Shloka 20

वाली–रामसंवादः

Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma

Devanagari script

तद्व्यतीतस्य ते धर्मात्कामवृत्तस्य वानर।भ्रातृभार्यावमर्शेऽस्मिन्दण्डोऽयं प्रतिपादितः।।

Transliteration

tad vyatītasya te dharmāt kāma-vṛttasya vānara | bhrātṛ-bhāryā-vamarśe 'smin daṇḍo 'yaṁ pratipāditaḥ ||

Translation

तस्मात् ते वानर, धर्मात् व्यतीतस्य कामवृत्तस्य च भ्रातृभार्यावमर्शेऽस्मिन् दण्डोऽयं विधिपूर्वकं प्रतिपादितः॥

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Nirdeśa (निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakliṅga, Pañcamī? used correlatively with ablative ‘dharmāt’; here as deictic ‘that (dharma)’ in sense ‘from that’ (tad-dharmāt)

• vyatītasya: of (you) who have transgressed
• vyatītasya: Sambandha-viśeṣaṇa (सम्बन्ध-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ati-√i इ (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (Past participle/क्त) used adjectivally; Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; ‘of one who has transgressed’ qualifying implied ‘tava’/‘tvam’

• te: of you/your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana (Genitive/षष्ठी)

• dharmāt: from dharma
• dharmāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī, Ekavacana

• kāma-vṛttasya: of (you) of lustful conduct
• kāma-vṛttasya: Sambandha-viśeṣaṇa (सम्बन्ध-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (कृदन्त; √vṛt वृत्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa ‘kāme vṛttiḥ yasya’ (one whose conduct is lustful); qualifies implied ‘tvam’

• vānara: O monkey
• vānara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• bhrātṛ-bhāryā-amarśe: in the offence of violating a brother’s wife
• bhrātṛ-bhāryā-amarśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक) + amarśa (प्रातिपदिक; from √mṛś मृश् with a-)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa (genitive relation) ‘bhrātuḥ bhāryāyāḥ amarśaḥ’ = ‘touching/violating brother’s wife’

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• daṇḍaḥ: punishment
• daṇḍaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• pratipāditaḥ: has been laid down/justified
• pratipāditaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√pad पद् (धातु)
• Form: Kta (Past passive participle/क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with ‘daṇḍaḥ’

Context

'O monkey! since you have violated morality by sinning against your brother's wife this punishment is justified.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Vali
• Sugriva
• Ruma

FAQs

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

When dharma is violated—especially in protected family relations—rāja-dharma authorizes daṇḍa (punishment) to restore moral order.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama concludes the justification: Vali’s transgression regarding Sugriva’s wife warrants the penalty already inflicted.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Impartial enforcement of moral law—punishment is presented as principled, not personal.