Shloka 4.17.13
वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation (Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17)
तं दृष्ट्वा राघवं वाली लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्।अब्रवीत्प्रश्रितं वाक्यं परुषं धर्मसंहितम्।।त्वं नराधिपतेः पुत्रः प्रथितः प्रियदर्शनःकुलीनस्सत्त्वसम्पन्न स्तेजस्वी चरितव्रतः।।।।पराङ्मुखवधं कृत्वा कोऽत्र प्राप्तस्त्वया गुणः।यदहं युद्धसंरब्धश्शरेणोरसि ताडित:।।
taṃ dṛṣṭvā rāghavaṃ vālī lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābalam |
abravīt praśritaṃ vākyaṃ paruṣaṃ dharmasaṃhitam ||
tvaṃ narādhipateḥ putraḥ prathitaḥ priyadarśanaḥ |
kulīnaḥ sattvasaṃpannaḥ tejasvī caritavrataḥ ||
parāṅmukhavadhaṃ kṛtvā ko ’tra prāptas tvayā guṇaḥ |
yad ahaṃ yuddhasaṃrabdhaḥ śareṇorasi tāḍitaḥ ||
Seeing Rāghava and the mighty Lakṣmaṇa, Vālī spoke to him with words humble yet harsh, grounded in dharma: “You are the son of a king—renowned and fair to behold, noble-born, endowed with virtue, radiant in power, and steadfast in righteous conduct. What merit have you gained here by slaying one who was turned away, when I, absorbed in battle, was struck in the chest by an arrow?”
On seeing powerful Rama and Lakshmana approaching,Vali spoke with pride and rigteousness to Rama, 'You are a prince, born of a noble family, son of a renowned king. You are famous, brilliant, handsome and follower of good practices.Having hit me when I was engaged otherwise in an encounter what merit have you gained?'
It raises the dharmic scrutiny of warfare: whether striking an opponent who is not directly facing the attacker can be justified as righteous action.
Mortally wounded, Vālī confronts Rāma and challenges the morality of Rāma’s hidden shot, initiating a formal dharma-argument.
Vālī emphasizes Rāma’s royal virtues and vows, using them as the standard against which Rāma’s act must be judged—highlighting the ideal of consistency between reputation and conduct.