Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 22

Meaning

Casting his eyes all-round and slowly breathing, Vālī for his part, whose vitality was now very low, beheld in the first instance his younger brother, Sugrīva, alone standing in front of him. (1)

Meaning

Accosting Sugrīva, who had scored a victory over him and was now the ruler of monkeys, Vālī lovingly spoke to him in distinct accents as follows : (2)

Meaning

“Sugrīva, you ought not to hold me guilty of wrong doing in the form of having exiled you and wrested your wife from you, but should conclude me to have been forcibly carried away by perversity occasioned by that which was bound to come. (3)

Meaning

“I believe, O dear brother, happiness was not ordained for us at one and the same time. That is why the well-known amity which ought to exist between two brothers came to be otherwise (was transformed into enmity). (4)

Meaning

“Accept you this very day the rulership of these monkeys (lit., denizens of the forest) and know me as well to be ready to depart this very day to the abode of Yama (son of the sun-god and the god of retribution). (5)

Meaning

“Indeed I am hereby quitting without doubt forever soon my life as well as my sovereignty and, even so, my extensive fortune as well as my untarnished fame. (6)

Meaning

“You ought certainly to accomplish, O heroic king whatever request I make to you in this dying state, even though it may be hard to accomplish. (7)

Meaning

“See fallen on the ground this Aṅgada, who is not only deserving of all comfort but has actually been brought up in comfort, nay, whose, countenance is bathed in tears and who, though a mere boy, is not at all childish. (8)

Meaning

“Protect in every way on all sides like a son sprung from your own loins, my son, Aṅgada, who is dearer than life to me, and is now going to be bereft of me, so that nothing may remain lacking to him. (9)

Meaning

“Be you his father, donor and protector too in everyway as also his refuge in dangers as I have been, O ruler of monkeys ! (10)

Meaning

“This glorious son of Tārā is equal to you in prowess and will remain ahead of you in the destruction of those ogres. (11)

Meaning

“Exhibiting his prowess on the field of battle, this mighty and glorious son of Tārā, the youthful Aṅgada, will perform deeds worthy of me. (12)

Meaning

“Nay, this Tārā (daughter of Suṣeṇa) is extremely clever in discerning the most profound matters as well as in deciphering the meaning of portents of various kinds as also in all other ways. (13)

Meaning

“That which she recommends as right should be unhesitatingly done by you. No opinion of Tārā turns out to be wrong. (14)

Meaning

“Nay, the purpose of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) should be unquestioningly accomplished by you; for sin will accrue to you in the event of your failing to do so (bound as you are by your plighted word to help him in recovering his lost spouse) and he may kill you if he is disregarded. (15)

Meaning

“Also wear this ethereal chain of gold, O Sugrīva; for the exalted goddess of victory abides in it and may leave it for good if it remains on my dead body, when I am dead.” (16)

Meaning

Giving up joy when instructed thus by Vālī out of brotherly affection, Sugrīva felt wretched again like the moon when seized by the demon Rāhu at the time of a lunar eclipse. (17)

Meaning

Pacified by the aforesaid conciliatory words of Vālī and carefully doing what was appropriate to the occasion, he also accepted, when permitted by him, that chain of gold. (18)

Meaning

Parting with that chain of gold and gazing on his son, Aṅgada, standing before him, Vālī, who was now firmly resolved to die, fondly spoke to Aṅgada as follows : (19)

Meaning

“Have due regard now to time and place while doing an action, viewing alike the agreeable and the disagreeable and ignoring joy and sorrow when the time comes for it, be amenable to the control of Sugrīva. (20)

Meaning

“Sugrīva may not hold you in high esteem if you behave in the same way as you actually did when constantly cherished by me, O mighty-armed prince! (21)

Meaning

“You should not enter into an alliance with those who are not his friends, much less with his enemies, O tamer of your foes! Remain devoted to the interests of your master, self-disciplined and subordinate to the will of Sugrīva. (22)

Meaning

“Neither excessive fondness nor lack of affection should be shown by you towards anyone; for both constitute a major fault; therefore keep your eye on the golden mean.” (23)

Meaning

Having spoken as aforesaid, Vālī, who felt extremely agonized due to pain caused by the arrow, as could be seen by his upturned eyes and terrible teeth exposed, gave up his ghost. (24)

Meaning

Thereupon all the celebrated monkeys whose leader had been killed and who were present there, nay, who were the foremost of their race, fell acrying and wailed as follows : (25)

Meaning

“The ruler of monkeys having ascended to heaven, desolate indeed is Kiṣkindhā today and desolate its gardens, mountains and woodlands. (26)

Meaning

“Vālī, a tiger among monkeys, by whose great might woodlands and groves were clothed with bunches of flowers all the year round, having been killed, the monkeys have been divested of their splendour. Who will do this now? A fierce encounter was granted by him to the high-minded and mighty-armed Gandharva, Golabha by name, which lasted for ten years and five. The said conflict did not cease by night or by day. (27—29)

Meaning

“Ultimately Golabha was struck down in the sixteenth year. Even after slaying that insolent fellow, how has this Vālī—who was distinguished by the fearfulness of his teeth and who had rid us of fear from all quarters—been thrown down?” (30)

Meaning

That heroic Vālī, the suzerain lord of monkeys, having been killed, the monkeys for their part on that occasion enjoyed no more happiness than wild cows, living in a large forest infested with a lion, on the bull leading their herd having been killed. (31)

Meaning

Gazing on the face of her deceased husband and embracing Vālī like a creeper clinging to a huge uprooted tree, the celebrated Tārā for her part, who was submerged in an ocean of calamity, sank to the ground. (32)