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Symbolism of Vaali vadham. 
Written by Jayasree Saranathan
Vaali vadham
had been a controversial onethat had invited a number of interpretations for ages.Most interpretations however had failedto justify the way Rama killed Vali.ButRama as perfect embodiment of Dharma can never be wrong. He can never be thought to have slipped from dharmaat any time in Ramavadhara.Even otherwise as Brahman,He can not be said to have faltered in dharma.“Not even on accountof the peculiarity of situation can the two-foldcharacteristics (v,z., positive and negative) belong to the Highest” (Vedantha Sutra III-2-11).He is Positive,Pure, Auspicious and Right always.
Then why was Vali vadham designed in the way it was?
This article seeks to find an answer to this question.
 
Did Rama slip from Dharma in Vali vadam?A person can be a ‘perfect’ embodiment of dharmaonly if he had adhered to dharma at all timesand despite challenges to such adherence.If he had slipped once, how can He be called as a ‘perfect’ embodiment of dharma?Once slipped, it is slip for ever.If in spite of vali vadam, Rama were to be regarded as a ‘perfect’ embodiment of dharma by a long list of enlightened ones starting from sages of yore,the inference is thatRama can not have done anything adharmicin vali vadam.We have on record the reasons to substantiate thatRama’s act was indeed dharmic.But that they (the reasons) have done precious littleis borne by the fact that the issue still remains.The most often cited reasons are two. (1)
 
Vali was adharmic in having driven out his younger brother Who is to be treated as his own son and in having takenhis wife for sam-bhogam.(2)
 
It is only natural for a warrior like Ramato have hunted him as he happens to be a monkey.
 
The first reason is not a strong onethough this is what Rama Himself says.If younger brother is like a son and his wife the daughter-in-law,what do we say about elder brother and his wife?Father and mother, rightly.If Rama intended to punish Valifor what he did to Ruma (Sugreeva’s wife),why did he spare Sugreeva who took up Tara (Vali’s wife) later?He didn’t admonish him the least.So this can not be the real reason.Taking up the second reason,that Rama decided to kill Vali was a foregone one(by virtue of the pledge hemade with Agni as witness)But why did he choose the modethat was not fitting to the stature of one like Him?He could not be said to have hunted Vali, As Vali himself had noted that monkeys were not hunted.So this reason also is not a sound one.There are other reasons cited , but each one of them stands to be countered.That is why the controversy continues.
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