As Vāli lay wounded in battle, struck down by Rāma’s arrow, his voice rose with pain and reproach. He looked upon Rāma and spoke bitterly, “You are led by desire, quick to anger, unstable in your purpose, and your royal conduct is mixed. You are devoted to the bow and arrow, but you have no respect for righteousness, nor is your mind fixed on true wealth. Ruled by your senses, you are swayed, O lord of men. “If you slay me here, O Kakutstha, though I am without fault, what will you say among the virtuous after committing such a shameful deed? A king-slayer, a brahmin-killer, a slayer of cows, a thief, one intent on killing living beings, an atheist, and one who violates another’s wife—all these go to hell. Likewise, a tale-bearer, a miser, a betrayer of friends, one who violates the teacher’s bed—these evil-hearted ones go to ruin without doubt. “My skin, hair, and bones are not to be accepted by the virtuous, nor is my flesh to be eaten by the righteous like you. Five creatures with five claws are permitted as food for brahmins and kshatriyas, O Raghava: the porcupine, the hedgehog, the iguana, the hare, and the tortoise as the fifth. Wise men do not touch my skin or bones, O Rāma, nor do they eat my flesh, yet I, a five-clawed creature, have been slain. “I was warned by Tara, who spoke truthfully and for my good, knowing all; but, overcome by delusion, I have fallen under the sway of fate. With you as protector, O Kakutstha, the earth is not truly protected—like a virtuous woman with an unworthy husband. Deceitful, treacherous, base, and falsely humble in mind—how could you, a sinner, be born of the great-souled Dasharatha? “Having broken the bounds of good conduct, transgressing the righteousness of the virtuous, and having cast aside the goad of dharma, I am slain by Rāma, the elephant among men. If, after doing such an improper and inauspicious act, condemned by the virtuous, you speak of it among the good, what will you say? “Rāma, this display of valor you have shown against us, who are neutral—I do not see you showing such courage against those who have wronged you. If you had fought me openly in battle, O prince, you would see the god Vaivasvata today, slain by me in combat. But I, formidable as I am, have been killed by you in battle 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 first told me your purpose; in a single day, I would have brought back Maithilī for you. I would have bound that wicked Rākṣasa, the abductor of your wife, around the neck and delivered Rāvaṇa to you alive on the battlefield. Even if Maithilī were placed in the waters of the ocean or in the netherworld, at your command I would have brought her back, like a white she-mule. “It is proper that Sugrīva should obtain the kingdom when I have gone to heaven; but it is improper that I have been slain by you in battle through unrighteousness. Indeed, the world is subject to such fate, assigned by time; but if you have any justification, it is right for you to consider a proper reply.” Having spoken thus, his mouth parched and tormented by the blow of the arrow, the great-souled son of the king of the monkeys gazed at Rāma, radiant as the sun, and fell silent. Now, listen to the next part of this sacred tale, the eighteenth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Kiṣkindhā section. Thus addressed with respectful, righteous, and beneficial words, though harsh, by the dying Vāli, Rāma stood silent. He looked upon that best of monkeys, whose radiance was gone—like the sun deprived of its 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 monkeys, endowed with righteousness, wealth, and noble qualities. He said, “How, without understanding righteousness, wealth, desire, and even worldly custom, do you, out of childishness, reproach me here today? Without consulting the wise elders, approved by teachers, you, gentle one, out of monkey impulsiveness, wish to speak to me here. “This land of the Ikṣvākus, with its mountains, forests, and groves, is for the protection and punishment of beasts, birds, and humans alike. That land is guarded by 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 time and place. “By the command of the righteous, we and the other kings roam the entire earth, desiring the preservation of righteousness. While Bharata, the tiger among kings, devoted to righteousness, rules the whole earth, who would act against righteousness? 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 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. Why do you, unstable yourself, surrounded by unstable monkeys lacking self-control, deliberate like a blind man among the blind? “But I speak to you words that are clearly true; you should not blame me solely out of anger.