Vali (Ramayana)

In the Hindu epic Ramayana, the vanara Vali (Sanskrit: वाली) was king of Kishkindha, a son of Indra and the elder brother of Sugriva. He was killed by Rama, an avatar of Vishnu.

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A depiction of Rama killing Vali during the fight with Sugriva. Note the arrow cuts through the seven trees

He was famous for the boon that he had received, according to which anyone who came before him lost half his/her strength to Vali, thereby making Vali invulnerable to any enemy. Hence Rama slew him with an arrow in his back. Rama punished Vali for his evil deeds. It is said that Vali was reborn as the hunter Jara who killed Lord Krishna by his arrow in the Dwapara Yuga.

Vali had been known as a good and pious vanara-king, but had been too arrogant to listen to Sugriva after his brother had sealed the entrance to a cave in which Vali was fighting a rakshasa. Sugriva had mistaken the blood flowing out of the cave to be his brother's, blocked the entrance to the cave with a boulder and left for Kishkindha, assuming that his brother was dead. When Vali had emerged victorious over the rakshasa, he had found that the entrance to the cave was blocked (not a problem for his strength), and had then discovered Sugriva ruling in his place.

An enraged Vali also learned that Sugriva had married his "widowed" wife. Sugriva tried to explain the situation to Vali, but Vali would not listen. Vali banished Sugriva from the kingdom, and held the latter's wife captive in his own palace. Sugriva fled into the forest, where he met and formed an alliance with Rama. The two hatched a plan to topple Vali from the throne. 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. Thus, Sugriva was able to usurp the kingdom and to lead the monkey army in the service of Rama.

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A stone bas relief at Banteay Srei in Cambodia depicts the combat between Vali and Sugriva. In the middle, the two brothers are shown fighting. To the right, Rama fires his bow. To the left, Vali lies dying in the arms of another monkey.

Vali was known for his leaping-abilities.

References

• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola

External Links

• Mahabharata, Book III: Vana Parva, Section 278: online text for the section of the Mahabharata describing Rama's alliance with Sugriva and the killing of Vali.
• Ramayana, Book IV, Canto 16: online text for the section of the Ramayana describing Vali's death at the hands of Rama.
• Photographs of a bas relief at the temple of Banteay Srei in Cambodia depicting the combat between Vali and Sugriva.