Shloka 4.17.28

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

Devanagari script

साम दानं क्षमा धर्मस्सत्यं धृतिपराक्रमौ।पार्थिवानां गुणा राजन् दण्डश्चाप्यपराधिषु।।

Transliteration

rāma rājakule jāto dharmavān iti viśrutaḥ | abhavyo bhavyarūpeṇa kimarthaṃ paridhāvasi || 4.17.27 ||

Translation

Rāma, you are born in a royal house and renowned as righteous; why do you move about in the guise of the noble while acting in a way unworthy of it?

Context

'Conciliation, generosity, forbearance, righteousness, truthfulness, steadfastness in valour and punishing offenders are the hallmarks of rulers.

Characters & Entities

• Vāli
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Moral authenticity: noble identity and public reputation must be validated by righteous action.

What is the narrative situation?

Vāli directly addresses Rāma, challenging the mismatch between Rāma’s fame for dharma and the manner of Vāli’s killing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Upholding maryādā (proper bounds): a ruler must embody the standards he represents.