Shloka 7
वालिवधोत्तरशोकः
Sugriva’s Remorse and Tara’s Lament after Vali’s Death
श्रेयोऽद्य मन्ये मम शैलमुख्येतस्मिन्निवासश्चिरमृश्यमूके।यथा तथा वर्तयतस्स्ववृत्त्यानेमं निहत्य त्रिदिवस्य लाभः।।
śreyo 'dya manye mama śaila-mukhye tasmin nivāsaś ciram ṛśyamūke |
yathā tathā vartayatas sva-vṛttyā n' emaṃ nihatya tridivasya lābhaḥ ||
अद्य मम श्रेयो मन्ये—ऋश्यमूके शैलमुख्ये चिरं निवासः, स्ववृत्त्या यथाशक्ति वर्तयतः। एनं निहत्य त्रिदिवलाभोऽपि मम न रोचते॥
'I now feel dwelling long on the great mountain Rishyamuka as usual and somehow eking out a livelihood is preferable to attaining heaven as a sequel to the death of my brother.
FAQs
Dharma values a modest life without wrongdoing over any ‘profit’ gained through harm; even heavenly reward is rejected if it rests on unrighteous violence.
Sugrīva contrasts his earlier exile-life on Ṛśyamūka with the moral burden that followed Vāli’s death.
Moral discernment born of remorse: Sugrīva recognizes that ends do not purify wrongful means.