Shloka 26

वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation

Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17

Devanagari script

कः क्षत्रियकुले जात्शृतवान्नष्टसंशयः।धर्मलिङ्गप्रतिच्छन्न क्रूरं कर्म समाचरेत्।।

Transliteration

kaḥ kṣatriyakule jātaḥ śrutavān naṣṭasaṃśayaḥ | dharmaliṅga-praticchannaḥ krūraṃ karma samācaret || 4.17.26 ||

Translation

Wer, in einem Kṣatriya-Geschlecht geboren, in heiliger Lehre bewandert und frei von Zweifel, würde eine grausame Tat begehen, verborgen hinter den äußeren Zeichen der Rechtschaffenheit?

Word by Word

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• narādhipateḥ: of the king (lord of men)
• narādhipateḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha: 'नराणाम् अधिपतिः'), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• putraḥ: son
• putraḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pratītaḥ: well-known; renowned
• pratītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati + i (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण tvam

• priyadarśanaḥ: pleasing in appearance
• priyadarśanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (Bahuvrihi: 'प्रियं दर्शनं यस्य'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण tvam

• liṅgam: sign; mark
• liṅgam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• api: even; also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• asti: is
• asti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• te: of you; your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• dṛśyate: is seen; appears
• dṛśyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• dharmasaṃhitam: consistent with dharma; righteous
• dharmasaṃhitam: Karta (कर्ता; complement of dṛśyate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha: 'धर्मेण संहितम्/युक्तम्'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण liṅgam

Context

'You are born in a royal family. You are well-known. You are proficient in dharma. Yet you are unworthy of your race and robe.

Characters & Entities

• Vāli
• Rāma
• kṣatriya (warrior class)

FAQs

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

Integrity: dharma is not a costume; cruelty cannot be justified by merely appearing righteous.

What is the narrative situation?

Vāli accuses Rāma of acting contrary to kṣatriya standards while still bearing the outward authority of a righteous prince.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Consistency between learning/status and action—true righteousness must match behavior.