Hari Om.
Let us begin the twenty fifth sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Watching tArA bewail loudly having no restraint whatsoever, everyone around her including became poignant. sugrIva became too, even more, since he was the one who drew vAlI to this fight and got him killed, he was scorched by remorse at what he had done. He slowly went to rAma and told him that he was no longer enthusiastic about life and kingdom and he wanted to immolate himself. He remembered the nobility of the departed elder brother and his own instinctive, impulsive and selfish behavior in getting him killed. Even rAma was briefly disturbed by the remorse of sugrIva. Then tArA beheld the brilliant rAma and going near him, pleaded with him to kill her also with the same arrow. She said vAlI won’t feel at home even in the heaven without her and so she pleaded with rAma to unite her with him. rAma understood the grief of tArA and consoled her saying this grief doesn’t befit the wife of a warrior and that she has got restrain herself. Understanding the import of rAma’s message, tArA paused her wailing. Onwards…
The grief of tAra, angada, sugrIva and other vAnaras resonated with rAma and lakshmaNa as well. Consoling them, rAma said –
“No amount of grieving does any good to the dead, you better start thinking what is to be done next. You have shed enough tears, now think of the action ahead while it is the appropriate time. It is destiny that plays a causative role, it ensures the accomplishment of action, destiny appoints people appropriately in their acts.
न कर्ता कस्यचित्कश्चिन्नियोगे चापिनेश्वरः।
स्वभावे वर्तते लोकस्तस्य कालः परायणम्4.25.5।।
No one is can be thrusted by another with action, not even by god. It is indeed the nature of the world which is only dictated by time. Time doesn’t transgress anything not can it be transgressed. Submitted to one’s own nature, no one can transgress time. Time has no friendship with anyone, it has no reason, no valor, no kinship since it is ruled by itself. The discerning should indeed visualize the unfolding of the trifold goals, viz. dharma(righteousness), artha (means) and kAma (desire) in time. vAlI has earned the results of his action aided by his nature and his own dharma, artha and kAma. He is dead and gone from this world and by his own heroism and not caring for life, he has earned a position in the high heavens. By his destiny, he has reached the ultimate decided by his own nature. Therefore, enough of grief, you ought to think ahead and act immediately.”
As rAma exhorted thus, lakshmaNa , the tormentor of enemies picked up and said to sugrIva who lay almost senseless –
“Get up and along with angada and tArA make arrangements to perform the last rites of vAlI. Order them to gather variety of fire wood including the sandalwood for the cremation of vAlI. Get up, console angada, don’t be childish, this city now is under your control. Let angada go and arrange other paraphernalia needed for the last rites”.
lakshmaNa then turned to other vAnara warriors and assigned duties to hasten the cremation of vAlI –
“O tAra (not vAlI’s wife tArA, tAra is a vAnara warrior), go and fetch a palanquin that is appropriate to the occasion. Let mighty and capable vAnaras who can bear the palanquin be chosen and be ready to lift the mortal remains of vAlI”.
Instructing the vAnaras and sugrIva thus, lakshmaNa, the delight of sumitra and scorcheror of enemies returned and stood by the side of rAma. Responding to lakshmaNa’s instructions, tAra at once left for the caves and fetched a palanquin lifted by the vAnaras for the final journey of vAlI. The palanquin was splendid, had a nice couch and looked like a chariot. There were elaborate carvings of flowers, mountains, birds and other artwork on the palanquin. It was fitted with meshed windows and looked like the aerial chariot of the sidhhas. It was decorated with a variety of ornaments and flowers like lotuses. It was smeared with scented red sandawood paste. Beholding this palanquin, rAma asked lakshmaNa to hasten the final journey of vAlI.
Upon the instructions, with the help of angada, the departed vAlI was put into the palanquin. His body was covered with various clothes and gems were showered. sugrIva ordered the monkeys to march in front of the palanquin scattering gems on the way through which the palanquin of vAlI was to move and made it clear that the obsequies of vAlI were to be performed as grandly as that of any other departed king who ruled over that land. The procession proceeded with tAra and angada bearing the palanquin even as they wept. Other female vAnaras walked past the dead body of vAlI catching a last glimpse wailing all the time. tArA and other wives of vAlI followed the procession lamenting all the time. Their wails resounded in the forests and the hills.
The procession went to a place that was not populated and surrounded by waters and the palanquin was put down. The bearers wept bitterly. As the palanquin was grounded, tArA ran to the body of vAlI, took his head in her lap and began to lament again –
“O vAnara warrior, o great king, O my lord, O my beloved, O mighty one, O dear one deserving the best, you are not seeing how these people are grieving. Your countenance looks as wonderful with the colours of setting sun as it was when you were alive. In the form of rAma, O vAnara, the lord of death dragged you into himself and with one arrow rendered all of us into widows. O lord, look at these charming women who were your favorites have come all the way and fallen at your feet, why don’t wake up and cast your graceful glance at them and sugrIva and the ministers including tAra who are here. O lord, send away all these ministers from your presence so we can go around the forest and sport passionately”.
All the vAnara women lifted tArA who was sobbing and speaking to vAlI thus in a disillusioned manner. Then angada with the help of sugrIva lifted vAlI and placed him on the pyre. He lit the pyre and went around it in the anticlockwise direction as per the tradition. With his senses completely doused, angada set vAlI on the long road to the heavens. Having creamted vAlI thus appropriately, the vAnaras including tArA went to the waters to offer libations with angada in the front.
सुग्रीवेणेव दीनेन दीनो भूत्वा महाबलः।
समानशोकः काकुत्स्थ: प्रेतकार्याण्यकारयत्4.25.52।।
rAma was as grief stricken as sugrIva and directed the last rites of vAlI. After performing the last rites of vAlI, sugrIva slowly approached rAma and lakshmaNa and stood by their side.
Here we conclude the twenty fifth sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
Click on the above link for word by word meaning from IITK website
Click on the above link to listen to the audio by SrIrAma ghanApATi
Next: 4.26. sugrIva appointed and anointed
Previous: 4.24. sugrIva scorched by remorse
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
