Shloka 31
वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation
Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17
नयश्च विनयश्चोभौ निग्रहानुग्रहावपि।।राजवृत्तिरसङ्कीर्णा न नृपाः कामवृत्तयः।
nayaś ca vinayaś cobhau nigrahānugrahāv api | rājavṛttir asaṅkīrṇā na nṛpāḥ kāmavṛttayaḥ || 4.17.31 ||
नयः विनयश्चोभौ, निग्रहः अनुग्रहश्चापि—एतेषां सर्वेषां यथास्थानं प्रयोगः। राजवृत्तिः असङ्कीर्णा भवेत्; न नृपाः कामवृत्तयः।
'Fulfilling your own desire is important for you. You are wrathful and unstable with royal course of conduct. Your business is with your bow and arrows.
FAQs
Self-governance as governance: a king must not be ruled by kāma (impulse/desire); rājadharma requires ordered judgment.
Vāli articulates a theory of kingship, implying that Rāma’s action appears impulsive rather than principled.
Discipline and discernment—knowing when to show favor, when to restrain, and how to keep royal conduct coherent.