There was a comment to my Post in Facebook that Lord Rama back stabbed Vaali and the commenter was
defensive in asking this question by adding that he was embarrassed in asking this question as this is a very
sensitive issue.
Well, Hinduism is not narrow-minded and it encourages questions on anything, if the question is in earnest.
It does not consider this as blasphemy as some Religions do.
Lord Rama killed Vali by hiding behind a tree.
The reasons
1. Vaali was harassing Sugriva, his brother.
2.Vaali grabbed Sugriva’s Kingdom.
3.He also coveted Sugriva’s Wife.
4.Lord Rama wanted Sugriva’s help in finding Sita who was kidnapped.
Lord Rama offered hid friendship to Sugriva and once , having given his word as he would treat Vali as his friend he would stick by it, come what may.
After being struck by The Rama Bana, Vali says to Lord Rama thus.
‘Rama you are the son of the Righteous Dasaratha.
Your reputation as a fair-minded person precedes you.
You are the embodiment of Dharma and fair play.
Yet you chose to kill me hiding behind a tree. while I was fighting Sugriva.
Why did you do this?
- What was my crime?
- Even if I committed a crime (with my brother), what is your right to kill me?
- The third statement shows Vali’s disapproval of the way Rama killed him.
- He says, “I was fighting with some other person and was not careful enough when you shot me.”
Lord Rama replied,
Vali, you speak as if you are the embodiment of Virtues.
You grabbed what was essentially entitled to Sugriva, his share of the Kingdom.
You coveted his wife.
Hence you deserve to be killed by me.
When some one breaks the Dharma, it is my duty to set the Dharma right by punishing the Guilty and protecting the Wronged.
And I have accepted Sugriva as my friend and had given him my word that I would help him to relieve him of hid fear of you in return for his assurance to find Sita for me”.
- The younger brother should be treated like a son. Even if he made a mistake you should forgive him, especially when he promised to respect you for your whole life.
- About his authority he said he had permission from King Bharat to spread righteousness and punish evils.
- The third argument he quoted how great kings did hunting of deers in the past. In fact, Vali in principle could also be kept in the category of deers (as he was a Vanara and not a Human) and a hunting king does not care whether the deer was careful or not.
Vali replies,
‘Rama,
You speak as if you have performed a very noble act.
These are my points,
1.Rama, since when your Reign extended to Kishkinta?
Who are you to intrude into my kingdom and kill me in this fashion?
2.The Dharma of Vanaras is different for Vanaras from what is applicable to Human Beings.
As a Vanara we have our Mores, including the sanction to have one other’s wife.
Which Smriti did you learn from?
If you had become friends with Sugriva only with the intention of finding you wife,you have made a wrong choice
You should have come to me, who had Ravan tucked under my Tail and had him hung as a toy for mu son
Angadha’s Cradle.
You need not have troubled your self.
I would have ordered Ravana to hand over Sita and he would have done.
If he had not done, I would have killed him.
By no standards what you done is Right.
Lord Rama did not have an answer.
The argument still rages on.
C.Rajagopalachari, known as Rajaji, the man wrote the Vyasar Virundhu, Mahabharata in Tamil, Chakkaravarthi Thirumakan, Ramayana, and
a GreatStatesman India has ever produced and whom Gandhi called as ‘his conscience,’ gave a reply.
” There is a debate on the issue of Rama killing Vali by unfair means.
Lord Rama is considered to be the embodiment of Dharma.
Just as a small inkblot spoils a white Dhoti, this small act of His, evokes heated discussion.
In the others it would have gone unnoticed.
Having been described as a perfect Human Being, this appears to be a very serious issue.
Technically Vali is Right.
Valmiki wrote the Ramayana as it happened and the Ramayana is not a fiction.
Had it been so, Valmiki could have omitted this episode and written Rama killed Vali on a direct fight, to
show Rama as a Perfect Human Being.
No body is going to find out this.
This very narration that implies a wrong doing by Rama itself proves that the Ramayana is Real.
And Lord Rama paid for this , by being killed by a Fisherman in a similar fashion in the Avatar of Lord Krishna.
And I would say this to those who try to sully the name Rama on this issue,
‘You try to follow at least 1% of what Rama said and try to be like him a minuscule.
Ten you would not be asking this question.
And to me, it is That.
Later Vali regretted his outburst and asked Rama’s forgives is a different issue.
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