Shloka 22

ताराविलापः

Tara’s Lament and Counsel after Vali’s Fall

Devanagari script

क्षेप्तारं पर्वतेन्द्राणां वज्राणामिव वासवम्।महावातसमाविष्टं महामेघौघनिस्स्वनम्।।

Transliteration

kṣeptāraṃ parvatendrāṇāṃ vajrāṇām iva vāsavam | mahāvātasamāviṣṭaṃ mahāmeghaugha-nissvanam ||

Translation

Ngài tựa Vāsava (Đế Thích) phóng lôi chùy—có thể quăng cả núi lớn; nhanh như cuồng phong, tiếng gầm vang như mây giông dồn tụ.

Word by Word

• kṣeptāram: the hurler
• kṣeptāram: Karma (कर्म/Object—apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣep-tṛ (क्षिप् धातु + तृच्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — agent noun; in apposition to the fallen hero

• parvatendrāṇām: of great mountains
• parvatendrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: पर्वतानाम् इन्द्राः (mighty mountains)

• vajrāṇām: of thunderbolts
• vajrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा (comparative particle)

• vāsavam: Indra
• vāsavam: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Indra; object in apposition/comparison

• mahāvātasamāviṣṭam: swept by a great wind
• mahāvātasamāviṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + vāta + sam-ā-viṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: महावातेन समाविष्टः (enveloped/possessed by great wind)

• mahāmeghaughanissvanam: thundering like huge cloud-masses
• mahāmeghaughanissvanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + megha + ogha + nissvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: महामेघौघस्य निस्स्वनः (having the roar of masses of great clouds)

Context

Vali who used to hurl huge mountains like Indra discharges thunderbolts, who had the speed of wind of high velocity, who would roar like huge thundering clouds,

Characters & Entities

• Vāli (implied)
• mountains
• thunderbolt (vajra)

FAQs

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

True perspective (satya-darśana): even the mightiest, likened to Indra, is subject to fall—power is not the final measure of righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator intensifies the portrayal of Vāli’s former might as Tārā beholds him fallen, heightening the tragedy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Extraordinary strength and heroic energy—capacity, speed, and awe-inspiring presence.