--- title: "Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 19" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/kishkindha-kanda/sarga-19" lang: "en" --- # Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 19 > स वानरमहाराजः शयानः शरपीडितः। > प्रत्युक्तो हेतुमद्वाक्यैर्नोत्तरं प्रत्यपद्यत॥ १॥ 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) > अश्मभिः परिभिन्नाङ्गः पादपैराहतो भृशम्। > रामबाणेन चाक्रान्तो जीवितान्ते मुमोह सः॥ २॥ 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) > तं भार्या बाणमोक्षेण रामदत्तेन संयुगे। > हतं प्लवगशार्दूलं तारा शुश्राव वालिनम्॥ ३॥ 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) > सा सपुत्राप्रियं श्रुत्वा वधं भर्तुः सुदारुणम्। > निष्पपात भृशं तस्मादुद्विग्ना गिरिकन्दरात्॥ ४॥ 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) > ये त्वङ्गदपरीवारा वानरा हि महाबलाः। > ते सकार्मुकमालोक्य रामं त्रस्ताः प्रदुद्रुवुः॥ ५॥ 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) > सा ददर्श ततस्त्रस्तान् हरीनापततो द्रुतम्। > यूथादेव परिभ्रष्टान् मृगान् निहतयूथपान्॥ ६॥ 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) > तानुवाच समासाद्य दुःखितान् दुःखिता सती। > रामवित्रासितान् सर्वाननुबद्धानिवेषुभिः॥ ७॥ 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) > वानरा राजसिंहस्य यस्य यूयं पुरःसराः। > तं विहाय सुवित्रस्ताः कस्माद् द्रवत दुर्गताः॥ ८॥ > राज्यहेतोः स चेद् भ्राता भ्रात्रा क्रूरेण पातितः। > रामेण प्रहितैर्दूरान्मार्गणैर्दूरपातिभिः॥ ९॥ “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) > कपिपत्न्या वचः श्रुत्वा कपयः कामरूपिणः। > प्राप्तकालमविश्लिष्टमूचुर्वचनमङ्गनाम् ॥ १०॥ 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) > जीवपुत्रे निवर्तस्व पुत्रं रक्षस्व चाङ्गदम्। > अन्तको रामरूपेण हत्वा नयति वालिनम्॥ ११॥ “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) > क्षिप्तान् वृक्षान् समाविध्य विपुलाश्च तथा शिलाः। > वाली वज्रसमैर्बाणैर्वज्रेणेव निपातितः॥ १२॥ “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) > अभिभूतमिदं सर्वं विद्रुतं वानरं बलम्। > अस्मिन् प्लवगशार्दूले हते शक्रसमप्रभे॥ १३॥ “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) > रक्ष्यतां नगरी शूरैरङ्गदश्चाभिषिच्यताम्। > पदस्थं वालिनः पुत्रं भजिष्यन्ति प्लवंगमाः॥ १४॥ “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) > अथवारुचितं स्थानमिह ते रुचिरानने। > आविशन्ति च दुर्गाणि क्षिप्रमद्यैव वानराः॥ १५॥ “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) > अभार्याः सहभार्याश्च सन्त्यत्र वनचारिणः। > लुब्धेभ्यो विप्रलब्धेभ्यस्तेभ्यो नः सुमहद्भयम्॥ १६॥ “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) > अल्पान्तरगतानां तु श्रुत्वा वचनमङ्गना। > आत्मनः प्रतिरूपं सा बभाषे चारुहासिनी॥ १७॥ 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) > पुत्रेण मम किं कार्यं राज्येनापि किमात्मना। > कपिसिंहे महाभागे तस्मिन् भर्तरि नश्यति॥ १८॥ “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) > पादमूलं गमिष्यामि तस्यैवाहं महात्मनः। > योऽसौ रामप्रयुक्तेन शरेण विनिपातितः॥ १९॥ “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) > एवमुक्त्वा प्रदुद्राव रुदती शोकमूर्च्छिता। > शिरश्चोरश्च बाहुभ्यां दुःखेन समभिघ्नती॥ २०॥ 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) > सा व्रजन्ती ददर्शाथ पतिं निपतितं भुवि। > हन्तारं दानवेन्द्राणां समरेष्वनिवर्तिनाम्॥ २१॥ > क्षेप्तारं पर्वतेन्द्राणां वज्राणामिव वासवम्। > महावातसमाविष्टं महामेघौघनिःस्वनम्॥ २२॥ > शक्रतुल्यपराक्रान्तं वृष्ट्वेवोपरतं घनम्। > नर्दन्तं नर्दतां भीमं शूरं शूरेण पातितम्। > शार्दूलेनामिषस्यार्थे मृगराजमिवाहतम्॥ २३॥ > अर्चितं सर्वलोकस्य सपताकं सवेदिकम्। > नागहेतोः सुपर्णेन चैत्यमुन्मथितं यथा॥ २४॥ 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) > अवष्टभ्यावतिष्ठन्तं ददर्श धनुरूर्जितम्। > रामं रामानुजं चैव भर्तुश्चैव तथानुजम्॥ २५॥ 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) > तानतीत्य समासाद्य भर्तारं निहतं रणे। > समीक्ष्य व्यथिता भूमौ सम्भ्रान्ता निपपात ह॥ २६॥ 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) > सुप्तेव पुनरुत्थाय आर्यपुत्रेति वादिनी। > रुरोद सा पतिं दृष्ट्वा संवीतं मृत्युदामभिः॥ २७॥ 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) > तामवेक्ष्य तु सुग्रीवः क्रोशन्तीं कुररीमिव। > विषादमगमत् कष्टं दृष्ट्वा चाङ्गदमागतम्॥ २८॥ 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) Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana --- Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition Ramayana.com, a free, ad-free project of Ved Vyas Foundation.