Baali

Baali (1)

1. Baali's Victory Over Raakshas
2. Why Raam Killed Baali From Hiding?

See also Sugreev

Baali was the elder son of Riksh Raaj from Indra. He had a younger brother also, Sugreev, who was the son from Sun. Baali's wife's name was Taaraa and his son's name was Angad. When he was born, Indra gave him a golden necklace for his victory. Brahmaa gave him Var that whoever will fight with him face to face, half of the opponent's strength will be depleted. That is why nobody could win him.

He was very brave and powerful. Both brothers loved each other very much, but somehow a misunderstanding developed between them and Baali abducted Sugreev's wife and banished Sugreev from his kingdom. Sugreev started living on Rishyamook Parvat with his four Vaanar ministers - Hanumaan, Nal, Neel and Taar, (see also Devtaa Produced Vaanar) as Baali could not come there (see "Baali and Dundubhee" below). Hanumaan was his important, very intelligent and brave minister.

Later Raam and Lakshman came searching Seetaa and met Sugreev. Both became friends and both told their stories (see "Baali, Maayaavee and Sugreev" below). Raam promised Sugreev to have his wife and kingdom back, which He fulfilled son. After getting his wife and kingdom back Sugreev helped Raam throughout in searching Seetaa till getting Seetaa back from Raavan.

Birth of Baali and Sugreev

How these two brothers were born is an interesting story. On the peak of Sumeru Parvat there is Brahmaa's court - in 100 Yojan wide area. Once Brahmaa Jee was doing Tapasyaa, two drops of tears fell from His eyes. Brahmaa Jee took them in His hand wiped His hand with His body. Later when He shook His hand one drop fell on the ground. A Vaanar was born from that drop. He said to Vaanar - "You stay on the peak of this mountain. After some time it will be good to you."

The Vaanar went away and started living there on fruits and flowers. He used to offer flowers to Brahmaa Jee daily. Thus a long time passed. One day Riksh Raaj got thirsty so he looked for a pond, and as he bent down to drink water, he saw his shadow in that water. He thought "Who is this my enemy here? I will kill him." And he jumped into the water. But when he came out he found himself changed into a beautiful woman.

By chance both Soorya and Indra were passing from there. Both saw that beautiful woman, and had a desire to have her. Indra's semen got ejaculated and fell on the head of the woman, so a Vaanar was born from that. Because he was born from her hair, he was called Baali (Baal means hair in Hindi); while Sun's semen got ejaculated and fell on her neck, so another Vaanar was born from there and was called Sugreev (Su means good, and Greev means neck in Hindi).

Indra gave a qualitative gold necklace to Baali and Soorya appointed Hanumaan in the service of Sugreev. After this that woman again became Riksh Raaj. Thus Riksh Raaj was both their mother as well as mortal father. After some time Riksh Raaj went to Brahmaa Jee. Brahmaa Jee asked him to live in Kishkindhaa Nagaree and sent a messenger with him to appoint his elder son as the king of that Nagaree. Vaanar were already living there. So all started living there. Baali was appointed the king of Vaanar. After some time Riksh Raaj died.

Baali and Raavan

Baali was so powerful that he could have defeated Raavan too. When Raavan was freed from Sahastraarjun by his grandfather Pulastya Muni, he forgot that insult and again started wandering around with the desire of fighting. One day he came to Kishkindhaa Nagaree and expressed his desire to have a fight with Baali.

At that time Taar, Baali's brother-in-law was standing at the gate. he told Raavan that if he wanted to die earlier then he could go to southern Sea coast because Baali had gone to do Sandhyaa on all the four coasts of sea. Or if he wanted to die a little later then he could wait there.

This shows that Baali did not go to any riverside or lakeshore to do his daily chores, but to eastern ocean for his daily bath, then to southern sea to do Aachman - sipping water for self-purification, then western ocean to offer Arghya (water), and from there to other ocean for Jap, and Sooryopaasanaa (meditation and Soorya worship).

Hearing Taar's words Raavan went there in his Pushpak Vimaan. He went near him very quietly to catch him but Baali had already seen him, so he caught him and put him in his armpit and carried him to other three seas. He released him only in Kishkindhaa and asked him as who he was. Raavan told him that he was Raavan. He came to defeat Baali but got defeated himself so he wanted to extend his friendship with him. Baali agreed as long as he did not ask any help from him in doing any unjust work.

Baali and Dundubhee

There was one Raakshas named Dundubhee (in the form of buffalo), Maya Daanav's son and Mandodaree's brother. He was also very powerful. He had the strength of 1,000 elephants. So once proud with his boon he went to Samudra (Sea) with the desire of fight, but Samudra directed him to Himvaan - the father-in-law of Shiv Jee. In turn Himvaan directed Dundubhee to Baali - the son of Indra and king of Kishkindhaa, so he came to Baali to have a fight. Baali killed him and threw his body 100 Yojan far.
While throwing his body, a few drops of blood fell in Matang Muni's Aashram (his Aashram was on Rishyamook Parvat). Matang Muni got very furious and asked - "Who that wicked evil-minded is who has done this to my Aashram?" He came out of the Aashram and saw a dead buffalo-like mountain dead fallen on the ground. He could know through his Tap power that this was done by Baali. So he said - "Who has done this, if he will ever enter this forest, will be destroyed. He has destroyed my trees also, so he will not be able to enter this forest up to one Yojan around. And his ministers who depend on my forest, they should also not live here. They can go back comfortably, but if they stayed back, I will give them Shaap too. Even Vaanar of Baali's side will become stone for thousand years to come, if they will stay here."

So all Vaanar went away from that Aashram and told Baali the whole story. Baali asked forgiveness from the Muni but he didn't even look at him and went away. Since that day Baali or his any minister or Vaanar could not come here [and thus Sugreev was living there safely with his four ministers].

Baali, Maayaavee and Sugreev

Baali and Sugreev were the sons of Indra and Soorya respectively from Risksh Raaj. Both loved each other very much. Being elder Baali was the king of Kishkindhaa Nagaree, and Sugreev was his working under him.

There was a Raakshas named Maayaavee (Maya Daanav's son and Mandodaree and Dundubhee's brother). He was very proud of his strength, so he was challenging here and there for fights. One day he came to Baali also. Baali accepted his challenge and came out for fight.

Sugreev was also very powerful and loved his brother, he also came out to fight. Seeing coming both brothers Maayaavee ran away. Baali and Sugreev followed him up to far. Then Maayaavee saw a cave and he entered in that deep and dark cave.

Baali wanted to follow him and kill him once for all, so he said to Sugreev - "You wait for me here. I am going to kill this Raakshas once for all. You wait for me for one year, if I don't come out by then, you may go back and rule the country." And Baali went off in the cave. Sugreev waited at the mouth of the cave as Baali instructed him.

Now the cave was very deep and complex. Baali took one year to find Maayaavee in that cave, and when he found him, a great fierce fight took place. After some time Baali killed him and a great stream of blood gushed out of the cave.

As one year was already passed and above that Sugreev saw the blood gushing out of the cave, he got frightened and thought that it was the blood of Baali, so he put a big heavy stone at the mouth of the cave to close it and came back to Kishkindhaa Nagaree. Seeing the throne empty, the ministers appointed him as the king of Kishkindhaa.

Later Baali returned after killing Maayaavee, and found Sugreev as the king of Kishkindhaa. Seeing Baali returned, Sugreev said to him politely - "I am still your servant as before. Please be happy with me. I was appointed the king just to save the country from brave enemies." But Baali didn't agree for this and said - "You wanted to be the king, so you were seeking an opportunity to get the throne. Today you got that opportunity, you thought to kill me by closing the door of the cave." And he abducted his wife and banished him.

Sugreev wandered here and there for some time but Baali's Vaanar were troubling him all the time. One day he came to know about Rishyamook Parvat and he started living there along with his four ministers. Here only he met Raam and Lakshman. Raam helped him to get his wife and kingdom back, and Sugreev, in turn, helped them to get Seetaa back from Raavan.

Baali and Raam

Sugreev knew Baali's strength, but he didn't know Raam's, so he was doubtful of Raam's killing to Baali. But Raam convinced Sugreev that He could kill Baali and when Sugreev got convinced then Ram asked him to go to Sugreev and invite him for the fight. Sugreev did so. Baali got surprised to see Sugreev challenging Baali for fight. Still he came out and pushed away Sugreev. Raam could not kill Baali at this time, because He could not differentiate between them that who was Sugreev or who was baali. He did not want to commit sin of killing His friend. Sugreev came running and entered Rishyamook forest and then came to his place. He was very sad. He sad some bad words to Raam, then Raam had to convince him as why did he not shoot Baali.

Well, Raam sent Sugreev next day again but this time with Gajpushp garland. This time He could recognize Sugreev and He killed Baali from behind a tree.

When Sugreev came to call Baali for the fight the next day, Taaraa got very troubled. She said to Baali - "Dear, You don't go to fight to Sugreev. He has come here the second time. He must have some back up behind hi. I have heard from Angad that two princes have come to him and they have become friends. Those two princes are no other than Raam and Lakshman, princes of Ayodhyaa and Dashrath's sons. And they are not ordinary princes, they are the Swaamee of Trilok. If you went to fight with Sugreev, you will not remain alive. You have not done good to behave like this with Sugreev. There is still time. You return his kingdom and wife to him and praise Raam. I beg you that you don't go to fight with Sugreev, rather resolve with him."

But Baali said - "You are a fool. If Raam is there to help him, I don't think He is so unjust that He will kill me without any reason; or if at all He will kill me like that then it is good for me because I will go to Swarg because of being killed by Him. And if I will win I will rule this country for thousands of years. You don't worry at all. Go inside palace along with your friends."

Thus Baali came out of his palace and fought with Sugreev. This time Raam could not make any mistake and He killed Baali with one arrow only. [When Raam knew about the Var of Brahmaa to Baali, He honored it and He did not go face to face to him (4/16/27 and 4/16/31). The same thing happened when Meghnaad tied Hanumaan with Brahm Astra, he also did not try to untie it.]

When Baali blamed Him to kill from a hiding, He preached him and sent him to His Lok. When Taaraa did a lot of lamenting for her husband, He preached her also.

Raamaayan
Others	Home
	Index \| Next