Shloka 17

तं प्रविष्टं विदित्वा सुघोरं सुमहद्बिलम्।अयमुक्तोऽथ मे भ्राता मया तु क्रूरदर्शनः।।

taṃ praviṣṭaṃ viditvā sughoraṃ sumahad-bilam | ayam ukto ’tha me bhrātā mayā tu krūra-darśanaḥ ||

Al saber que aquel enemigo terrible había entrado en la enorme y espantosa cueva, me dirigí entonces a mi propio hermano, de semblante severo, con estas palabras.

ahatvāwithout killing
ahatvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Roothan (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) with privative a-; ‘without killing’
nāstithere is not
nāsti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootas (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; न-निषेधपूर्वक; ‘is not’
mefor me; my
me:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; षष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)
śaktiḥability
śaktiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśakti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन
pratigantumto return
pratigantum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootprati-gam (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive); ‘to return’
itaḥfrom here
itaḥ:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययवत् (from here)
purīmto the city
purīm:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpurī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन
biladvāriat the cave-entrance
biladvāri:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootbila-dvāra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष: bilasya dvāram; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन
pratīkṣawait
pratīkṣa:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootprati-īkṣ (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
tvamyou
tvam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन
yāvatuntil
yāvat:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyāvat (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधिपर्यन्त (until)
enamhim
enam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम (एतद्-प्रयोग); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन
nihanmiI kill
nihanmi:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootni-han (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
ahamI
aham:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

'When I saw the dreadful demon entering the great cave, I instructed this cruel brother of mine:

V
Vāli
S
Sugrīva

FAQs

The verse frames a kṣatriya-like duty of confronting danger directly: recognizing a threat and taking responsibility rather than withdrawing, while also communicating clearly to one’s kin.

Vāli sees the dreadful being enter a huge cave and prepares to go in; before entering, he begins instructing Sugrīva.

Courage and decisiveness—Vāli does not hesitate after identifying the danger, and he takes charge of the response.