Shloka 31

वालिवधः

The Slaying of Vali

Devanagari script

हीयमानमथोऽपश्यत्सुग्रीवं वानरेश्वरम्।वीक्षमाणं दिशश्चैव राघवस्स मुहुर्मुहुः4.16.31।।

Transliteration

hīyamānam atho 'paśyat sugrīvaṃ vānarēśvaram |

vīkṣamāṇaṃ diśaś caiva rāghavaḥ sa muhur muhuḥ || 4.16.31 ||

Translation

তখন রাঘব দেখলেন—বানরেশ্বর সুগ্রীব ক্রমে দুর্বল হয়ে পড়ছে; আর সে বারবার দিকগুলির দিকে তাকাচ্ছে, যেন সাহায্য অন্বেষণ করছে॥

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-tejāḥ: of great splendor
• mahā-tejāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘mahā tejas yasya’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ārtam: distressed
• ārtam: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with harīśvaram

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Hetu (हेतु/Causal circumstance)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त)

• harīśvaram: the monkey-lord (Sugrīva)
• harīśvaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘harīṇām īśvaraḥ’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaram: arrow
• śaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• vīkṣate: looks for/observes
• vīkṣate: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īkṣ (ईक्ष्)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• vīraḥ: the hero
• vīraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to rāmaḥ

• vālinaḥ: of Vāli
• vālinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vadha-kāraṇāt: for the purpose/cause of killing
• vadha-kāraṇāt: Hetu (हेतु/Purpose-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘vadhasya kāraṇam’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

O timid lady! to swallow insult (without facing the opponent) is worse than death forindomitable heroes (like me) who know no retreat in a battle.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Sugrīva
• directions (diśaḥ)

FAQs

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

It foregrounds satya and dharma in friendship: having pledged help to Sugrīva, Rāma attentively watches the moment when assistance becomes a duty, not an option.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva begins to falter and looks around repeatedly; Rāma perceives this, foreshadowing his intervention.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s vigilance and responsibility toward an ally—readiness to uphold a promise at the critical moment.