|
In the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'', Tara ((サンスクリット:तारा), , literally "star";〔Lefeber p. 234〕) is the Queen of Kishkindha and wife of the monkey (vanara) King Vali. Tara is described as the daughter of the monkey physician Sushena in the ''Ramayana'', and in later sources, as an ''apsara'' (celestial nymph) who rises from the churning of the milky ocean. She marries Vali and bears him a son named Angada. After Vali is presumed dead in a battle with a demon, his brother Sugriva becomes king; When Sugriva challenges Vali to a duel, Tara wisely advises Vali not to accept because of the former's alliance with Rama—the hero of the ''Ramayana'' and an avatar of the Supreme God Vishnu—but Vali does not heed her, and dies from Rama's arrow, shot at the behest of Sugriva. The ''Ramayana'' and its later adaptations emphasize Tara's lamentation. While in most vernacular versions, Tara casts a curse on Rama by the power of her chastity, in some versions, Rama enlightens Tara. Sugriva returns to the throne, but spends his time carousing and fails to act on his promise to assist Rama in recovering his kidnapped wife, Sita. Tara chief diplomat—is then instrumental in reconciling Rama with Sugriva after pacifying Lakshmana, Rama's brother, who was about to destroy Kishkinda in retribution for Sugriva's perceived treachery. After this incident, Tara is only mentioned in passing references, as the story moves from Kishkindha to the climatic battle in Lanka to retrieve Sita. Tara's intelligence, presence of mind, courage, and devotion to her husband Vali is praised. She is extolled as one of the ''panchakanya'' ("five (revered) women"), the recital of whose names is believed to dispel sin. ==Birth and early life== In the ''Ramayana'', Tara is addressed by Vali as the daughter of the vanara physician Sushena.〔〔 Sometimes, verses are added in the ''Bala Kanda'', the first book of the ''Ramayana'', which describe principal monkeys created by various deities: Vali and Sugriva are described as sons of the king of the gods, Indra and the sun-god Surya respectively; while Tara is described as the daughter of Brihaspati, the guru of the gods.〔Goldman p. 316〕 The 12th century Tamil ''Ramavataram'' and the Telugu ''Ranganatha Ramayanam'' state that Tara and Ruma rose, along with other ''apsara''s, from the ocean of milk during its churning by the gods and the demons, to acquire the elixir of life (''amrita'').〔Mani p. 786〕〔 In the Theyyam drama tradition of Kerala, the gods tire and request Vali to help in the churning. When Vali just starts churning, Tara rises from the ocean and thus is gifted to Vali.〔Freeman pp. 197–8〕 According to the Javanese wayang puppet tradition, Tara (Dewi Tara) is the ''apsara'' daughter of Indra and his wife Wiyati. Her siblings include a sister called Dewi Tari, the consort of the demon-king of Lanka, Ravana (Rahwana) and brothers Citarata, Citragana, Jayantaka, Jayantara, and Harjunawangsa.〔Sudibyoprono pp. 536–7〕 While the ''Ramayana'' states that Tara first weds Vali, some Ramayana adaptations sometimes present a polyandrous relationship between Tara, Vali and Sugriva. The ''Ranganatha Ramayana'' states that Tara is given to Vali as a reward for helping the gods.〔 A Tamil folk tale tells that after the ''amrita'' emerged, Tara rises and is given as a common wife. In the ''Mahabharata'', there is a reference to Vali , who the mythologist Bhattacharya believes to be Tara.〔 In all versions, Angada is born from Tara's marriage to Vali.〔〔 In the ''Ramayana'', Vali goes to fight the demon Mayavi in a cave and instructs Sugriva to close the door of the cave if blood flows out from the cave, implying that he has been killed, but if milk flows out, it indicates that Mayavi is dead. After a year of combat, the dying demon turns the colour of his milky blood to red by sorcery. Sugriva believes that Vali is dead and closes the only opening to the cave. Sugriva also appropriates—sometimes interpreted as marriage〔—Vali's "widow" Tara. After Vali returns, rejecting Sugriva's explanation, he exiles Sugriva and not only re-acquires Tara, but also seizes Ruma, Sugriva's wife, in retaliation.〔〔Lefeber pp. 42, 157〕 While Vali's act of usurping Ruma when her husband is alive is universally criticized by ''Ramayana'' commentators, they excuse Sugriva's taking of Tara, as his wife, as he believed she was widowed.〔Lefeber p. 243〕 In the wayang variant, Vali (Subali) goes to battle the demon brother-rulers of Kishkinda, Jatasura and Lembusura, in the cave. Similar to the ''Ramayana'', Sugriva (Sugriwa) presumes Vali dead. The gods crown Sugriva the king of Kishkinda and grant him Tara as a reward for aiding his "dead" brother. Vali returns and instigated by Ravana, seizes Tara and the kingdom.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tara (Ramayana)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|