Vali Vadham 30

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When 'My Lord' becomes the accused...

 

 

'How can you do such a thing to me!' Vali started his arguments, his skills of

reasoning, logic and erudition touching a new high in his final peroration.

'You come of a high lineage. You are highly educated. You have the right to

govern all the three worlds. You are supposed to protect all the worlds. How

can you go astray like this!

 

Your entire race is known for Dharma and justice. Is it possible that you have

lost your senses after you lost Janaka's daughter, your very soul, your wife, in

the jungle? Has her estrangement caused your sense of justice to go off track?

'arakkar Or azhivu seydhu kazhivarEl adharkku veru Or kurakku inaththu arasaik

kolla manu neri kooritru uNdO?' If some Rakshasa causes injustice to you, are

you supposed to punish a totally unrelated monkey-king? Has your Manu Dharma

taught you to do so? 'irakkam engu uguthanai?' Where have you shed your

compassion? 'en paal ep pizhai kaNdaai appa?' What was the fault that you

found me guilty of? 'parak kazhi idhu nee poondaal,' If you become blameworthy,

'pugazhai yaar parikkar paalaar?' who is the one that is to be found fit for

all fame and glory?

 

'kootu oruvarayum veNdaak kotrava!' O King, who does not need the aid of an

ally (when you fight your enemy), 'petra thaadhai pootiya selvam aangE

thambikkuk koduthup pondhu' To your younger brother you gave the kingdom that

was given to you by your father. 'naatu oru karumam seydhaai.' You thus did a

wonderful thing in the civilised society. 'embikku iv arasai nalgi' By giving

this kingdom to my younger brother, 'kaatu oru karumam seydhaai' you (indeed)

did something wonderful in the jungle as well. 'karumamdhaan idan mEl uNdO?'

What other grand deeds can you think of doing?

 

When two warriors are engaged in a battle, the good and the wise must consider

both as equally related to him. It is not right to take sides Rama. Your

sympathy went with my brother and you aimed your arrow from hiding. More over,

'seyalaich chetra pagai theruvan therindhu, ayalaip patrith thuNai amaindhaai

enin,' If it was your intention to make Sugriva an ally of yours in your effort

to vanquish your enemy, 'puyalaip patrum ap pongu ari pOkki' instead of

associating with a lion that could fell a (cloudlike or storm-like) elephant

'muyalaip patruvadhu enna muyarchiyO?' what is this attempt of yours, in trying

to get the friendship of a rabbit?

 

This argument is a bit elaborate in Valmiki Ramayana. Vali speaks of his

prowess. "I would have brought (back) your wife (the princess of Mithila) to

you in a single day, had you but moved me in this behalf before; for it is for

this that I have been killed by you, keen as you were to oblige Sugriva. Nay,

tying round the neck the evil-minded ogre, Ravana, who stole away your wife, I

would have handed him over to you without his being killed in battle. I could

have brought back at your command the princess of Mithila even if she had been

kept in a place surrounded by sea water..." (Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kanda,

Canto 17, Sloka 48-51)

 

What we have presented above, with the exception of the first paragraph and the

last one, are the original contributions of Kamban, which are not found in

Valmiki. If one carefully observes, he has not included a few of the points

argued in Valmiki. He, however, has included an important point about Sugriva's

condition.