Shloka 23
ताराविलापः
Tara’s Lament and Counsel after Vali’s Fall
क्रतुल्यपराक्रान्तं वृष्टवेवोपरतं घनम्।नर्दन्तं नर्दतां भीमं शूरं शूरेण पातितम्।।शार्दूलेनामिषस्यार्थे मृगराजं यथाहतम्।
śakratulyaparākrāntaṃ vṛṣṭavā evoparataṃ ghanam | nardantaṃ nardatāṃ bhīmaṃ śūraṃ śūreṇa pātitam || śārdūlenāmiṣasyārthe mṛgarājaṃ yathāhatam |
婆梨——其勇力如因陀罗——倒卧在地，宛如倾尽甘霖后静止的巨云；那在咆哮者中亦令人战栗的英雄，被另一位英雄所击倒——如狮王为肉而被猛虎所杀。
Tara got up again, as if she woke up from sleep and addressing her husband garlanded with death, lamented.
FAQs
The verse underscores impermanence and the limits of might: even Indra-like power ends in death. Dharma therefore cannot rest on strength alone; it must rest on right conduct, because power is transient.
A vivid poetic description of Vāli’s fallen body after he has been struck down.
Heroism (śaurya) is acknowledged, but the verse also stresses sobriety: greatness does not exempt one from the moral and mortal order.