Rāmāyana |Kiṣkindha Kaṇḍa| Chapter 22

22. Vali's Death

[Vali wakes up briefly, gives his golden necklace to Sugrīva, requests him to take care of Angada and then Asks Angada to behave like an adult and help Sugrīva. Then he breaths his last.]

Vali was slowly sighing at that time and was feeble and was taking tortured breaths and he saw in front of him Sugrīva as well as his son. 22.1

The Lord of monkeys Vali called Sugrīva who has obtained victory and clearly told him in a loving manner. 22.2

"Oh Sugrīva, please ignore the harm done to you by me due to mistake and due to fate pulling me with force." 22.3

"Oh Lad, it appears that we are not fated to have happiness simultaneously, though we have mutual bondage of love as brothers." 22.4

"Now itself please receive this kingdom of the forest people as as I am now going to the land of Vivasvān [God of death]." 22.5

"I am soon leaving this life, vast kingdom, wealth and the greatly coveted reputation." 22.6

"Oh warrior, In this circumstance, please do what I tell you to do, and Oh king though it is unpleasant as it needs to be done." 22.7

"Please see this child Angada who is not childish, who merits a pleasant life, who was raised in pleasurable way, who is lying on the ground with eyes filled with tears." 22.8

"He is a son dearer to me than my soul and is separated from me and so please take care of him like your own son without depriving him of anything." 22.9

"Oh Lord of the monkeys, from now on you are provider and defender and also protector from fear for all time to come." 22.10

"This gentle son of Tara who is equal to you in valour will remain in the forefront in killing of the Rākṣasas." 22.11

"This lad Angada who is the son of Tara, who is mighty, strong and valorous in war would do acts matching these qualities." 22.12

"Tara who is the daughter of Suṣeṇa would be of great help in deciding about subtle matters, in foreseeing dangers as well as in crisis management." 22.13

"Please do without hesitation any act that she considers as proper as always her opinion never goes wrong." 22.14

"Please carry out the work Rāghava without any hesitation and if you do not do it, you would be going against Dharma and if it is neglected he would torture you." 22.15

"Oh Sugrīva, wear this golden necklace of mine which is great and home of Goddess Lakshmi, as it will, loose its properties after I am dead." 22.16

Sugrīva who heard these words of Vali spoken with brotherly affection, gave up pleasure and became miserable and looked like moon affected by Rāhu. 22.17

By the words of Vali, he became peaceful, left his laziness and took the golden necklace with his brother's permission and put it on." 22.18

After giving the golden necklace, he saw his son who was standing and with feeling that he is nearing his death, he spoke to him. 22.19

"Understanding the time and place and tolerating likes and dislikes in times of pleasure and sorrow submit yourself to the will of Sugrīva." 22.20

"Oh long armed Angada, I brought you up with lot of fondling and you should not move the same way with Sugrīva but respect him." 22.21

"Oh destroyer of enemies, do not go with friends who are enemies of Sugrīva. Be self-restrained and serve his interests and be under the control of Sugrīva." 22.22

"Do not get over attached with any act and do not dislike any act as both of them are serious lapses and so become intermediate in attachment to actions." 22.23

He who was suffering due to the arrow told this much and then he rolled his eyes and his mouth opened showing his teeth and he lost his life. 22.24

Then all those monkeys and lords of monkeys cried at the death of the very great lord of monkeys. 22.25

Because the Lord of the monkeys had gone to heaven, Kiṣkindha looked desolate, the gardens, mountains and forests looked empty and all monkeys dull due to the death of the tiger among monkeys. 22.26

Due to his speed of movement, forests and gardens used to be joined together with heavy flow of flowers. Who can now do it? 22.27

Vali had engaged in a great battle once with a great Gandharva called Golabha who was greatly valorous and this battle went on for fifteen years, without the battle stopping at night or day. 22.28- 22.29

"And on the sixteenth year Golabha was killed and by killing that evil minded one using his zigzag teeth, Vali gave protection to all of us and how was he killed?" 22.30

When the greatly valorous monkey chief was killed, all the monkeys lost their peace of mind like the cows, whose leader was killed in a great forest full of lions. 22.31

Then that Tara who was sunk in the ocean of sorrow, looking at the face of her dead husband clung to Vali like a climber clings to a huge tree in the forest." 22.32

This is the end of Twenty Second Sarga of Kiṣkindha Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.