Chapter [Sarga] 21  

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    Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 21

Introduction

Hanuma tries to console Tara. He asserts that Angada will not be looked down. Though Vali is put to his plight, Hanuma says, that Tara alone is the empress to lead Kishkindha kingdom. But Tara prefers self-immolation along with her husband Vali.

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tato nipatitaam taaraam cyutaam taaraam iva a.mbaraat |
shanaiH aashvaasayaamaasa hanuumaan hari yuuthapaH || 4-21-1
1. tataH= then; ambaraat cyutaam taaraam iva= from sky, fallen, a star, like; nipatitaam taaraam= fallen to ground, at Tara; hari yuuthapaH hanuumaan= monkey's, leader, Hanuma; shanaiH aashvaasayaamaasa = slowly, consoled.
Hanuma, the leader of monkeys, then neared and slowly consoled Tara who has fallen to ground like a star from sky. [4-21-1]
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guNa doSa kR^itam ja.ntuH svakarma phala hetukam |
avyagraH tad avaapnoti sarvam pretya shubha ashubham || 4-21-2
2. jantuH= living beings; guNa doSa kR^itam= merit, demerit, doings [whether done in good intention or bad]; phala hetukam= results, cause of; sarvam tat= all, that; shubha a+shubham karma= good, not, good, deed; pretya= on demise; a+vyagraH avaapnoti = un, repentantly, one gets.
"Living beings on doing the deeds of merit or demerit, or knowingly or unknowingly, will derive the resultant fruits of those deeds according to one's own destiny even after demise, and they shall bear them unrepentantly, may they be provident or improvident... [4-21-2]
For this verse Dharmaakuutam says: atra ca sva karama phala hetukamiti viþeÿaõena an˜di bhava parampara ˜s˜dita dharma artha v˜san˜ vaþena þubham aþubham v˜ karma anuÿ÷h˜ya tad aur¨pam sukaham du×kham v˜ phalam av˜pnoti iti uktam -- dharm˜k¨tamThus Hanuma is saying that Vali is not dead at the hand of Sugreeva but dead due his own demerits.

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shocyaa shocasi kam shocyam diinam diinaa anuka.mpase |
kaH ca kasya anushocyo asti dehe asmin budbuda upame || 4-21-3
3. shocyaa= a lamentable [you yourself]; shocyam kam shocasi = lamentable one, about whom, you are lamenting; diinaa= pitiable on [you yourself]; diinam= [for which] piteous one; anukampase= quivering [pitying]; asmin dehe budbuda upame= for this, body, bubble, in similitude; kaH kasya anushocyaH asti= who, for whom, lamentable, is there.
"Of which lamentable one you lament while you yourself are in a lamentable state? Of which pitiable one you take pity while you yourself are in a pitiable condition? Who is pitiable by whom in these bubbles like bodies? [4-21-3]
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a.ngadaH tu kumaaro ayam draSTavyo jiiva putrayaa |
aayatyaa ca vidheyaani samarthaani asya cintaya || 4-21-4
4. jiiva putrayaa= one who has a living, son; by you; kumaaraH ayam angadaH draSTavyaH= young one, this, Angada, is to be looked after; aayatyaa ca= forthcoming - ensuing, also; asya vidheyaani samarthaani = by him, deeds of duty [funerals of Vali,] deeds for well-being; cintaya= are to be thought of.
"You are the one with a living son, and you have to look after this young one Angada, and you have to think of the forthcoming activities for his well-being and for his performance of duty towards his father. [4-21-4]
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jaanaasi aniyataam evam bhuutaanaam aagatim gatim |
tasmaat shubham hi kartavyam paNDitena iha laukikam || 4-21-5
5. bhuutaanaam aagatim gatim= living being's, coming, going [birth and death]; a + niyataam evam= not, certain, thus; jaanaasi= you are aware; tasmaat= therefore; paNDitena= by prudent one; iha laukikam shubham kartavyam hi= in here, worldly things, auspicious ones, are to be done, indeed.
"You are aware that the coming and going of beings, in their subtle forms of earth, water, fire, air and space into this mortal life and back is uncertain, thereby the prudent ones have to perform auspicious worldly deeds here in this world, say, the funeral of Vali. [4-21-5]
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yasmin hari sahasraaNi shataani niyutaani ca |
vartayanti kR^ita aashaani so ayam diSTaa.ntam aagataH || 4-21-6
6. yasmin= in whom [Vali]; kR^ita aashaani= reposing, confidence; hari sahasraaNi shataani= monkeys, thousands, hundreds; niyutaani ca= harboured, also; vartayanti= abiding - living basing on him; saH ayam= such as he is; diSTa antam aagataH= fate's, end, he came.
"In whom hundreds and thousands of monkeys are harboured and astir, for they have reposed their confidence in him alone, that Vali has arrived at his end. [4-21-6]
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yad ayam nyaaya dR^iSTa arthaH saama daana kSamaa paraH |
gato dharma jitaam bhuumim na enam shocitum arhasi || 4-21-7
7. nyaaya dR^iSTa arthaH= by justice, observed, having means - one who is observant of rationality, conducted himself judiciously; saama daana kSamaa paraH= friendliness, courteousness, forgivingness he was observing; ayam= this Vali; yat= by which reason; dharma jitaam bhuumim gataH = by rightness, conquered, to domain, has gone; na enam shocitum arhasi= not, for him, your sorrowing, apt of you.
"By which reason this Vali conducted himself judiciously, observing friendliness, courteousness and forgivingness, by that reason alone Vali is going to a domain in heavens which he righteously conquered for himself, and it is unapt of your sorrowing for him. [4-21-7]
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sarve ca hari shaarduulaaH putraH ca ayam tava a.ngadaH |
hari R^ikSa pati raajyam ca tvat sanaatham anindite || 4-21-8
8. a + nindite= oh, impeccable one, Tara; sarve hari shaarduulaaH= all, monkey, tigers; tava putraH= your, son; ayam angadaH ca= this, for Angada, and; hari R^ikSa pati raajyam ca= monkeys, bear, lords, kingdom of, also; tvat= in you; sa naatham= is with, guardian.
"All the tigerly-monkeys, oh, impeccable Tara, including this son of yours Angada, and all the lords of monkeys and bears have their guardian angel in you. [4-21-8]
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tau imau shoka sa.mtaptau shanaiH preraya bhaamini |
tvayaa parigR^ihiito ayam a.ngadaH shaastu mediniim || 4-21-9
9. bhaamini= oh, lady; shoka samtaptau tau imau= in grief, searing, these, two = Sugreeva, Angada; shanaiH preraya= slowly, inspirit; tvayaa parigR^ihiitaH= by you, taken up [acquiesce to]; ayam angadaH mediniim shaastu = this, Angada, the earth, rule over.
"Oh, lady, inspirit these two, Sugreeva and Angada, that are searing in grief, and if you acquiesce then this Angada will rule over the earth. [4-21-9]
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sa.mtatiH ca yathaa dR^iSTaa kR^ityam yat ca api saa.mpratam |
raaj~naH tat kriyataam sarvam eSa kaalasya nishcayaH || 4-21-10
10. santatiH yathaa dR^iSTaa= progeny, as to how, seen kin scriptures - anticipated from a male descendent; saampratam raaj~naH= presently, for king; yat kR^ityam ca api = which, is to be done, also even; tat sarvam kriyataam= that, all, is to done; eSa kaalasya nishcayaH= this is, [befitting to] time's, decision.
"Whatever duty anticipated from a male descendent towards his father, and whatever activity that is to be done presently in respect of the dying king, let them be done, and that would be a timely decision. [4-21-10]
This expression also means smashaana vyraagya 'burial-ground renunciation...' In that, 'all this has happened so according to Time's decision...' arth˜ g®h˜t nivartante ˜ smaþ˜n˜t tu b˜ndhava | suk®tam duÿk®tam caiva gacchantam anucacchgati || 'wealth and means remain in house, relatives come up to graveyard, only Merit and Demerit follow the goer...'
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sa.mskaaryo hari raajaH tu a.ngadaH ca abhiSicyataam |
si.mhaasana gatam putram pashyantii shaantim eSyasi || 4-21-11
11. hari raajaH samskaaryaH= monkeys, king, is to be cremated; angadaH ca abhiSicyataam= Angada's, also, be anointed; simha aasana gatam= lion's, seat [throne,] invested; putram pashyantii shaantim eSyasi= son, on seeing, peace, you can obtain.
"Cremation of the king of monkeys and anointment of Angada are the present time affairs, and seeing your son invested on the throne you can obtain peace." Thus spoke Hanuma to Tara. [4-21-11]
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saa tasya vacanam shrutvaa bhartR^i vyasana piiDitaa |
abraviit uttaram taaraa hanuumantam avasthitam || 4-21-12
12. bhartR^i vyasana piiDitaa= husband's, by plight, tormented; saa taaraa= she, Tara; tasya vacanam shrutvaa= his [Hanuma's,] words, on hearing; avasthitam hanuumantam= available nearby, to Hanuma; uttaram abraviit = reply, spoke.
On hearing Hanuma's words she who is tormented by the plight of her husband, that Tara replied Hanuma who is standing nearby. [4-21-12]
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a.ngada pratiruupaaNaam putraaNaam ekataH shatam |
hatasya api asya viirasya gaatra sa.mshleSaNam varam || 4-21-13
13. angada prati ruupaaNaam= Angada like, alternative, reflections - selfsame Angada-s; shatam=, hundred; putraaNaam= sons; ekataH= on one side; hatasya api asya viirasya= struck dead, though, this, brave one's; gaatra samshleSaNam varam= body, for embracing, the best.
"Let there be a hundred selfsame Angada-s on one side, and this brave one the other, for me embracing him who is put to death is the best .  [4-21-13]
This verse is said to be difficulkt one to derive meaning kiSTa anvaya. There is another narration of this verse omitting the first foot of next stanza and it reads: : kim k˜ryam pati hŸnay˜× putr˜õ˜m ayutai× api | pit®vyah tasya sugrŸva× sarva k˜ryeÿu anantara× || .
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na ca aham hari raajyasya prabhavaami a.ngadasya vaa |
pitR^ivyaH tasya sugriivaH sarva kaaryeSui ana.ntaraH || 4-21-14
14. aham hari raajyasya ca= I am, for monkey's, kingdom, either; angadasya vaa= of Angada, or; na prabhavaami= not, capable - who am I; tasya= his [Angada's]; pitR^ivyaH sugriivaH= paternal-uncle, Sugreeva; sarva kaaryeSu anantaraH= in all, affairs, close at hand.
"Who am I either for conducting the monkeys kingdom or to anoint Angada when Angada's paternal-uncle Sugreeva is close at hand? [4-21-14]
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na hi eSaa buddhiH aastheyaa hanuuman a.ngadam prati |
pitaa hi ba.ndhuH putrasya na maataa hari sattama || 4-21-15
15. hanuman= oh, Hanuma; angadam prati= Angada, towards; eSaa buddhiH= this kind of, thinking; na aastheyaa hi= not, to be pursued, indeed; hari sattama= oh monkey, the best; putrasya= for son; pitaa hi bandhuH = father, really, is the defender; na maataa = not, mother.
"Hanuma, this thinking of yours that Angada is to be crowned is really untenable, oh, best monkey, father is the real defender of a son, but not the mother. [4-21-15]
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na hi mama hari raaja sa.mshrayaat
kSamataram asti paratra ca iha vaa |
abhimukha hata viira sevitam
shayanam idam mama sevitum kSamam || 4-21-16
16. mama= to me; iha vaa= here, either; paratra ca= other where, also; hari raaja= monkey's, king's; samshrayaat= than patronage; kSama taram= befitting, highly; na asti hi= not, there, indeed; abhi mukha hata = when facing away, who is killed; viira sevitam= by such brave one, adored; idam shayanam= this, [death] bed; sevitum mama kSamam= to adore - join in the death bed, to me, befitting.
"Indeed there is nothing highly befitting to me, either in this world or in the other, than the auspices of the king of monkeys, and now to me the only befitting thing is to join in this brave one on this death bed, which he is adoring when put to death while he is facing away. [4-21-16]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe eka vi.mshaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 21st chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

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