Born from the part of Devaraj Indra, Baali was the king of Kishkindha. He was a great warrior and brave fighter. He used to worship thrice a day and was devoted to the Brahmanas and cows. He had every kind of luxuries and comforts at his disposal.

Baali once had a fight with the demon king Ravana. Defeating the conquerer of Trilokas, Baali kept him captured under his armpit for 6 months. Then he brought Ravana home and tethered him there. He released Ravana only when Pulstya - the maternal grandfather of Ravana requested him. Thus for the fear of Baali, demons did not dare create disturbances in his kingdom. It was mere by chance that Baali grew enemity with his younger brother Sugreev. So he drove Sugreev out of the kingdom and snatched his wealth and even his wife Roma.

Initially, Baali and Sugreev were like a single soul in two bodies. Baali loved his brother more than his own life and Sugreev too regarded his elder brother like his father. Once the son of demon king Maya came at the door of the palace in night and dared Baali to have a fight. Thus dared by the enemy, Baali ran after him. Running for a long distance, the demon hid in a cave. Sugreev too had run alongwith Baali. When they saw the demon entering the cave, Baali instructed Sugreev to wait at the mouth of the cave for 15 days and himself entered it. Sugreev waited there for a month, but nobody came out. At last, blood began to flow out. Seeing it Sugreev got horrified and concluded that the demon had killed his brother. So closing the mouth of the cave with a huge boulder, Sugreev returned to Kishkindha and the ministers crowned him as king.

There, inside the cave, the story had taken an altogether different turn. It was the demon who had been slain. Now after slaying the demon, Baali came to the cave's mouth and saw it closed with a huge boulder, he was very angry. Kicking it aside, Baali came to the town and saw Sugreev as the king in the palace. Thus he felt for sure that Sugreev had conspired to kill him by closing the mouth of the cave. So he charged at Sugreev. Wounded by the charge, Sugreev fled from the palace. The confusion resulted in grave enemity between the two. Sugreev then began to live on Rishyamukha mountain. Once Baali had killed and threw a demon named Dundhubhi on Rishyanukha, thus spoiling the sanctity of sage Matang's hermitage. So the sage had cursed Baali that if he would ever dare to step on the mountain, he would die at once. Hence Baali used to stay away from the mountain. Sugreev made friendship with Lord Rama. In due course, Lord Shri Rama sent Sugreev to instigate Baali and hence to come out for a fight. Accepting Sugreev's challenge, Baali ran after him. His wife Tara tried to intervene but Baali said :' Look here Tara; Shri Rama is an impartial person. Even if he kills me, I will go to the Supreme abode.

Baali knew Shri Rama very well. When Lord Rama from behind a tree shot an arrow at Baali's chest and Baali fell down, He ridiculed Rama for shooting him treachoursly. Lord Rama was not moved by his ridicules. He knew what was in Baali"s heart.

God told Baali that he had tried to kill Sugreev knowing that he was in his refuge, just because of ego. Baali realised his mistake, so he said- 'O Lord, you are the mightiest, how could my cleverness be a match before you. Now as I am getting salvation at your feet, kindly tell me if I am still a sinner'.

The kind Lord offered Baali to make him immortal. But Baali refused, and said that such a rare occasion to receive salvation did not arrive frequently. Baali then prayed to the God and sought a boon- 'O Lord; in whatever incarnation I take birth, may my affection for your feet be eternal". Thus having the divine sight of the God and concetrating his mind at his feet, the great soul of Baali left his ephemeral body .