Hari Om.
Let us begin the twentieth sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The nuances of dharma to be followed by a king for the protection of the moral code on the earth were clearly brought out by rAma in response to vAlI’s desperate charge that he violated dharma in striking him down. A king and his appointed kings were supposed to act in accordance with the eternal moral code in punishing those who stray from the path. He added that the jurisdiction of the ikshvAkus was spread over the entire earth and they were bounden to protect dharma all over. vAlI realized his folly of usurping his brother’s wife and in his mind absolved rAma of the charges that he made. Soon the news of the fall of the king spread and tArA, his beloved wife who tried her best to prevent this very thing came running not heeding to any warnings about her safety. She beheld her dear husband, felled by a single arrow of rAma and collapsed. Recovering senses momentarily she, the otherwise astute tArA wailed. Onwards…
tArA of moon like charm beheld her husband of elephantine valour, and indra-like might, felled by a single arrow unleashed from the bow of rAma like a tree that was uprooted. Submerged in sorrow, she embraced the fallen hero, wept bitterly and said –
“O valiant hero, best of vAnaras, irrepressible in war, how come you don’t speak this helpless and unfortunate woman today? O king, get up and sleep on the best of couches, highness like you ought not roll on the earth thus. O lord of the earth, I know the earth was always dearer to you and even after your passing, you are still clinging onto her instead of me.
अतीव खलु ते कान्ता वसुधा वसुधाधिप।
गतासुरपि यां गात्रैर्मां विहाय निषेवसे ।।4.20.6।।
Certainly, you have built another kishkindhA like city on the way to the heavens. You have brought to an end all our pleasure trips to the lovely forests where sweet scent permeated. O lord of the lords, as you go back to the elements (are dead), I am bereft of joy and hope and have submerged in the ocean of grief. Surely, my heart is hard, which beholding the fall of my husband and experiencing untold grief still doesn’t split into a thousand pieces.
O lord of vAnaras, this resulted from your banishing sugrIva and usurping his wife. Out of your delusion, you spurned the good counsel offered by me who is your well wisher. Now you will surely charm and warm the hearts of those young, beautiful and deft apsaras in the heaven. You are mighty and yet you came in the sway of sugrIva today which means destiny is all powerful.
Me, who have never experienced grief before have been reduced to widowhood now and thrown into grief. The valiant son angada, who deserves care and whom we doted dearly, what would become of him when sugrIva shows him his anger”?
She then turned to angada and said –
“O dear son, please have a last look of your father, here after you will not be able to see him”. She resumed addressing vAlI –
“O lord, since you have set out on the final journey, please kiss your son angada on the forehead and shower your benediction. Please give us your last counsel. rAma has indeed kept his word to sugrIva and absolved himself from the debt of the given promise by slaying you”.
She then turned to sugrIva and said –
“O sugrIva, your wish has been fulfilled by the end of your enemy vAlI. Now you may enjoy the kingdom unobstructed and also get rumA, your wife back”.
She again turned to vAlI and pleaded –
“O lord, why are you not speaking affectionately to me who is wailing disconsolately thus? Look here, all your wives have come to see you. O lord, adorned with excellent armlets, why have you deserted me and your son angada thus and left? It is not appropriate to leave behind a dear son and depart thus.
किमङ्गदं साङ्गदवीरबाहो
विहाय यास्यद्य चिरप्रवासम्।
न युक्तमेवं गुणसन्निकृष्टं
विहाय पुत्रं प्रियपुत्र गन्तुम्4.20.23।।
O handsome one, what displeasure have either me or your son caused to you that you have decided to leave us behind? O mighty armed one, if I have offended you any manner, please forgive me for that. I beseech your pardon by placing my head on your feet”.
As tArA wailed thus and pointed to other wives of vAlI, hey clasped angada in their arms and wept bitterly. tAra squatted near vAlI determined to die discarding food or drink.
Here we conclude the twentieth sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 4.21. hanumAn pacifies tArA
Previous: 4.19. Her worst fears come true
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
