Vali Vadham 11

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The Mayavi incident

 

Mayavi was an ogre, and was elder to Dundhubhi. Vali and Mayavi had a personal

issue to settle, on account of a woman. "While he justly ruled over his

ancestral kingdom, I remained submissive to him at all times and stood like his

servant. There was a glorious son of the demon Maya, elder than Dundhubhi. The

said Vali formerly had a bitter enmity with him on account of a woman," says

Sugriva. (Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kanda, Canto 9, Sloka 4)

 

Mayavi arrived at dead of night in Kishkindha and challenged Vali to a single

combat. Vali accepted the challenge and soon Mayavi could resist him no

further. He then ran into a cave. Vali ran after him with the intention of

killing him. Sugriva followed him. Vali posted him at the mouth of the cave

and asked him to stand guard there till he came back, killing Mayavi.

Twenty-eight months passed from that day. There was no sign of either Vali or

Mayavi coming out of the cave. Sounds of anger and pain were heard outside.

 

"Since I did not perceive my (elder) brother with my own eyes (all these long

months) my mind began to apprehend his death. Nay concluding him to have been

killed (by the demon) I for my part was overcome by a feeling of misgiving

through affection. Then, on seeing after a long time blood mixed with foam

emerged from the aforesaid hole, I felt extremely distressed because of that.

The yell of thundering demons too reached my ears, while the noise of my elder

brother, even though he was roaring while engaged in the encounter, did not fall

on my ears. By recourse to reason on the strength of the aforesaid indications,

I for my part, concluded my (elder) brother to have been killed. Nay, blocking

up the mouth of the hole with a rock as big as a hillock, and offering water (to

the spirit of deceased), stricken as I was with grief, I returned to Kishkindha,

O friend! Although I concealed the truth*, the secret was learnt by the

ministers with effort." (Ibid, Sloka 16-20)

 

*What Sugriva means here is that he did not inform the ministers and his people

of his apprehension that Vali might have died and that the fact was found out by

themselves.

 

But that still leaves Sugriva open to criticism. If he suspected that Vali was

killed by Mayavi, why did he not rush in, to help Vali? Why did he block the

mouth of the cave with a hillock? If he was afraid of facing Mayavi

single-handed, why did he not spread the information, collect enough number of

their warriors to eliminate Mayavi?

 

Sastriyar asks, "Is he a hero and dutiful brother, who knowing that his brother

was inside the cave, closes the cave by means of a huge rock and walks away to

become king and the husband of his wife? No doubt Sugriva thought at the time

that it was not Mayavi that had been killed by Vali, but that it was Vali that

had been killed by Mayavi. What grounds he had to think so, the Poet does not

say; nor does Sugriva himself say. He saw blood coming out after one year* of

waiting. It might be the Asura's blood or not. Sugriva imagined that it was

Vali's and hoping to shut the evil Rakshasa in, he put a huge rock. But we

cannot forget that people might ask, "If he was not sure, why not make sure by

walking in? Why did he not take his monkeys? People must have put that

question and come to their own conclusion. Only we know that the Poet does not

make an open censure of Sugriva's conduct, but gives a charitable construction

and says that he was by no means anxious to become a king, but that his

ministers forced him to do so."

 

That was a difficult position indeed. Kamban circumvents this point so

beautifully. It is wonderful that his study of the original was so deep,

critical, positive and objective. He proves his craftsmanship once again.