Shloka 20

ताराविलापः

Tara’s Lament and Counsel after Vali’s Fall

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा प्रदुद्राव रुदन्ती शोककर्शिता।शिरश्चोरश्च बाहुभ्यां दुःखेन समभिध्नती।।

Transliteration

evam uktvā pradudrāva rudantī śokakarśitā | śiraś coraś ca bāhubhyāṃ duḥkhena samabhidhnatī ||

Translation

So sprach sie; dann stürzte Tārā, vom Kummer verzehrt, weinend vorwärts und schlug sich in Schmerz mit beiden Armen an Kopf und Brust.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• uktvā: having spoken
• uktvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having said’

• pradudrāva: ran forth/hastened
• pradudrāva: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-dru (प्र-द्रु धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• rudantī: weeping
• rudantī: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Concurrent action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rud (रुद् धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present Active Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘crying’

• śokakarśitā: grief-stricken
• śokakarśitā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + karśita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः: शोकेन कर्शिता (emaciated/afflicted by grief)

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object—part struck)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• uraḥ: chest
• uraḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object—part struck)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• bāhubhyām: with both arms/hands
• bāhubhyām: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचन (Dual)

• duḥkhena: in sorrow/sadly
• duḥkhena: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular) — adverbial instrumental

• samabhidhnatī: beating (herself)
• samabhidhnatī: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Concurrent action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-abhi-han (सम्-अभि-हन् धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present Active Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘striking/beating’

Context

So saying, the grief-stricken, weeping Tara hastened, sadly beating with both hands her head and her chest.

Characters & Entities

• Tārā
• Vāli (implied as the one she runs to)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Satya of human emotion: the epic acknowledges grief as real and powerful, even amid political imperatives.

What is the narrative situation?

After declaring her intent, Tārā rushes toward the battlefield where Vāli lies.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Devotion and immediacy—she prioritizes her husband’s condition over courtly procedure.