Killing of Vali by Shri Ram is one of the most misunderstood episodes of Ramayana, people say it is a controversial topic after seeing some portrays and pictures where it is usually shown Shri Ram hiding himself behind trees kills Vali, so people raise questions and doubts why did Shri Ram kill Vall by hiding himself from his vision, but I must say this is not controversial at all but very much straight forward, there is no such reference in Valmiki Ramayana anywhere that Shri Ram hid himself behind tree(s) or kept him out of vision from eyes of Vali before piercing Vali through his arrow.
Why Shri Ram killed Vali and how?
We shall see first how Shri Ram killed Vali:
1. People often translate पराङ्मुख वधम् कृत्वा paraa~Nmukha vadham kR^itvaa = one facing away [from you,] killing him.. as by hiding himself from Vali,
Ram killed him. But it is not a good translation Para~Nmukha means just Vali who has diverted attention [from Shri Ram here] was fighting with
Sugriva. So no where it is written Ram hid himself to Kill Vali.
त्वम् नराधिपतेः पुत्रः प्रथितः प्रिय दर्शनः |
पराङ्मुख वधम् कृत्वा को अत्र प्राप्तः त्वया गुणः |
यदहम् युद्ध सम्रब्धः त्वत् कृते निधनम् गतः || ४-१७-१६
"You are a renowned prince with pleasing looks.. but, which kind of death I am getting now, that too when I was in the commotion of conflict with another, alas, that ignoble death is owing to you, and what merit is achieved by you in this undertaking of yours to kill someone who is facing away from you... [VR 4.17.16]
This is the accusation of Vali on Shri Ram.
It means when Vali was engaged with somebody else, why did shri Ram kill him? It doesn't mean Vali didn't see him and Vali was not aware about the vow of shri Ram that he will eliminate Vali, the foe of his friend Sugreeva. Vali was well aware of Shri Ram's friendship with Sugreeva.
2. Another proof is Shri Ram killed Vali by arrow which directly pierced his chest. So it means Shri Ram killed him when he was facing Shri Ram!
3. Though Vali's attention was not towards Shri Ram as he was fighting with full attention with Sugriva, still before piercing his chest Shri Ram was in direct war with Vali, may be from a distance, but it was a direct combat.
Here is the proof:
क्षिप्तान् वृक्षान् समाविध्य विपुलाः च शिलाः तथा |
वाली वज्र समैर् बाणैर् वज्रेण इव निपातितः || ४-१९-१२
"Shattering trees and massive boulders that Vali hurled at him (Rama) with thunderbolt like arrows Rama felled Vali as if by thunderbolt."
It means Vali saw Ram, he hurled massive boulders and trees at him, he attacked shri Ram .. and then Ram felled all those trees and massive boulders and then he pierced the chest of Vali directly, it is possible in direct face to face combat only.
4. Now coming to why did he kill Vali? for what reasons?
It is very simple to understand why Shri Ram killed Vali.
- it was completely under Shri Ram's jurisdiction to eliminate all evil doers in his kingdom. So he eliminated Vali who raped the wife of Sugriva, who was like a daughter for Vali.
इक्ष्वाकूणाम् इयम् भूमिः स शैल वन कानना |
मृग पक्षि मनुष्याणाम् निग्रह अनुग्रहेषु अपि || ४-१८-६
Ram answered Vali - "This earth with its mountains, woods, and forests, even along with the authority to condone or condemn the animals, birds, and humans on it belongs to Ikshvaku-s. [VR 4.18.6]
Hence Ram being the scion of Ikshvaku eliminated Vali with his arrow.
तस्मिन् नृपति शार्दूल भरते धर्म वत्सले |
पालयति अखिलाम् पृथ्वीम् कः चरेत् धर्म विप्रियम् || ४-१८-१०
While that Bharata, the kingly-tiger and a patron of virtue, is ruling the earth in its entirety, who is there to conduct himself in an unacceptable way to morality on it? [VR 4.18.10]
ते वयम् मार्ग विभ्रष्टम् स्वधर्मे परमे स्थिताः |
भरत आज्ञाम् पुरस्कृत्य निगृह्णीमो यथा विधि || ४-१८-११
Abiding in our own pre-eminent righteousness, and even abiding by the order of Bharata we punish him who deviated from the path of morality, according to custom. [VR 4.18.11]
So Ram killed Vali to establish the morality in his kingdom. It was immorality on the part of Vali to keep the wife of his younger brother as his own wife. Vali was putting a bad indecent immoral example in front of people of his kingdom, so Shri Ram eliminated him to establish the Dharma and morality in the society which is the duty of king or the king's representative.
☼ Shri Ram specifically mentioned the reason why he killed Vali:
तत् एतत् कारणम् पश्य यत् अर्थम् त्वम् मया हतः |
भ्रातुर् वर्तसि भार्यायाम् त्यक्त्वा धर्मम् सनातनम् || ४-१८-१८
"Realise this reason by which I (Sri Ram) have eliminated you (Vali)... you misbehaved with your brother's wife, forsaking the perpetual tradition.
अस्य त्वम् धरमाणस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः |
रुमायाम् वर्तसे कामात् स्नुषायाम् पाप कर्मकृत् || ४-१८-१९
"While the great-souled Sugreeva is still alive, you with your habit of sinful acts have lustily misbehaved with Sugreeva's wife Ruma, who should be counted as your daughter-in-law.
Vali raped the lady who was like a daughter for him, the wife of his own brother! He had habit of such sinful ghastly acts, hence there was no sin in eliminating such a rapist demonic element in any manner. Shashtra says there is no sin in eliminating the one who lustfully indulges with his daughter, or with his sister, or with the wife of his younger brother. So It was a pure righteous action (Dharma) on part of Shri Ram to punish and eliminate such evil doer Vali.
- Shri Ram acted as Sugreeva's elder brother as well as friend and master, so Ruma became the daughter of Shri Ram! Hence Shri Ram had all rights to punish the one who raped Ruma.
सुग्रीवेण च मे सख्यम् लक्ष्मणेन यथा तथा |
दार राज्य निमित्तम् च निःश्रेयसकरः स मे || ४-१८-२६
Shri Ram told Vali: My association with Sugreeva is as good as that with Lakshmana, nevertheless it betided with an understanding to regain sugreeva's wife and kingdom, and he will give succour to me.
So Sugreeva was like younger brother of Shri Ram, hence Shri Ram had to free Ruma by eliminating the one who raped her. This was justice to be done, Shri Ram did pure justice to Ruma and Sugreeva as well as on Vali by punishing him for such immoral act.
☼ Shri Ram had promised Sugreeva to bring justice to him at the time of befriending with him. Afflicted Sugreeva from Vali's injustices, surrendered to Shri Ram, If Shri Ram will not help the afflicted one, then who would help in this whole cosmos?
प्रतिज्ञा च मया दत्ता तदा वानर संनिधौ |
प्रतिज्ञा च कथम् शक्या मत् विधेन अनवेक्षितुम् || ४-१८-२७
"I (Sri Ram) gave a promise to Sugreeva at the time of befriending him in the presence of vanara-s, and how is it possible for my kind to dishonour a given promise? [VR 4.18.26]
☼ ☼ MOST IMPORTANT: ☼ ☼
When Vali put arguments that He is mere an animal, not suitable to be eaten by Human [and same time Animals don't follow the Vedic-Dharma], then why did Shri Ram kill him, an animal, as animals don't follow the Vedic-Dharma?
Then only to answer him... Shri Ram told if you are thinking yourself as beast, then still there is no sin in eliminating a beast by a prince in hunting. It is never like Ram treated Vali as beast, but to satisfy his anger, Shri Ram answered as per the Dharma of a Kshatriya.
यान्ति राजर्षयः च अत्र मृगयाम् धर्म कोविदाः |
तस्मात् त्वम् निहतो युद्धे मया बाणेन वानर |
अयुध्यन् प्रतियुध्यन् वा यस्मात् शाखा मृगो हि असि || ४-१८-४०
Shri Rama told Vali: In this world even the kingly sages well-versed in virtue will go on hunting, and hunting is no face to face game, as such, oh, vanara, therefore I felled you in combat with my arrow because you are a tree-branch animal, whether you are not combating with me or combating against me. [VR 4.18.40]
So it was just for countering Vali's logic that he is animal so when he forcibly established physical relation with the wife of his brother Sugreeva or if he is habitual of such lusty acts, still he should not be expected to follow decent moral conduct and virtues of society.
So after seeing all these Pramanas, it is very much evident that Shri Ram killed Vali because there were suitable.
Why Shri Ram killed Vali and how?
We shall see first how Shri Ram killed Vali:
1. People often translate पराङ्मुख वधम् कृत्वा paraa~Nmukha vadham kR^itvaa = one facing away [from you,] killing him.. as by hiding himself from Vali,
Ram killed him. But it is not a good translation Para~Nmukha means just Vali who has diverted attention [from Shri Ram here] was fighting with
Sugriva. So no where it is written Ram hid himself to Kill Vali.
त्वम् नराधिपतेः पुत्रः प्रथितः प्रिय दर्शनः |
पराङ्मुख वधम् कृत्वा को अत्र प्राप्तः त्वया गुणः |
यदहम् युद्ध सम्रब्धः त्वत् कृते निधनम् गतः || ४-१७-१६
"You are a renowned prince with pleasing looks.. but, which kind of death I am getting now, that too when I was in the commotion of conflict with another, alas, that ignoble death is owing to you, and what merit is achieved by you in this undertaking of yours to kill someone who is facing away from you... [VR 4.17.16]
This is the accusation of Vali on Shri Ram.
It means when Vali was engaged with somebody else, why did shri Ram kill him? It doesn't mean Vali didn't see him and Vali was not aware about the vow of shri Ram that he will eliminate Vali, the foe of his friend Sugreeva. Vali was well aware of Shri Ram's friendship with Sugreeva.
2. Another proof is Shri Ram killed Vali by arrow which directly pierced his chest. So it means Shri Ram killed him when he was facing Shri Ram!
3. Though Vali's attention was not towards Shri Ram as he was fighting with full attention with Sugriva, still before piercing his chest Shri Ram was in direct war with Vali, may be from a distance, but it was a direct combat.
Here is the proof:
क्षिप्तान् वृक्षान् समाविध्य विपुलाः च शिलाः तथा |
वाली वज्र समैर् बाणैर् वज्रेण इव निपातितः || ४-१९-१२
"Shattering trees and massive boulders that Vali hurled at him (Rama) with thunderbolt like arrows Rama felled Vali as if by thunderbolt."
It means Vali saw Ram, he hurled massive boulders and trees at him, he attacked shri Ram .. and then Ram felled all those trees and massive boulders and then he pierced the chest of Vali directly, it is possible in direct face to face combat only.
4. Now coming to why did he kill Vali? for what reasons?
It is very simple to understand why Shri Ram killed Vali.
- it was completely under Shri Ram's jurisdiction to eliminate all evil doers in his kingdom. So he eliminated Vali who raped the wife of Sugriva, who was like a daughter for Vali.
इक्ष्वाकूणाम् इयम् भूमिः स शैल वन कानना |
मृग पक्षि मनुष्याणाम् निग्रह अनुग्रहेषु अपि || ४-१८-६
Ram answered Vali - "This earth with its mountains, woods, and forests, even along with the authority to condone or condemn the animals, birds, and humans on it belongs to Ikshvaku-s. [VR 4.18.6]
Hence Ram being the scion of Ikshvaku eliminated Vali with his arrow.
तस्मिन् नृपति शार्दूल भरते धर्म वत्सले |
पालयति अखिलाम् पृथ्वीम् कः चरेत् धर्म विप्रियम् || ४-१८-१०
While that Bharata, the kingly-tiger and a patron of virtue, is ruling the earth in its entirety, who is there to conduct himself in an unacceptable way to morality on it? [VR 4.18.10]
ते वयम् मार्ग विभ्रष्टम् स्वधर्मे परमे स्थिताः |
भरत आज्ञाम् पुरस्कृत्य निगृह्णीमो यथा विधि || ४-१८-११
Abiding in our own pre-eminent righteousness, and even abiding by the order of Bharata we punish him who deviated from the path of morality, according to custom. [VR 4.18.11]
So Ram killed Vali to establish the morality in his kingdom. It was immorality on the part of Vali to keep the wife of his younger brother as his own wife. Vali was putting a bad indecent immoral example in front of people of his kingdom, so Shri Ram eliminated him to establish the Dharma and morality in the society which is the duty of king or the king's representative.
☼ Shri Ram specifically mentioned the reason why he killed Vali:
तत् एतत् कारणम् पश्य यत् अर्थम् त्वम् मया हतः |
भ्रातुर् वर्तसि भार्यायाम् त्यक्त्वा धर्मम् सनातनम् || ४-१८-१८
"Realise this reason by which I (Sri Ram) have eliminated you (Vali)... you misbehaved with your brother's wife, forsaking the perpetual tradition.
अस्य त्वम् धरमाणस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः |
रुमायाम् वर्तसे कामात् स्नुषायाम् पाप कर्मकृत् || ४-१८-१९
"While the great-souled Sugreeva is still alive, you with your habit of sinful acts have lustily misbehaved with Sugreeva's wife Ruma, who should be counted as your daughter-in-law.
Vali raped the lady who was like a daughter for him, the wife of his own brother! He had habit of such sinful ghastly acts, hence there was no sin in eliminating such a rapist demonic element in any manner. Shashtra says there is no sin in eliminating the one who lustfully indulges with his daughter, or with his sister, or with the wife of his younger brother. So It was a pure righteous action (Dharma) on part of Shri Ram to punish and eliminate such evil doer Vali.
- Shri Ram acted as Sugreeva's elder brother as well as friend and master, so Ruma became the daughter of Shri Ram! Hence Shri Ram had all rights to punish the one who raped Ruma.
सुग्रीवेण च मे सख्यम् लक्ष्मणेन यथा तथा |
दार राज्य निमित्तम् च निःश्रेयसकरः स मे || ४-१८-२६
Shri Ram told Vali: My association with Sugreeva is as good as that with Lakshmana, nevertheless it betided with an understanding to regain sugreeva's wife and kingdom, and he will give succour to me.
So Sugreeva was like younger brother of Shri Ram, hence Shri Ram had to free Ruma by eliminating the one who raped her. This was justice to be done, Shri Ram did pure justice to Ruma and Sugreeva as well as on Vali by punishing him for such immoral act.
☼ Shri Ram had promised Sugreeva to bring justice to him at the time of befriending with him. Afflicted Sugreeva from Vali's injustices, surrendered to Shri Ram, If Shri Ram will not help the afflicted one, then who would help in this whole cosmos?
प्रतिज्ञा च मया दत्ता तदा वानर संनिधौ |
प्रतिज्ञा च कथम् शक्या मत् विधेन अनवेक्षितुम् || ४-१८-२७
"I (Sri Ram) gave a promise to Sugreeva at the time of befriending him in the presence of vanara-s, and how is it possible for my kind to dishonour a given promise? [VR 4.18.26]
☼ ☼ MOST IMPORTANT: ☼ ☼
When Vali put arguments that He is mere an animal, not suitable to be eaten by Human [and same time Animals don't follow the Vedic-Dharma], then why did Shri Ram kill him, an animal, as animals don't follow the Vedic-Dharma?
Then only to answer him... Shri Ram told if you are thinking yourself as beast, then still there is no sin in eliminating a beast by a prince in hunting. It is never like Ram treated Vali as beast, but to satisfy his anger, Shri Ram answered as per the Dharma of a Kshatriya.
यान्ति राजर्षयः च अत्र मृगयाम् धर्म कोविदाः |
तस्मात् त्वम् निहतो युद्धे मया बाणेन वानर |
अयुध्यन् प्रतियुध्यन् वा यस्मात् शाखा मृगो हि असि || ४-१८-४०
Shri Rama told Vali: In this world even the kingly sages well-versed in virtue will go on hunting, and hunting is no face to face game, as such, oh, vanara, therefore I felled you in combat with my arrow because you are a tree-branch animal, whether you are not combating with me or combating against me. [VR 4.18.40]
So it was just for countering Vali's logic that he is animal so when he forcibly established physical relation with the wife of his brother Sugreeva or if he is habitual of such lusty acts, still he should not be expected to follow decent moral conduct and virtues of society.
So after seeing all these Pramanas, it is very much evident that Shri Ram killed Vali because there were suitable.
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