Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 19

Meaning

Answered in words which were supported with reason, Vālī, the overlord of monkeys, who was lying on the ground afflicted with pain caused by Śrī Rāma’s arrow, could not make any reply. (1)

Meaning

Severely battered with trees and pierced with Śrī Rāma’s arrow, his limbs shattered by rocks, he swooned at the close of his life. (2)

Meaning

His wife, Tārā, heard of the said Vālī, a tiger among the monkeys, having been killed with the propulsion of an arrow by Śrī Rāma while the former was engaged in a trial of strength with Sugrīva. (3)

Meaning

Sore perturbed to hear the unpalatable and most cruel news of her husband’s death, Tārā sallied forth with her son, Aṅgada, from that rocky cavern, which Kiṣkindhā was. (4)

Meaning

Alarmed to see Śrī Rāma with a bow, the monkeys who followed Aṅgada as his bodyguard, ran helter-skelter even though they were possessed of extraordinary might. (5)

Meaning

Presently she saw the terror-stricken monkeys rushing headlong like deer, the leader of whose herd had been killed and who had strayed from their herd. (6)

Meaning

Duly approaching them, who were all stricken with sorrow inspired as they were with terror of Śrī Rāma, as though they were being chased by his arrows, Tārā, a virtuous lady, who was full of sorrow herself, admonished them as follows : (7)

Meaning

“Deserting that lion among kings whose servants you are, O monkeys, why should you run away in a miserable state greatly dismayed, if, for the sake of sovereignty, Vālī, brother of Sugrīva, has been caused by his cruel brother Sugrīva to be laid low by Śrī Rāma with arrows hitting a remote target and discharged from afar?” (8-9)

Meaning

Hearing the admonition of Tārā, wife of Vālī, the monkey chief, the monkeys, who were capable of assuming any form at will, made the following reply, which was both unambiguous and appropriate to the occasion, to the lady : (10)

Meaning

“Go back, O mother of a surviving son, and protect your son, Aṅgada; having struck down Vālī, God of Death in the disguise of Rāma is bearing him away to his abode. (11)

Meaning

“Destroying with his arrows, resembling the lightning, the trees as well as the huge rocks hurled by Vālī, Śrī Rāma has struck him down as Indra would strike down a mountain with lightning. (12)

Meaning

“This tiger among monkeys, whose splendour equalled the splendour of Indra, having been killed, the whole of this army of monkeys has taken to flight as though overpowered by Rāma. (13)

Meaning

“Let the city of Kiṣkindhā be guarded by gallant soldiers and let Aṅgada be installed on the throne. All the monkeys will serve Vāli’s son when he assumes office. (14)

Meaning

“Your continuance here (in Kiṣkindhā), however, is not to our liking, O lady with a charming countenance; for, hostile monkeys (Hanumān and others) will soon take possession of all the citadels in Kiṣkindhā this very day. (15)

Meaning

“There are monkeys (lit., denizens of the forest) both with and without wives here, from whom there is very great fear, covetous of sovereignty as they are and victims of deprivation.” (16)

Meaning

Hearing the submission of the monkeys, who were only at a short distance from her, the aforesaid lady, Tārā, of charming demeanour made a reply which was worthy of herself : (17)

Meaning

“Now that the highly blessed Vālī, a veritable lion among monkeys, is dying, what purpose of mine will be served by my son, Aṅgada, or sovereignty or even by my own self? (18)

Meaning

“I shall seek the soles of feet of that exalted soul alone, who has been laid low with an arrow discharged by Śrī Rāma.”(19)

Meaning

Saying so, she ran fast crying and severely beating on all sides with both of her hands, her head and breast in agony, distracted as she was with grief. (20)

Meaning

While still on her way she presently saw fallen helpless on the ground her husband, Vālī, the slayer of demon chiefs who never retreated on the fields of battle—Vālī, who hurled against his enemy in the course of his fight the foremost of mountains as Indra, the ruler of gods, discharges his thunderbolt, who had the fury of a tempest and thundered like a mass of huge clouds, nay, who was equal in valour to Indra, the ruler of gods, and now looked like a cloud that had calmed down after discharging itself, who while roaring inspired terror in those who roared in opposition and who, though valiant, had been laid low by a greater hero, nay, who looked like a lion (the king of beasts) struck down for the sake of prey by a tiger and resembled a place of worship laid waste, though held sacred by all people, with its flag and altar, by Garuḍa, the king of birds, on account of a serpent dwelling in it. (21—24)

Meaning

She also beheld Śrī Rāma standing, leaning on his glorious bow as well as Lakṣmaṇa, younger brother of Śrī Rāma, and, even so, her brother-in-law, Surgīva. (25)

Meaning

Passing beyond them and duly reaching her husband, who lay mortally wounded on the battlefield, Tārā, they say, was pained to gaze on him and toppled on the ground, deeply miserable as she was. (26)

Meaning

Getting up once more like one who had been asleep and saying. “O son of a worthy father* !” she wept to see her husband tightly bound with the cords of Death. (27)

Meaning

Perceiving her screaming like a female osprey, and beholding Aṅgada too arrived on the scene, Sugrīva for his part, fell a prey to grievous despondency. (28)