Shloka 16
वाली–रामसंवादः
Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma
चपलश्चपलैस्सार्धं वानरैरकृतात्मभिः।जात्यन्ध इव जात्यन्धैर्मन्त्रयन् प्रेक्षसे नु किम्।।
capalaś capalaiḥ sārdhaṁ vānarair akṛtātmabhiḥ | jātyandha iva jātyandhair mantrayan prekṣase nu kim ||
তুমি নিজে চঞ্চল, আর চঞ্চল ও অসংযত বানরদের সঙ্গে পরামর্শ করছ। জন্মান্ধ যেমন জন্মান্ধদের সঙ্গে—তেমনি তুমি কী বুঝতে পারবে বলে আশা করছ?॥
'You are fickle by nature. Your consultants are frivolous, petty-minded monkeys. It is like one born blind suppporting another blind by birth. What do you know (about dharma)?
FAQs
Right action depends on disciplined judgment and wise counsel; moral blindness is reinforced by surrounding oneself with similarly unprincipled advisors.
Rama rebukes Vali’s decision-making, implying that Vali’s ethical confusion is worsened by poor company and counsel.
Discernment in choosing advisers—an essential virtue of rāja-dharma.