SECTION XXIV.
Beholding Tārā emerged in a deep and mighty ocean of grief, Vāli's younger brother was overwhelmed with penitence, in consequence of the unbecoming destruction of his brother. And seeing her countenance full of tears, the high-souled (Sugriva), racked with grief and repentance, approached slowly Rāma along with his followers. And nearing him, with a bow in his hand, having arrows like unto serpents, famed and having auspicious marks on his person, he spake unto Rāghava, seated there, saying—"O lord of men, thou hast fulfilled thy promise by carrying it out into practice; and as for wretched me, O son of a king, I shall refrain today from all enjoyments. This queen lamenting piteously, these subjects and retinue bewailing, being overwhelmed with grief, this king being slain, how can kingdom please me? O Rāma out of anger, and passion, and on account of my being insulted by him, I did formerly desire to bring about my brother's destruction. But that lord of monkey-herds being slain, best of Ikshwākus, I am truly pierced to the quick with anguish. I do prefer living for good in the mount Rishyamuka, earning my livelihood somehow or other, to the accession of heaven by destroying (Vāli). This highly intellectual and high-souled one spake unto me "Do thou range at large, I do not wish to destroy thee." Such words were really becoming of him, O Rāma. And these words and this action become me (vile as I am). How can a brother, O Rāma, however avaricious he night be, relish the destruction of his qualified brother, comparing the happiness of a kingdom, with the grief (consequent upon his brother's demise)? He did not desire to slay me, lest his greatness might be spoiled; but alas! through my wicked sense, I performed an iniquity by taking the life of my brother. Being struck by him with branches of trees, while I fled away and wept, he, consoling me, said only "Do not do this again. " He all along maintained his fraternal feelings, his honesty and piety; but (woe to me) I have displayed my wrath, passion and monkey-hood. O friend, like unto the lord of celestials perpetrating sin by destroying Biswarupa, I have been, by bringing about the destruction of my brother, visited with this sin, beyond comprehension, avoidable, undesirable and invisible. Indra's sin was shared by earth; water, trees and women; but who is there who will bear and desire to participate this monkey's sin? Perpetrating such an improper and irreligious act, tending to the decay of my family, I do not deserve the respect of my subjects and the heir-apparentship; what of kingdom, O Rāghava. I am the perpetrator of a vile and disgraceful sin, blamed of all in this world. And like unto a current of rain going downwards, this mighty grief hath overcome me. This mighty and infuriated elephant of a sin, having the destruction of a brother as its body, repentence, as its trunk, head, eyes and tusks, hath been crushing me like unto the banks of a river. Alas! O best of kings, this unbearable sin hath been driving away all pious feelings from my heart like unto alloy leaking out of discolored gold when molten in fire, O Rāghava. Methinks, for me, O Rāghava, these mighty monkeys and Angada are almost half-dead (with grief). A good-natured and obedient son is rare. Where is to be found Angada's equal? O hero, there is no such land where I may meet again my brother. The heroic Angada shall not live to-day—and if he lives, his mother shall live to bring him up. Forsooth, without her son, she shall not live long. Therefore shall I enter this flaming fire with a view to place myself on the same level with my brother and his son and all these mighty monkeys shall engage in quest of Sitā, abiding by thy commandments. O son of a king, they shall all carry out thy orders even in my absence, do thou,therefore, order me (to enter fire) who am the destroyer of my own race, have performed an inquity and do not deserve living any more." Hearing the words of Vāli's younger brother, who was bewailing thus, Rāma, the heroic descendant of Rāghu and the slayer of foes, remained stupified for some time with tears in his eyes. In the mean-time, Rāma, patient like unto the protector of the world, worked with curiosity, looked again and again towards the bewailing Tārā sunk in the gulf of disaster. Thereupon the principal counsellors raised up the brave spouse of the lord of monkeys, having graceful eyes and lying ou the earth, embracing her husband. And snatched away from her husband and trembling, she beheld Rāma, with bow and arrows in his hand, burning like unto the Sun by virtue of his own effulgence. And beholding him gifted with all royal marks, having beautiful eyes and never seen before, that one, having the eyes of a fawn, thought within herself. "This great one must be Kākuthstha." And the worshipful Tārā, worked with grief, and overwhelmed with disasters, bewailing, neared quickly that high-souled one, resembling the lord of celestials and hard to approach. And having reached the pure-souled Rāma, who had his ends fully attained in battle, the high-minded Tārā, having her frame worked with grief, spake unto him, saying:—"Thou art immeasurable, hard to approach, highly pious, prudent, of controlled senses and increasing fame, forgiving like unto earth and of blood-red eyes. Thou hast bow and arrows in hand, art highly powerful and of a tough body. And renouncing human grace that hast assumed the grace of a celestial person. Do thou slay me with that self-same shaft with which my dear one was slain. And thus slain, O hero, I shall be near him, for Vālii doth not relish the company of any other woman but me. O thou having eyes resembling clean lotus-petals, this (hero) departing to the abode of celestials and not beholding me there, shall not delight in the company of Apsarās, wearing diversified garments and copper-colored corronets. Even in the land of celestials, O hero, Vāli shall turn pale with grief in my separation, like unto thee in the picuresque dale of the Lord of mountains, separated from the daughter of the king of Videha. Thou knowest well that a handsome man is greatly afflicted with the separation of his spouse; and knowing this, do thou slay me, and Vāli shall not be tormented with grief consequent upon my absence. High-souled as thou art, thou art thinking that thou shalt, slaying me, be visited with a sin arising from the destruction of a female. But do thou kill me, O son of a king, knowing me as the soul of Vāli, and thou shalt not be responsible for destroying a woman. According to the Vedas and various other sacred texts, wives are inseparably blended with their husbands. And the wise say that there is no other gift better than that of a wife in this world. Thou shalt, O hero, confer me religiously upon my dear one and by this gift thou shalt be saved from the sin consequent upon killing me. It doth not behove thee not to kill me, who am exercised with grief, without my lord, snatched away from him and reduced to such a (pitiable) plight. O lord of men, I cannot live long without that highly intelligent lord of monkeys, having an elephantine gait and wearing an excellent golden garland." Thus accosted, the high-souled lord consoling Tārā, spake unto her the following well-meaning words.—"Do thou not lose thyself, O wife of a hero. This whole world of creation is being guided by God's dispensation. And by Him is administered misery or happiness as people say. These three worlds cannot neglect His dispensations and are entirely subject to Him. Thy son shall attain to the heir apparentship of the throne and thou shalt enjoy excellent joy therefrom. This hath been decreed by the Almighty. Wives of heroes do never relent." Being thus consoled by the high-souled (Rāma) gifted with prowess, and the slayer of foes, Tārā, the wife of a heroic husband, and wearing a graceful garment, ceased bewailing.