Planet ISKCON

Holy Name Meditation Podcast:

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Bhagavatam-daily Podcast:

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 08 March 2015, Stockholm, Sweden, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.1.4)

After years of chanting, we may stop and say, “Why am I doing this? I do not feel like it anymore. I do not know. I cannot get myself to chant.” What happened? What happened to your knowledge? Is it all gone?

Don’t you know that there is no alternative? Don’t you know that the material world is hell?  Don’t you know that you are caught here? Don’t you know that it is all glossed over by the illusory energy with nice packing? Nice beautiful packing with ribbons and beautiful colours but what is inside? It is poison, it is suffering inside. This beautiful gift, packaged with glitter, beautiful ribbon and everything. And you want it but, oh God, it is Pandora’s Box.

In Greek Mythology, Pandora’s Box was given as a punishment to mankind and I will not get into the whole description of it, but basically, in Pandora’s Box all the suffering of the material world was kept and it was a beautiful box. Such an amazing box, a gift from Zeus himself, “Whoa, like a gift from the Gods! Oh, we are so lucky! Oh, what will be inside? I wonder, oh, let’s look, open it up.” And all the suffering came out.

So this principle of the beautiful packaging of the material energy is there – it looks good but inside is suffering. When you open up the package, “Do not open it. Watch out, do not do it!” The material energy is like that. So when one has knowledge in this way, he will not go for the material temptation, it is not worth it.

Sukadeva das and Radharani devi dasi were brahmacari and brahmacarini living in the temple ashrams for years. Around ten years ago they got married and now have two beautiful girls.

The director of Titanic and Avatar is establishing a new organic food store in New Zealand.

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast:

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Morning puja at ISKCON Kanpur, India (Album with 37 photos)
See them here: http://tinyurl.com/kmnzk52

20150408 SB106031 Rasa analysis of Krishna’s teasing of Rukmini-Chaitanya Charan Prabhu ISKCON

Lecture Podcast:
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Lecture Summary:
Radharani is Satyabhama - neither is afraid to neglect Krishna. Chandravali is Rukmini - both wait for Krishna and are afraid that he will leave them. Both the moods are meant for pleasing Krsna. Krsna likes variety.

Here goal of Krsna is to relish the beauty of Rukmini when she is angry - so he is trying to provoke here. At the end however she becomes angry when she refutes Krsna's arguments one by one.

In relationships there has to be a healthy blend of predictability & unpredictability. Too much predictability affects the excitement in the relationship. Too much unpredictability affects the stability of relationship.

Rukmini's reaction to Krsna's words revealed a new facet of her love for Krsna: Krishna expected humour, but got horror.

Rasa Theory - constituents of any rasa:
1. Karana: Stimulus - external condition that activates the emotion. 2 types of Karana: Uddipan - setting, alamban - people.
2. Karya: external actions & gestures that express the emotion. 2 types - conscious & unconscious (asta sattvik vikara).
3. Sahakari: assisting emotions & actions that flavours the main emotion.

When a pregnant woman screams due to labor pain, a child is born. But if a woman who isn't pregnant starts screaming, it is futile. Similarly when a devotee who has intense love for Krsna within his heart, manifests emotions & actions unconsciously (asta sattvik vikaras), Krsna is attracted. But when sahajiyas, who have no genuine love for Krsna, imitate pure devotees by consciously displaying emotions of love for Krsna, it is unfruitful.

Find what uddipana inspires you - place yourself in the current of emotion that takes you towards Krishna.

ICC - Indian Continental Committee meeting @ Kanpur (Album with photos)
Pictures taken at ISKCON Kanpur on April 6, 2015. The ICC is a meeting of the temple presidents and managers of ISKCON India
See them here: http://tinyurl.com/mjvxqhr

A 5,000-year-old underground city discovered in central Turkey in December 2014 is thought to be the largest in the world!

A video by Bhava Films. 

Unbelievable feat by Bhumi the calf…See it to believe it!!! (1 min video)
Govardhan Eco Village
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/ShKQMF

Glories of the Holy Dham Vrindavan by HH Kavicandra Swami (13 min video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/91q6d9

Hare Krishna! Elevation to Goodness
Teachers wishing success in their service must cultivate the mode of goodness. But wait a minute! Am I hearing protests from hard-pressed devotees sincerely striving to serve their Lord with a passion? Are they not crying out from the distance that there’s no need for goodness? Are they not emphatically stating that devotees are transcendental to the three modes of material nature? Srila Prabhupada once addressed this very question after a Sunday feast lecture at 26 Second Avenue. Prabhupada had finished speaking, and I raised my hand and spoke my first words to my spiritual master. They were not submissive.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=613

The post Simplicity and being satisfied appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Scenes from Mayapur dham (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada:
Narada Muni, citing a practical example from his own life, established that by associating with devotees and chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, any man in any condition of life can achieve the highest perfection without a doubt. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.15.74 Purport)See them here: http://goo.gl/WlSpRH

Prasadam table (Album with photos)
Transforming an old table into a beautiful “prasadam table”
See them here: http://goo.gl/8BSxjP

Harinama and book distribution in London 07.04.2015 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If we simply place ourselves at the lotus feet of Krishna by taking to Krishna consciousness and keeping always in touch with Him by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, we need not take much trouble in arranging to return to the spiritual world. By the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this is very easy. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.15.53 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/vaXgVB

Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī defines the qualification in BRS 1.2.291-293:

rāgātmikāika-niṣṭhā ye vraja-vāsī-janādayaḥ |

teṣāṁ bhāvāptaye lubdho bhaved atrādhikāravān ||

“One is qualified for this [rāgānugā-sādhana] when he has strong desire to attain the devotional nature of a specific, definite rāgātmikā among the Vraja-vāsī.” 

tat-tad-bhāvādi-mādhurye śrute dhīryād apekṣate |

nātra śāstraṁ na yuktiṁ ca tal-lobhotpatti-lakṣaṇaṁ ||

“The symptom of this strong desire is that his concentration will naturally want to fixate on hearing all about the sweet devotional affairs of Krishna and the rāgātmikā he admires, without any intellectual or moral prodding.”

vaidha-bhakty adhikārī tu bhāvāvirbhavanāvadhi |

atra śāstraṁ tathā tarkam anukūlam apekṣate ||

“If his interest in Krishna needs to be prodded by morality or favorable logics, then he remains without real interest in these devotional moods and is qualified for vaidhi-bhakti.”

Hare Krishna! Krishna Sambandha
Through melodies, percussion and singing classical and devotional compositions, the audience is transported to the sacred lands of India, in an atmosphere of meditation, joy and spiritual bliss. The concert in this famed theater was a very special meeting as it presented Krishna Sambandha’s first album, which was recorded in “Estudios Del Sur”, recognized as one of the best studios in Latin America. The debut album of the group was led by prominent Chilean producer Christopher Manhey, who received a Grammy for his work as an engineer in “Dejame llorar” by Mexican artist Carla Morrison, elected in 2012 for Best Alternative Music Album.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16685

Harinama at Hash Bash (2015) (Album with photos)
We were present at the 44th annual Hash Bash event held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the University of Michigan Diag. We performed big Harinaam and distributed huge number of Srila Prabhupad books and Krishna Prasadam to all those who gathered to smoke marijuana on the campus. Devotees from Detroit and Chicago joined in this venture to make it the biggest Harinaam event of the year.
See them here: http://goo.gl/b31KMA

Hare Krishna! Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra Done In Kolaka, Ladongi, South East Sulawesi, Indonesia
The devotees of the Govardhan Ashram in Putemata village, Ladongi district in the regency of Kolaka, Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, out of their sincere desire and even they are small in number but their spirit and enthusiasm were bigger than their size that they desired so strongly to follow H.H. Subhag Swami Guru Maharaj Instruction in serving Prabhupada to satisfy The Lord through the second Jaganath Ratha-yatra festival.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16682

SB Class by HG Mukunda Datta prabhu (ACBSP) at Iskcon Vrindavana, 06.04.2015 (51 min video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/bwKSKF

The post April 8th, 2015 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 January 2015, Simhachalam, Germany, Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 7.16)

Caitanya Mahaprabhu pointed out to various devotees what he had learnt from them, so we should try to follow his example. We should see that devotees are giving us gifts. It is the association of vaisnavas, who have done so much service in the past, from who we are getting gifts. This is how association of devotees actually works.

‘sadhu-sanga’, ‘sadhu-sanga’ — sarva-sastre kaya, lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya   (Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 22.54)

It is said that even a moment of association with vaisnavas can bring us all perfection. The scriptures say so, but how does it happen actually? Vaisnavas give us many gifts of their service but, they can only give us gifts that they personally have – they cannot give us gifts that they do not have. So first one has to get wealth in order to give it graciously to others. The wealth of the vaisnavas is the wealth of their service – it does not come from some karma but it comes from serving Krsna and making a special endeavor. This is where we get the mercy of vaisnavas – through their service. That is the gift of the mercy of vaisnavas and that kind of association is what we are looking for.

We used to do really crazy kirtans in Vrindavan – wild ones, all over the place, for two to three hours every day; this was before Aindra came to Vrindavan. We would just go around and around, from one arati to another, and in between we would do the whole guest house and gurukula and awaken all the kids, and then run them around. It was like a transcendental terror, those super wild kirtans!

Then later, I became temple president of the Vrindavan temple, and it is a service where you are locked in meetings, but the Saturday night, I had off! And also that was the one night in the week that the gurukulis had off from gurukula and they were allowed to have kirtan as long as they wanted and could come to the temple. So for the whole week we were locked up – me in meetings and the kids in school. Then on Saturday night, we did it! I tried to drive these kids totally mad with kirtan and then more mad! I guess, I got that specific style of kirtan from there and now I am bringing that same madness here, as my gift to you.

CC daily Podcast:

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“In this entire world, no one but you could hate a person who is more kind and loving than anyone else, treats no one as an enemy, is completely impartial, and is the universal soul who is the beloved self of all embodied beings!

“Good people try to discover some merit even in the flaws of others. But you are just the opposite, although you pretend to be very civilized. You search for flaws in the slightest semblances of mistakes in truly great people, and then raise a big uproar over it!

“It is not surprising that the wicked always criticize truly great people, after all they are stupid enough to accept a corpse as their true self. The beauty here is that although great people do not mind criticism, the dust of their feet annihilates the proud prosperity of the critic.

“Śiva is so flawless and pure that he purifies everyone and his guidance is failsafe. Everyone knows this! Anyone who merely puts the two syllables ‘Shi’ – ‘va’ on their tongue discovers that all flaws have instantly fled their company. But alas, somehow you, who are the exact opposite of auspicious Śiva, hate him.

“The bee-minds of great people hover around the lotuses of his feet, seeking the intoxicating nectar of spiritual bliss. As the friend of everyone, he even fulfills the hopes and dreams of common people. Yet you hate him.

“Who is this inauspicious person you claim to be Śiva? Not even Brahmā knows who you are talking about. Only you know this person with disheveled mats of hair, covered in the ashes of burnt bodies, wearing human skulls, and lingering amongst fiends. Everyone else except you knows Śiva as a great person – and they take upon their heads whatever falls from his feet.”

Dakṣa rose up furiously and shouted at his youngest daughter, “You claim that only the wicked see faults in others, yet in the same breath you criticize me, your father – the Prajāpati worshipped by everyone – in front of all these people. You are the wicked one!”

Undaunted, Satī replied loudly, “For criticizing Śiva I should cut out your tongue and cut off your head, instead I merely shout! I have not insulted you, I have insulted my husband by the meagerness of my response to your disgraceful insults! It is said, ‘Dharma dictates that when illiterate men dishonor truly great masters, one should cut out their tongue and kill them. If one is not capable of that, one should cover both ears and flee their company. If one is not capable of either, one should take one’s own life.

“Because you are my father I cannot bring myself to kill you, and neither can I ever flee from my wretched connection to you. Therefore I cannot continue to maintain my life in this body you have given me. It is said, ‘If one eats bad food, vomiting is the cure.’

“You should not have criticized Śiva so furiously and stubbornly, since you simply cannot comprehend his stature. He need not follow the rules and regulations you must follow. The ways of gods like Śiva are different from the ways of men like yourself. It is said, ‘Those great sages whose delight lies in the world within themselves do not have any interest in following the words of the Veda.’

“The Veda do not only prescribe ways to fulfill external desires; they also describe the path of renunciation. These two paths turn in opposite directions. You cannot ask a person on the path of renunciation to observe the prescriptions for the path of fulfilling desires. This is why spiritualists neglect to follow the common, materialistic portions of the Veda. And Śiva is beyond both paths because all his deeds and intentions are spiritual.

“Yes, father, my husband and I do not have the riches you do. We are avadhūta, beyond reproach, existing in internal forms. We do not care about filling our bellies with food from a big arena of sacrifice blurred with smoke-stained rituals!

“Enough! Enough! I am fed up with my wretched birth as the daughter of a lump of flesh who casts blame upon Hare, Śiva! Being related to a wicked man like you is nothing but an embarrassment for me! There is no point in being born to a man audacious enough to slander great souls.

“My husband, the Blessed Epitome of All Virtue, sometimes calles me ‘Dakṣāyaṇī.’ Oh, when he does that I become so depressed, and my happy smile instantly disappears. Now, watch with your own two eyes as your daughter gives up the corpse you have given birth to!”

Śrī Bhāgavata 4.4.11 ~ 23

Vraja Kishor dās

www.VrajaKishor.com

[one interpretation of the text towards the end of the above section is that Satī annihilated Dakṣa by doing what she did. Therefore I’ve titled the post, Satī Destroys her Father]

For more info, go to www.sptributes.com.

The post Open Vyasa-puja book: April 15 deadline near appeared first on Jayadvaita Swami.

Holy Name Meditation Podcast:

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One of the most poignant subplots in the Ramayana is the fratricidal confrontation between the two monkey warriors, Sugriva and Vali. In the Mahabharata, fraternal animosity between the virtuous Pandavas and the evil Kauravas continues till the death of the Kauravas. In contrast, the Ramayana features a deathbed fraternal reconciliation that is as emotionally riveting as it is ethically illuminating.

The Awesome Twosome
The story of these two brothers unfolded in Kishkinda, the kingdom of the Vanaras in southern India. The Vanaras were a race of celestial monkeys possessed of formidable strength and intelligence, with some monkey-leaders having more sapient attributes than simian. Kishkinda’s location was geopolitically significant, being situated strategically between the kingdom of humans in the north and the kingdom of the demons in the south. Throughout their childhood and youth, Vali and Sugriva were inseparable. Like the Pandavas, they both had dual sires: one earthly, one heavenly. Their earthly father was Riksaraja, the king of the Vanaras. And their heavenly fathers were Indra and Surya respectively, two of the most powerful gods. Just as Indra was higher in the cosmic hierarchy than Surya, Vali, being older and stronger, was higher than Sugriva. Just as Indra was given to bouts of arrogance and impetuosity, so was Vali. Just as the two gods worked harmoniously in the cosmic administration, their two sons worked harmoniously in the administration of the monkey kingdom. When Riksharaja retired, in accordance to the tradition of primogeniture, Vali ascended the throne of Kishkinda. And Sugriva became his faithful and resourceful assistant.
Once a fearsome demon Mayavi came to Kishkinda and challenged Vali for a fight. The Vanara monarch sprang up from his throne and came out, followed closely by Sugriva. If there was to be a fight, Vali intended to engage in a fair one-to-one combat, but Sugriva accompanied him for additional security in case the demon had any accomplices who might attack deviously. Not knowing the brothers’ honorable intentions, Mayavi shrank back in fear when he saw the awesome twosome charging towards him. Realizing that he was no match to their combined might, he turned around and fled.

Sugriva saw nothing and heard nothing till finally the cry of the demon resonated through the cave. Was it a cry of agony or of victory?

Vali, knowing that the demon would disrupt the peace in the neighborhood if he were not taught a lesson, decided to pursue him, and Sugriva followed. Mayavi, trying desperately to shake off the brothers, ducked into a mountain cave that led to a mazelike network of catacombs.
Vali decided to pursue him in their dark cavernous hole and told Sugriva to guard the entry, lest the demon evade Vali in the maze and try to escape. Sugriva implored Vali to let him join the dangerous subterranean search, but Vali refused and instead repeated his instruction. After his brother vanished into the yawning darkness, Sugriva waited for a long time, peering into the cave as far as the eye could see. He saw nothing and heard nothing till finally the cry of the demon resonated through the cave. Was it a cry of agony or of victory? Sugriva waited, straining and praying to hear some sound of his brother, but the cave remained deathly silent. When the deafening silence went on and on, Sugriva’s heart sank as he inferred that his heroic brother had been killed.
Sugriva felt torn between his desire to avenge his brother’s death and his duty to protect their kingdom from the deadly demon. If Mayavi came out of the cave, he might well be unstoppable. Sugriva pondered, would he be able to overpower a foe who had already overpowered his more powerful brother? Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Sugriva devised an alternative strategy. He looked around till he spotted a giant boulder. Straining and sweating and panting, he moved that boulder till it sealed the cave. Feeling reassured that this would keep the demon at bay, Sugriva returned to the kingdom. With a heavy heart, he informed the anxiously waiting courtiers about the demise of their valiant monarch and ordained a period of statewide mourning. After the mourning period ended, the ministers asked Sugriva to take up the role of the king, pointing out the absence of any other qualified heir. Still afflicted by memories of Vali, Sugriva resolved to carry on his brother’s legacy and accepted the royal mantle.

From Inseparable to Irreconcilable
A few days later, Vali marched into the palace, his eyes blood-shot. After a long search in the cave, he had found the demon. Being intent on ending the tiresome threat, Vali had wasted no energy in roaring while he slew the screaming demon. When he returned to the cave’s entrance, he was vexed to find a huge boulder blocking it. He called out to Sugriva, but got no response. Being exhausted due to the search and the fight, he couldn't move the boulder. The absence of Sugriva and the presence of the boulder triggered in him a disconcerting suspicion: Might his trusted brother have connived to lock him in the cave?
Vali needed several days to regain his strength and come up with a plan to move the boulder. The more he struggled, the more his suspicion grew. Surely the boulder was too big to have been moved by the wind or other natural forces. And even if somehow it had been moved naturally, surely it couldn’t have so precisely closed the cave.
When Vali finally forced his way out, he raced back to his kingdom, filled with doubts about his brother. When he saw Sugriva seated on the throne, he felt his suspicion confirmed. Enraged, he pounced on Sugriva, whose elation on seeing Vali alive quickly gave way to dismay. Sugriva tried to explain the situation, but Vali was too furious to hear anything and simply pounded Sugriva with his thunderous fists. Sugriva was devastated to see the hatred in his beloved brother’s eyes. The thought that his brother had not only suspected but also convicted him hurt Sugriva more than the blows raining down upon him. Having no heart to fight back and hoping that he might have a better chance to clarify later when Vali had cooled down, Sugriva fled from the palace and the kingdom.

The thought that his brother had not only suspected but also convicted him hurt Sugriva more than the blows raining down upon him.

Seeing Sugriva flee reinforced Vali’s conviction that his brother was guilty. Otherwise, why would he have run away like this? Having thus judged Sugriva as a traitor, Vali’s self-righteous mind goaded him to pursue and persecute his brother even in exile, lest he hatch another coup.
The hapless Sugriva fled far and wide, but Vali chased him doggedly. Finally Sugriva found refuge right next to Kishkinda – in the Pampa lake area, in the vicinity of the hermitage of sage Matanga. Vali had once in a power-intoxicated show of strength flung far away the carcass of Dundubhi, a demon he had killed. The blood from that carcass had fallen on Matanga’s sacrificial arena, thus desecrating it. The angered sage, desiring to check Vali’s hubris, cursed that the monkey would die if he ever entered the vicinity of the hermitage.
In the safe haven created by Matanga’s curse, Sugriva lived in an uneasy peace, always fearfully looking out for any assassins that Vali might sent to do the work he himself couldn’t do. Repeatedly thwarting such attempts, Sugriva gradually lost all hope of reconciliation. The two inseparable brothers had now become irreconcilable.

Attribution Error
Both Sugriva and Vali arrived at mistaken inferences – Sugriva about Vali’s death and Vali about Sugriva’s treachery. If we consider the information available to them, they had both made reasonable inferences. The difference between them was that Sugriva had little opportunity to test his inference – the possibility of Mayavi coming out was too hazardous. But Vali had abundant opportunity to test his inference – being stronger,he could afford to give Sugriva a hearing. Moreover, Sugriva was no untrustworthy demon, but was his upright brother – and a brother who had served him faithfully as a right-hand man. Due to both his relationship and his track record, Sugriva deserved a proper hearing before being judged. Unfortunately, Vali was too sure of his reading of the situation and felt no need to seek any clarification.
Vali succumbed to a common human error, which psychologists call an attribution error. When we see others behave in an inappropriate way, we tend to attribute that behavior to their internal character flaws, not their external extenuating circumstances. Thus, when we see others overeating, we judge them as gluttons. But when we ourselves overeat, we tend to be much more charitable in attribution: “I had not eaten for so long.”

We can do better justice to our intelligence by giving others the benefit of doubt and open-mindedly hearing their side of the story.

We succumb to attribution errors because of a dangerous combination of haste and overconfidence. When faced with the unexpected, we want to understand it quickly; and once we come to an understanding, we hold on to it, thinking, “I am so intelligent – how could I be wrong?”
But if we are truly intelligent, we will consider the possibility that we may be wrong. After all, the ways in which things happen in the world are complex. And even more complex are the ways in which people think. So determining what makes them behave in particular ways is not easy. Yet when we know something about others, we presume that we know enough to figure out their behavior – a presumption that often blinds us to our biases and blunders. Rather than falling prey to such presumptions and arriving at snap judgments, we can do better justice to our intelligence by giving others the benefit of doubt and open-mindedly hearing their side of the story.
Due to his haste and overconfidence, Vali succumbed to judging Sugriva without understanding – a surefire recipe for ruining relationships. And sure enough, their relationship soon lay ruined.

Rama's Intervention – Martial and Verbal
Fast-forward to several years: Rama entered the scene and entered into an alliance with Sugriva. As a part of their pact, he promised to correct the wrongs that Vali had done to Sugriva. At Rama’s behest, Sugriva challenged Vali to a fight. And when the two brothers were fighting, Rama, after an initial abortive attempt, shot Vali with a lethal arrow.
We may question the morality of Rama’s action, as did Vali himself while lying on the ground, mortally wounded. In reply, Rama gave various reasons centered on the point that a sinful aggressor can be killed by any means. Vali had committed multiple acts of aggression against his own brother: attacked with murderous intention, stripped him of all his wealth and even taken Sugriva’s wife Ruma as his own wife. For an older brother to seize the wife of his younger brother was a grievous sin, almost akin to incest. Due to all this unwarranted aggression, Rama declared that Vali deserved nothing less than capital punishment.
The analysis of this reasoning can be an article in itself. For our present purpose, it should suffice that Vali found the reasoning convincing. If the plaintiff in a case of perceived injustice announces after due discussion and deliberation that no injustice was done, we need to respect to that announcement.
After making his case, Rama deferred the judgment to Vali: “If you think I have acted wrongly, I will withdraw the arrow and restore your life and strength right now.”

Vali's hubris was destroyed doubly by Rama’s arrow piercing his chest and Rama’s arrow-like words piercing his presumptions.

Vali, his hubris destroyed doubly by Rama’s arrow piercing his chest and Rama’s arrow-like words piercing his presumptions, pondered his actions and recognized their wrongness. He humbly replied that despite his many misdeeds, he had been causelessly blessed to get the priceless opportunity to die in the auspicious presence of Rama – an opportunity that he didn’t want to pass over just for a longer life. He further confessed that for long he too had felt that he might have wronged Sugriva, but his pride hadn’t allowed him to consider that feeling.

Deathbed Reconciliation
With his last few breaths, Vali solaced his sobbing wife Tara and his grieving son Angada. He asked them to hold no grudges towards Sugriva, but to live peaceably under his shelter. Then he turned towards Sugriva, requesting him to bear no malice towards Tara and Angada, but instead care for them.
Seeking forgiveness from his brother and wanting to make amends, Vali took out the jeweled necklace that Indra had given him. That celestial necklace came with the blessing that its wearer wouldn’t die as long as he wore it. In fact, it was this necklace that had kept Vali alive for so long even after being mortally wounded by Rama’s arrow. What father wouldn’t desire such armor for his son? Just as Indra had given the necklace to his son, Vali too would have been entirely justified in giving that necklace to his son. But he gave it to Sugriva, thus expressing through his actions the deep remorse that he had not the energy or the time to express in words. As soon as the necklace slipped out from Vali’s hands, his soul slipped out of his body.

As soon as the necklace slipped out from Vali’s hands, his soul slipped out of his body. 

Having heard his brother’s heart-wrenching words and seeing him fall back, motionless and silent, Sugriva broke down. This was the elder brother he had known and loved and missed for so long – and would now miss forever. Being overwhelmed with regret for having instigated the killing of such a brother, Sugriva censured himself and resolved to atone for his sin of fratricide by ending his life with that of his brother.
Rama and Lakshmana consoled Sugriva with gentle words, reminding him of his duty to his family and his citizens. Sugriva pulled himself together, ordered the grieving monkeys to arrange for a royal funeral for their deceased king, and began a second period of mourning for his brother.

AAA for Reconciliation
The story of Sugriva and Vali defies simplistic contours of good versus evil. Both brothers were virtuous, but they were ripped apart for life due to one unfortunate misjudgment by the more powerful, more impetuous sibling. What could have been a happy story of fraternal affection became due to one unclarified misunderstanding an unhappy story of fraternal animosity that ended in heartbreaking fratricide. Thankfully, their unhappiness was reduced by Rama’s intervention, which brought about a pre-mortem reconciliation.
We too can reduce the unhappiness in our relationships by internalizing the immortal lesson from this story – never judge without understanding. And if we have already judged others without understanding them, we can seek reconciliation, as did Vali. We can tread the path to reconciliation using three A’s: Acknowledge, Apologize, Amend.
1. Acknowledge: In those of our relationships that have gone sour, we can honestly introspect and humbly hear from others to check if we might have been more at error than we have believed. If we come to know of our error, we need to acknowledge it, as did Vali after hearing from Rama.
2. Apologize: Just as arrogant words of judgment can hurt, humble words of rapprochement can heal. We can take huge steps in rebuilding relationships by apologizing like Vali for the wrongs we have done, knowingly or unknowingly.
3. Amend: Actions speak louder than words, Just as Vali gave his necklace to Sugriva, we can do whatever is best possible under the circumstances to correct, or at least mitigate, the consequences of our misjudgment.

Vali required the jolting arrival of death to put aside his pride and make up for his misjudgment. Hopefully, if we meditate on his story and learn from it, we can make up long before such an extreme jolt.