Shloka 10

वाली–रामसंवादः

Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्नृपतिशार्दूले भरते धर्मवत्सले।पालयत्यखिलां भूमिं कश्चरेद्धर्मनिग्रहम्।।

Transliteration

tasmin nṛpatiśārdūle bharate dharmavatsale | pālayatyakhilāṃ bhūmiṃ kaś cared dharmanigraham ||

Translation

तस्मिन्नृपतिशार्दूले भरते धर्मवत्सले अखिलां भूमिं पालयति सति, कः खलु धर्मनिग्रहं लङ्घयितुं धर्षयेत्?

Word by Word

• tasmin: when/in him
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• nṛpati-śārdūle: in Bharata, the tiger among kings
• nṛpati-śārdūle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpati (प्रातिपदिक) + śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular; तत्पुरुष 'nṛpatīnām śārdūlaḥ' = tiger among kings; in apposition with bharate

• bharate: in Bharata
• bharate: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• dharma-vatsale: devoted to dharma
• dharma-vatsale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular; तत्पुरुष 'dharme vatsalaḥ' = fond of dharma; qualifies bharate

• pālayati: rules/protects
• pālayati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (धातु √pāl)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• akhilām: entire
• akhilām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; agrees with bhūmim

• bhūmim: earth
• bhūmim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; interrogative pronoun

• caret: would act/stray
• caret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु √car)
• Form: Liṅ-lakāra (Potential/विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• dharma-nigraham: restraint against dharma / punishment (for adharma)
• dharma-nigraham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + nigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष 'dharmasya nigrahaḥ' or 'dharme nigrahaḥ' = restraint/punishment regarding dharma; object of caret

Context

'Who can stray from the path of dharma when the whole world is ruled by Bharata, a tiger among kings, and a lover of dharma?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• bhūmi (earth)
• dharma

FAQs

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

Rājadharma (kingly duty) creates a moral-legal order: under a righteous ruler, wrongdoing is restrained. Rāma appeals to the legitimacy of dharma-enforcement under Bharata’s शासन (governance).

What is the narrative situation?

In answering Vālin, Rāma invokes Bharata’s righteous rule to argue that dharma is actively upheld and that transgressors are subject to restraint and punishment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s dharma-centered governance—he is portrayed as a protector whose rule discourages adharma.