Shloka 4.8.18

मैत्रीप्रतिज्ञा-वैरकारणप्रश्नः (Friendship Vow and Inquiry into the Cause of Enmity)

Devanagari script

सोऽहं त्रस्तो भये मग्नो वसाम्युद्भ्रान्तचेतनः।वालिना निकृतो भ्रात्रा कृतवैरश्च राघव।।

Transliteration

so ’haṃ trasto bhaye magno vasāmy udbhrānta-cetanaḥ | vālinā nikṛto bhrātrā kṛta-vairaś ca rāghava ||

Translation

“So I live terrified, drowning in fear, my mind unsettled. Deceived by my brother Vālin, I have become his declared enemy, O Rāghava.”

Context

'O Rama! my brother is my enemy. Deceived and threatened by him, I live in the forest stricken with fear and utterly confused.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Vālin
• Rāma (Rāghava)

FAQs

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

The duty to protect the oppressed: Sugrīva’s fear highlights the dharmic need for a righteous protector to restrain unjust power.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva names Vālin directly and clarifies the hostile relationship created by deception, explaining his ongoing terror.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity: Sugrīva identifies wrongdoing and its consequences rather than disguising the conflict.