Shloka 17

वाली–रामसंवादः

Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma

Devanagari script

अहं तु व्यक्ततामस्य वचनस्य ब्रवीमि ते।न हि मां केवलं रोषात्त्वं विगर्हितुमर्हसि।।

Transliteration

ahaṁ tu vyaktatām asya vacanasya bravīmi te | na hi māṁ kevalaṁ roṣāt tvaṁ vigarhitum arhasi ||

Translation

Eu, porém, te direi com clareza o sentido destas palavras. Não deves condenar-me apenas por ira.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Ekavacana; 1st person pronoun

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha-nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; contrastive particle (तु-निपात)

• vyaktatām: clarity, explicitness
• vyaktatām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyaktatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• asya: of this/its
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• vacanasya: of the statement/words
• vacanasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• bravīmi: I say/explain
• bravīmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Uttama-puruṣa (1st person/उत्तमपुरुष), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī vibhakti (Dative/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic/causal particle (हि-निपात)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• kevalam: only, merely
• kevalam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: Avyaya-prāya (indeclinable usage); adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘only/merely’

• roṣāt: out of anger
• roṣāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Ekavacana

• vigarhitum: to blame
• vigarhitum: Karma-pravṛtti (क्रियार्थ/Infinitival complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√garh गर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-anta (Infinitive/तुमुन्), ‘to censure/blame’

• arhasi: you ought/are fit
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada; with infinitive ‘vigarhitum’

Context

'I shall explain to you clearly (the reason for striking you down). It is not proper for you to despise me with mere anger and malice.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Vali

FAQs

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

Judgment should follow clarity and truth (satya), not rage; ethical disputes require reasoned explanation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama transitions from rebuke to systematic justification, asking Vali to listen without anger.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Composure and commitment to truthful explanation under accusation.