To these harsh words though seemingly wellmeaning, courteous and righteous, Vali who had been mortally wounded and confused in mind, Rama replied:

To righteous Vali,the best of the monkeys, the lord of the monkeys, who looked like the Sun shorn of his brilliance or a raindrained cloud or a fire that had been extinguished. Rama, under the scanner, said in reply:

To righteous Vali,the best of the monkeys, the lord of the monkeys, who looked like the Sun shorn of his brilliance or a raindrained cloud or a fire that had been extinguished. Rama, under the scanner, said in reply:

'Without correct knowledge of dharma, artha, kama and worldly ways, how do you reproach me bitterly now in total ignorance?

'O gentle Vali why do you speak with monkeyish frivolousness, without consulting the elders and teachers endowed with intelligence?

'This earth including mountains, groves and forests, animals, birds and humans belongs to the Ikshvaku kings.The right of purnishment and reward also vests with them.

'Bharata, righteous, truthful, upright, knower of dharma, artha and kama and dispenser of punishment and rewards, rules this earth.

'Bharata in whom justice and discipline, truth and courage along with the knowledge of time and place for action are firmly rooted is king (of this earth).

'Following his command, in confirmity with dharma we and the other kings also move all over the entire world desirous of promoting dharma.

'Who can stray from the path of dharma when the whole world is ruled by Bharata, a tiger among kings, and a lover of dharma?

'By the command of Bharata ,all of us are devoted to our duty of upholding dharma and virtue and duly punish those who deviate from the path of dharma.

'You have violated dharma. You stand condemned for your actions. Passion is your priority. You have strayed from the right path of kings.

"It is to be known by him who treads the way of righteousness that he has three fatherly personages, namely his own father, his elder brother, and the one who accords education to him.

"An younger brother, a son, and a disciple with good characteristics, these three are to be deemed as one's own sons, for such matters take base on rectitude alone.

'O monkey dharma is very subtle. It is extremely difficult to understand. Installed in the hearts of all living beings the self knows good and evil (soul is the witness of good and evil).

'You are fickle by nature. Your consultants are frivolous, pettyminded monkeys. It is like one born blind suppporting another blind by birth. What do you know (about dharma)?

'I shall explain to you clearly (the reason for striking you down). It is not proper for you to despise me with mere anger and malice.

'Now know the reason why I struck you down. Having abandoned the eternal law, you are living with your younger brother's wife.

'You are a sinner, since you live with Ruma, who is your virtual daughterinlaw, when the great self Sugriva is alive. (A younger brother is like a son and his wife, a daughterinlaw).

'O monkey since you have violated morality by sinning against your brother's wife this punishment is justified.

'O lord of monkeys I do not see any other way of controlling a person excepting punishing the one who has acted against dharma and swerved from the accepted code of conduct.

'I am a kshatriya born of a good family. I will not pardon you for your sin. Whosoever transgresses dharma against his own daughter, sister or brother's wife out of lust should be killed according to smriti.

'Bharata is a king and we follow his command. How can you, who have strayed from dharma, go unpunished?

'Wise Bharata being a respectable king rules by dharma. By the command of Bharata, we are bent upon punishing those who have strayed from dharma by being addicted to sensual pleasures.

'O Vali we have to follow Bharata's command and are bent upon punishing those wicked people who deviate from the bounds of dharma.

'My friendship with Sugriva is as strong as that with Lakshmana. Its motive is the recovery of his wife and sovereignty. I have promised this to him in the presence of monkeys. How can a pledge remain unhonoured by a person like me? How is it possible?

'My friendship with Sugriva is as strong as that with Lakshmana. Its motive is the recovery of his wife and sovereignty. I have promised this to him in the presence of monkeys. How can a pledge remain unhonoured by a person like me? How is it possible?

'Knowing all these reasons(many violations of dharma), it is proper for you as a king to approve of the punishment accorded to you in consonance with dharma.

'Punishment given to you should be viewed as a right course of action in all respects. This is the duty of a trustworthy friend who follows dharma.

'You should also have acted in that manner considering dharma. Now listen to what Manu said, in two verses that hold good traditions dear which are accepted by men wellversed in dharma. O monkey the action taken by me is in conformity with this.

'You should also have acted in that manner considering dharma. Now listen to what Manu said, in two verses that hold good traditions dear which are accepted by men wellversed in dharma. O monkey the action taken by me is in conformity with this.

'Men who have perpetrated sins should be subjected to punishment by kings so that they become stainless and attain heaven like pious men who have performed good deeds.

"When a renouncer has committed sin like that of the one committed by you, my venerable ancestor Maandhaata has given punishment which he desired.

'In the past a similar sin was perpetrated by Sramana, a revered soul (mendicant) and Mandhata, a noble king of my race inflicted terrible punishment on him.

'Vicious deeds have been committed by others when the kings were not watchful. Kings punish such sinners when they are vigilant. Otherwise they have to atone for their negligence.

'O tiger among monkeys do not regret. Your death has the sanction of dharma. We are under the control of sastras. We are committed to them. We do not have the freedom to act independently.

'O hero O best of monkeys listen to me. I will give you one more reason. On hearing it, I hope you would not be angry with me.

'O best of monkeys I have no mental agony nor do I regret in this case. Hidden from view or out in the open, people catch animals by means of snares or ropes or through other tricks.

'People seeking animal flesh for food kill animals alarmed or unalarmed, animals that run away or animals that stand still. They kill animals whether they are alert or not and no blemish is attached.

'People seeking animal flesh for food kill animals alarmed or unalarmed, animals that run away or animals that stand still. They kill animals whether they are alert or not and no blemish is attached.

'O monkey even royal saints wellversed in dharma go for hunting. I struck you down with an arrow whether you were fighting with Sugriva or not, since you are a monkey. (You can be hit whether you are fighting face to face or not).

'O best of monkeys kings are donors of dharma, life and auspiciousness to people which is difficult to acquire. There is no doubt about it.

'One should not insult kings, nor shout at them, nor disregard them nor speak unpleasant words to them. They are gods in human form moving on this earth.

'Seized with improper anger, you are reproaching one who is devoted to dharma, without knowing that I follow the code of conduct that has been passed on by my fathers and forefathers.'

Vali was very much pained to hear Rama. He became free from confusion regarding dharma and no longer found fault with Rama.

Thereafter Vali offered obeisance with folded palms to Rama, saying, 'O best among men whatever you have spoken is undoubtedly true.'

"You alone are the knower of recourses and their real nature, namely probity, prosperity, pleasure seeking, and emancipation; dharma, artha, kaama, moksha ; and you take delight in the welfare of subjects, and your faultless intellect is clear in accomplishing ends by judging the causes and effects.

In Progress

'You are a wise man given to truth and righteousness.You remain devoted to people's wellbeing. As you know for certain about cause and effect your intellect is sound and words pleasant.

'O knower of dharma, I did not follow dharma in the past. I have trangressed the bounds of dharma. Say, you have pardoned me, protect me in a righteous manner.

'I neither grieve for myself nor for Tara nor for my kinsmen. But I do for my son Angada adorned with golden armlets. He is embellished with all virtues.

'I loved him very much from his childhood. He will grow depressed in my absence. He will become like a pond whose waters have been dried up.

'O Rama he is my only son through Tara and dear to me. He is young,innocent but strong.He deserves to be protected by you.

'Shower equal affection from your heart on Sugriva and Angada. You are their protector and punisher also. You know what should and should not be done.

'O lord of men may you have the same kind of affection for Sugriva and Angada as you have for Bharata and Lakshmana.

'I hope Tara will not be made to suffer because of my offence. Make Sugriva not to run wretched Tara down.

'It is possible for a person favoured by you to rule the kingdom.It is possible for one who is under your control and acts according to your will to rule the entire world and earn heaven.

'It is possible for a person favoured by you to rule the kingdom.It is possible for one who is under your control and acts according to your will to rule the entire world and earn heaven.

'Even though I was prevented by Tara, I came for a duel with Sugriva since I wished to die in your hands.' Having spoken thus to Rama, Vali fell silent.

Now Vali was able to see clearly. Rama consoled him with words of peace and tranquillity, truth and righteousness.

'O best of monkeys, abandon all your anxiety on this score. Bother not about us or about yourself. Whatever has happened, has happened in consonance with dharma.

'O best of monkeys, abandon all your anxiety on this score. Bother not about us or about yourself. Whatever has happened, has happened in consonance with dharma.

'The sinner and the punisher, whoever gives punishment and whoever receives it, are both regulated by the law of cause and effect. So do not despair.

'You have been purged of your sin through punishment from the point of view of righteousness. You have regained your spiritual nature on the path of dharma.

'O best of monkeys remove sorrow from your heart, delusion and fear. It is not possible for you to transgress fate.

'O lord of monkeys Angada will remain with Sugriva and with me as he used to live with you. Rest assured.'

Having listened to the sweet, wellcomposed words of great Rama, a crusher of the enemy in war ,follower of righteous path, Vali replied in appropriate manner:

'Pray, O mighty prince, hero of immense valour, pardon me for the words of blame I unwittingly hurled at you. I said all that in excruciating pain caused by your mighty arrow and in confusion of what is right and what is wrong.' इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये किष्किन्धाकाण्डे अष्टादशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the eighteenth sarga of Kishkindakanda of the Holy Ramayana, the first epic, composed by sage Valmiki.