Shloka 44

वाली–रामसंवादः

Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma

Devanagari script

त्वं तु धर्ममविज्ञाय केवलं रोषमास्थितः।।प्रदूषयसि मां धर्मे पितृपैतामहे स्थितम्।

Transliteration

tvaṃ tu dharmam avijñāya kevalaṃ roṣam āsthitaḥ | pradūṣayasi māṃ dharme pitṛpaitāmahe sthitam ||

Translation

Du aber, ohne den Dharma zu erkennen und allein dem Zorn verhaftet, suchst mich zu verunglimpfen — mich, der im Dharma steht, wie ihn Väter und Ahnen überlieferten.

Word by Word

त्वम्you

तुbut, however

धर्मम्dharma, righteousness

अविज्ञायnot knowing, without understanding

केवलम्only, merely

रोषम्anger

आस्थितःhaving resorted to, having taken up

प्रदूषयसिyou defile, you reproach

माम्me

धर्मेin dharma, in righteousness

पितृपैतामहेin the ancestral (of fathers and grandfathers)

स्थितम्standing in, devoted to, established

Context

'Seized with improper anger, you are reproaching one who is devoted to dharma, without knowing that I follow the code of conduct that has been passed on by my fathers and forefathers.'

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Vālī

dharma

FAQs

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

Anger distorts moral judgment; dharma should be assessed through knowledge and tradition (ācāra), not through reactive outrage.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma directly attributes Vālī’s accusations to ignorance of dharma and to uncontrolled rage.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness in inherited righteous conduct (pitṛ-paitāmaha-dharma) and self-restraint in moral reasoning.