As Vāli lay wounded on the battlefield, his strength ebbing away, he turned his gaze toward Rāma and spoke with words that, though respectful and righteous, carried the sting of reproach. “What desire could you possibly have for the things that drive men—land, gold, women, or causes for conflict? I have only forest fruits here; what greed could you harbor in my domain? “A king’s duty lies in discipline and self-restraint, in meting out both punishment and favor. True royal conduct is not tainted by personal desire; kings do not act on mere whim. Yet you, Rāma, seem led by longing, quick to anger, your actions uncertain and mixed. Your devotion to the bow and arrow overshadows the path of a true ruler. “You show no respect for righteousness, nor do you fix your mind on prosperity. Swayed by your senses and desires, you allow yourself to be ruled, O lord of men. If you kill me here, O descendant of Kakutstha, though I am without fault, what will you say among the virtuous, having committed such a shameful act? “Those who slay a king, a brahmin, or a cow, those who steal, those intent on killing living beings, who reject the divine, or violate another’s wife—all these go to hell. Tale-bearers, misers, betrayers of friends, those who violate the teacher’s bed—these evil-hearted ones are ruined, without doubt. “My skin, hair, and bones are not to be accepted by the virtuous, nor should my flesh be eaten by the righteous like you. Five five-clawed creatures are permitted as food for brahmins and kshatriyas—porcupine, hedgehog, iguana, hare, and tortoise. Yet wise men do not touch my skin or bones, O Rāma, nor do they eat my flesh, even though I am a five-clawed creature and have now been slain. “Tara, ever wise and truthful, warned me for my own good, knowing all. But deluded, I ignored her counsel and have now fallen under the sway of fate. With you as protector, O Kakutstha, the earth is left unprotected, like a virtuous woman with an unworthy husband. “How could you, deceitful and treacherous, base and falsely humble, be born of the great-souled Dasharatha? With the bounds of good conduct broken, having transgressed righteousness and cast aside the goad of dharma, I am slain by Rāma, the elephant among men. “If, after such an improper and inauspicious act, condemned by the virtuous, you speak of it among the good, what will you say? Rāma, you have shown your valor against us, who are neutral; I do not see you displaying such courage against those who have truly wronged you. “Had you faced me openly in battle, O prince, you would have seen the god of death today, slain by me in fair combat. But I, formidable as I am, have been killed by you while unseen, just as a man under the sway of evil is struck down by a serpent while asleep. “If, out of affection for Sugrīva, you have killed me, you should have told me your purpose first. In a single day, I would have brought back Maithilī for you. I would have bound that wicked Rākṣasa who stole your wife and delivered Rāvaṇa to you alive on the battlefield. Even if Maithilī were hidden in the ocean’s depths or in the netherworld, at your command I would have brought her back, like a white she-mule. “It is right that Sugrīva should gain the kingdom when I am gone, but it is wrong that you have slain me through unrighteous means. Indeed, the world is subject to fate, assigned by time; but if you have any justification, it is right that you consider a proper reply.” Having spoken thus, his mouth parched and tormented by the arrow’s blow, the great-souled son of the monkey king gazed at Rāma, radiant as the sun, and fell silent. Now, listen to the next chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Kiṣkindhā section. Thus addressed by the dying Vāli—words respectful, righteous, and meant for his good, though harsh—Rāma stood silent. He looked upon that best of monkeys, whose brilliance had faded, like the sun deprived of light, like a cloud emptied of water, like a fire subdued. Then Rāma, having been reproached, spoke to Vāli, the supreme and virtuous lord of the monkeys, who was endowed with righteousness, wealth, and noble qualities. “How is it that you, without truly understanding righteousness, wealth, desire, or even worldly custom, now reproach me here out of childishness? “Without consulting the wise elders or seeking the approval of teachers, you, gentle one, speak to me here out of monkey impulsiveness. This land of the Ikṣvākus, with its mountains, forests, and groves, is governed for the protection and discipline of beasts, birds, and humans alike. “That land is guarded by the righteous, truthful, and upright Bharata, who knows the essence of righteousness, desire, and wealth, and delights in both punishment and favor. In him are found both policy and discipline, and truth firmly established; as seen, he is a king of valor, knowing the right time and place for action. “By the command of the righteous, we and the other kings roam the earth, desiring the preservation of righteousness. While Bharata, the tiger among kings, devoted to righteousness, rules the whole earth, who would dare act against dharma? “We, firmly established in our own supreme duty, restrain those who have strayed from the path, upholding Bharata’s command as is proper. But you, Vāli, are corrupted in righteousness, blameworthy in action, ruled by desire, and not established on the royal path. “The eldest brother, the father, and the one who imparts knowledge—these three are to be regarded as fathers by those who walk the path of righteousness. A younger son, or a disciple endowed with virtue, should be regarded as a son; these three are to be considered as sons, and righteousness is the reason for this. “Righteousness among the virtuous is subtle and extremely difficult to discern, O monkey; the self, residing in the hearts of all beings, knows what is good and what is evil.