Shloka 4.22.31

वालिविलापः — Vali’s Final Counsel and the Succession Charge

Devanagari script

हते तु वीरे प्लवगाधिपे तदाप्लवङ्गमास्तत्र न शर्म लेभिरे।वनेचराः सिंहयुते महावनेयथा हि गावो निहते गवां पतौ।।

Transliteration

hate tu vīre plavagādhipe tadā plavaṅgamās tatra na śarma lebhire | vane-carāḥ siṃha-yute mahā-vane yathā hi gāvo nihate gavāṃ patau ||

Translation

When the heroic lord of the monkeys was slain, the Vānaras there found no peace—like cattle in a vast forest filled with lions when the leader of the herd has been killed.

Context

Just as the cattle get frightened when the leader of the herd gets killed in a huge forest full of lions, the young monkey became puzzled when the chief of monkeys got killed.

Characters & Entities

• Vāli
• Vānaras

FAQs

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

Dharma here stresses the protective function of leadership: when a guardian falls, the vulnerable suffer fear and instability. It implies the duty of the next leader to restore order and fearlessness through righteous rule.

What is the narrative situation?

After Vāli’s death, the Vānaras are depicted as shaken and unable to find composure.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue emphasized indirectly is the ruler’s rakṣakatva (capacity to protect), shown by the panic that follows his absence.