Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 1: Contents of the Rāmāyaṇa Summarized
Text 1.1.67
अनुमान्य तदा तारां सुग्रीवेण समागतः।
निजघान च तत्रैनं शरेणैकेन राघवः॥
anumānya tadā tārāṁ sugrīveṇa samāgataḥ
nijaghāna ca tatrainaṁ śareṇaikena rāghavaḥ
anumānya = consoled and; tadā = When Vālī came out; tārām = Tārā; sugrīveṇa = Sugrīva; samāgataḥ = he came to meet [in battle]; nijaghāna ca = then killed; tatra = in that place; enam = Vālī; śareṇa = with; ekena = a single; rāghavaḥ = the descendant of Raghu.
When Vālī came out, he consoled Tārā and came to meet Sugrīva [in battle]. The descendant of Raghu [then] killed Vālī in that place with a single arrow.
Tārā restrained Vālī from going, by saying “Today Aṅgada came from the woods and said that Sugrīva has the assistance of Rāma. Sugrīva has already been defeated and [yet] he has returned. So, it is not appropriate for you to go [to battle him].” Vālī consoled her by asking, “How is it possible for the best of the dhārmika persons Rāma to kill me, an inoffensive person?”
As the descendant of Raghu, that is, born in a great dynasty, Rāma was aware of the subtleties of dharma. Vālī was fighting with someone other than Rāma. Still, with a single arrow, Rāmacandra killed him. He did not use a second arrow because then He would have to face Vālī and it would be impossible to kill him then, for it was well known that Vālī had a benediction that he would acquire the strength of anyone who faces him in battle.