Shloka 24
वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation
Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17
विषये वा पुरे वा ते यदा पापं करोम्यहम्।न च त्वामवजाने च कस्मात्त्वं हंस्यकिल्बिषम्4.17.23।।फलमूलाशनं नित्यं वानरं वनगोचरम्।मामिहाप्रतियुध्यन्तमन्येन च समागतम्4.17.24।।
phalamūlāśanaṃ nityaṃ vānaraṃ vanagocaram | mām ihāpratiyudhyantam anyena ca samāgatam || 4.17.24 ||
Aku adalah wanara pengembara hutan, yang senantiasa hidup dari buah dan akar. Di sini aku bahkan tidak bertempur melawanmu; aku sedang berhadapan dengan yang lain—mengapa engkau datang menyerangku?
'O prince, you are son to a king, handsome and famous. Even signs of righteousness are discernible in you.
FAQs
Fair combat (yuddha-dharma): Vāli implies it is unrighteous to strike one who is not directly fighting you and is engaged elsewhere.
Vāli, mortally wounded, highlights that Rāma shot while Vāli was fighting Sugrīva, not Rāma.
Appeal to propriety in warfare: the expectation of a direct, declared confrontation.