Lust, like all sins, is precious energy misspent in unproductive and wrong channels. Bali, in the Ramcharit Manas, is depicted by Saint Tulasidasji as a lusty king who banishes his younger brother from the kingdom and forcefully snatches his wife Ruma. Bali’s power sprung from a boon, that whosoever faces him in a fight will lose half his strength immediately to Bali, making him one and a half times stronger than his opponent! Modern psychologists advise that the easier method of winning over lust is; first and foremost, remove it from view, then try and destroy it. Therefore Ramji does not face Bali while shooting him. Vivekchoodamani states, that sense attractions are deadlier than poison, because poison can kill only if consumed, but sense objects can kill even by a look. The Bhagavad Geeta chapter 6, verse 26 also advises the meditator to guard his mind from that which strongly pulls it away during meditation. Those very things will sap his mental energies and abduct his thought flow. Valmiki Ramayan, 18,14,22, cautions similarly. Swami Chinmayanandaji said, “The quality of your half an hour’s meditation depends on the quality of your thoughts and actions in the other twenty three and a half hours.”
Manu Smriti and Ramcharitmanas have verses that clearly mandate that any man who lusts after his younger brother’s wife, son’s wife, sister or daughter, deserves to be killed, and there is no sin in doing so as these relationships are sacred and man is honour bound to protect them. Therefore Ramji does not face Bali. Manu Smriti states, “A king who punishes the innocent and does not punish the criminal, becomes infamous and goes to hell.” The Royal upholder of dharma, Shri Ram, had to destroy a criminal like Bali.
Prarthna Saran, President Chinmaya Mission Delhi
Bali, embodiment of lust
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