Shloka 49

वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation

Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17

Devanagari script

मामेव यदि पूर्वं त्वमेतदर्थमचोदयः4.17.48।।मैथिलीमहमेकाह्ना तव चानीतवान्भवेत्।सुग्रीवप्रियकामेन यदहं निहतस्त्वया।कण्ठे बद्ध्वा प्रदद्यां ते निहतं रावणं रणे4.17.49।।

Transliteration

nyastāṃ sāgaratoye vā pātāle vāpi maithilīm | ānayeyaṃ tavādeśāc chvetām aśvatarīm iva ||

Translation

Quand bien même Maithilī serait cachée dans les eaux de l’océan ou même dans le monde souterrain, je la ramènerais sur ton ordre, comme Śvetā fut ramenée pour Aśvatarī.

Word by Word

• nyastām: placed/hidden
• nyastām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √nyas (न्यस् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle used adjectivally, Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies 'maithilīm'

• sāgara-toye: in the ocean-water
• sāgara-toye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक) + toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound = sāgarasya toye; Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vā: or/even
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प-निपात)

• pātāle: in the underworld
• pātāle: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प-निपात)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), additive/emphatic

• maithilīm: Maithilī (Sītā)
• maithilīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ānayeyam: I could bring
• ānayeyam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√nī (नी धातु)
• Form: Verb, Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ādeśāt: by (your) command
• ādeśāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; source/cause: 'from/by order'

• śvetām: white (one)
• śvetām: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śveta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used in simile

• aśvatarīm: a mare (Aśvatarī)
• aśvatarīm: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvatarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• iva: like/as
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमा-निपात)

Context

'Had you sought my help earlier(before you met Sugriva), I would have restored Sita to you within a single day. I have been killed by you to oblige Sugriva. I would have handed over Ravana by the neck after killing him in the battle.

Characters & Entities

• Vāli
• Rāma
• Maithilī (Sītā)
• Ocean
• Pātāla
• Śvetā

FAQs

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

The verse implicitly contrasts capability with rightful action: having power to help does not automatically justify how one chooses to act; dharma evaluates both intent and method.

What is the narrative situation?

Vāli continues claiming he could have retrieved Sītā from any hidden place, reinforcing his argument that Rāma had alternative, less contested options.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Extraordinary prowess and confidence in undertaking rescue—even from cosmic or inaccessible realms (ocean/underworld).