Shloka 48

वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation

Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17

Devanagari script

मामेव यदि पूर्वं त्वमेतदर्थमचोदयः।।मैथिलीमहमेकाह्ना तव चानीतवान्भवेत्।सुग्रीवप्रियकामेन यदहं निहतस्त्वया।कण्ठे बद्ध्वा प्रदद्यां ते निहतं रावणं रणे।।

Transliteration

mām eva yadi pūrvaṃ tvam etad-artham acodayaḥ | maithilīm aham ekāhnā tava cānītavān bhavet | sugrīvapriyakāmena yad ahaṃ nihatas tvayā | kaṇṭhe baddhvā pradadyāṃ te nihataṃ rāvaṇaṃ raṇe ||

Translation

ຖ້າແຕ່ເດີມພະອົງໄດ້ມາຫາຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເພື່ອເລື່ອງນີ້ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະນຳ ໄມຖິລີ (ສີຕາ) ກັບມາໃຫ້ພະອົງໄດ້ໃນມື້ດຽວ. ແຕ່ເພາະພະອົງສັງຫານຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເພື່ອໃຫ້ສຸກຣີວະພໍໃຈ ຈົ່ງຮູ້ໄວ້ວ່າ ແມ່ນແຕ່ຣາວະນະ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າກໍຈະສັງຫານໃນສະໜາມຮົບ ແລ້ວມັດຄໍສົ່ງມອບໃຫ້ພະອົງ

Word by Word

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphatic

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय/शर्त-निपात), conditional

• pūrvam: earlier/beforehand
• pūrvam: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण द्वितीया), temporal

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative used adjectivally, Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• artham: purpose/reason
• artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• acodayaḥ: you urged/asked
• acodayaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cud (चुद् धातु)
• Form: Verb (क्रिया), Laṅ (लङ्) imperfect/past, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ekāhnā: within one day
• ekāhnā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास) = ekasya ahnaḥ; Neuter base 'ahan' in Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially (काल-परिमाण)

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

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

• ānītavān: having brought
• ānītavān: Kriya (क्रिया/Participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (नी धातु) + ktavatu (क्तवतु)
• Form: Past active participle (भूतकृत्/क्तवतु), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with 'aham'

• bhavet: would be/would have been
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Verb, Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• sugrīva-priya-kāmena: with the desire to please Sugrīva
• sugrīva-priya-kāmena: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास) = sugrīvasya priyaṃ kāmaḥ; Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• yat: since/that
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative particle (सम्बन्ध-निपात), causal sense 'since/that'

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• nihataḥ: killed/struck down
• nihataḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (हन् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (कर्मणि क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with 'aham'

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• kaṇṭhe: at/on the neck
• kaṇṭhe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• baddhvā: having tied
• baddhvā: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bandh (बन्ध् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा), indicating prior action

• pradadyām: I would hand over
• pradadyām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Verb, Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• nihatam: slain
• nihatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √han (हन् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle used adjectivally, Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies 'rāvaṇam'

• rāvaṇam: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• raṇe: in battle
• raṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

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
• Sugrīva
• Maithilī (Sītā)
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma as discerning right means, not only desired ends: Vāli suggests that political aims (pleasing Sugrīva) shaped Rāma’s action, raising questions about impartial righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Vāli argues that Rāma could have secured Sītā and even neutralized Rāvaṇa through Vāli’s help, implying Rāma chose a path tied to Sugrīva’s interests.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic capability and confidence (vīrya), alongside the implied virtue of choosing allies and methods carefully under dharma.