September 13 - Sargas 18 and 19 of Kishkindha Kanda.
Sri Rama explains to Vali the Dharmic sanctions and justifications for his well-meditated actions.
Vali concedes that Sri Rama's arguments have convinced him that he had done wrong and this punishment was mete. He requests that Angada is taken good care of as he is still a tender youth.
Tara comes to see Vali.
***
Vali has spoken words ostensibly full of Dharma and had made the right accusations of Sri Rama for wrongfully shooting the arrow at Vali when they were not in a battle with each other.
Sri Rama replies, asking Vali to listen calmly.
इक्ष्वाकूणामियं भूमिः सशैलवनकानना ।
मृगपक्षिमनुष्याणां निग्रहानुग्रहेष्वपि ॥
तां पालयति धर्मात्मा भरतः सत्यवानृजुः ।
तस्य धर्मकृतादेशा वयमन्ये च पार्थिवाः ।
चरामो वसुधां कृत्स्नां धर्मसंतानमिच्छवः ॥
"Vali, this forest and mountain range, with all its animals, birds, and denizens, is a part of the territory ruled by Ikshwakus. The Ikshwakus maintain the rule of law to protect the welfare of everyone here. The ruler is King Bharata, righteous and transparent. We are his royal representatives dispensing his righteous administration in these parts, moving about and redressing wrong and establishing Dharma.
न हि मां केवलं रोषात् त्वं विगर्हितुमर्हसि ।
तदेतत् कारणं पश्य यदर्थं त्वं मया हतः ॥
भ्रातुर्वर्तसि भार्यायां त्यक्त्वा धर्मं सनातनम् ।
अस्य त्वं धरमाणस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः ।
रुमायां वर्तसे कामात् स्नुषायां पापकर्मकृत् ॥
प्रचरेत नरः कामात् तस्य दण्डो वधः स्मृतः ।
भरतस्तु महीपालो वयं त्वादेशवर्तिनः ।
त्वं च धर्मादतिक्रान्तः कथं शक्यमुपेक्षितुम् ॥
"Vali, do not accuse me in your anger. Please understand the reason for my killing you. You have transgressed the righteous injunction from time immemorial that you shall treat your younger brother as your son and treat his wife as your daughter-in-law. By your arrogance and disregard for Dharma, and by courting advice from other immoral people, you have desecrated the rule by lustfully violating Ruma, the wife of this righteous man Sugriva, when he is still alive, and committed the ultimate sin. The prescribed punishment for this immoral act is death.
"Bharata is the king of these parts and dedicated to preserving the rule of righteous conduct. We are acting under his orders and maintaining the rule of law in these parts. How could I then ignore your most sinful transgression?"
Sri Rama goes on to explain that once it is necessary that capital punishment is to be administered, its method and time will be at the discretion of the ruler. Killing Vali as Sri Rama did is perfectly within this principle.
Yes, Sri Rama did forge an alliance with Sugriva on account of his search for his lost wife Sita and for restoring Sugriva's status. He had given the promise that he will kill Vali to right the wrong done to Sugriva. Sri Rama had no other agenda in this matter.
Sri Rama concludes that whatever he has done has the full sanction of rishis and sages and is according to the law of Manu.
He also assures that the sin that had been incurred by Vali by his heinous act had been absolved by the administration of the punishment. It was the time-honoured wisdom that just as it was the ruler's responsibility to do what is right, the one punished properly is absolved of his sin and cleansed.
Sri Rama also quotes the example of King Mandhata of Ikshwakus who did not hesitate in giving the most severe punishment to an ascetic whose misconduct warranted a similar course of action on his part. Therefore Sri Rama was only upholding the rule of Dharma practised by his ancestors assiduously.
***
Vali now expressed his contrition at his misconduct and accepted Sri Rama's punishment as just. He said:
मामप्यवगतं धर्माद् व्यतिक्रान्तपुरस्कृतम् ।
धर्मसंहितया वाचा धर्मज्ञ परिपालय ॥
"Sri Rama, now I have also understood what my misconduct was and why this punishment was given. You have acted in accordance with the Dharma scriptures. You are indeed wise and continue your good work."
Now Vali chokes as he speaks the next words.
न चात्मानमहं शोचे न तारां नापि बान्धवान् ।
यथा पुत्रं गुणज्येष्ठमङ्गदं कनकाङ्गदम् ॥
तारेयो राम भवता रक्ष्णीयो महाबलः ॥
"Rama, I am not distressed on my own account, nor on account of Tara, nor my relatives. But indeed, I am deeply distressed about the future of my only son, dear Angada, who is full of promise and virtue and a mere youth of golden complexion. He is tender, and not fully mature and capable to deal with life's challenges. I beseech you to protect him and ensure his welfare, as he has a bright future as a great hero."
Vali also requests that Sri Rama should ensure that Sugriva is fair and kind to Angada and does not dishonour him. Vali requests Sri Rama to show the same affection to Angada as to Sugriva, and to ensure that Tara would not be made to suffer by Sugriva. Indeed he adds that Sri Rama should show the same level of affection as he has for Bharata and Lakshmana towards Sugriva and Angada. Vali is confident that anyone who comes under Sri Rama's protection and counsel could conquer the world and be extremely happy.
***
Saying this, Vali fell silent as life faded rapidly from his body.
Sri Rama assured Vali that Angada would be loved and cared for by Sugriva as much as Vali had done and Vali should leave the matter in Sri Rama's hands. Vali had been cleansed and needed to grieve no more.
***
Tara heard that Vali had been slain by Sri Rama. She rushed out of the cave along with Angada and ran towards where Vali lay in the mud, battered and bleeding and struck by Sri Rama's arrow.
She saw how monkeys were fleeing away in all directions, panicking at the sight of Sri Rama's mighty bow. She stopped them, and asked how they could forsake their king like this, and what fear made them run away? After all the score had been settled between the two brothers by Sri Rama's arrow. But the vanaras cautioned Tara, "go away and protect your son, prince Angada, as Rama could any time discharge another arrow and kill him too. Let the golden gates of Kishkindha be closed and under protection, Angada be anointed as king at once." They reminded Tara that many monkeys had been wronged and alienated by Vali and separated from their wives. They would all come back now and seize Kishkindha.
Tara full of pathos said,
पुत्रण मम किं कार्यं राज्येन च किमात्मना ।
कपिसिंहे महाभागे तस्मिन्भर्तरि नश्यति ॥
पादमूलं गमिष्यामि तस्यैवाहं महात्मनः ।
योऽसौ रामप्रयुक्तेन शरेण विनिपातितः ॥
"Oh, vanaras, of what interest is my son, or this kingdom, to me now, after my dear husband, the mighty vanara and great Vali, lies destroyed on the ground? I shall seek his feet and go with him, that alone is my interest after he has been laid low by Rama's arrow."
***
Tara saw the great Vali, son of Indra, who had performed the most impressive deeds of valour by hurling mountains and could frighten away enemies with a mere roar, now struck and lying in the mud. She passed Sri Rama, Lakshmana, and Surgiva standing by and went to Vali. She fell down to the ground in utter agony. Surgiva looked on with much distress as she mourned grievously along with poor Angada.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
