Chapter 23

Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

VERSE 1

ततः समुपजिघ्रंती कपि राजस्य तत् मुखम्
पतिम् लोकश्रुता तारा मृतम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्

tataḥ samupajighraṃtī kapi rājasya tat mukham
patim lokaśrutā tārā mṛtam vacanam abravīt

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | loka śrutā = by vorld, vell: heard - renowned | [lokāt cyutam = fell out from this vorld: Vali] | tārā: Tara | kapi rājasya tat mukham: monkey, king's, that, face | samupajighrantī [sam upa jighrantī]: very, closely, on whiffing | mṛtam patim vacanam abravīt: to dead, husband, words, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

Then that renowned Tara closely whiffed that face of monkey's king Vali and spoke these words to her dead husband. [3-23-1]

VERSE 2

शेषे त्वम् विषमे दुःखम् अकृत्वा वचनम् मम
उपल उपचिते वीर सुदुःखे वसुधा तले

śeṣe tvam viṣame duḥkham akṛtvā vacanam mama
upala upacite vīra suduḥkhe vasudhā tale

SYNONYMS

vīra: oh, brave one | mama vacanam a kṛtvā = my, vord, not, doing: heedless of my word | tvam: you | viṣame: on an uneven | upala upacite: stones, spread over | su duḥkhe: very, rough | vasudhā tale: on earth's, surface | duḥkham śeṣe: miserably, you are reposing. |

TRANSLATION

"Heedless of my word, oh, brave one, you are reposing miserably on a very rough and uneven ground spread with stones. [3-23-2]

VERSE 3

मत्तः प्रियतरा नूनम् वानरेन्द्र मही तव
शेषे हि ताम् परिष्वज्य माम् च न प्रतिभाषसे

mattaḥ priyatarā nūnam vānarendra mahī tava
śeṣe hi tām pariṣvajya mām ca na pratibhāṣase

SYNONYMS

vānara indra: monkey's, the best | mahī: earth | mat taḥ: than me | nūnam priya tarā: definitely, dear, more | hi: why because | tām pariṣvajya śeṣe = her: earth, on embracing, you repose | mām na prati bhāṣase: to me, not, in turn, speaking -replying. |

TRANSLATION

"This earth must definitely be your beloved one, oh, best of monkeys, why because, you still embrace her while you recline on her, without replying me. [3-23-3]

VERSE 4

सुग्रीवस्य वशम् प्राप्तो विधिः एष भवत्य अहो
सुग्रीव एव विक्रांतो वीर साहसिक प्रिय

sugrīvasya vaśam prāpto vidhiḥ eṣa bhavatya aho
sugrīva eva vikrāṃto vīra sāhasika priya

SYNONYMS

vīra: oh, valiant one | sāhasika priya = oh, in adventures, enthusiast sugrīvasya vaśam prāptaḥ = ṣugrīva's, control, you obtained: you have gone in | sugrīva eva vikrāntaḥ: Sugreeva, alone, triumphed | eṣa vidhiḥ bhavati: this way, fate, is happening [in an interrogative] | aho: oho. |

TRANSLATION

"You have gone into the control of Sugreeva and Sugreeva alone triumphed, oh, brave one, oh, enthusiast in adventures, oho, is it fated to happen this way. [3-23-4]

VERSE 5

ऋक्ष वानर मुख्याः त्वाम् बलिनम् पर्युपासते
तेषाम् विलपितम् कृच्छ्रम् अंगदस्य च शोचतः

ṛkṣa vānara mukhyāḥ tvām balinam paryupāsate
teṣām vilapitam kṛcchram aṃgadasya ca śocataḥ

SYNONYMS

, 6a| ṛkṣa vānara mukhyāḥ: bears, monkeys, chiefs | balinam: as worshipful one [not lexical mighty] | tvām pari upāsate: [you as the] mightiest one, you, wholly, are adoring | teṣām kṛcchram vilapitam: their, despairing, wailing | śocataḥ angadasya ca: lamentation, of Angada, also | mama imā giraḥ ca: mine, these, utterances [in keen] | śrutvā: on hearing | kim tvam na: why, you, not | prati budhyase: in turn, wake up, come to senses. |

TRANSLATION

"These chiefs of bears and monkeys are adoring you in every respect as their most worshipful one, and on hearing their despairing wailing, and the lamentation of Angada, and even these utterance of mine in keen, why do not you comeback to senses. [3-23-5, 6a]

VERSE 6

इदम् तत् वीर शयनम् तत्र शेषे हतो युधि

idam tat vīra śayanam tatra śeṣe hato yudhi

SYNONYMS

b, 7a| tvayyaiva [tvayā eva]: by you, only | purā nihatā ripavaḥ: once, eliminated, enemies | yatra śāyitā: where, made to recline [by you] | tat vīra śayanam: that, the brave, bed of | idam yudhi hataḥ: in this, fight, felled | tatra śeṣe?: there [on the very daybed,] do you wish to recline | [kim: or, what.] |

TRANSLATION

"Do you wish to repose on the very daybed on which you have laid your enemies to rest when you have once felled them in fights, or what? [3-23-6b, 7a]

VERSE 7

विशुद्ध सत्त्व अभिजन प्रिययुद्ध मम प्रिय

viśuddha sattva abhijana priyayuddha mama priya

SYNONYMS

b, 8a| viśuddha sattva abhijana: pristine, calibre, successor of clan | priya yuddha = oh, one fond of: a devotee of, fighting | māna da: oh, dignity, accorder of | mama priya = oh, my, dear one: devout one to me | tvam: you | a nātham = vithout, husband: protector | mām ekām vihāya: me, lonely, on leaving | gataḥ asi: gone, you are. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, successor of a clan with pristine calibre, oh, accorder of dignity, oh, devotee of fighting, oh, my dear, have you gone on leaving me without a protector and lonely? [3-23-7b, 8a]

VERSE 8

शूराय न प्रदातव्या कन्या खलु विपश्चिता

śūrāya na pradātavyā kanyā khalu vipaścitā

SYNONYMS

b, 9a| vi paścitā: by really, considerate ones [father of brides] | kanyā: brides | śūrāya na pradātavyā khalu: to adventurers, not, to be proposed, they say | sadyaḥ: immediately, in a trice | vi dhavām kṛtām: without, husband, made [widow, rendered as] | hatām: left in the lurch | śūra bhāryām: adventurer's, wife | mām paśya: me, see. |

TRANSLATION

"Really considerate fathers shall never propose brides to adventurers, they say. Yes! See me the wife of an adventurer, in a trice rendered as a war-widow left in the lurch. [3-23-8b, 9a]

PURPORT

For this Sage Kaatyaana says : duurasthaanaam avidyaanaam mokSha maarga anusaariNaam | shuuraaNaam nir dhanaanaam ca na deyaa kanyakaa budhaiH || 'to those bridegrooms who reside in distant places, uneducated, seekers of salvation, daring ones, un-wealthy brides shall not be given by wisemen...'
VERSE 9

अवभग्नः च मे मानो भग्ना मे शाश्वती गतिः

avabhagnaḥ ca me māno bhagnā me śāśvatī gatiḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 10a| me mānaḥ: my, self-respect, honour as an empress | ava bhagnaḥ ca = dovn, broken: degenerated, also | me śāśvatī gatiḥ = my, eternal, course: happiness | bhagnā = broken: disintegrated | agādhe vipule śoka sāgare: in abyssal, boundless, anguish, [called] ocean | nimagnā asmi: deluged, I am. |

TRANSLATION

"My honour is degenerated and my eternal happiness is disintegrated, and I am deluged in an abyssal boundless ocean called anguish. [3-23-9b, 10a]

VERSE 10

अश्म सारमयम् नूनम् इदम् मे हृदयम् दृढम्

aśma sāramayam nūnam idam me hṛdayam dṛḍham

SYNONYMS

b, 11a| nihatam bhartāram dṛṣṭvā: killed, husband, on seeing | yat: which [heart] | adya śatadhā na gatam [kṛtam]: now, in hundredfold, not, gone into [splintered] | [tat: that heart] | me dṛḍham idam hṛdayam: mine, solid, this, heart | aśma sāra mayam: metallic, substance, dense with | nūnam: definitely. |

TRANSLATION

"And dense with metallic substance is this heart of mine in its solidity, since it is not splintering into hundredfold even on seeing my husband killed, it is definite. [3-23-10b, 11a]

VERSE 11

सुहृत् चैव हि भर्ता च प्रकृत्या च मम प्रियः

suhṛt caiva hi bhartā ca prakṛtyā ca mama priyaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 12a mama: to me prakR^ityaa priyaH = by nature, beloved one | su hṛt caiva: good, hearted one, also thus | bhartā ca: husband, also | prahāre para ākrāntaḥ ca = in assaults, others: enemies, overcoming [triumphant one] | śūraḥ: valiant one | pancatvam āgataḥ: fifth state, come over by. |

TRANSLATION

"By your nature you are my beloved, besides, you are a good-hearted one, more so, you are my husband, moreover, you are a valiant triumphing over your enemies in assaults, such as you are you have attained the fifth state, the death. [3-23-11b, 12a]

VERSE 12

पति हीना तु या नारी कामम् भवतु पुत्रिणी

pati hīnā tu yā nārī kāmam bhavatu putriṇī

SYNONYMS

b, 13a| yā nārī: which, woman | pati hīnā: husband, without | putriṇī bhavatu kāmam: mothered [many children,] she may be, perhaps | dhana dhānya sam vṛddhā api: riches, food grains [yields,] well, prosperous with, even if | janaiḥ [budhiaḥ]: by people [by elders] | vi dhavā: departed, husband [a widow] | iti: thus as | ucyate: will be said, called. |

TRANSLATION

"Perhaps a woman might have mothered many children, and perhaps affluent with riches and crops, still people will call her a widow, if she is without husband. [3-23-12b, 13a]

VERSE 13

स्व गात्र प्रभवे वीर शेषे रुधिर मण्डले

sva gātra prabhave vīra śeṣe rudhira maṇḍale

SYNONYMS

b, 14a| vīra: oh, brave one | sva gātra prabhave: you own, body parts, emerging | rudhira maṇḍale: blood, sheet of | kṛmi rāga: insect, red [the red coloured insects, namely Indragopa insect, a bed sheet in that colour] | paristome: spread-sheet, bed sheet spread over a bed | svakīye śayane yathā: on your own, bed, as if | śeṣe: you repose now. |

TRANSLATION

"How do you repose now on a sheet of blood flowing from your own body, oh, brave one, as if you are reclining on your own bed spread with a bed sheet of red blood colour? [3-23-13b, 14a]

VERSE 14

रेणु शोणित संवीतम् गात्रम् तव समंततः

reṇu śoṇita saṃvītam gātram tava samaṃtataḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 15a| plavaga ṛṣabha: oh, fly-jumper, the best | samantataḥ: all over | reṇu śoṇita samvītam: dust, blood, covered over | tava gātram: your, body | bhujābhyām: with my two arms | pari rabdhum: to fully, embrace | na śaknomi: not, able to I have no strength. |

TRANSLATION

"I have no strength to closely embrace you with both my arms, oh, best fly-jumper, when the blood and dust covering your body comes in between. [3-23-14b, 15a]

VERSE 15

कृत कृत्यो अद्य सुग्रीवो वैरे अस्मिन् अतिदारुणे

kṛta kṛtyo adya sugrīvo vaire asmin atidāruṇe

SYNONYMS

b, 16a| ati dāruṇe asmin vaire: highly, deplorable, in this, enmity [between you and Sugreeva] | adya sugrīvaḥ kṛta kṛtyaḥ = nov, ṣugrīva, is ambition is fulfilled: accomplished one | yasya bhayam: whose [which Sugreeva's,] fear | rāma vimuktena: by Rama, released | eka iṣuṇā hṛtam: by single, arrow, evanished |

TRANSLATION

"Single arrow released by Rama has doubly benefited Sugreeva in this highly deplorable enmity between you and Sugreeva, as his ambition to become the king is fulfilled and his fear from your persecution, too, is evanished. [3-23-15b, 16a]

VERSE 16

शरेण हृदि लग्नेन गात्र संस्पर्शने तव

śareṇa hṛdi lagnena gātra saṃsparśane tava

SYNONYMS

b, 17a| tvayi pancatvam āgate = for you, fifth state: death, when it came on - fatality has descended | tvām: you | nir īkṣantī = vithout vink, sīing: watching intently | tava hṛdi lagnena śareṇa: in your, chest, stuck, by arrow | gātra samsparśane = body, for toucing: for embracing | vāryāmi: I am hindered. |

TRANSLATION

"In vain, I have been watching you without a wink, on whom fatality has descended, as this arrow stuck in your chest is hindering me to embrace you..." Thus wailed Tara. [3-23-16b, 17a]

VERSE 17

उद्बबर्ह शरम् नीलः तस्य गात्र गतम् तदा

udbabarha śaram nīlaḥ tasya gātra gatam tadā

SYNONYMS

b, 18a| tataḥ: then | tasya gātra gatam śaram = his [Valis's,] body: chest, gone in [stuck in,] arrow | giri gahvara: in mountain's, cavity | sam līnam: firmly, wedged in | dīptam: sparkling [arrow] | āśīviṣam yathā: serpent [like arrow,] as with | ut babarha = out, pulled: extricated. |

TRANSLATION

"Then the monkey chief Nila extricated that arrow which is stuck in the chest of Vali, as with the extraction of a firmly wedged sparkling snake from the cavity of a mound. [3-23-17b, 18a]

VERSE 18

तस्य निष्कृष्यमाणस्य बाणस्य च बभौ द्युतिः

tasya niṣkṛṣyamāṇasya bāṇasya ca babhau dyutiḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 19a| niṣkṛṣyamāṇasya: while being extracted | tasya bāṇasya dyutiḥ: that, arrow's, sparkle | dinakarāt = from sun: that which is extricated from sun | asta mastaka: dusk-time [western mountain's,] summit | sam ruddhaḥ = fully, obstructed: as contrasted with [the hue of dusk] | raśmiḥ iva: sparkling rays, like | babhau = it became: shone forth. |

TRANSLATION

The sparkle of Rama's arrow while it is being extracted from Vali's chest is much the same as the sparkles of more brilliant sunrays that are extracted by the end of daytime, when the sun is sinking beyond the summit of dusky western mountain, and as contrasted with the hue of dusk. [3-23-18b, 19a]

PURPORT

More brilliant days are indicated for the arrows of Rama as the dusky day of Vali has ended.
VERSE 19

पेतुः क्षतज धाराः तु व्रणेभ्यः तस्य सर्वशः

petuḥ kṣataja dhārāḥ tu vraṇebhyaḥ tasya sarvaśaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 20a| tasya vraṇebhyaḥ: from his, gashes | kṣataja dhārāḥ: blood, streams | dharā dharāt = from the one borne, by earth: from mountain | tāmra gairika sampṛktā: coppery, mineral-ore, saturated with | dhārā iva: streams of water, as with | sarvaśaḥ petuḥ: all over, fell out. |

TRANSLATION

The blood streams flown out of the gashes of Vali fell everywhere like the streams of water flowing from a mountain saturated with coppery mineral-ores. [3-23-19b, 20a]

VERSE 20

अवकीर्णम् विमार्जन्ती भर्तारम् रण रेणुना

avakīrṇam vimārjantī bhartāram raṇa reṇunā

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| raṇa reṇunā: of war, with dust | ava kīrṇam: all over, muffled up | bhartāram: her husband | vi mārjantī = out, rubbing: dusting, wiping off | astra samāhatam [sam ā hatam]: by missile, summarily hit | śūram: valorous one | nayana jaiḥ asraiḥ = eyes, born to, tears: eyes gushing tears | siṣeca: drenched. |

TRANSLATION

On wiping off war dust with which her husband is muffled up, with tears gushing from her eyes she drenched that valiant one who is summarily hit by the missile of Rama. [3-23-20b, 21a]

VERSE 21

रुधिरोक्षित सर्वान्गम् दृष्ट्वा विनिहतम् पतिम्

rudhirokṣita sarvāngam dṛṣṭvā vinihatam patim

SYNONYMS

b, 22a| anganā tārā: lady, Tara | vinihatam: he who is killed | rudhira ukṣita sarva angam: by blood, wet, all, limbs | patim: at husband | dṛṣṭvā = on sīing: on giving attention | putram uvāca pinga akṣam: to son, to coppery red, eyed one | angadam uvāca: to Angada, said. |

TRANSLATION

On giving attention to all of the blood wet limbs of her slain husband that lady Tara spoke to her son Angada whose eyes are coppery-red. [3-23-21b, 22a]

VERSE 22

अवस्थाम् पश्चिमाम् पश्य पितुः पुत्र सुदारुणाम्

avasthām paścimām paśya pituḥ putra sudāruṇām

SYNONYMS

b, 23a| putra: oh, son | pituḥ su dāruṇām: of father, oh, son, highly, harrowing | paścimām: western [dusking, end] | avasthām paśya: plight, you see | pāpa karmaṇā: by sinful, deeds | samprasaktasya [sam pra saktasya: very, closely, attached] harnessed by | vairasya: enmity | antaḥ gataḥ: end, he reached. |

TRANSLATION

"See the highly harrowing end time plight of your father, oh, son, he reached his end owing to the enmity harnessed by sinful deeds. [3-23-22b, 23a]

VERSE 23

बाल सूर्योज्ज्वल तनुम् प्रयातम् यम सादनम्

bāla sūryojjvala tanum prayātam yama sādanam

SYNONYMS

b, 24a| putra: oh, son | bāla sūrya ujjvala tanum = young [rising,] son, [as vith in] dazzle, bodied: whose physical splendour is | yama sādanam prayātam: to Time-god's, abode, he journeyed [dead] | rājānam māna dam: to king, honour, accorder | pitaram: to father | abhivādaya: pay you [last] obeisance. |

TRANSLATION

"To him, whose physical splendour vied with the dazzle of rising sun, to that father, king, and the accorder of honour you pay you last obeisance as he journeyed to the abode of Time-god." Thus Tara said to Angada. [3-23-23b, 24a]

VERSE 24

एवम् उक्तः समुत्थाय जग्राह चरणौ पितुः

evam uktaḥ samutthāya jagrāha caraṇau pituḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 25a| evam uktaḥ: thus, who is said to, Angada | sam utthāya: swiftly, on rising up | aham angadaḥ: I am, Angada | iti bruvan: thus, saying | pīna vṛtābhyām: with sinewy, spherical shoulders | bhujābhyām: with arms | pituḥ caraṇau jagrāha: father's, feet, he took. |

TRANSLATION

When he is said so, Angada swiftly rose and touched the feet of his father with both of his rotund-shouldered sinewy arms saying, "father, I am Angada..." [3-23-24b, 25a]

VERSE 25

अभिवादयमानम् त्वाम् अंगदम् त्वम् यथा पुरा

abhivādayamānam tvām aṃgadam tvam yathā purā

SYNONYMS

b, 26a| tvām: at you | abhivādayamānam: to him who is paying respects | angadam: at Angada | tvam: you | putra: oh, son | dīrgha āyuḥ bhava: long, live, you be | iti: thus as | kim artham = vhat, for: why don't you | yathā purā: as, earlier | abhibhāṣase: not, speaking [blessing.] |

TRANSLATION

"Why do not you bless Angada saying, 'long live, son...' when he is paying resects to you, as earlier?" Thus Tara is addressing Vali in her anguish. [3-23-25b, 26a]

VERSE 26

अहम् पुत्र सहाया त्वाम् उपासे गत चेतनम्
सिंहेन पातितम् सद्यो गौः स वत्सा इव गो वृषम्

aham putra sahāyā tvām upāse gata cetanam
siṃhena pātitam sadyo gauḥ sa vatsā iva go vṛṣam

SYNONYMS

b, c| sadyaḥ: just now | simhena pātitam: lion, felled | go vṛṣam: cow, male [when bull is felled] | sa gauḥ vatsā iva: with, calf, [a helpless] cow, as like | putra sahāyā: son, with the help of | aham: I | gata cetanam = [ you vho] lost, vitality: lifeless | tvām: to you [at your near] | upāse = sitting close: living through. |

TRANSLATION

"I am living through seeing the lifeless state of yours with the help of my son, no more than a helpless cow that sits near her bull with its calf, when that bull is slain by a lion, just now. [3-23-26b, c]

VERSE 27

इष्ट्वा संग्राम यज्ञेन राम प्रहरण अंभसा
अस्मिन् अवभृथे स्नातः कथम् पत्न्या मया विना

iṣṭvā saṃgrāma yajñena rāma praharaṇa aṃbhasā
asmin avabhṛthe snātaḥ katham patnyā mayā vinā

SYNONYMS

sangrāma yajñena iṣṭvā: war, ritual, on performing | patnyā mayā vinā: wife, me, without | rāma praharaṇa ambhasā: Rama's, weapon [arrow,] [called] waters | asmin avabhṛthe: in there, avabridtha, [ritual bath] | katham snātaḥ: how, you take bath [singly.] |

TRANSLATION

"How can you singly take the ultimate bath of a Vedic ritual after your conducting a ritual like combat, in the waters called bloodstreams caused by Rama's arrow, that too, when I, your wife, am available like a co-officiator of a Vedic ritual? [3-23-27]

PURPORT

This avabR^itha is a religious bath taken after completion of the Vedic ritual by the conductor of that ritual along with his wife. Vedic ritual itself is forbidden to a wifeless person, and taking this final bath after puurNa aahuti, total oblation, is against the rules of ritual if taken without his wife. Here Vali, an adorer of combats as good as Vedic rituals is taking that bath for himself in the bloodstreams, called ritual waters, and Tara is questioning him about her propriety to participate in it.
VERSE 28

या दत्ता देव राजेन तव तुष्टेन संयुगे
शात कौम्भीम् प्रियाम् मालाम् ताम् ते पश्यामि न इह किम्

yā dattā deva rājena tava tuṣṭena saṃyuge
śāta kaumbhīm priyām mālām tām te paśyāmi na iha kim

SYNONYMS

samyuge: in combat [about your conduct in combats] | tuṣṭena deva rājena = by the satisfied, gods, king: Indra | yā tava dattā: which one, to you, given | tām: that one | śāta kaumbhīm: golden one | te priyām mālām: to you, a treasured, pendant | iha kim na paśyāmi: now, why, not, I see. |

TRANSLATION

"Now where is that treasured golden pendant of yours which the king of gods gave to you when he is satisfied with your conduct in wars, I don't see it? [3-23-28]

VERSE 29

राज्यश्रीः न जहाति त्वाम् गत असुम् अपि मानद
सूर्यस्य आवर्तमानस्य शैल राजम् इव प्रभा

rājyaśrīḥ na jahāti tvām gata asum api mānada
sūryasya āvartamānasya śaila rājam iva prabhā

SYNONYMS

māna da: dignity, accorder | śaila rājam āvartamānasya: mountain, best [Mt. Meru,] circumnavigating | sūryasya prabhā iva: sun's, shine, as with | rājya śrīḥ: kingly, pomp [majesty] | gata asum api: one with gone, lives, even if | tvām na jahāti: you, not, leaving. |

TRANSLATION

"Majesty is not deserting you even if your lives have departed, oh, accorder of dignity, as with the sunshine that departs the sun while he circumnavigates Mt. Meru, which mount is supposed to overshadow everything by its vastness. [3-23-29]

VERSE 30

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे त्रयो विंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe trayo viṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

tvayā: by you | me: my | pathyam idam vacaḥ: expedient, this, words [my advise] | na kṛtam: not, done [heeded] | tava nivāraṇe: you, forestalling | śaktā na asmi ca hi: capable, not, I am, also, indeed | samyuge hatena: in fight, by you who is killed | sa putrā: along with, son | hatā asmi: doomed, I am | śrīḥ: Grace | tvayā saha: you, along with | mām api: me, even | vi jahāti: completely, deserting. |

TRANSLATION

"Neither you heeded my word of expediency, nor I was indeed capable to forestall you, and I am doomed along with my son when you are exterminated in fight, whereby the Grace that forsook you, is deserting me too, in its entirety. [3-23-30]