Shloka 63

वाली–रामसंवादः

Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma

Devanagari script

दण्ड्ये यः पातयेद्दण्डं दण्ड्यो यश्चापि दण्ड्यते।कार्यकारणसिद्धार्था वुभौ तौ नावसीदतः।।

Transliteration

daṇḍye yaḥ pātayed daṇḍaṃ daṇḍyo yaś cāpi daṇḍyate |

kāryakāraṇasiddhārthā vubhau tau nāvasīdataḥ ||

Translation

Wer Strafe über den verhängt, der Strafe verdient, und wer als Strafe Verdienender bestraft wird—beide stehen in einer bewährten Ordnung von Ursache und Wirkung; darum soll keiner in Verzagtheit versinken.

Word by Word

• दण्ड्ये: in/with regard to one deserving punishment
• दण्ड्ये: अधिकरण (locus/condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (locative, case 7), एकवचनम् (singular)

• यः: whoever
• यः: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative, case 1), एकवचनम् (singular)

• पातयेत्: should inflict / should cause to fall (i.e., impose)
• पातयेत्: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → पातय (धातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम् (parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• दण्डम्: punishment
• दण्डम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (accusative, case 2), एकवचनम् (singular)

• दण्ड्यः: one deserving punishment (the punishable person)
• दण्ड्यः: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative, case 1), एकवचनम् (singular)

• यः: whoever
• यः: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative, case 1), एकवचनम् (singular)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• अपि: also / even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle; additive/emphatic)

• दण्ड्यते: is punished
• दण्ड्यते: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दण्ड् (धातु) → दण्ड्य (धातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present indicative), आत्मनेपदम् (ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• कार्यकारणसिद्धार्थाः: having their purposes accomplished regarding act and cause (i.e., cause-and-effect duly fulfilled)
• कार्यकारणसिद्धार्थाः: विशेषण (predicate adjective to उभौ तौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative, case 1), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative, case 1), द्विवचनम् (dual)

• तौ: those two / they both
• तौ: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative, case 1), द्विवचनम् (dual)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• अवसीदतः: do not sink / do not become despondent
• अवसीदतः: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (धातु) + अव (उपसर्ग) → अवसीद्
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present indicative), परस्मैपदम् (parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), द्विवचनम् (dual)

Context

'The sinner and the punisher, whoever gives punishment and whoever receives it, are both regulated by the law of cause and effect. So do not despair.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vāli

FAQs

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

Punishment is framed as dharmically structured, not arbitrary: both the agent of justice and the recipient are situated within a moral-causal order, discouraging despair and vindictiveness.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues his instruction to Vāli, explaining the logic of punishment and why Vāli should not collapse into hopelessness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Equanimity in justice—accepting lawful consequences without hatred or self-pity.