Vali (Ramayana) - Rama-Vali Battle

Rama-Vali Battle

Sugriva challenged Vali to a fight. When Vali sallied forth to meet the challenge, Rama emerged from the forest to shoot and kill him with an arrow, from the back of a tree.

Now Rama faces the injured Vali. A dying Vali told Rama if you are searching your wife you should have come to me for help and friendship. Whoever took Sita even if it is Ravana I have defeated them and would have taken them at your feet and at your mercy.

So Vali asked the following questions:

• 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."

Rama makes the following replies to Vali:

• The younger brother should be treated like a son. Even if he made a mistake you should forgive him, specially 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, Baali in principle could also be kept in the category of deers and a hunting king does not care whether the deer was careful or not.