September 14 - Sargas 22 and 23 of Kishkindha Kanda.
Vali departs after giving some valuable advice to Sugriva and Angada. Tara again laments her widowhood.
***
Taking his last few breaths, Vali opens his eyes with difficulty and sees Sugriva. He says:
युगपद्विहितं तात न मन्ये सुखमावयोः ।
सौहार्दं भ्रातृयुक्तं हि तदिदं तात नान्यथा ॥
प्रतिपद्य त्वमद्यैव राज्यमेषां वनौकसाम् ।
"Dear brother, Perhaps Destiny did not want us both to be happy at the same time nor enjoy the filial cordiality between brothers.
"Now that I am departing for the abode of Yama, please accept this kingdom, and rule over all the vanaras and bears that roam the forests."
Vali also casts his eye on his dear son, Angada, and requests Sugriva:
त्वमेवास्य हि दाता च परित्राता च सर्वशः ।
भयेष्वभयदश्चैव यथाऽहं प्लवगेश्वर ॥
"Dear Sugriva, now you are everything to my dearer-than-life son Angada. He is talented and will act with courage and competence in war, shoulder to shoulder with you. But you have to be his loving father, provider, protector, in all ways, as I have been, oh King of the vanaras!"
Vali calls Angada and tells him not to expect the highly indulgent and accommodative treatment he used to get from Vali, but act with total obedience to Sugriva and bring honour.
Vali also advises Sugriva to heed all advice from the very wise and discerning Tara, the daughter of Sushena. He says, "she has uncanny insght and सर्वतः परिनिष्ठिता - highly competent in every way. यद्येषा साध्विति ब्रूयात् If Tara recommends any course of action as the correct one, go with her advice without a second thought, because what she says always come out right."
Vali stresses that Sugriva should honour his commitment to Sri Rama and do what is needed.
Vali hands over his divine golden necklace in its full splendour to Sugriva.
Sugriva is terribly grief-stricken by all this and watches as Vali breathes his last.
The vanaras are unable to come to terms with Vali's death. They recall how he had fought a celestial (Gandharva) by name Golabha for fifteen years day and night and managed to win that battle. How come he is now lying dead? They all feel orphaned and that it is the end of the world.
Valmiki says Tara, looking at the face of her dead husband, looked as destroyed as a creeper that falls to earth miserably when the tree it clings too is cut down.
***
Tara continues to speak in the same vein as before when she came to the battlefield and saw Vali dying.
She now adds
शूराय न प्रदातव्या कन्या खलु विपश्चिता ।
शूरभार्यां हतां पश्य सद्यो मां विधवां कृताम् ॥
"Let wise men never marry their daughter to a brave warrior, lest her fate be like mine, since the warrior will likely lose his life prematurely in battle, and make her a widow like I have now become."
Tara feels very intensely distressed in her widowhood. She says her pride is crushed and she is in a bottomless ocean of grief. She says a widow gets only pity from people even if she has wealth and is well-supported by her sons.
***
Nila, the vanara lieutenant of Surgiva, comes and pulls out Sri Rama's shining arrow from Vali's chest. Blood spurts all around. Tara asks Angada to come and bow down to his father. The poor youth comes and clasps his father's feet. Tara speaks deliriously about how Vali ignored her good advice, went to battle with Sugriva, and has now left them all in ruin.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
