As Vali was very arrogantly confident of his own prowess and was also impounded by fatality, was not in a mood to even consider the advice of his dear better half. Even the Tara's face that shined like the lord of the stars (i.e. the Moon) did not make him to consider her advice. As the prompting of fate was so strong, Vali dauntingly told his wife "He is no doubt an younger brother to me but at this moment an adversary. Oh, pretty-faced Tara, how can I stoop to tolerate him when he kept on raving frenetically. Does it not occur to you that it would be tantamount to cowardice to remain hidden inside the house when a brave and highly valiant warrior like me is challenged? I am incapable of ignoring that dumbly Sugreeva's bawling commotion desiring a brawling duel. Also, you need not worry about Raghava. I have heard about him. He is said to be highly diligent and knower of virtue and as such he cannot allow himself to commit any sin.
"My dear queen, please return with all these females. I truly thank you for your advise. Do not worry. I intent to retaliate Sugreeva only to drive him and his arrogance out. As he is firmed up for a combat, I will indeed have to effectuate his desire by caning him with trees and thrashing him with fists. On being roughed up in that manner he would meekly run away with his tail between his legs like a dog.
"He cannot match me even in my sleep. Oh, Tara, you have offered your helping suggestion and you have shown all your friendliness to me. I thank you very much for that. I shall return to you after easily driving out that brother of mine."
Tara then hugged and circumabulated Vali, as an honour to the brave husband. Then she, who is an hymnodist performed a hymnal bon voyage wishing triumph to Vali, and returned to her palace chambers along with the other females, disoriented by her own sadness.
Then Vali emerged out hissing like an infuriated great snake, marched to his doom. When the imprudent Vali with golden pendant saw Sugreeva, he was surprised to note that his brother Sugreeva in golden-ochre hue, was tightening his girdle cloth signalling that he was all set for the fight. Vali also noticed that his brother was now wearing an air of self-confidence and was blazing like fiery-fire. Vali also tightened his girdle cloth. On nearing Sugreeva, Vali told him "My lad, see my mighty clenched fist. It will unclench only after I pitch this on you at full speed."
Then the duel between the brothers started with a mighty hit by Vali. That made Sugreeva to stream blood in torrents. Enraged by this Sugreeva instantly uprooted a saala tree and thrashed the limbs of Vali as with the thunderbolt thrashing a great mountain. This thwacking made Vali stagger and made him look like a tossing ship in an ocean filled with heavy load of merchandise and brimming with merchants, on the brink of wrecking.
The fight was going on for some time. But Vali being more powerful, the mighty son of the sun, Sugreeva started to regress and was becoming retardant in aggression. Nevertheless he continued to hold on with difficulty on the hope that Rama would soon save him. Seeing Sugreeva loosing his grip, Rama decided to end his agony. Locking a powerful arrow in his bow, Rama shot it at Vali. Hearing the blast of the bowstring the lordly birds and animals were panicked and they all fled.
The arrow released by Raghava had the boom of the thunderbolt's thunderclap and like the flashes of a lightning pierced the chest of Vali. Hit by that fleeting arrow that highly magnificent and intrepid lord of vanaras, Vali fell onto the plane of earth.
Like the flag raised in honour of Indra during the month of ashvin on a full-moon day, thrown onto the earth along with its flagstaff after the festival, Vali with depleted energy and dissipated vitality slowly fell onto the ground, and with tears and a blocked throat, moaned piteously.
Comment.
This indra dhvaja ustava, festival of Indra's flagstaff will be undertaken after the sixth lunar month of year, usually after summer in order to appease Indra to cause rains. On full-moon day in Ashvayuja month [October-November] this will be performed and after the ritual the flag/flagstaff will be thrown to ground.
End Comment.
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