Shloka 8

वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation

Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17

Devanagari script

तदस्त्रं तस्य वीरस्य स्वर्गमार्गप्रभावनम्।रामबाणासनक्षिप्तमावहत्परमां गतिम्।।

Transliteration

tadastraṃ tasya vīrasya svargamārga-prabhāvanam | rāmabāṇāsana-kṣiptam āvahat paramāṃ gatim ||

Translation

Aquella arma —la flecha de Rāma soltada del arco— se volvió para ese héroe una fuerza que abría el camino al cielo, conduciéndolo al destino supremo.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• अस्त्रम्: weapon, missile
• अस्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; genitive

• वीरस्य: of the hero
• वीरस्य: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• स्वर्गमार्गप्रभावनम्: making the path to heaven (effective)
• स्वर्गमार्गप्रभावनम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग + मार्ग + प्रभावन (प्रातिपदिक); components: स्वर्ग(heaven) + मार्ग(path) + प्रभावन(making/effecting)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; compound used adjectivally qualifying अस्त्रम्

• रामबाणासनक्षिप्तम्: released/shot (from the bow) by Rāma's arrow
• रामबाणासनक्षिप्तम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राम + बाण + आसन + क्षिप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक); क्षिप्त = √क्षिप् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; PPP used adjectivally qualifying अस्त्रम्; compound sense: 'shot from the bow by Rāma's arrow' (contextual)

• आवहत्: brought, carried (to)
• आवहत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √वह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; qualifies गतिम्

• गतिम्: destination, course
• गतिम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Context

Rama's arrow released paved the way to heaven which was that hero's supreme destination.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vālin
• bāṇa (arrow)
• astra (weapon)
• svarga (heaven)

FAQs

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

The verse reflects the epic idea that death in a heroic encounter can be framed within a moral-cosmic order (svarga-mārga), even as questions of right conduct remain central elsewhere in the dialogue.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator comments on the effect of Rāma’s arrow: it leads Vālin toward his final, exalted end.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Heroic worthiness—Vālin is still called ‘vīra’, and his end is portrayed as reaching a ‘paramā gati’.