Shloka 13

वालिवधः

The Slaying of Vali

Devanagari script

प्रविष्टायां तु तारायां सह स्त्रीभिस्स्वमालयम्।नगरान्निर्ययौ क्रुद्धो महासर्प इव श्वसन्4.16.13।।

Transliteration

praviṣṭāyāṃ tu tārāyāṃ saha strībhis svam ālayam | nagarān niryayau kruddho mahāsarpa iva śvasan ||

Translation

तारायां तु स्त्रीभिः सह स्वमालयं प्रविष्टायाम्। क्रुद्धो वाली नगरान्निर्ययौ महासर्प इव श्वसन्॥

Word by Word

• praviṣṭāyām: when (she) had entered
• praviṣṭāyām: Kāla/Adhikaraṇa (काल/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) used in सति-सप्तमी; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'when (she) had entered'

• tu: then/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive)

• tārāyām: when Tara (was...)
• tārāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tārā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी locus

• saha: with
• saha: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय ('with')

• strībhiḥ: women
• strībhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• svam: own
• svam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of ālayam

• ālayam: abode
• ālayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ālaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nagarāt: from the city
• nagarāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• niryayau: went out
• niryayau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: निर्

• kruddhaḥ: angry
• kruddhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kruddha (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'angry'

• mahāsarpaḥ: a great serpent
• mahāsarpaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā+sarpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'great serpent' (upamāna)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• śvasan: breathing heavily
• śvasan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śvas (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

After Tara and other women returned to their abode, Vali departed from the city, hissing like a huge angry cobra.

Characters & Entities

• Tārā
• Vāli
• Kiṣkindhā (city, implied)

FAQs

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

Unchecked anger dehumanizes and destabilizes judgment; Dharma urges inner calm so power does not turn destructive.

What is the narrative situation?

After Tārā withdraws, Vāli departs the city to confront Sugrīva, still seething with rage.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A cautionary lack of virtue: the verse stresses how wrath can dominate a warrior’s conduct.