Shloka 24

ताराविलापः

Tara’s Lament and Counsel after Vali’s Fall

Devanagari script

अर्चितं सर्वलोकस्य सपताकं सवेदिकम्।।नागहेतोस्सुपर्णेन चैत्यमुन्मथितं यथा।

Transliteration

arcitaṃ sarvalokasya sapatākaṃ savedikam || nāgahetoḥ suparṇena caityam unmathitaṃ yathā |

Translation

അവൻ സർവ്വലോകവും ആരാധിക്കുന്ന, പതാകയും വേദിയും സഹിതമുള്ള പുണ്യചൈത്യത്തെപ്പോലെ തോന്നി—എന്നാൽ സർപ്പഹേതുവാൽ സുപർണനായ ഗരുഡൻ പിഴുതെറിഞ്ഞ ചൈത്യത്തെപ്പോലെ।

Word by Word

• arcitam: revered
• arcitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arcita (अर्च् धातु से क्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘worshipped/honoured’

• sarvalokasya: of all the worlds
• sarvalokasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: सर्वेषां लोकानां (of all the worlds/people)

• sapatākam: with its flag
• sapatākam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + patāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सह-भाव): पताकया सह

• savedikam: with its altar
• savedikam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + vedikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सह-भाव): वेदिकया सह

• nāgahetoḥ: because of the serpent
• nāgahetoḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: नागस्य हेतुः; पञ्चमी-हेतु (cause/occasion)

• suparṇena: by Garuda
• suparṇena: Karaṇa (करण/Agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suparṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Garuda)

• caityam: shrine/caitya
• caityam: Upameya (उपमेय/Thing compared)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• unmathitam: uprooted/demolished
• unmathitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of caityam)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-manth (उद्-मन्थ् धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘uprooted/destroyed’

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा (comparative ‘as’)

Context

Seeing Tara crying like a female osprey and Angada following her in despair, Sugriva felt pain (at heart).ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আদিকাব্যে কিষ্কিন্ধাকাণ্ডে একোনবিংশস্সর্গঃ৷৷Thus ends the nineteenth sarga of Kishkindakanda of the Holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Vāli
• Garuḍa (Suparṇa)
• Serpent (nāga)

FAQs

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

Public reverence does not equal moral immunity. The simile warns that hidden fault (symbolized by the serpent) can bring ruin even to what appears sacred—Dharma requires inner integrity, not only outer honor.

What is the narrative situation?

The poet continues describing Vāli’s fall using a religious image: a worshipped shrine destroyed due to a concealed cause.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka): the ability to look beyond reputation and see underlying causes and ethical complexity.