How Bali Defeated Ravana: The Lesser-Known Story From The Ramayana

We are all aware that in the Ramayana, Ravana was supposed to be defeated by Lord Rama to establish dharma. But do you know there was another warrior in the Ramayana whom Ravana feared because of his immense strength?

That warrior was Bali (Vali), the powerful king of Kiskindha and the elder brother of Sugriv. Bali was famous for his immense strength and is considered to be one of the most powerful warriors of his time. A popular tale of his interaction with Ravana is quite popular, mentioned in the Uttara Ramayana.

Who Was Bali?

Vali was a Vanara (Monkey) who used to rule over Kishkindha. Vali, or Bali, was believed to be an incarnation of Lord Indra. He was one of the most powerful warriors who never shied away from taking on any adversary in a one-to-one battle or a full-scale war. He used to look after the well-being of Kishkindha and his subjects.

It was said that Bali got a boon from the gods that he would get half the strength of his opponent who stood face to face with him in a fight. This power enabled Bali to defeat all his enemies, and his popularity also spread. Even the most powerful rulers knew about his unmatched strength.

Bali was a Vanara (Monkey) who used to rule over Kishkindha (Image: Gemini AI)

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Bali's Confrontation With Ravana

According to Uttara Ramayana, when Ravana heard about the powers of Bali(Vali), he decided to defeat him. He visited Kishkindha but was told by Sugriv and others that Vali had gone for his sandhya-vandana at the eastern shore. So, Ravan reached the seashore and decided to attack him when he was doing his prayers. But as soon as Ravana attempted to attack him, Vali effortlessly caught him and tucked him under his arm without breaking his meditation.

According to legends, Vali, with Ravana under his mercy, completed his evening rituals in all four directions. The Vanara son of Indra eventually returned to his empire and enquired about the identity of Ravana after releasing him from his captivity.

Ravana was shocked by seeing the strength of Vali and realised his mistake. He further apologised to Vali and sought his forgiveness and asked for friendship. Vali forgave Ravana and accepted his friendship before sending him back to Lanka.

This episode is one of the reasons Bali is remembered as one of the strongest warriors in Hindu mythology.

According to Uttara Ramayana, when Ravana heard about the powers of Bali(Vali), he decided to defeat him (Image: Gemini AI)

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Although Bali possessed immense strength, the Ramayana entirely focuses on Lord Rama's divine mission to destroy evil and establish dharma. Lord Rama's battle against Ravana did not show who was stronger, but it represented the victory of dharma over adharma.