When The Gods Cheated!

He was thrashed in the day-long battle with his brother whom he had challenged to battle. He had lost one earlier too. His brother..Valli..took his wife and dethroned  Sugriva. Today he thought he would have his revenge since the God himself was in his side. Ram Bhagwan had promised to kill Valli the minute he saw him from his hideout. Stealthily! After all the two-monkey God brothers were committed to a hands-off arms duel to decide.

“I can’t seek him out up front since he is blessed to usurp the strength of his adversary facing him! However, rest assured, tomorrow when the duel commences I would come to help. ”

Reassured Sugriva again barked out Valli next day for a fight. The duel was just as furious and Sugriva was thrashed just as much, when an arrow pulled Valli out from the killing grapple in pain.

Dying, he was shocked to spy the God himself hiding behind a bush with his bow that fired the arrow still in his hand.

With his eyes glistened with tears he sought forgiveness from the Lord but seemingly stated “Why this deceit?”

Probably Valli cursed the Lord in his dying moments and thus in his next avatar as Krishna he too was done in by a hunters arrow. The hunter mistaking the knee as the eye of a doe!

In the entire story of Ram’s life he physically protected only two people. Both Sugriva and Vibhisana, Ravana’s brother..pitched against adversaries who were wife stealers!! And when he killed their adversaries the wives were married to the victors!

Fair redressal? No! Not so as it panned out in the story! Deceit is never forgiven!

Vibhisana who plotted against his brother is hardly celebrated. Till date in the Hindi heartland they use an adage that belittles him!...

Ghar ka bhedi Lanka dhaye!!

And for Valli’s killing as a hunter. The lord paid with his own life. And seemingly smiled and forgave his killer. He knew what he was being paid for. The hunter was inconsolable in his grief though!!

(A temple in Gujarat captures this moment!)