasyā vilapitaṃ śrutvā vānaryaḥ sarvataśca tāḥ | parigṛhyāṅgadaṃ dīnā duḥkhārtāḥ praticukruśuḥ || 20.23 ||

Hearing her lament, all the vanara women around, wretched and stricken with grief, embraced Angada and wept piteously.

Shloka 24 (kishkindha.20.24)

किमङ्गदं साङ्गदवीरबाहो विहाय यातोऽसि चिरं प्रवासम् । न युक्तमेवं गुणसंनिकृष्टं विहाय पुत्रं प्रियचारुवेषम् ॥ 20.24 ॥

kimaṅgadaṃ sāṅgadavīrabāho vihāya yāto'si ciraṃ pravāsam | na yuktamevaṃ guṇasaṃnikṛṣṭaṃ vihāya putraṃ priyacāruveṣam || 20.24 ||

"O mighty-armed one, bearer of armlets and heroic strength, why have you gone away today into so long an exile, forsaking Angada? It is not fitting to abandon a son of such fine qualities, so dear, so handsome in bearing.

Shloka 25 (kishkindha.20.25)

यद्यप्रियं किंचिदसम्प्रधार्य कृतं मया स्यात् तव दीर्घबाहो । क्षमस्व मे तद्धरिवंशनाथ व्रजामि मूर्ध्ना तव वीर पादौ ॥ 20.25 ॥

yadyapriyaṃ kiṃcidasampradhārya kṛtaṃ mayā syāt tava dīrghabāho | kṣamasva me taddharivaṃśanātha vrajāmi mūrdhnā tava vīra pādau || 20.25 ||

If unwittingly I have ever done you any displeasing thing, however small, O long-armed one, forgive me for it, O lord of the race of monkeys, O hero — I bow my head down to your very feet."

Shloka 26 (kishkindha.20.26)

तथा तु तारा करुणं रुदन्ती भर्तुः समीपे सह वानरीभिः । व्यवस्यत प्रायमनिन्द्यवर्णा उपोपवेष्टुं भुवि यत्र वाली ॥ 20.26 ॥

tathā tu tārā karuṇaṃ rudantī bhartuḥ samīpe saha vānarībhiḥ | vyavasyata prāyamanindyavarṇā upopaveṣṭuṃ bhuvi yatra vālī || 20.26 ||

So Tara, of flawless form, weeping piteously there beside her husband together with the vanara women, resolved upon death, and sank down to sit beside the ground where Vali lay.