With gentle gravity, Rāma addressed the stricken Vāli, saying, “In every way, restraint and self-control must be seen as dharma. One who seeks to help a friend should always consider what is righteous. You, too, are capable of fulfilling your duty, following only the path of dharma. It is well known that Manu once sang two noble verses, cherished by those wise in righteousness, and I have walked in that conduct. “When kings enforce just punishment, even those who have sinned become purified and reach heaven, just as the virtuous do. Whether by punishment or by pardon, a thief is freed from sin; but if a king neglects to punish the wrongdoer, he himself bears the guilt. My noble ancestor, Māndhātr̥, once desired a terrible trial—when an ascetic committed a sin, it was addressed as you have acted now. Even when other rulers, through carelessness, commit wrong, they atone, and by that penance, the stain is removed. “Therefore, enough of sorrow. This killing is ordained by dharma, O foremost of monkeys, for we are not independent in these matters. Hear also another reason, O chief of monkeys; after hearing it, O hero, you should not be angry. I hold neither grief nor anger towards you. For men, using snares, nets, and many traps, capture animals—those that run, those that are frightened, those that are careless, and those that stand firm. Men who eat meat strike down both inattentive and attentive creatures, even those who have turned away; and there is no fault in this. “Royal sages, skilled in dharma, hunt here as well. Therefore, you were slain in battle by my arrow, O monkey, whether fighting or not, for you are a branch-animal. For rare dharma, for life, and for good fortune, kings, O best of monkeys, are indeed the givers—there is no doubt. One should not harm, abuse, insult, or speak unpleasantly to them; these are gods who wander the earth in human form. But you, not understanding dharma and relying only on anger, accuse me in matters of righteousness, which are established by fathers and grandfathers.” Hearing these words, Vāli was deeply distressed. He could find no fault in Rāghava, having now attained certainty in dharma. Then, the king of monkeys, with joined palms, replied, “What you have said, O best of men, is indeed so—there is no doubt. Only the superior can respond to the superior, not the lesser. If earlier, through carelessness, I spoke words unfitting or harsh, even then, O Rāghava, you should not blame me. For you see the true nature of things, are devoted to the welfare of all, and your clear, unwavering intellect is established in discerning right action and its cause. “If I, too, have acted in a way that departed from righteousness, knowingly or unknowingly, O knower of dharma, protect me with words joined to righteousness.” With his throat choked by tears, Vāli, uttering a cry of pain, slowly spoke to Rāma, gazing at him like an elephant trapped in mud. “I do not grieve for myself, nor for Tārā, nor for my kin, as much as I do for my son Aṅgada, who is foremost in virtue and adorned with golden ornaments. Deprived of seeing me, he, cherished from childhood, will waste away like a pond whose water has been drunk dry. He is a child, his understanding unformed, my only beloved son; O Rāma, the mighty son of Tārā must be protected by you. Direct your highest wisdom towards Sugrīva and Aṅgada, for you are both protector and guide, steadfast in discerning what should and should not be done. “The conduct you show towards Bharata and Lakṣmaṇa, O king, that same conduct you should consider for Sugrīva and Aṅgada. Just as you would ensure that Sugrīva does not disregard Tārā, who is devoted to austerity and bears the blame for my faults, so you should act. For one favored by you, it is possible to rule the kingdom, living according to your will and following your mind. It is possible to attain heaven and to rule the earth by acting under your guidance; yet, even as Tārā tried to restrain me, I sought my death at your hands. “I entered into single combat with my brother Sugrīva.” Having spoken thus to Rāma, the lord of the monkeys fell silent. Then Rāma, with words approved by the virtuous and filled with the meaning of dharma, comforted Vāli, whose understanding was clear. “You should not be troubled for this reason, O monkey; we are not to be grieved over by you, nor should you, best of monkeys, grieve for yourself. In this matter, we have acted with firm resolve according to dharma. He who imposes punishment on the guilty, and the one who is punished—both, having fulfilled the purpose of action and its cause, should not be sorrowful. Therefore, by receiving the due punishment, you are freed from sin, and have attained your own righteous nature by the path prescribed by justice. “Abandon grief, delusion, and the fear that dwells in your heart; for, O foremost of monkeys, the ordained order cannot be transgressed by you. As Angada is always devoted to you, O lord of the monkeys, so too should Sugrīva be devoted to me—of this there is no doubt.” Hearing these sweet, thoughtful, and righteous words of the great-souled Rāma, the monkey, skilled in battle, spoke well-chosen words. “When, distressed by arrows, I spoke to you unknowingly, O lord, you—whose might is like Indra’s and whose valor is terrifying—have been appeased; forgive me, O king.” Thus, the narrative continues into the next chapter of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Kiṣkindhā section. There, the great monkey king, lying wounded by arrows, though addressed with reasoned words, gave no reply.