Shloka 34

वालिवधः

The Slaying of Vali

Devanagari script

तस्य ज्यातलघोषेण त्रस्ताः पत्ररथेश्वराः।प्रदुद्रुवुर्मृगाश्चैव युगान्त इव मोहिताः4.16.34।।

Transliteration

tasya jyātalaghōṣeṇa trastāḥ patraratheśvarāḥ |

pradudruvur mṛgāś caiva yugānta iva mohitāḥ || 4.16.34 ||

Translation

Beim scharfen Klang seiner Bogensehne erschraken die Vögel, die Herren der Lüfte; auch Hirsche und Wild flohen davon, wie betört am Ende der Welt.

Word by Word

• muktaḥ: released
• muktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukta (कृदन्त, √muc/मुच् ‘to release’)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with mahābāṇaḥ

• tu: indeed/and
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• vajra-nirghoṣaḥ: thundering like a thunderbolt
• vajra-nirghoṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक) + nirghoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘vajrasya nirghoṣaḥ iva’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pradīpta-aśani-sannibhaḥ: like blazing lightning
• pradīpta-aśani-sannibhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pradīpta (कृदन्त, √dīp/दीप् ‘to blaze’) + aśani (प्रातिपदिक) + sannibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘pradīptāyāḥ aśaneḥ sannibhaḥ’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• rāghaveṇa: by Rāma
• rāghaveṇa: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-bāṇaḥ: mighty arrow
• mahā-bāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘mahān bāṇaḥ’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāli-vakṣasi: in Vāli's chest
• vāli-vakṣasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālin (प्रातिपदिक) + vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘vāleḥ vakṣasi’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pātitaḥ: was made to fall/was shot into
• pātitaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Result state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pātita (कृदन्त, causative of √pat/पत् ‘to fall’)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) of causative √pat; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with mahābāṇaḥ

Context

Then the powerful monkey king Vali, who was proud of his might, fell down on earth, struck by the fast flying arrow.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bowstring (jyā)
• Birds
• Animals

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes the gravity of dharmic enforcement: righteous power, when unleashed, affects the whole environment and must be handled with restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

The bow is drawn; the sound signals an imminent, decisive strike, startling all creatures nearby.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Majesty and potency (tejas) under purposeful action.