Bali Vadham.

July 28, 2005

A very good topic raised by Vinod which has always been a matter of controversy for ages.Even pandits who in their discourses in Ramayana just touch the portion without much elaboration.However there must be some meaning in what the Divine Avatar in the form of Sri Rama did and an attempt is made to find out exactly what shuld hv been the incident and to find out in the proper perspective.May be right or wrong as said by Vinod an effort is made to defend the action of Sri Rama.There may be other versions also which are also will be accepted with appreciation.As nobody can claim infallibility,the same applies here also.But before justifying the action of Sri Rama it shuld be important the circumstances in which Bali or Vaali Vadham took place it is better to go back a little bit to events that took place before the final onslaught.

Bali it is acknowledged was a great Baktha of Siva and by doing great penance acquired enormous powers which made him invincible against anybody.Such were his physical prowess that he was able to make even Ravana tremble as he could beat him also and did once.As it always happens with people who got great powers and physical stamina he too created lot of problems and once he was fighting a Rakshasa Dundhubi and killed him and kicked his body which fell on the lap of a great sage Madhangi who was doing penance in Ruchiyamuga Parvatam.He got wild and thru his divine vision found out that it was the handiwork of Bali.He immediately, as was usual for the sages of those days when provoked cursed that if Bali stepped into that area his head would get blown up into smithereens and leading to his nemesis.So Bali always avoided that place.

It so happened that both Bali and Sugreeva were brothers and Bali was the ruler of the Kingdom .At this point another rakshasa Mayavi came to fight with Bali without knowing his strength and Bali just clobbered him and mayavi ran and entered into a cave to escape to the patala.Bali asked his brother Sugreeva to guard the entrance till he comes back after finishing mayavi and went into the cave.Months passed.No sign of Bali coming back and the worried vanaras thought bali might hv bee killed requested to Sugreeva to become the King and initially Sugreeva was reluctant to accept the same and wanted to go after his bother but the vanaras coaxed him to avoid that step and assume the power as they feared Bali must hv been killed by mayavi and come back again to detroy them.So hesitatingly Sugreeva accepted their advise and became the King.With fear lingering on their mind abt the coming of Mayavi the vanaras brought the stones from the various mountains and closed the entrance

of the cave thru which Bali went chasing Mayavi.However bali killed mayavi and returned and when hecame back the entrance was closed and he shouted to get the same opened which the vanaras could not hear.In his anger he kicked the stones and all flew away and the entrance was opened.When the news came immediately sugreeva went and prostrated before bali and explained the whole events.However bali in full fury never believed that and fought with sugreeva.Sugreeva ran hither thither to escape the wrath of Bali and finally knowing the safest place is the mountain where the Madhanga sage did penance ran into that place and Bali stopped chasing him further remembering the curse of the sage.Some of sugreevas followers also were with him and the chief of them was Hanuman.Bali also took the wife of Sugreeva by compulsion.

Now Sri Rama along with Lakshmana in their search for Sita somehow came to that place and by the wise counsel of Hanuman,Sugreeva prostrated Him and narrated the events.Rama out of His compassion and the saranagathy of sugreeva agreed to help him to get his kingdom.At this point Rama was advised since Ravana had taken Sita and the rakshasas were capable of doing tricks it was better the whole army of vanaras who were under Bali also took part in the search.The only way to get them was to destroy Bali and Rama too agreed and asked sugreeva to call bali for a fight and while they were fighting He would kill bali.Though sugreeva was having doubts abt killing bali by tests to Rama got convinced that bali could be destroyed by Rama and in turn promised all help to find out Sita.Sugrreva challenged Bali to come for a fight and in the first fight he was simply blown out by bali. A dejected sugreeva asked Rama why He did not come for help when he was fighting with bali.Rama said that as

they looked alike he could not find out the difference and asked sugreeva to wear a garland so that He could identify.As suggested sugreeva worn a garland and again called bali to come for a fight.This became too much for bali who wanted to kill sugreeva.However his wife Tara tried to stop him from going for a fight as she heard that Rama had made friendship with sugreeva and bali could not win Rama and would get killed.Bali replied that Rama was a great person of virtues and without any reason He won't interfere in his fight with sugreeva as He has even left the kingdom in favour of his brother to keep the promise he gave to his step mother Kaikeyi.Such a noble soul won't hv any interest in this affair and just brushed the advise of Tara went for a fight with sugreeva.The fight went on and sugreeva got kickes like anything and gasping for breath and seeing this Rama sent His arrow by hiding behind a tree and the arrow pierced the chest of Bali and he fell down catching the

arrow wondering who could hv sent the same while bleeding profusely.Even sugreeva was sad at looking this.Then bali saw in the arrow the name of Rama and concluded that only Sri Rama had sent the same.Then Rama appeared before bali and bali cursed Rama how could He demean Himself by this act of atrocity?He said hey Rama, an embodiment of all virtues and knower of all dharmas why you did this act?You were capable of destroying all the three worlds single handedly and why you chose this method to destroy me?

For the above agonising words of Bali,Rama replied Bali,you hv chased Mayavi and entered into the tunnel and even after a long time you hv not turned up.Naturally all were worried and Sugreeva wanted to follow you thru that path but was prevented by the elders and requested him to become the King and he only very reluctantly agreed to the proposal and it was the decision of the elders to close the entrance of the cave thru which you and mayavi went.When you came back after killing mayavi sugreeva was so much elated he ran to you and prostrated to you narrating the events and infmed you that it was the decision of the elders that he shuld become the king against his wishes and he did not hv any intention and begged your mercy and pardon.Instead of appreciating this gesture you hv disbelieved sugreeva and wanted to kill him and he had to run away and entered into the place which you could not enter becoz of the curse of sage Madhanga or else he would hv been killed by you.You did

not hv the magnanimity to understand him and also forcibly taken his wife to your side.Sugreeva was the first to become my friend and pleaded for getting back his kingdom which I promised and the same could not be achieved without destroying you.Hence I had kept only my promise and this need not go against the dharma and rajaneethy.

Again Bali asked Rama in such a case why you did not come before me and fight instead of hiding and fighting.For this Rama replied if I come face to face with you ,then you will also surrender to me and in that case I would be put in awkward position as I hv already promised to sugreeva abt your nemesis from my hands and that would not fructify.That was the sole reason I had to kill you by hiding and not becoz of your powers and strength.When you hv failed in yr dharma then the same must be brought to life.I hv taken that vow and accordingly I kept my words.

Bali still not satisfied asked that such things are applicable for mankind and as we belong to animal specie there is no laws for us for marriage or fight.I hv followed that only.Sri Rama said in your earlier births you were devas and wanted liberation which was promised to you during my present avataram.You were an erudite scholar,a great Baktha of Siva, and controller of all elements except akasa and from the way of your talking you must understand that you hv nothing t do with animal laws and so you were not supposed to behave like animals and so the laws applicable to mankind were applicable to you also and make don't mistake of that.Hence I hv folowed the laws as applicable to mankind and had to kill you.Since your intention in earlier births was to get liberation you will get the same now.

This wordings of Rama had a great effect on Bali and he accepted the truth of the saying of Rama and praising Him that he was only too glad to get liberation from the Divinity incarnated as Rama and took the arrow from his chest and the arrow went above and after getting itself cleansed came back to Rama.Bali further pleaded by getting killed from His hand he got the liberation and requested Rama to treat his brother sugreeva also as one of his brothers and advised sugreeva to be always of servcice to Rama in His mission with all the forces at his command and also requested Rama to see that people of future generation never blame his brother that he was killed by him and Rama blessed him and there were showers of flowers from heaven and ali breathed his last and entered heaven.Before leaving he also mentioned to Rama that Hanuman would fulfil his mission a successful one.In this way Bali had got the insight that Sri Rama was really the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

The above were the happenings that took place during the Bali Vadham.I hv read this from Kamba Ramayanam(in Tamil) and I just translated using my words into English and the chapter is a vast one I hv peferred to take only some important aspects.This was read by me some times back and from my memory I hv written this and there may be flaws in presenting but the matter dealt would be correct.In Tamil and oher languages Bali is not used and VAALI is used.I think in Malayalam this may be Bali.Don't know if the same is used in north Indian languages.

There is also a theory or story that Bali got a boon by which whoever fought against him half of their powers would go to him.But I don't remember I hv read such a thing in Kamba Ramayanam.So the Divinity has descended as Sri Rama to establish dushta nigraham and sishta paripalanam and the way one has to live in this world and He practiced the same to the core.Since Ravana got the boons from Siva and Brahma that he shuld not be killed by any devas,and so many other things but evidently omitted Nara and Vanara.So this was used by the Supreme Lord to destroy Ravana.As a human being He had to act as such without disclosing His identity and hence He practiced everything as a human being though killing Ravana was not a problem for Him.Since that would nullify the purpose of His incarnation He chose the help of everso many people to destroy the mighty Ravana.In the case of Bali or Vaali also he had to adopt the principle of saranagathy and His promise to sugreeva that He

would kill Bali and would help him in getting back his kingdom in return for the help extended by Sugreeva to trace Sita and to bring her back.So we need not harp on the theory that Rama had done something wrong in the killing of Bali and His ways were perfect and he also granted the wish of Bali in his earlier births of getting Moksha from Him.The main idea here is promise to Sugreeva must be kept in tact as he was the one wo approached Him firstand He too agreed and He could expect the same type of saranagathy by Bali also and the same could not be accepted becoz of His promise to Sugreeva and hence Bali had to be killed by hiding only as there was no way out and not out of fear of Bali which Bali too knew well as he himself recognised Sri Rama as nothing but the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.The fact as known to Hanuman also as Hanuman was Siva Himself to come for the help of Sr Rama and He too had to don the robe of a form without disclosing His identity as Lord Siva too has

praised that Sri Rama is so dear to Him in Vishnu Sahasranamam.

I don't know whether I am on the right track or not and if I could clear some doubts at least of the controversy I am only happy and don't want to get myself entangled in raising some other doubts by others which I won't be able to answer becoz of constraints.At the same time I do welcome the opinion of others also as no argument is permitted in this theme which is essentially meant for clearing certain misconceptions over a good period as desired by

Vinod.

Hare Krishna,

agraman.

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