Tara, his wife, interceded at this moment, pleading, "Please do not go out now. There must be some extraordinary reason why your brother is b manner." 183/272 th Vali shouted, "Oh, my wife, get out of my way now. Sugreeva is just crazy through desperation and loneliness. That's all. Nothing so serious as you fear. You'll see me come back in a moment, drunk with the blood of that brother of mine." "He would not ordinarily dare to come your way but I fear now he must be having some mighty support, which encourages him to challenge you now. So be careful." "Dear wife, if all the creatures in all the worlds oppose me, I can face them and wipe them out. That you know very well. You who have the elegance of a peacock and the voice of a nightingale, listen, have you forgotten that whoever confronts me gives me half his strength-how can anyone escape me? It's only some senseless creature who would offer support to my brother."
And now Tara quietly mentioned, "Some persons who are interested in our welfare have told me of a rumour that one Rama has moved into these parts, and he is Sugreeva's ally. Rama bears an invincible bow, and it has given new hope to Sugreeva." "Oh, foolish creature, you are betraying a woman's intelligence and a gossiping tongue. You are uttering a blasphemy for which I would have killed anyone else. But I spare you. You've committed a grievous error of judgement and speech. I know about Rama-more than you do. I have my own sources of knowledge about what goes on in the world outside. I have heard of Rama as being one possessing integrity and a sense of justice; one who could never take a wrong step. How could you ever imagine that such a person would ever take sides in a quarrel between brothers? Do you know that he renounced his right to the throne and undertook the penance of a forest life, all because he wished to see his father's ancient promises fulfilled? Instead of uttering his name reverently, how can you slander him? Even if all the worlds oppose him, he needs no strength other than his own "Kodanda," his great bow. Would he count on the support of a miserable monkey like. Sugreeva even if you assume that he expects to rescue his wife through Sugreeva's help? One who has gifted away his birthright to a younger brother, would he ever employ his prowess to take sides in a family quarrel among strangers? Stay here, my beloved, and don't move; within the twinkling of an eye, I will be back after disposing of the nuisance named Sugreeva." Afraid to contradict her husband any further, Tara stood aside to let him pass. Swollen with the zest for fight, his figure looked redoubled and struck terror into those who beheld him. As Vali stepped on the mountainside, uttering a variety of challenges the creatures that heard him stood arrested, stunned an. deafened. Beholding the stature of Vali, Rama whispered to his brother Lakshmana, "Is there any comparable spectacle of power in the whole universe, even if you include all the gods, demons, and the elements?" Lakshmana had his misgivings. "I am not certain whether Sugreeva is trying to involve you in anything more than an ordinary combat between mere monkeys. I do not know if we should participate in this struggle at all. How can you trust as an ally one who has not hesitated to intrigue fatally against a brother?" "Why limit it to monkeys? Strife between brothers is common among human beings too. Instances like Bharatha's are rare indeed. We should not become too analytical about a friend, nor look too deeply into original Vali replied, "You are judging us all wrongly, your basis is mistaken. You make too much of my acquiring my brother's wife. It's legitimate in our society. Although my brother was an enemy, I wanted to protect and help his wife when he was gone. I could not leave her to her fate." "It is my primary duty to help the weak and destroy evil wherever I see it. Whether known or unknown, I help those that seek my help." Vali replied, "Marriage and all its restraints on the relationship of men and women are of your human society and not known to us. Brahma has decreed for us absolute freedom in our sexual pursuits, habits, and life. In our society there is no such thing as wedlock. We are not a human society, we are monkeys and your laws and ethical codes are not applicable to us." "I am not misled either by your explanation or appearance of being a monkey." Rama said. "I am aware that you are begotten by the chief of gods. You possess enough intelligence to know right from wrong and to argue your case even at this stage. You are fully aware of the eternal verities. You have erred and know it and how can you now say you are innocent? Could Gajendra, who prayed for Vishnu's help when a crocodile held him in its jaws, be classed as an ordinary elephant? Could Jatayu be called a common bird? An ordinary animal has no discrimination between right and wrong. But you display in your speech deep knowledge of life's values. Creatures in human shape may be called animals if they display no knowledge of right and wrong and conversely so-called animals which display profoundity cease to be animals and will have to be judged by the highest standards. There can be no escape from it. It was through your steadfast meditation and prayer to Shiva that you were endowed with strength superior to even the five elements. One who is capable of such achievement cannot but be judged by the highest standards of con "Very well," said Vali, "Tll accept what yo. 192/272 could you, protector of all creatures, aim your shaft from your በር. hiding place, like some mean hunter tracking a wild beast, instead of facing me in a fight-if you felt that I deserved that honour?" Lakshmana gave the answer. "Rama had made a vow to support your brother Sugreeva when he came seeking refuge. This was a prior promise and had to be fulfilled, while if Rama had come before you face to face you might have made a similar appeal, which would have created confusion of purpose. That's the reason why he shot unseen by you." Vali saw the inner purport of this explanation and said, "Now I understand your words differently from the way they sound. They are simple to hear but have inner strength and I feel assured that Rama has not committed an unrighteous act. Simple-minded ones like me can never realize eternal truths without constantly blundering and failing. Pray, forgive my errors and my rude speech. Instead of treating me as a mere monkey by birth, as I myself was content to think, you have elevated my status, and honoured me. After piercing my body with your arrow, and when I am about to die-you are touching my understanding with a supreme illumination, which I consider the greatest blessing ever conferred on me. In spite of my obstinacy you have helped me attain a profound understanding and opened my mind with your magic. While other gods confer boons after being asked, you confer them on the mere utterance of your name. Great sages have attempted, after aeons of austerities, to obtain a vision of God, but you have bestowed it on me unasked. I feel proud and happy at this moment. I have only one request. I hope my brother will prove worthy of your trust in him. But at any time if any weakness seizes him and you find him in the wrong, please do not send your arrow in his direction. Treat him kindly. "Another thing. If your brothers, at any time, blame Sugreeva as one who had engineered the death of his brother, please explain to them that Sugreeva has only engineered my salvation. One more favour. I have not been blessed with a chance to pluck up that archfiend Ravana with the tip of my tail and place him before you. But here is Hanuman who will do it at your command, and also obey you in all matters. Let him serve you. Sugreeva and he will be your invaluable allies." Then he turned to Sugreeva. "Don't sorrow for my death. He who has struck me is none other than the great God himself, and I realize I am a privileged being at this moment. You will always have the glory of being at his side, and please serve him well." Then Vali formally handed Sugreeva over to Rama as his choice for succession and advised him as to how to rule. This is the saddest part of our great epic. The lamentations of Tara and Angada, Vali's wife and son, as they came down carrying the dead body of the mighty Vali, make one's heart grow heavy. But all stories must have a happy ending. Though Tara clung to the inert lifeless Vali's physical frame, his essential spirit soared to the highest heavens and found a place there, because the great God himself had released his soul. On the command of Rama, arrangements were begun for the coronation of Sugreeva, and Angada was made the yuvaraja or second in command.
