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Vali Vadham 58

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Hari Krishnan • December 25, 2002 


Right is right 


If retrieval of Sita was important for Rama, the way it should be done was more important for him.  It was important for him that she should be set free from Ravana, by his own valour, his own deeds and his own efforts.  No warrior worth his name would like to engage the services of a third person to do this job and Rama was very particular about it.  Though he doesn't say so openly anywhere, either in Valmiki or Kamban, his heart is well echoed and articulated in the words of Sita, when she spoke to Hanuman in the Asoka Vana.  

Hanuman intended to take Sita back from Lanka and hand her over to Rama.  'I will take you back to him,' said Hanuman.  'aRindhu idai arakkar thodarvaargaL uLaraamEl' If the rakshasas come to know (of the fact that you are being taken back) and dare follow me, 'muRindhu udhira noori en mana sinam mudippEn' I will kill them all and quench my anger.  'neRindha kuzhal nin nilamai kaNdum,' After seeing the condition in which you live here, 'nediyOn paal verum kai peyaren' I will not return empty handed to (merely give a report to) Rama.  

Sita, in her own motherliness refused it ever so gently, praising all the time Hanuman, assuring him that she didn't doubt his ability to do so.  Why would she not go with Hanuman?  She says, 'andriyum piridhu uLLadhu ondru.'  Above all, there is one more reason.  'aariyan vendri vem silai maasu uNum?' (If I return home with you like what you suggest) it would cause a slur on his bow.  It would affect his reputation.  It would affect his glory.  'nandri enbadhu en?' That will be the only good thing that would result.  'vanjiththa naaigaLin nindra vanjanai neeyum ninaithaayO?'  If this dog of a Ravana brought me here stealthily unseen by others, do you think I should return from here stealthily, in the same manner?

'I will not move from this place unless he comes here, wage a war against Ravana, kill him and I see crows pecking at his eyes that saw me.  If at all I thought of getting away from this place, I would have done so myself.    'allal maakaL ilangai adhu aagumO' Not this small island of Lanka ruled by tortuous people; 'ellai neetha ulagangaL yaavayum en sollinaal suduvEn' I will burn this entire universe with a single word of mine.  But I desist from doing so.  You know why?  'adhu thooyavan villin aatralukku maasu endru veesinEn.'  It would affect his reputation, if I come out of this prison by my own effort.  

He should come; he should save me by his strength; by his efforts and by his fight with this demon.  He should set me free.  That is what is right.  Therefore, I have not attempted doing any such thing.  And therefore, I will not return with you.  Please do not feel bad about it.'

How else would she feel, this wife of the greatest of all archers?  And most importantly, the wife of a person who is the very embodiment of Dharma?  

It was a natural decision for the person of Rama's calibre to ally with Sugriva rather than with Vali.  After all, he was guided by the dictum 'right is right' as against 'might is right' that has become the order of the in the present day world.  And that gives out a clear message.  What is to be achieved has to be good and the ways adopted to achieve that goal are to be necessarily good.

And then we mentioned about the element of hesitation in Rama not killing Vali during the first encounter that Sugriva had with him.  When making crucial decisions, Rama was careful and thought it over and over again.  He could not be influenced by anyone to make a particular decision.  There are three such occasions in the Ramayana (including the Vali episode) when he displayed hesitation before making the final decision.




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