Shloka 38

वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation

Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17

Devanagari script

पञ्च पञ्च नखा भक्ष्या ब्रह्मक्षत्रेण राघव।।शल्यक श्श्वाविधो गोधा शशः कूर्मश्च पञ्चमः।

Transliteration

pañca pañcanakhā bhakṣyā brahmakṣatreṇa rāghava | śalyakaḥ śvāvidho godhā śaśaḥ kūrmaś ca pañcamaḥ ||

Translation

يا راغhava، لا يُباح للبراهمة والكشترية من ذوات «الخمس مخالب» إلا خمسة: النيص، والقنفذ، والغودها، والأرنب، والسلحفاة خامسًا.

Word by Word

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; here used adjectivally with implied plural group; (Numeral)

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; repetition indicates grouping: ‘five (kinds)’; (Numeral)

• nakhāḥ: (those) with claws/nails
• nakhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• bhakṣyāḥ: edible/permitted as food
• bhakṣyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; predicate adjective ‘edible/permitted to be eaten’

• brahma-kṣatreṇa: by/for Brahmins and Kshatriyas
• brahma-kṣatreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः (copulative): ब्रह्म च क्षत्रं च; नपुंसकलिङ्गः (collective), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्; ‘by/for Brahmins and Kshatriyas’

• rāghava: O Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• śalyakaḥ: porcupine
• śalyakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śalyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; item in list

• śvāvidhaḥ: hedgehog
• śvāvidhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvāvidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; item in list

• godhā: iguana/monitor lizard
• godhā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: godhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; item in list

• śaśaḥ: hare/rabbit
• śaśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; item in list

• kūrmaḥ: tortoise
• kūrmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūrma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; item in list

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• pañcamaḥ: the fifth
• pañcamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ordinal adjective ‘the fifth’ (implied: among the five)

Context

'O Rama! brahmins and kshatriyas are permitted to eat only the five -nailed animals- the porcupine, the hedgehog, the alligator, the rabbit and the tortoise.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Vāli

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma is not mere power but regulated living; even permitted acts (like meat-eating in certain traditions) are constrained by specific rules.

What is the narrative situation?

Vāli cites traditional categories of permissible ‘pañcanakha’ animals to argue that Rāma’s killing of him cannot be defended as legitimate hunting for food.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Scriptural/legal discernment—knowing boundaries of permissibility and applying them responsibly.