--- title: "Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 24" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/kishkindha-kanda/sarga-24" lang: "en" --- # Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 24 > तामाशु वेगेन दुरासदेन > त्वभिप्लुतां शोकमहार्णवेन। > पश्यंस्तदा वाल्यनुजस्तरस्वी > भ्रातुर्वधेनाप्रतिमेन तेपे॥ १॥ Seeing Tārā flooded with an ocean of grief of dashing impetuosity and difficult to encounter, Sugrīva (younger brother of Vālī) for his part, who was full of energy, felt agonized at that time due to the death of his elder brother, which he was instrumental in bringing about and which he thought was unbecoming of him. (1) > स बाष्पपूर्णेन मुखेन पश्यन् > क्षणेन निर्विण्णमना मनस्वी। > जगाम रामस्य शनैः समीपं > भृत्यैर्वृतः सम्परिदूयमानः॥ २॥ Gazing with a face bathed in tears and getting disgusted at heart in a moment, nay, feeling sore distressed, the wise Sugrīva, surrounded by his dependants, slowly sought the presence of Śrī Rāma. (2) > स तं समासाद्य गृहीतचाप- > मुदात्तमाशीविषतुल्यबाणम्। > यशस्विनं लक्षणलक्षिताङ्ग- > मवस्थितं राघवमित्युवाच॥ ३॥ Duly approaching the celebrated, noble and glorious Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), who stood with his bow held in his grip and whose arrows resembled a snake, nay, whose limbs were distinguished with marks of royalty, Sugrīva submitted to him as follows : (3) > यथा प्रतिज्ञातमिदं नरेन्द्र > कृतं त्वया दृष्टफलं च कर्म। > ममाद्य भोगेषु नरेन्द्रसूनो > मनो निवृत्तं हतजीवितेन॥ ४॥ “Although an exploit in the form of striking down Vālī with a single arrow, whose result in the shape of restoration of my kingdom and lost spouse is patent, has been accomplished as promised by you, O ruler of men,my mind, O prince, has recoiled from luxuries alongwith this accursed life, which has been responsible for the death of my own elder brother today. (4) > अस्यां महिष्यां तु भृशं रुदत्यां > पुरेऽतिविक्रोशति दुःखतप्ते। > हते नृपे संशयितेऽङ्गदे च > न राम राज्ये रमते मनो मे॥ ५॥ “Now that the king has been killed, this principal queen, Tārā, for her part is weeping bitterly, nay, the entire town is screaming, agonized as it is due to sorrow, and Aṅgada, his son, is in peril of losing his life due to extreme grief, my mind, O Rāma, no longer takes delight in sovereignty. (5) > क्रोधादमर्षादतिविप्रधर्षाद् > भ्रातुर्वधो मेऽनुमतः पुरस्तात्। > हते त्विदानीं हरियूथपेऽस्मिन् > सुतीक्ष्णमिक्ष्वाकुवर प्रतप्स्ये॥ ६॥ “Due to anger and indignation occasioned by utter humiliation at the hands of my deceased brother, I had consented the destruction of my elder brother in the past; but now that this Vālī (the leader of monkey hordes) has been killed, I shall bitterly repent for the whole of my life, O jewel among the Ikṣwākus ! (6) > श्रेयोऽद्य मन्ये मम शैलमुख्ये > तस्मिन् हि वासश्चिरमृष्यमूके। > यथा तथा वर्तयतः स्ववृत्त्या > नेमं निहत्य त्रिदिवस्य लाभः॥ ७॥ “I am of the opinion today that my dwelling for long on Ṛṣyamūka, that jewel among mountains, supporting life anyhow through the means of subsistence natural for monkeys, is surely preferable rather than attaining even heaven as a sequel to killing Vālī. (7) > न त्वा जिघांसामि चरेति यन्मा- > मयं महात्मा मतिमानुवाच। > तस्यैव तद् राम वचोऽनुरूप- > मिदं वचः कर्म च मेऽनुरूपम्॥ ८ ॥ “The familiar words: ‘I do not wish to kill you, depart !” which, O Rāma, this high-souled and wise monkey spoke to me on my challenging him to a duel were worthy of him alone: while this request which I made to you to dispose of him and exploit (in the shape of getting him killed by you) are worthy of me ! (8) > भ्राता कथं नाम महागुणस्य > भ्रातुर्वधं राम विरोचयेत। > राज्यस्य दुःखस्य च वीर सारं > विचिन्तयन् कामपुरस्कृतोऽपि॥ ९॥ “How can a brother duly considering the weight of sovereignty acquired by killing his brother and sorrow following his death, even though he has placed lust in the forefront, O gallant Rāma, actually find pleasure in the destruction of his brother endowed with exceptional virtues? (9) > वधो हि मे मतो नासीत् स्वमाहात्म्यव्यतिक्रमात्। > ममासीद् बुद्धिदौरात्म्यात् प्राणहारी व्यतिक्रमः॥ १०॥ “My destruction was surely never deemed fit by him because it would detract from his greatness; while due to perversity of my intellect an offence was committed by me, which proved fatal to him. (10) > द्रुमशाखावभग्नोऽहं मुहूर्तं परिनिष्टनन्। > सान्त्वयित्वा त्वनेनोक्तो न पुनः कर्तुमर्हसि॥ ११॥ “While groaning for an hour or so, when wounded by him with a bough of a tree, I was simply admonished by him, after comforting me, in the words: ‘You should not repeat this error.’ (11) > भ्रातृत्वमार्यभावश्च धर्मश्चानेन रक्षितः। > मया क्रोधश्च कामश्च कपित्वं च प्रदर्शितम्॥ १२॥ “While brotherliness, nobility and righteousness were studiously maintained by him, only wrath, lust and frivolity, the characteristics of a monkey, have been shown by me. (12) > अचिन्तनीयं परिवर्जनीय- > मनीप्सनीयं स्वनवेक्षणीयम्। > प्राप्तोऽस्मि पाप्मानमिदं वयस्य > भ्रातुर्वधात् त्वाष्ट्रवधादिवेन्द्रः॥ १३॥ “As a sequel to my planning the death of my own elder brother, I have reaped, as Indra (the ruler of gods) from the death of Viśwarūpa* (son of Twaṣṭā, one of the twelve sons of Aditi presiding over the sun, one after another, month by month), this fruit in the form of sin, which is inconceivable, worth eschewing, undesirable and utterly unthinkable, my friend ! (13) > पाप्मानमिन्द्रस्य मही जलं च > वृक्षाश्च कामं जगृहुः स्त्रियश्च। > को नाम पाप्मानमिमं सहेत > शाखामृगस्य प्रतिपत्तुमिच्छेत्॥ १४॥ “While the earth and water as also the trees and the womenkind voluntarily took on their head the aforesaid sin of Indra, who would actually take on his own head this sin of a monkey and who would endure it (even if one undertakes to do so)? (14) > नार्हामि सम्मानमिमं प्रजानां > न यौवराज्यं कुत एव राज्यम्। > अधर्मयुक्तं कुलनाशयुक्त- > मेवंविधं राघव कर्म कृत्वा॥ १५॥ “Having perpetrated such a sinful deed, attended with the destruction of one’s own race, O scion of Raghu, I do not deserve this great honour from the people and not even the office of Prince Regent, much less the throne of Kiṣkindhā. (15) > पापस्य कर्तास्मि विगर्हितस्य > क्षुद्रस्य लोकापकृतस्य लोके। > शोको महान् मामभिवर्ततेऽयं > वृष्टेर्यथा निम्नमिवाम्बुवेगः॥ १६॥ “I am the perpetrator of an abject sin which is severely condemned in the world and constitutes an injury to the whole world. An overwhelming grief is therefore engulfing me even as the onrush of water following a shower makes towards a depression. (16) > सोदर्यघातापरगात्रवालः > संतापहस्ताक्षिशिरोविषाणः। > एनोमयो मामभिहन्ति हस्ती > दृप्तो नदीकूलमिव प्रवृद्धः॥ १७॥ “The mad and fully grown elephant of sin, whose hind part and tail represent the destruction of a co-uterine brother and whose proboscis, eyes, head and tusks are made up of remorse, is striking me even as it would strike the bank of a river. (17) > अंहो बतेदं नृवराविषह्यं > निवर्तते मे हृदि साधुवृत्तम्। > अग्नौ विवर्णं परितप्यमानं > किट्टं यथा राघव जातरूपम्॥ १८॥ “Alas, coming in contact with this intolerable sin, O jewel among men, the stock of virtue too existing in my heart is fast disappearing even as the dross existing in gold, whose presence cannot be brooked long by gold, gets separated through contact with impure gold in the process of being heated at a stretch on fire. (18) > महाबलानां हरियूथपाना- > मिदं कुलं राघव मन्निमित्तम्। > अस्याङ्गदस्यापि च शोकतापा- > दर्धस्थितप्राणमितीव मन्ये॥ १९॥ “Since I have been instrumental in the destruction of Vālī, as also due to the burning caused by grief of separation from his beloved father in the heart of Aṅgada, I consider this race of very mighty monkey chiefs as only half living and half dead, as it were. (19) > सुतः सुलभ्यः सुजनः सुवश्यः > कुतस्तु पुत्रः सदृशोऽङ्गदेन। > न चापि विद्येत स वीर देशो > यस्मिन् भवेत् सोदरसंनिकर्षः॥ २०॥ “A son who is virtuous and fully amenable to control is easy to get; but nowhere can a son like Aṅgada be found. Nor is there a land where proximity to a co-uterine brother can be had, O gallant prince ! (20) > अद्याङ्गदो वीरवरो न जीवे- > ज्जीवेत माता परिपालनार्थम्। > विना तु पुत्रं परितापदीना > सा नैव जीवेदिति निश्चितं मे॥ २१॥ “Aṅgada, the foremost of heroes, may no longer survive the death of his father; while his mother can survive only to take care of her son. But without her son she will never survive, miserable as she is through agony caused by her husband’s death: this is my positive belief. (21) > सोऽहं प्रवेक्ष्याम्यतिदीप्तमग्निं > भ्रात्रा च पुत्रेण च सख्यमिच्छन्। > इमे विचेष्यन्ति हरिप्रवीराः > सीतां निदेशे परिवर्तमानाः॥ २२॥ “Seeking to be on a par with my deceased brother and son (Aṅgada, who is sure to die), I shall accordingly enter a blazing fire. Remaining at your beck and call, these foremost heroes among monkeys will search for Sītā. (22) > कृत्स्नं तु ते सेत्स्यति कार्यमेत- > न्मय्यप्यतीते मनुजेन्द्रपुत्र। > कुलस्य हन्तारमजीवनार्हं > रामानुजानीहि कृतागसं माम्॥ २३॥ “Even when I have passed away, O prince, this object of yours will undoubtedly be accomplished in its entirety. Therefore, O Rāma, grant me leave to die, I, who am the destroyer of my race, and therefore an offender and as such not fit to survive.” (23) > इत्येवमार्तस्य रघुप्रवीरः > श्रुत्वा वचो वालिजघन्यजस्य। > संजातबाष्पः परवीरहन्ता > रामो मुहूर्तं विमना बभूव॥ २४॥ Moved to tears to hear the foregoing lament of the wretched Sugrīva (the younger brother of Vālī), Śrī Rāma, the foremost hero of the Raghus, the slayer of hostile warriors, felt discomposed for a while. (24) > तस्मिन् क्षणेऽभीक्ष्णमवेक्षमाणः > क्षितिक्षमावान् भुवनस्य गोप्ता। > रामो रुदन्तीं व्यसने निमग्नां > समुत्सुकः सोऽथ ददर्श ताराम्॥ २५॥ Looking round again and again most eagerly, the celebrated Śrī Rāma, the protector of the world, who was full of forbearance like the earth, presently beheld at that moment Tārā, who was plunged overhead in adversity and was, therefore, weeping. (25) > तां चारुनेत्रां कपिसिंहनाथां > पतिं समाश्लिष्य तदा शयानाम्। > उत्थापयामासुरदीनसत्त्वां > मन्त्रिप्रधानाः कपिराजपत्नीम्॥ २६॥ The foremost of Vālī’s ministers lifted up that noble-minded wife of Vālī, Tārā, who had lovely eyes and who lay at that moment closely embracing her husband, who was the sovereign of lions among monkeys. (26) > सा विस्फुरन्ती परिरभ्यमाणा > भर्तुः समीपादपनीयमाना। > ददर्श रामं शरचापपाणिं > स्वतेजसा सूर्यमिव ज्वलन्तम्॥ २७॥ Struggling to extricate herself from their grip when being torn asunder from her husband, and clinging to him again, Tārā beheld Śrī Rāma, carrying an arrow and a bow in his hands, and shining like the blazing sun in his brilliance. (27) > सुसंवृतं पार्थिवलक्षणैश्च > तं चारुनेत्रं मृगशावनेत्रा। > अदृष्टपूर्वं पुरुषप्रधान- > मयं स काकुत्स्थ इति प्रजज्ञे॥ २८॥ The fawn-eyed lady recognized that lovely-eyed jewel among men, whom she had never seen before and who was richly endowed with the bodily marks of a sovereign, to be the same scion of Kakutstha of whom she had heard from the mouth of Aṅgada. (28) > तस्येन्द्रकल्पस्य दुरासदस्य > महानुभावस्य समीपमार्या। > आर्तातितूर्णं व्यसनं प्रपन्ना > जगाम तारा परिविह्वलन्ती॥ २९॥ The noble Tārā, who had fallen in adversity and, therefore, felt miserable, sought, tottering with very quick paces, the presence of Śrī Rāma, who vied with Indra, was difficult to approach and bore an exalted demeanour. (29) > तं सा समासाद्य विशुद्धसत्त्वं > शोकेन सम्भ्रान्तशरीरभावा। > मनस्विनी वाक्यमुवाच तारा > रामं रणोत्कर्षणलब्धलक्ष्यम्॥ ३०॥ Duly approaching Śrī Rāma, who was endowed with an utterly pure mind and who ever hit the target by virtue of his excelling all in combat, that high-minded Tārā, who had lost all consciousness of her body through grief, spoke to him as follows : (30) > त्वमप्रमेयश्च दुरासदश्च > जितेन्द्रियश्चोत्तमधर्मकश्च। > अक्षीणकीर्तिश्च विचक्षणश्च > क्षितिक्षमावान् क्षतजोपमाक्षः॥ ३१॥ “You are immeasurable in point of time, space and substance, nay, difficult to approach even for Yogīs and have mastered your senses; you are possessed of the highest virtue and enjoy undecaying fame; you are wise and endowed with forbearance like the earth, and are distinguished by blood-red eyes. (31) > त्वमात्तबाणासनबाणपाणि- > र्महाबलः संहननोपपन्नः। > मनुष्यदेहाभ्युदयं विहाय > दिव्येन देहाभ्युदयेन युक्तः॥ ३२॥ “You are carrying a bow and hold an arrow in your hand, are possessed of extraordinary might and endowed with strong limbs. Having renounced the happiness enjoyable through a human form, you are still endowed with bodily happiness of an unearthly character. (32) > येनैव बाणेन हतः प्रियो मे > तेनैव बाणेन हि मां जहीहि। > हता गमिष्यामि समीपमस्य > न मां विना वीर रमेत वाली॥ ३३॥ “Pray, actually kill me with that very arrow with which my darling has surely been killed by you. When killed by you, I shall reach his presence; Vālī may not feel happy without me. (33) > स्वर्गेऽपि पद्मामलपत्रनेत्र > समेत्य सम्प्रेक्ष्य च मामपश्यन्। > न ह्येष उच्चावचताम्रचूडा > विचित्रवेषाप्सरसोऽभजिष्यत् ॥ ३४॥ “Even on coming in contact with celestial nymphs and gazing on them with curiosity he would certainly not love those nymphs though adorned with a chaplet of red flowers of every description and clad in a many-coloured costume, unless he sees me there, O prince, possessed of eyes resembling stainless lotus-petals ! (34) > स्वर्गेऽपि शोकं च विवर्णतां च > मया विना प्राप्स्यति वीर वाली। > रम्ये नगेन्द्रस्य तटावकाशे > विदेहकन्यारहितो यथा त्वम्॥ ३५॥ “Without me, O heroic prince, Vālī will only experience grief and loss of colour even in heaven, even as bereft of Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory) you experience grief and cheerlessness on the delightful slopes of Mount Ṛṣyamūka, the king of mountains. (35) > त्वं वेत्थ तावद् वनिताविहीनः > प्राप्नोति दुःखं पुरुषः कुमारः। > तत् त्वं प्रजानञ्जहि मां न वाली > दुःखं ममादर्शनजं भजेत॥ ३६॥ “You for one know how a young man bereft of his beloved wife undergoes suffering. Knowing this well, dispose you of me so that Vālī may not have to undergo suffering born of failure to see me. (36) > यच्चापि मन्येत भवान् महात्मा > स्त्रीघातदोषस्तु भवेन्न मह्यम्। > आत्मेयमस्येति हि मां जहि त्वं > न स्त्रीवधः स्यान्मनुजेन्द्रपुत्र॥ ३७॥ “If you, an exalted soul that you are, are keen that the sin of killing a woman should not fall on your head, pray, kill me taking me to be the other self of Vālī, in which case the sin of killing a woman will not descend on you, O prince ! (37) > शास्त्रप्रयोगाद् विविधाश्च वेदा- > दनन्यरूपाः पुरुषस्य दाराः। > दारप्रदानाद्धि न दानमन्यत् > प्रदृश्यते ज्ञानवतां हि लोके॥ ३८॥ “The title to perform sacrifice etc., enjoined in the scriptures being enjoyed in particular by a man in conjunction with his wedded wife only and also according to various Vedic texts , a wife is identical with her husband. Hence by men of wisdom no gift is actually regarded as greater than that of a wife in the world. (38) > त्वं चापि मां तस्य मम प्रियस्य > प्रदास्यसे धर्ममवेक्ष्य वीर। > अनेन दानेन न लप्स्यसे त्व- > मधर्मयोगं मम वीर घातात्॥ ३९॥ “If, having due regard to piety, O gallant prince, you restore me to my aforesaid darling, you too will by virtue of this gift not get your share of sin which will accrue from my destruction (according to the maxim that through virtue one drives away sin2 O heroic prince !). (39) > आर्तामनाथामपनीयमाना- > मेवंगतां नार्हसि मामहन्तुम्। > अहं हि मातङ्गविलासगामिना > प्लवंगमानामृषभेण धीमता। > विना वरार्होत्तमहेममालिना > चिरं न शक्ष्यामि नरेन्द्र जीवितुम्॥ ४०॥ “You ought not to spare me, distressed, forlorn and reduced to this plight, as I am, and when I am being torn from my husband; for I shall not be able to survive long without the sagacious Vālī (the foremost of monkeys), whose graceful gait resembled that of an elephant and who was adorned with a valuable and excellent chain of gold, O ruler of men!” (40) > इत्येवमुक्तस्तु विभुर्महात्मा > तारां समाश्वास्य हितं बभाषे। > मा वीरभार्ये विमतिं कुरुष्व > लोको हि सर्वो विहितो विधात्रा॥ ४१॥ > तं चैव सर्वं सुखदुःखयोगं > लोकोऽब्रवीत् तेन कृतं विधात्रा। > त्रयोऽपि लोका विहितं विधानं > नातिक्रमन्ते वशगा हि तस्य॥ ४२॥ > प्रीतिं परां प्राप्स्यसि तां तथैव > पुत्रश्च ते प्राप्स्यति यौवराज्यम्। > धात्रा विधानं विहितं तथैव > न शूरपत्न्यः परिदेवयन्ति॥ ४३॥ Duly comforting Tārā when prayed to in the foregoing words, the powerful and high-souled prince, Śrī Rāma, for his part tendered to her the following salutary advice : “Pray, do not pursue a wrong line of thought, O consort of a hero! For the whole world was evolved at the dawn of creation by the Creator and people speak of the entire creation as having been united with joy and sorrow by the same Creator. All the three worlds dare not overstep the bounds that have been fixed by the said Creator inasmuch as they are subject to His control.You will enjoy supreme delight through Sugrīva in the same way as you did before in the presence of Vālī and your son, Aṅgada, will attain the position of Prince Regent. (41—43) > आश्वासिता तेन महात्मना तु > प्रभावयुक्तेन परंतपेन। > सा वीरपत्नी ध्वनता मुखेन > सुवेषरूपा विरराम तारा॥ ४४॥ “The course of events has been ordained precisely that way by Providence and the wives of heroes do not wail (as you do).” Reassured in the foregoing words by the high-souled and powerful Śrī Rāma, the scorcher of his foes, the celebrated Tārā, the consort of a hero, for her part, who was not only finely dressed but had a charming exterior too and was till now marked with a wailing countenance, became silent. (44) 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.