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An Incident in the Royal Court
123
The old king of Vanaras as soon as his sons entered the threshold of youth, decided to renounce the Samsar and to become a Shraman. Accordingly, on an auspicious day, he placed on the shoulders of Vali the responsibility of ruling over Kishkindha; became a Shraman and began to pursue the path of Moksha. He performed severe and austere penance to destroy his Karmas, and in course of time he attained liberation.
After Suryaraja, Vali became the king of Kishkindha. He made his younger brother, Sugriv, heir-designate to the throne of Kishkindha. Sugriv was like another Vali. He was a young man of great purity of thought; and he loved justice and fairplay. He was the very embodiment of magnanimity, kindness and he was not inferior to anyone in valour and militaric prowess. Vali became very powerful with the help of his heroic brothers Sugriv, Nala and Nila.
In this manner the narrator narrated the story of Vali in the court of Dashmukh Ravan. He described every heroic feat of Vali in an impressive style; and praised Vali. But he did not realize that his genuine adoration of Vali's greatness became the seed of a terrible fight in the future.
Even the praise bestowed on men of virtue, sometimes, proves disastrous to them; and may cause terrible anguish to them. Therefore, we should not praise or glorify men of virtues and abilities in the presence of those who do not like others being praised and glorified.
In this world most people do not seem to approve of the adoration bestowed upon others. Those who approve of it, and heartily honour the men of virtues and abilities are rare.
Dashmukh Ravan could not tolerate the greatness of Vali. He began to entertain evil plans to pull down Vali and to compel him to surrender to him. Actually, Dashmukh Ravan became deeply absorbed in his evil designs to put down Vali and to make him subservient to him.
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