Shloka 4.18.52
वाली–रामसंवादः (Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma)
स ममादर्शनाद्दीनो बाल्यात्प्रभृति लालितः।तटाक इव पीताम्बुरुपशोषं गमिष्यति।।
sa mamādarśanād dīno bālyāt prabhṛti lālitaḥ | taṭāka iva pītāmbur upaśoṣaṃ gamiṣyati ||
Loved and indulged by me from his very childhood, when he no longer sees me he will grow desolate—like a pond whose waters have been drunk away, he will wither into dryness.
'I loved him very much from his childhood. He will grow depressed in my absence. He will become like a pond whose waters have been dried up.
It underscores the dharma of guardianship: when a protector is lost, others must step in to prevent the dependent from emotional and social ruin.
Vali anticipates Angada’s suffering after his death and uses a vivid simile to convey the urgency of care.
Empathy and responsibility—Vali’s concern is expressed through a poignant image of depletion and neglect.