Shloka 24

वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation

Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17

Devanagari script

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।।

Transliteration

phalamūlāśanaṃ nityaṃ vānaraṃ vanagocaram | mām ihāpratiyudhyantam anyena ca samāgatam || 4.17.24 ||

Translation

私は森をさまよう猿で、常に果実と根を糧としております。ここで私はあなたと戦っていたのではなく、別の者と相対していたのです――なぜ私に向かって来られたのですか。

Word by Word

• viṣaye: in (your) territory/domain
• viṣaye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• pure: in (your) city
• pure: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

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

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: when)

• pāpam: sin; wrongdoing
• pāpam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• karomi: I do
• karomi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• avajāne: I disrespect; I slight
• avajāne: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + jñā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; √ज्ञा with ava (to disrespect)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• kasmāt: why; from what reason
• kasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/Ablative: why/from what cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• haṃsi: do you kill
• haṃsi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• akilbiṣam: guiltless; without offense
• akilbiṣam: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + kilbiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समास/नकारार्थ (negated adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण mām (understood)

Context

'O prince, you are son to a king, handsome and famous. Even signs of righteousness are discernible in you.

Characters & Entities

• Vāli
• Rāma
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Fair combat (yuddha-dharma): Vāli implies it is unrighteous to strike one who is not directly fighting you and is engaged elsewhere.

What is the narrative situation?

Vāli, mortally wounded, highlights that Rāma shot while Vāli was fighting Sugrīva, not Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Appeal to propriety in warfare: the expectation of a direct, declared confrontation.