Shloka 36

वाली–रामसंवादः

Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma

Devanagari script

तदलं परितापेन धर्मतः परिकल्पितः।वधो वानरशार्दूल न वयं स्ववशे स्थिता:।।।।

Transliteration

tad alaṃ paritāpena dharmataḥ parikalpitaḥ | vadho vānaraśārdūla na vayaṃ svavaśe sthitāḥ ||

Translation

Portanto, basta de aflição: tua morte foi determinada conforme o dharma, ó tigre entre os macacos. Não agimos por mero capricho; estamos vinculados à lei da retidão.

Word by Word

• तत्: therefore/so
• तत्: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — वाक्योपसंहारार्थ/हेतौ; (indeclinable particle: therefore/so)

• अलम्: enough; do not
• अलम्: क्रिया-विशेषण (adverbial modifier of implied speech-act)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — निषेध/पर्याप्त्यर्थे; ‘enough, do not (do)’

• परितापेन: by grief/regret
• परितापेन: करण (instrument/cause expressed by instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextually: पुं) — तृतीया-विभक्ति एकवचन (instrumental singular): परितापेन (by grief/regret)

• धर्मतः: righteously; according to dharma
• धर्मतः: क्रिया-विशेषण (adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त) — ‘धर्मतः’ = धर्मानुसारम्/धर्मेण; (indeclinable: according to righteousness)

• परिकल्पितः: ordained/arranged/appointed
• परिकल्पितः: विशेषण (predicate/attributive to subject noun)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + √कॢप् (कॢप्, धातु) → परिकल्पित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, past passive participle) — पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा-विभक्ति एकवचन; वधः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वधः: killing; slaying
• वधः: कर्ता/विषय (subject/topic: ‘the killing’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग — प्रथमा-विभक्ति एकवचन (nominative singular)

• वानरशार्दूल: O tiger among monkeys
• वानरशार्दूल: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वानराणां शार्दूलः) — पुंलिङ्ग सम्बोधन-विभक्ति एकवचन (vocative singular)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध-निपात) — negation particle

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम — प्रथमा-विभक्ति बहुवचन (nominative plural)

• स्ववशे: under (our) control
• स्ववशे: अधिकरण (locus/state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (स्वस्य वशः/स्ववशः) — पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वशः पुं) सप्तमी-विभक्ति एकवचन (locative singular): ‘in (our) control’

• स्थिताः: situated; being
• स्थिताः: विधेय-विशेषण (predicate complement to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (स्था, धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, past participle) — पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा-विभक्ति बहुवचन; ‘वयम्’ इति कर्तृपदस्य विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

Context

'O tiger among monkeys! do not regret. Your death has the sanction of dharma. We are under the control of sastras. We are committed to them. We do not have the freedom to act independently.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Vali

FAQs

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

Dharma is depicted as a binding norm that constrains even powerful agents; rightful action is not arbitrary but governed by moral law.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama urges Vali to relinquish resentment and frames the outcome as dharma-sanctioned within the ethics of kingship and punishment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness in duty—acting within maryādā rather than from personal emotion.