Shloka 4.17.1

वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation (Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17)

Devanagari script

ततश्शरेणाभिहतो रामेण रणकर्कशः।पपात सहसा वाली निकृत्त इव पादपः।।

Transliteration

tataś śareṇābhihato rāmeṇa raṇakarkaśaḥ |

papāta sahasā vālī nikṛtta iva pādapaḥ ||

Translation

Then Vālī—fierce and ruthless in battle—was struck by Rāma’s arrow and suddenly fell, like a tree cut down.

Context

A tyrant in war, Vali struck by4.54.24 Rama's arrow, collapsed instantaneously like a tree felled down.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vālī

FAQs

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

The verse marks the decisive consequence of conflict: in the Ramayana’s dharmic frame, power and wrongdoing culminate in accountability—often suddenly and irrevocably.

What is the narrative situation?

At the height of the Vālī–Sugrīva battle, Rāma’s arrow strikes Vālī, and Vālī collapses immediately.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s effectiveness as an enforcer of the pledged course of action is emphasized, while Vālī’s former battle-ferocity is noted as the backdrop.