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Vali has gone to Rama’s own abode, and Tara laments. Rama gives her knowledge, and she asks him for a boon. Then the kingdom is given to Sugriva. Rama will enter no town for fourteen years, and the rains have come.
In the fourth sopan of the Ramcharitmanas, Rama is in the forest searching for Sita. Lakshmana calls the townsfolk and the brahmins, and Angada is made crown prince. Sugriva is taught the policy of kings and returns home. Rama settles on a hill with Lakshmana, and the clouds come.
Grief in the town, and a stay on the hill
The main figures in this episode
- Tara Vali’s wife. She laments in many ways, her hair loose and her body uncared for. Rama gives her knowledge, and then she clings to his feet. She receives the boon of supreme bhakti, having asked for it.
- Rama who sends Vali to Rama’s own abode, gives Tara knowledge, and gives Sugriva the order. He tells Lakshmana to give Sugriva the kingdom, and teaches Sugriva the policy of kings. He will not enter a town for fourteen years, he tells Sugriva. He settles on Mount Pravarshana with Lakshmana, and there he tells him the rains and autumn, with a likeness for sight after sight.
- Lakshmana whom Rama tells to give Sugriva the kingdom. He calls the townsfolk and the assembly of brahmins at once, and gives the kingdom to Sugriva and the crown prince’s place to Angada. He stays with Rama on the hill and hears the rains and autumn from him.
- Sugriva who was distraught day and night from fear of Vali, with many wounds on his body. Rama gives him the order, and all the rites for the dead are done by rule. He is given the kingdom and taught the policy of kings. Rama tells him to rule with Angada and keep Rama’s work always in his heart, and he returns home.
- Angada Vali’s son. Lakshmana gives him the crown prince’s place, and Rama tells Sugriva to rule with him.
- Shiva and Parvati Shiva tells Parvati that Rama, the master, makes all dance like a wooden puppet. He tells her that no guru, father, mother, kinsman, or master in the world does good like Rama.
- Mount Pravarshana the hill where Rama settles when Sugriva returns home. The gods have made a cave on it beautiful beforehand. There is a slab of crystal, and the two brothers sit at ease. The rains pass, and autumn comes.
The woman before whom her husband lies
Rama sent Vali to Rama’s own abode. All the townsfolk ran, distraught. Tara lamented in many ways. Her hair was loose, and she had no care for her body.
Seeing Tara in distress, Rama gave her knowledge and took away her maya, ignorance in the commentary’s reading. “Earth, water, fire, sky, air: of the five is made a most base body. Plainly that body sleeps before you. The living being is eternal. For whom do you weep?”
Knowledge rose in her, and then she clung to his feet. She received the boon of supreme bhakti, having asked for it.
Shiva, telling the story to Parvati, said, “Rama, the master, makes all dance like a wooden puppet.”
Then Rama gave Sugriva the order, and all the rites for the dead were done by rule.
The kingdom, and the man it goes to
Rama said to his younger brother, explaining, “Give Sugriva the kingdom, going there.” Bowing their heads at Rama’s feet, all went, prompted by Rama.
Lakshmana at once called the townsfolk and the assembly of brahmins. He gave Sugriva the kingdom, and Angada the crown prince’s place.
“In the world there is no guru, father, mother, kinsman, or master who does good like Rama,” Parvati is told. “Gods, men, and sages, all have this way. All love for their own ends. Sugriva was distraught day and night from fear of Vali. His body had many wounds, and his breast burned with care. That Sugriva he made king of the monkeys. Most merciful is Rama’s nature. Those who, even knowing, forsake such a master, why should those men not fall into the net of trouble?”
Then Rama called Sugriva and taught him the policy of kings in many ways.
The count of fourteen years, and a hill
Rama said, “Listen, Sugriva. I will not enter a town for fourteen years. The summer is gone and the rains have come. I will stay near, settling on the hill. Rule with Angada, and keep my work always in your heart.”
The commentary reads the town as a village or settlement.
When Sugriva had returned home, Rama settled on Mount Pravarshana. The gods had made a cave on the hill beautiful beforehand. Rama, coming there, would stay some days.
The beautiful forest was in flower, very fair. Swarms of bees hummed in their greed for honey. Lovely bulbs, roots, fruit, and leaves grew plentiful since Rama came. Seeing the charming, matchless hill, Rama stayed there with his brother. Taking the bodies of bees, birds, and beasts, gods, siddhas, and sages served him.
The forest became auspicious since Rama made his dwelling there. There was a slab of crystal, very white and lovely, and there the two brothers sat at ease.
And then the clouds come
Rama told his brother many tales, of bhakti, dispassion, the policy of kings, and discernment. In the rainy season clouds covered the sky, thundering, and seemed most lovely.
Rama said, “Lakshmana, look. The flocks of peacocks dance, beholding the clouds, as a householder given to dispassion is glad, seeing a devotee of Vishnu. The clouds swell and thunder terribly in the sky. Without my beloved my mind is afraid. The lightning’s flash does not stay in the clouds, as the love of the wicked is not steady.”
The rains on the hills, the streams, and the ponds
Rama went on. “The clouds rain, coming near the earth, as the wise bow when they gain learning. How the hills bear the blows of the drops, as saints bear the words of the wicked. Filling, the small streams run, breaking loose, as the wicked swell with even a little wealth. Water falling on the ground turns muddy, as if maya had wrapped the living being. Gathering and gathering, water fills the ponds, as virtues come to a good man. Going into the sea, river water grows still, as the living being does on gaining the Lord. The earth is green and crowded with grass, and the paths cannot be made out, as good books are hidden by the disputes of heresy.”
The commentary reads the hidden books as lost.
The frogs, the fields, and the wind
Rama went on. “The sound of the frogs in all four quarters is lovely, as if throngs of students were reciting the Veda. Many trees are in new leaf, as a seeker’s mind when it finds discernment. The arka and the javasa are without leaves, as under good rule the schemes of the wicked are gone. Searched for, dust is not to be found anywhere, as anger drives dharma far away. How the earth rich with grain is fair, as the wealth of a benefactor. The fireflies shine in the night’s thick dark, as if an assembly of hypocrites had met.”
“In the heavy rain the field beds burst and run, as women go astray when they are free. The quick-witted farmers weed their fields, as the wise give up delusion, pride, and vanity. The chakravaka birds are not to be seen, as dharma flees on finding the Kali age. Rain falls on salt land and no grass grows, as no desire rises in the Lord’s devotee’s heart. Crowded with creatures of many kinds, the earth is bright, as subjects grow on gaining good rule. Here and there many travelers have halted, tired, as the senses when knowledge rises.”
“At times a strong wind blows, and the clouds vanish here and there, as a family’s good dharma perishes when a bad son is born. At times there is thick dark by day, and at times the sun shows, as knowledge perishes in bad company and rises in good.”
Autumn comes, and the water is clear
Rama went on. “The rains are gone and autumn has come. Lakshmana, look. It is most lovely. The kasa in flower covers all the earth, as if the rains had shown their old age.”
The commentary reads the kasa as the white hair of that old age.
“Agastya, risen, has dried the water on the paths, as contentment dries greed. The clear water of the rivers and ponds is fair, as a saint’s heart rid of pride and delusion. Drop by drop the water of the rivers and ponds dries, as those with knowledge give up the sense of mine. Knowing autumn, the wagtails have come, as merits grow lovely when they find their season. There is no mud and no dust, and the earth is as fair as the deeds of a king skilled in policy. In the shrinking water the fish are distressed, as a foolish family man without wealth. The clear sky without clouds is fair, as the Lord’s devotee, having forsaken every hope. Here and there a little autumn rain falls, as some one gains my bhakti.”
The commentary reads the risen Agastya as Agastya’s star.
“Kings, ascetics, merchants, and beggars set out, glad, leaving the towns, as those of the four orders give up their labors on gaining the Lord’s bhakti.”
The commentary gives the four who set out their purposes: conquest, tapas, trade, and alms.
The lotus, the moon, and a true guru
Rama went on. “The fish in deep water are at ease, as in the Lord’s refuge there is not one hindrance. How the pond is fair with the lotus in flower, as Brahman without qualities is on becoming Brahman with qualities. The bees hum, matchless in their sound, and the birds’ notes are many and beautiful. Beholding the night, the chakravaka’s mind is pained, as the wicked’s is, seeing another’s wealth. The chataka calls in great thirst, as Shiva’s enemy finds no joy. At night the moon takes away autumn’s heat, as sin departs at the sight of saints. Seeing the moon, the throngs of chakoras gaze, as the Lord’s devotees do on gaining the Lord. The gnats and gadflies are gone for fear of the cold, as a family perishes for enmity to brahmins. The creatures that crowded the earth are gone with autumn, as throngs of doubt and confusion go when a true guru is found.”
Tara’s boon, the kingdom, and the seasons
Rama gave Tara knowledge, and at her asking she received supreme bhakti. After his order to Sugriva came the rites for the dead. Told to give Sugriva the kingdom, Lakshmana called the townsfolk and the brahmins. The kingdom he gave to Sugriva, and to Angada his place as crown prince. Rama taught Sugriva the policy of kings. He would enter no town for fourteen years, he told him. He settled on Mount Pravarshana, where the gods had made the cave beautiful beforehand. The two brothers sat at ease there, and Rama told his brother tales of bhakti and dispassion, of the policy of kings and of discernment.
The clouds came. Rama told Lakshmana to look at the peacocks, and set a likeness beside them. He said that without his beloved his mind was afraid. Then came likenesses for the lightning, the streams, the muddy water, the frogs, the fireflies, the farmers, and the travelers. Autumn came, and the water and the sky were clear. Likenesses came for the kasa, the wagtails, the fish, the chataka, the moon, and the chakoras. The last sight was the creatures that crowded the earth, gone with autumn as doubt and confusion go once a true guru is found.
The next episode opens as Rama says to Lakshmana that the rains are gone and the clear season has come, and that no news of Sita has been found.
The same story, elsewhere: Valmiki’s Ramayana, chapter 16: The Slaying of Vali, and chapter 17: The Rains, Sugriva’s Delay, and the Quarters of the Search.
Source: the Gita Press edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Kishkindhakand, doha 11 to 17, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.