Shloka 39
वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation
Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17
चर्म चास्थि च मे राजन् नस्पृशन्ति मनीषिणः।।अभक्ष्याणि च मांसानि सोऽहं पञ्चनखो हतः।
carma cāsthi ca me rājan na spṛśanti manīṣiṇaḥ | abhakṣyāṇi ca māṃsāni so 'haṃ pañcanakho hataḥ ||
王よ、賢者は我が皮も骨も触れず、我が肉も食すにふさわしくない。それなのに、この五爪の身である我は殺された。
'O king! the learned do not even touch my skin or bone. They do not eat my flesh. While it is so, you have unnecessarily killed me, a five-nailed animal.
FAQs
Dharma demands proper grounds for violence; Vāli argues that killing without a legitimate purpose (such as sanctioned use) is ethically blameworthy.
Vāli concludes his dietary/hunting argument: since his body is not used by the righteous, the killing appears unjustified.
Non-violence constrained by necessity—violence must be justified, limited, and aligned with dharma.