September 15 - Sargas 24 and 25 of Kishkindha Kanda.
It is now the turn of Sugriva to express deep remorse, distress, and even defeatism. It is a pointer to his personality. Even Tara pleads with Sri Rama to shoot the same arrow and despatch her to join her husband in heaven.
Sri Rama uses a few succinct words to bring them back to reality and advises them to take care of their earthly responsibilities. Lakshmana directs Sugriva and Angada in conducting Vali's last rites properly.
***
Sri Rama is standing by, radiant in his divine glory, watching silently the mourning going on. Sugriva approaches him and says,
यथा प्रतिज्ञातमिदं नरेन्द्र
कृतं त्वया दृष्टफलं च कर्म ।
ममाद्य भोगेषु नरेन्द्रसूनो
मनो निवृत्तं हतजीवितेन ॥
अस्यां महिष्यां तु भृशं रुदत्यां
पुरेऽतिविक्रोशति दुःखतप्ते ।
हते नृपे संशयतेऽङ्गदे च
न राम राज्ये रमते मनो मे ॥
"Oh King Rama, you have fulfilled your promise and killed Vali. I now see its consequence. I have lost interest in life and also in kingship and its pleasures.
"Seeing Vali's queen lamenting so profoundly, and seeing how the whole city is plunged in grief over the death of their king, and knowing that Angada may die in distress and not survive this bereavement, Oh Rama, my mind is not attracted anymore to the kingdom."
Sugriva regrets that earlier, his exilement and the ill-spoken words of Vali had provoked his anger and made the idea of killing Vali agreeable. But now he feels very hurt and wishes he had somehow eked out a living in Rishyamuka without all these developments.
Sugriva recalls how Vali had told him, even at the height of their hostility, that he would not kill him. Even during their final combat, Vali had told a Sugriva, beaten up and smarting on the ground, that he should save himself and not come back again to fight. Sugriva is now full of remorse that he, on the other hand, had wished for and accomplished Vali's death. Fie on himself! Sugriva also quotes how Indra's sin of killing a brahmin had been absorbed by the earth, water, and women and Indra had been absolved. But Sugriva has no such recourse. He is going to suffer the sin of commissioning his brother's killing.
Sugriva says the elephant of sin is pressing him down has a tail of the treacherous murder of his brother, its eyes, head, and tusks being all sorrow. The tusker is ready to strike him down as he strikes the river bank.
Sugriva feels guilty of destroying the vanara clan and becoming most unworthy of a brother like Vali and a son like Angada. He wants to immolate himself. He says the other vanara chiefs will fulfill his commitment to Sri Rama of searching for Sita.
An impassive-looking Sri Rama is himself moved to tears hearing all this. He looks towards Tara. Vali's minister and others go and bring Tara, who has been lying down embracing Vali.
***
For the first time, as she approached Sri Rama, Tara saw him, He was standing with bow and arrow, resplendent like the sun, regal in every aspect, divine like Indra.
***
Tara desribes Sri Rama...
त्वमप्रमेयश्च दुरासदश्च जितेन्द्रियश्चोत्तमधार्मिकश्च ।
अक्षय्यकीर्तिश्च विचक्षणश्च क्षितिक्षमावान्क्षतजोपमाक्षः ॥
"Oh Rama, you are inestimable and unassailable in your glory, self-controlled, supremely righteous, of boundless fame, extremely wise, comparable to earth in forbearance, and with red-cornered eyes symbolic of a great warrior. With your divine form, bow, and arrows in hand, you can destroy any enemy.
"May I request you to kill me by the same arrow as you shot Vali with? I want to join him, as he is pining for me. Heaven and its damsels hold no charm for Vali. You yourself know the pangs of separation that a young man feels when he is separated from his beloved wife.
"Don't hesitate, thinking of the sin attached to the killing a woman. Know that I an inseparable part (ardhangini) of Vali."
Sri Rama responds.
मा वीरभार्ये विमतिं कुरुष्व लोको हि सर्वो विहितो विधात्रा ।
तं चैव सर्वं सुखदुःखयोगं लोकोऽब्रवीत्तेन कृतं विधात्रा ॥
"Oh noble queen of a glorious warrior, do not give way to this despondency. Everything that happens in this world is due to Destiny. Destiny determines one's lot of happiness and sorrow and thus is the understanding always.
"All the three worlds are governed by Destiny, nobody can transgress it. I can assure you will become happy again after your son is crowned as the prince regent. That is also Destiny. You know that the wives of brave warriors do not grieve the departed."
Tara pulls herself together on hearing these words.
***
Sri Rama tells Sugriva, Angada, and Tara to grieve no more as it does no good to the departed soul. They should engage in their pending duties. Vali's funeral should not be delayed.
Sri Rama also says that even God cannot avert the course of karma and its fruition, which is all dictated by the nature of beings that drive them in various ways. Time operates, not caring for relationships or friendships. (Resonates deeply with Bhagavadgita).
Vali has attained heaven as the fruit of his good deeds. He should not be mourned.
***
Now Lakshmana takes charge. He asks Sugriva's lieutenant to go and arrange for a royal palanquin to convey Vali's mortal remains. This is arranged well and immediately. Vali is placed on the palanquin by a sobbing Sugriva. Vali makes his last journey in great royal splendour with regalia.
Vali's funeral is conducted by Sugriva, Angada, and other vanaras with the utmost deference and in accordance with the customs. His funeral bier is made with sandalwood and all choice materials.
The oblation of water is made after the cremation.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
