Friday 25 April 2014

161. Tara's bereavement.

               When Tara, the wife of Vali came to know that her husband, the mighty Vali was fatally wounded, she rushed out with great anguish along with her son Angada to see her husband. 
              On her way towards the field of combat she saw some vanaras looking frightened and fleeing in disorder. Tara asked them "Oh! Vanaras, why are you all running away in utter fright and desperation, leaving off your king to whom all of you are guards?" 
             They replied "When a brother caused the fall of his own brother for the sake of kingdom then we think that there is no guarantee for our lives. We are trying to preserve our lives.
            "Madam, Rama's very powerful arrow has wounded Vali fatally. We are afraid that Rama may kill all of us, too. That is why we are running away.
            "We suggest that Vali's son Angada be enthroned for Kishkindha, immediately. Once Vali's son Angada is enthroned then all the vanara forces will stand by him.
             "In case you are not inclined to do so for any reason, then your staying here is not safe. When Kishkindha becomes kingless, then Sugreeva will promptly enter our strongholds on this very day itself. Then all our lives will be at stake."
            Tara stared at those vanaras with mixed feelings. After a careful consideration she told the vanaras "Without my dear mighty and valorous husband Vali, I don't care whatever happens to my son, the kingdom or myself. I am going to fall at the feet of that great-soul, who is felled down by the arrow projected by Rama." 
            Saying thus she started to wail and convulse in agony, and slapped her head and chest with both of her hands and ran towards her fallen husband Vali.
            She saw him, who equaled Indra in battles, a violent antagonist for his adversaries and a brave one felled by a braver one, and who was like a mighty animal killed by a mightier tiger, and quietened like a black cloud at the end of a downpour.
               She saw Rama standing, abutting on his very powerful bow, and his younger brother Lakshmana by his side. She saw Sugreeva, too.




             Going past them she reached her husband lying on the earth and obviously in great pains due to the powerful arrow in his chest.  She looked at her dear husband with tears running like a pair of streams from her eyes and fell on him and embraced him. She could not contain her deep sorrow. She started wailing fretfully with grief scorching her heart "Oh, my most dear and highly valiant lord, I have never blamed you directly or indirectly. Please talk to me. 
             "Don't you remember the pleasure trips you made with me to the sweet smelling forests from time to time? Do you want to end that by your departing? 
            "This is the result of what you did - you have snatched away Sugreeva's wife, after expelling him from Kishkindha. I tried to persuade you with an interest in your well-being and wishing your welfare, but oh, my dear, you brusquely brushed me off.
              "So far I have been kept by you as a very happy and highly contented wife and a woman. I do not know what my life would be after your departure.
                "My Angada is raised fondly, a brave one with gracefulness and one who is accustomed to comforts. I am very much perturbed to think about the predicament he may have to undergo when his paternal uncle Sugreeva gets into a fit of fury. Oh, son Angada, clearly see your father, a patron of virtue, for the last time. Oh, boy, later it is impossible to catch even a glimpse of his lordly face.
            "Please reassure your son, kiss goodbye on his forehead, and give me your parting messages. Really, Rama has not only done a great deed of hitting you down, but he also achieved indebtedness from Sugreeva, both in a single deed."
            She turned to Sugreeva and told him "Now, Sugreeva as you regain your wife Ruma, you may also take over the kingdom as your brother turned enemy is silenced." 
            She then looking at Vali and said "Oh, lord of vanaras, why don't you talk to me, the most cherished wife of yours, when I am prattling at length. By the way, the rest of your comely wives are here. Please look at them." 
            On listening Tara's lamentation the vanara females who were around became plaintive, saddened pitiably and wept piteously embracing Angada.
            Tara looking at Vali and continued "Oh, one with bracelets on your mighty arms, why are you going to an eternal abode leaving your dear son Angada? Your going away leaving such a son, who possesses best aptitudes that comes close to your abilities, and the one who always wears an exquisitely pleasant getup, is unbefitting.
           "If I have done any undesirable deed in an indiscriminate way, even in the least, I may be pardoned for that, and here I bow down at your feet."
          Tara and the other wives of Vali surrounded Vali and started weeping pitiably.
           After sometime Tara decided to self-immolate, and flounced down onto the ground where Vali was lying.
            Hanuman was terribly moved by the sorrowful sight of Tara. He decided to do something to alleviate her plight. Accordingly he neared and started consoling Tara who had fallen on the ground like a star from the sky, by saying "Living beings on doing the deeds of merit or demerit,  knowingly or unknowingly, will derive the resultant fruits of those deeds according to one's own destiny even after demise, and they shall bear them unrepentantly, may they be provident or improvident.

              "Of which lamentable one you lament while you yourself are in a lamentable state? Of which pitiable one you take pity while you yourself are in a pitiable condition? Who is pitiable by whom in these bubble like bodies?

               "You are the one with a living son, and you, as his mother, have to look after your son, Angada, and you have to think of the forthcoming activities for his well-being and for his performance of duty towards his father. Whatever has happened has happened according to destiny. Accept this as a prudent one, and perform further auspicious worldly deeds here in this world. 

                 "All the vanaras, including this son of yours Angada, now look upon you as their guardian angel. Oh, lady, inspirit these two, Sugreeva and Angada, who are searing in grief, and if you acquiesce then this Angada will take over the kingdom. Whatever duty anticipated from a male descendant towards his father, and whatever activity that is to be done presently in respect of the dying king, let them be done, and that would be a timely and prudent decision.
               "Cremation of the king of Vanaras and anointment of Angada are the present time affairs, and seeing your son invested on the throne you can obtain peace." 
               Tara replied Hanuman "Who am I either for conducting the vanara kingdom or to anoint Angada when Angada's paternal-uncle Sugreeva is close at hand? 
              "I now do not have anything important to do in this world. I thing that the only befitting thing for me to do is to join this brave and valiant husband of mine."
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