Shloka 6

वाली–रामसंवादः

Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma

Devanagari script

इक्ष्वाकूणामियं भूमिस्सशैलवनकानना।मृगपक्षिमनुष्याणां निग्रहप्रग्रहावपि।।

Transliteration

ikṣvākūṇām iyaṃ bhūmis saśailavanakānanā |

mṛgapakṣimanuṣyāṇāṃ nigrahapragrahāv api ||

Translation

Cette terre —avec ses montagnes, ses bosquets et ses forêts— appartient aux rois d’Ikṣvāku ; et sur les bêtes, les oiseaux et les hommes tout ensemble, c’est à eux qu’échoit aussi l’autorité de réprimer et d’accorder faveur.

Word by Word

• ikṣvākūṇām: of the Ikṣvāku dynasty
• ikṣvākūṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ikṣvāku (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• iyam: this
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bhūmiḥ: earth/land
• bhūmiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• sa-śaila-vana-kānanā: with mountains, woods, and forests
• sa-śaila-vana-kānanā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + śaila (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक) + kānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; बहुपद-समास in sense 'with mountains, woods, and forests'; 'sa-' = 'with' (सहित)

• mṛga-pakṣi-manuṣyāṇām: of animals, birds, and humans
• mṛga-pakṣi-manuṣyāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + manuṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; द्वन्द्व (समाहार/इतरेतर) 'animals, birds, and humans'

• nigraha-pragrahau: punishment and reward
• nigraha-pragrahau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nigraha (प्रातिपदिक) + pragraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; द्वन्द्व 'punishment and reward/restraint and favor'

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात) meaning 'also/even'

Context

'This earth including mountains, groves and forests, animals, birds and humans belongs to the Ikshvaku kings.The right of purnishment and reward also vests with them.

Characters & Entities

• Ikṣvāku (dynasty)
• Rāma
• Vāli

FAQs

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

Rājadharma: legitimate rule entails the duty and right to administer justice—both punishment (nigraha) and protection/reward (pragraha)—across all beings within the realm.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma explains to the dying Vāli the basis of his action: as an Ikṣvāku prince, he claims royal jurisdiction to enforce dharma within the world under that sovereignty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to public duty—Rāma frames his conduct as governance-oriented justice rather than personal enmity.