Part 23

Vali, ranging on the verge of death, casting his looks around and sighing faintly, espied his younger brother Sugriva before him. Welcoming that lord of monkeys with clear accents, Vali addressed him affectionately saying:--"O Sugriva, do thou not take to thy heart the improper conduct I have shown towards thee, being attracted by inevitable foolishness, subject as I was to sin. Methinks, O brother, it is not our fortune to enjoy at the same time the double bliss of fraternal affection and the enjoyment of kingdom, or else why has it happened otherwise? Do thou acquire to-day this kingdom of the forest-ranges and know me as one who hath departed to the abode of Death. Soon shall I renounce my life, kingdom, my exquisite grace and my blameless fame. It behoveth thee, O hero, O king, to perform what I shall speak unto thee in this plight, however difficult it might be. Do thou behold Angada fallen on the ground with tears in his eyes--a little boy, incapable, brought up in luxury and deserving happiness. Do thou maintain this my son, dearer than my life, like unto thy own son, born of thy loins, satisfying all his wants in my absence. O best of monkeys, like unto me, thou art his father, protector, conferrer of gifts and remover of fear. This graceful son of Tara equals thee in prowess and shall precede thee in the destruction of Rakshasas. This youthful Angada, Tara's son, gifted with energy and strength, shall perform befitting exploits displaying his prowess in the battle. Surasen's daughter is wonderfully expert in ascertaining subtle things and giving counsels in the time of danger. Do thou, without the least doubt perform what shall the chaste lady instruct thee to do; for Tara's advice never goes without effect. It behoveth thee to perform Raghava's service fearlessly or else thou shalt be visited with sin: on his being insulted thou shalt be injured. O Sugriva, do thou put on this celestial golden garland--herein dwelleth the bounteous Sree who shall renounce me after my death." Having been accosted thus by Vali, out of fraternal affection, Sugriva renouncing joy again became pale like unto the Moon possessed by Rahu. Renouncing his inimical feelings, being thus addressed by Vali and carrying out his words energetically Sugriva accepted the golden garland as ordered (by him). And conferring (upon Sugriva) that golden garland and beholding his son before him, Vali, resolved upon death, spake unto Angada, saying:--"Do thou place thyself now under the control of Sugriva, ascertaining time and place, putting up with misery for thy welfare and injury. O thou having long arms, Sugriva shall not regard thee much, if dost thou remain in the same wise in which thou hadst been brought up by me before.[113] O slayer of foes, do thou never mix with Sugriva's enemies, and place thyself always under Sugriva's control, having subdued thy senses and being intent upon thy master's (Sugriva's) welfare. Do thou not cultivate too much of friendship nor be wanting in it--for both of these extremes are sources of disasters. Do thou therefore follow the golden mean." After he had said this, his eyes became expanded, his teeth were opened and his appearance became ghastly. And greatly pained by shafts he breathed his last. And thereupon, the monkeys, the foremost of those who go jumping, having lost their chief, bewailed and cried. On that monkey chiefs departure to the land of celestials, Kishkindha was divested of her lord, and gardens, hills and woods were all rendered lonely. That best of monkeys, who fought a dreadful battle with the high-souled _Gandharbas_, being dead, all other monkeys became of pale countenance. "Vali entered into a terrible conflict with the mighty-armed Golava and fought for ten years and five, for nights and days without respite. And on the sixteenth year, Golava was killed. Bringing about the destruction of that wicked _Gandharba_, Vali, having terrible teeth, saved us all from fear. How hath he been killed to-day?" Like unto kine, incapable of enjoying peace in a mighty forest filled with lions, their chief being dead, these forest-rangers could not attain to felicity on the demise of that lord of monkeys. Thereupon, Tara, sunk in the gulf of disaster, eying the countenance of her deceased lord, fell down to the ground embracing Vali like unto a creeper clinging for its support to a mighty but broken tree.

[113] The significance of the passage is as follows:--Thou wert a mere child while I brought thee up. But now thou art a grown up young man and this is the time for thee to serve thy elders. Do thou therefore serve Sugriva.--T.

SECTION XXIII.

Thereupon smelling the face of that lord of monkeys, Tara again addressed her deceased lord, known all over the world, saying:--"O hero, disregarding my words, thou art lying on the uneven earth, hard and filled with gravels. O lord of monkeys, the earth is dearer unto thee than I, since thou art lying there embracing her and art not welcoming me. O hero, O dear, O brave lord, wonder it is that God under the semblance of Rama, hath placed himself under the control of Sugriva; hithertofore he shall be regarded as a hero. Why art thou not awake, hearing the bewailings of bears and monkeys who used to wait upon thee, powerful, as well as that of Angada and myself? Alas! thou art lying on this bed of the heroes, being slain in the battle, where formerly, thy enemies destroyed by thee, used to lie down. thou born of a pure family, O thou that art fond of warfare, O my dear, O conferror of honors, whither hast thou departed making me husbandless? Let not the wise, henceforth, confer their daughters upon the heroes. Alas! behold me, the wife of a hero, made a widow in no time. Shattered is my honor and destroyed is my happiness and I am sunk in the deep abyss of grief. Forsooth, this my firm heart is not sundered into hundred pieces, beholding my husband slain! Thou art my friend, my dear husband and a great hero--and thou hast met with destruction, being struck by another man. A husbandless woman is always styled by the wise as widow, although she might have a son and enough of riches. O hero, thou art lying down in a pool of blood issuing out of thy own person, like unto thy own bed having a red-dyed bed-sheet. Thy body is on all sides besmeared with blood and dust and I am incapable of embracing thee with my arms, O best of monkeys. Surely hath Sugriva satisfied his hostile intention to-day, whose fear hath been removed by one shaft, discharged by Rama. Thyself departing to the land of the dead, I have been eying thee simply, being prevented from touching thy person by the shaft piercing thy heart".[114] Thereupon Neela took out that shaft from the person of (Vali) like unto a flaming serpent lurking in a mountain cave. There beamed the shaft extracted from his body like unto the rays of the Sun, stationed on the summit of the setting hill. And there poured forth from all his wounds, streams of blood, like unto showers of melted copper and other metals falling from a mountain. And (Tara) washed, with tears, her heroic husband's body covered with dust and wounded with weapons. Beholding her husband thus slain and besmeared with blood, she spake unto her son, Angada, having coppery eyes,saying:--"Behold this terrible declining stage of thy Sire. Here is the end of his hostilities collected by his impious actions. O my son, do thou bow unto thy kingly father, the conferrer of honors, who hath departed to the abode of Death, having a flaming person like unto the rising Sun." Thus accosted, Angada rose up and, saying, "I (do touch my Sire's feet)," embraced his father's feet with his plump arms. (Thereupon Tara said)--"Saying 'Do thou live long' why dost thou not welcome Angada, to-day as before, who hath bowed unto thee? I am with my son, standing by thee who art dead, like unto a cow with her calf, having the bull slain by a lion. How hast thou, without me, thy wife, bathed in the water of Rama's shafts, at the end of thy battle-like sacrifice? Why do I not behold here that favourite golden garland of thine, which was conferred on thee by the lord of celestials, pleased in a battle? Royal grace hath not renounced thee, O conferrer of honors, albeit thou art dead, like unto the rays not quitting the king of mountains, even after the Sun is set. Thou didst not act by my wholesome words, nor could I prevent thee. And I am now destroyed with my son, along with thee in the battle. Truly hath Sree (goddess of wealth) renounced me."

[114] The meaning is:--Lest by my touching that shaft thou feelest a greater pain.--T.

SECTION XXIV.

Beholding Tara emerged in a deep and mighty ocean of grief, Vali's younger brother was overwhelmed with penitence, in consequence of the unbecoming destruction of his brother. And seeing her countenance full of tears, the high-souled (Sugriva), racked with grief and repentance, approached slowly Rama along with his followers. And nearing him, with a bow in his hand, having arrows like unto serpents, famed and having auspicious marks on his person, he spake unto Raghava, seated there, saying--"O lord of men, thou hast fulfilled thy promise by carrying it out into practice; and as for wretched me, O son of a king, I shall refrain today from all enjoyments. This queen lamenting piteously, these subjects and retinue bewailing, being overwhelmed with grief, this king being slain, how can kingdom please me? O Rama out of anger, and passion, and on account of my being insulted by him, I did formerly desire to bring about my brother's destruction. But that lord of monkey-herds being slain, best of Ikshwakus, I am truly pierced to the quick with anguish. I do prefer living for good in the mount Rishyamuka, earning my livelihood somehow or other, to the accession of heaven by destroying (Vali). This highly intellectual and high-souled one spake unto me "Do thou range at large, I do not wish to destroy thee." Such words were really becoming of him, O Rama. And these words and this action become me (vile as I am). How can a brother, O Rama, however avaricious he night be, relish the destruction of his qualified brother, comparing the happiness of a kingdom, with the grief (consequent upon his brother's demise)? He did not desire to slay me, lest his greatness might be spoiled; but alas! through my wicked sense, I performed an iniquity by taking the life of my brother. Being struck by him with branches of trees, while I fled away and wept, he, consoling me, said only "Do not do this again. " He all along maintained his fraternal feelings, his honesty and piety; but (woe to me) I have displayed my wrath, passion and monkey-hood. O friend, like unto the lord of celestials perpetrating sin by destroying Biswarupa, I have been, by bringing about the destruction of my brother, visited with this sin, beyond comprehension, avoidable, undesirable and invisible. Indra's sin was shared by earth; water, trees and women; but who is there who will bear and desire to participate this monkey's sin? Perpetrating such an improper and irreligious act, tending to the decay of my family, I do not deserve the respect of my subjects and the heir-apparentship; what of kingdom, O Raghava. I am the perpetrator of a vile and disgraceful sin, blamed of all in this world. And like unto a current of rain going downwards, this mighty grief hath overcome me. This mighty and infuriated elephant of a sin, having the destruction of a brother as its body, repentence, as its trunk, head, eyes and tusks, hath been crushing me like unto the banks of a river. Alas! O best of kings, this unbearable sin hath been driving away all pious feelings from my heart like unto alloy leaking out of discolored gold when molten in fire, O Raghava. Methinks, for me, O Raghava, these mighty monkeys and Angada are almost half-dead (with grief). A good-natured and obedient son is rare. Where is to be found Angada's equal? O hero, there is no such land where I may meet again my brother. The heroic Angada shall not live to-day--and if he lives, his mother shall live to bring him up. Forsooth, without her son, she shall not live long. Therefore shall I enter this flaming fire with a view to place myself on the same level with my brother and his son and all these mighty monkeys shall engage in quest of Sita, abiding by thy commandments. O son of a king, they shall all carry out thy orders even in my absence, do thou,therefore, order me (to enter fire) who am the destroyer of my own race, have performed an inquity and do not deserve living any more." Hearing the words of Vali's younger brother, who was bewailing thus, Rama, the heroic descendant of Raghu and the slayer of foes, remained stupified for some time with tears in his eyes. In the mean-time, Rama, patient like unto the protector of the world, worked with curiosity, looked again and again towards the bewailing Tara sunk in the gulf of disaster. Thereupon the principal counsellors raised up the brave spouse of the lord of monkeys, having graceful eyes and lying ou the earth, embracing her husband. And snatched away from her husband and trembling, she beheld Rama, with bow and arrows in his hand, burning like unto the Sun by virtue of his own effulgence. And beholding him gifted with all royal marks, having beautiful eyes and never seen before, that one, having the eyes of a fawn, thought within herself. "This great one must be Kakuthstha." And the worshipful Tara, worked with grief, and overwhelmed with disasters, bewailing, neared quickly that high-souled one, resembling the lord of celestials and hard to approach. And having reached the pure-souled Rama, who had his ends fully attained in battle, the high-minded Tara, having her frame worked with grief, spake unto him, saying:--"Thou art immeasurable, hard to approach, highly pious, prudent, of controlled senses and increasing fame, forgiving like unto earth and of blood-red eyes. Thou hast bow and arrows in hand, art highly powerful and of a tough body. And renouncing human grace that hast assumed the grace of a celestial person. Do thou slay me with that self-same shaft with which my dear one was slain. And thus slain, O hero, I shall be near him, for Valii doth not relish the company of any other woman but me. O thou having eyes resembling clean lotus-petals, this (hero) departing to the abode of celestials and not beholding me there, shall not delight in the company of _Apsaras_, wearing diversified garments and copper-colored corronets. Even in the land of celestials, O hero, Vali shall turn pale with grief in my separation, like unto thee in the picuresque dale of the Lord of mountains, separated from the daughter of the king of Videha. Thou knowest well that a handsome man is greatly afflicted with the separation of his spouse; and knowing this, do thou slay me, and Vali shall not be tormented with grief consequent upon my absence. High-souled as thou art, thou art thinking that thou shalt, slaying me, be visited with a sin arising from the destruction of a female. But do thou kill me, O son of a king, knowing me as the soul of Vali, and thou shalt not be responsible for destroying a woman. According to the Vedas and various other sacred texts, wives are inseparably blended with their husbands. And the wise say that there is no other gift better than that of a wife in this world. Thou shalt, O hero, confer me religiously upon my dear one and by this gift thou shalt be saved from the sin consequent upon killing me. It doth not behove thee not to kill me, who am exercised with grief, without my lord, snatched away from him and reduced to such a (pitiable) plight. O lord of men, I cannot live long without that highly intelligent lord of monkeys, having an elephantine gait and wearing an excellent golden garland." Thus accosted, the high-souled lord consoling Tara, spake unto her the following well-meaning words.--"Do thou not lose thyself, O wife of a hero. This whole world of creation is being guided by God's dispensation. And by Him is administered misery or happiness as people say. These three worlds cannot neglect His dispensations and are entirely subject to Him. Thy son shall attain to the heir apparentship of the throne and thou shalt enjoy excellent joy therefrom. This hath been decreed by the Almighty. Wives of heroes do never relent." Being thus consoled by the high-souled (Rama) gifted with prowess, and the slayer of foes, Tara, the wife of a heroic husband, and wearing a graceful garment, ceased bewailing.

SECTION XXV.

Thereupon, Kakutstha, with Lakshmana, equally aggrieved, said, consoling Sugriva, and Tara together with Angada.--"Grief and lamentations do not tend to the welfare of the deceased. It therefore behoveth ye to perform the after ceremonies. Ye have satisfied the worldly practice with a profuse discharge of tears. It is not proper to delay the performance of appointed actions. Time is the prime cause in this world, and the source of the accomplishment of actions. And Time it is that leads men to actions. No one is the lord of another person, and no one leads him to actions. People are subject to their actions of previous existence and Time aids them. Even the Eternal being cannot withstand the ways of Time. He never decayeth and no one else can withstand the course of Time. It hath no friend, no cause and no one can overcome it. It hath no kinsman, no relation; even it is not subject to itself. The wise can percieve the work of Time. Piety, wealth and desire are all subject to it. Vali, the lord of monkeys, hath attained to his own true state, reaping the fruits of his actions, acquired by virtue of his royal accomplishments --namely, forgiveness and charity. The abode of the celestials, which was conquered by this high-souled one by his former piety, hath now been occupied by him after resigning his body. This is the best course of Time that hath been attained to by the lord of monkey-herds. No more with lamentations therefore; do thou perform the actions that are worthy of being performed on this occasion." After Rama had spoken thus, Lakshmana, the slayer of foes, addressed Sugriva, senseless with grief, with the following sound words:--"Sugriva, do thou perform the funeral ceremonies of Vali along with Tara and Angada. Do thou collect for cremation many a dry fuel and celestial sandal. Do thou console the unfortunate Angada, who is beside himself with grief. Do not conduct thyself like an ignorant person, for this city is now under thee. Let Angada bring clothes, garlands, scents, clarified butter, oil and other necessary articles. O Tara, do thou go and bring soon a conveyance; for speediness is a special virtue on an occasion like this. Let the monkeys dress themselves who can convey this hearse. The powerful and the capable only shall carry Vali". Having thus addressed Sugriva, Lakshmana, the enhancer of Sumitra's joy and the destroyer of foes, stood before his elder brother. And hearing the words of Lakshmana, the counsellor respectfully entered the cave with a view to bring the conveyance. And taking that conveyance carried by the monkeys and worthy of being carried by the heroes, he issued out again of the cave. It had a celestial throne and was like unto a war-chariot and had trees and birds painted on it. It was painted on all sides with the figures of foot soldiers, had latticed windows and was like unto the car of the _Siddhas_--spacious and artistically and stoutly built by artizans with beautiful carvings like unto a wooden hill. It was ornamented with excellent ornaments and beautiful garlands, sprinkled with red sandal and skirted with strong ribs. It was covered with flowers and lotus-garlands, crusted with precious clothes and had the colour of the rising Sun. Beholding such a conveyance, Rama spake unto Lakshmana, saying--"Do thou soon conduct the funeral service of Vali." Thereupon Sugriva, along with Angada, placing Vali on the conveyance, began to bewail.

And placing the lifeless body of Vali on it, he covered it with various ornaments, garlands, and clothes. Thereat Sugrira, the king of monkeys, ordered for the performance of Vali's funeral rites. "Let the monkeys go before, scattering many a precious jewel and let the conveyance follow them. Let the monkeys perform the obsequies of our master with such grandeur as befits the riches of the kings on this earth." With a view to perform the funeral ceremonies of Vali, the . counsellors and other monkeys, having lost their king and embraced Angada, proceeded weeping. And other subject monkeys followed them. And all other she-monkeys, headed by Tara, having lost their lord, bewailed, exclaiming again and again--"O hero, O hero".--And they, thus bewailing piteously, followed their lord. And in response to the bewailings of she-monkeys, hills and forests, as if, bewailed on all sides. Monkeys, ranging in the forest, made funeral piles on the banks of the hill-streams and in solitary watery nooks. Thereupon laying down from their shoulders the conveyance, those foremost of monkeys stationed themselves in a corner, being stricken with grief. And Tara, beholding her husband's body on the conveyance, placed his head on her lap and bewailed, overwhelmed with grief. "O lord of monkeys! O my lord! O my dear one! O thou used to luxuries! O thou having long arms! O my darling! behold me. Why dost thou not behold these monkeys, racked with sorrow? O conferrer of honors, thy countenance looks as if beaming with joy; although thou art dead, and thou appearest as if alive, having the hue of the setting Sun. O monkey, Death himself, under the semblance of Rama, is attracting thee, who with one shaft in the battle, hath rendered us all widows. O best of kings, these she-monkeys cannot go by jumping. Dost thou not percive that they have travelled so far on foot? Those thy wives, having moon-like countenances, have always thy welfare in view. Why dost thou not, O best of monkeys, cast thy looks towards them and Sugriva? O king, these thy counsellors, thy wives headed by Tara, and all these citizens are bewailing around thee. O slayer of foes, do thou despatch thy counsellors to the city and we shall all enjoy in this forest, excited with _amour_." The other she-monkeys, worked with sorrow, raised up Tara bewailing thus being exercised with grief consequent upon the demise of her husband. Thereupon Angada along with Sugriva, overwhelmed with grief, weeping, placed his Sire's body on the funeral pile. And putting fire duly, he circumambulated his Sire, bound for a journey for good. Having duly cremated Vali's body,the foremost of monkeys arrived at a river of auspicious water with a view to perform the watery ceremony. And all these monkeys along with Sugriva and Tara, placing Angada before them, sprinkled water. And the highly powerful Kakuthsha, equally aggrieved like Sugriva, being as poorly, cronducted duly the obsequious ceremonies of Vali. Thereupon cremating Vali, gifted with unequalled prowess, slain with one shaft of the foremost of Ikswakus, and like unto flaming fire, Sugriva appeared before Rama who was in the company of Lakshmana.

SECTION XXVI.