SECTION XXV.
Thereupon, Kākutstha, with Lakshmana, equally aggrieved, said, consoling Sugriva, and Tārā together with Angada.—"Grief and lamentations do not tend to the welfare of the deceased. It therefore behoveth ye to perform the after ceremonies. Ye have satisfied the worldly practice with a profuse discharge of tears. It is not proper to delay the performance of appointed actions. Time is the prime cause in this world, and the source of the accomplishment of actions. And Time it is that leads men to actions. No one is the lord of another person, and no one leads him to actions. People are subject to their actions of previous existence and Time aids them. Even the Eternal being cannot withstand the ways of Time. He never decayeth and no one else can withstand the course of Time. It hath no friend, no cause and no one can overcome it. It hath no kinsman, no relation; even it is not subject to itself. The wise can percieve the work of Time. Piety, wealth and desire are all subject to it. Vāli, the lord of monkeys, hath attained to his own true state, reaping the fruits of his actions, acquired by virtue of his royal accomplishments —namely, forgiveness and charity. The abode of the celestials, which was conquered by this high-souled one by his former piety, hath now been occupied by him after resigning his body. This is the best course of Time that hath been attained to by the lord of monkey-herds. No more with lamentations therefore; do thou perform the actions that are worthy of being performed on this occasion." After Rāma had spoken thus, Lakshmana, the slayer of foes, addressed Sugriva, senseless with grief, with the following sound words:—"Sugrivā, do thou perform the funeral ceremonies of Vāli along with Tārā and Angada. Do thou collect for cremation many a dry fuel and celestial sandal. Do thou console the unfortunate Angada, who is beside himself with grief. Do not conduct thyself like an ignorant person, for this city is now under thee. Let Angada bring clothes, garlands, scents, clarified butter, oil and other necessary articles. O Tārā, do thou go and bring soon a conveyance; for speediness is a special virtue on an occasion like this. Let the monkeys dress themselves who can convey this hearse. The powerful and the capable only shall carry Vāli". Having thus addressed Sugriva, Lakshmana, the enhancer of Sumitra's joy and the destroyer of foes, stood before his elder brother. And hearing the words of Lakshmana, the counsellor respectfully entered the cave with a view to bring the conveyance. And taking that conveyance carried by the monkeys and worthy of being carried by the heroes, he issued out again of the cave. It had a celestial throne and was like unto a war-chariot and had trees and birds painted on it. It was painted on all sides with the figures of foot soldiers, had latticed windows and was like unto the car of the Siddhas—spacious and artistically and stoutly built by artizans with beautiful carvings like unto a wooden hill. It was ornamented with excellent ornaments and beautiful garlands, sprinkled with red sandal and skirted with strong ribs. It was covered with flowers and lotus-garlands, crusted with precious clothes and had the colour of the rising Sun. Beholding such a conveyance, Rāma spake unto Lakshmana, saying—"Do thou soon conduct the funeral service of Vāli." Thereupon Sugriva, along with Angada, placing Vāli on the conveyance, began to bewail.
And placing the lifeless body of Vāli on it, he covered it with various ornaments, garlands, and clothes. Thereat Sugrira, the king of monkeys, ordered for the performance of Vāli's funeral rites. "Let the monkeys go before, scattering many a precious jewel and let the conveyance follow them. Let the monkeys perform the obsequies of our master with such grandeur as befits the riches of the kings on this earth." With a view to perform the funeral ceremonies of Vāli, the . counsellors and other monkeys, having lost their king and embraced Angada, proceeded weeping. And other subject monkeys followed them. And all other she-monkeys, headed by Tārā, having lost their lord, bewailed, exclaiming again and again—"O hero, O hero".—And they, thus bewailing piteously, followed their lord. And in response to the bewailings of she-monkeys, hills and forests, as if, bewailed on all sides. Monkeys, ranging in the forest, made funeral piles on the banks of the hill-streams and in solitary watery nooks. Thereupon laying down from their shoulders the conveyance, those foremost of monkeys stationed themselves in a corner, being stricken with grief. And Tārā, beholding her husband's body on the conveyance, placed his head on her lap and bewailed, overwhelmed with grief. "O lord of monkeys! O my lord! O my dear one! O thou used to luxuries! O thou having long arms! O my darling! behold me. Why dost thou not behold these monkeys, racked with sorrow? O conferrer of honors, thy countenance looks as if beaming with joy; although thou art dead, and thou appearest as if alive, having the hue of the setting Sun. O monkey, Death himself, under the semblance of Rāma, is attracting thee, who with one shaft in the battle, hath rendered us all widows. O best of kings, these she-monkeys cannot go by jumping. Dost thou not percive that they have travelled so far on foot? Those thy wives, having moon-like countenances, have always thy welfare in view. Why dost thou not, O best of monkeys, cast thy looks towards them and Sugriva? O king, these thy counsellors, thy wives headed by Tārā, and all these citizens are bewailing around thee. O slayer of foes, do thou despatch thy counsellors to the city and we shall all enjoy in this forest, excited with amour." The other she-monkeys, worked with sorrow, raised up Tārā bewailing thus being exercised with grief consequent upon the demise of her husband. Thereupon Angada along with Sugriva, overwhelmed with grief, weeping, placed his Sire's body on the funeral pile. And putting fire duly, he circumambulated his Sire, bound for a journey for good. Having duly cremated Vāli's body,the foremost of monkeys arrived at a river of auspicious water with a view to perform the watery ceremony. And all these monkeys along with Sugriva and Tārā, placing Angada before them, sprinkled water. And the highly powerful Kākuthsha, equally aggrieved like Sugriva, being as poorly, cronducted duly the obsequious ceremonies of Vāli. Thereupon cremating Vāli, gifted with unequalled prowess, slain with one shaft of the foremost of Ikswakus, and like unto flaming fire, Sugriva appeared before Rāma who was in the company of Lakshmana.