Shloka 4.20.15

ताराविलापः — Tara’s Lament over Vāli

Devanagari script

वैधव्यं शोकसन्तापं कृपणं कृपणा सती।अदुःखोपचिता पूर्वं वर्तयिष्याम्यनाथवत्।।4.20.15।।

Transliteration

vaidhavyaṃ śokasantāpaṃ kṛpaṇaṃ kṛpaṇā satī | aduḥkhopacitā pūrvaṃ vartayiṣyāmy anāthavat ||

Translation

I, who once knew no sorrow, must now live in wretched widowhood, burning with grief—like one without refuge.

Context

'I have not experienced poverty or suffering before. Immersed in grief, like an orphan, now I am reduced to the pitiable condition of a widow.

Characters & Entities

• Tārā
• Vāli

FAQs

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

Dharma is inseparable from compassion: the verse foregrounds the social and emotional vulnerability created by death, urging sensitivity to those left without protection.

What is the narrative situation?

Tārā anticipates her life after Vāli’s death—widowhood and grief replacing former security.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Endurance and frank self-awareness in the face of sudden vulnerability.