Shloka 5

वाली–रामसंवादः

Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma

Devanagari script

अपृष्ट्वा बुद्धिसम्पन्नान्वृद्धानाचार्यसम्मतान्।सौम्य वानरचापल्यात्किं मावक्तुमिहेच्छसि।।

Transliteration

apṛṣṭvā buddhisampannān vṛddhān ācārya-sammatān | saumya vānaracāpalyāt kiṃ mām vaktum iha icchasi ||

Translation

बुद्धिसम्पन्नान् वृद्धान् आचार्यसम्मतान् अपृष्ट्वा, सौम्य, वानरचापल्यात् त्वं किम् इह मां वक्तुम् इच्छसि?

Word by Word

• apṛṣṭvā: without consulting
• apṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-pṛcch (धातु √pṛcch, क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: Ktvānta absolutive (क्त्वा), from √pṛcch (पृच्छ्) with privative prefix a-; indeclinable; sense: 'without having asked/consulted'

• buddhi-sampannān: intelligent, endowed with wisdom
• buddhi-sampannān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + sampanna (कृदन्त, √pad/√pād?; here adjectival 'endowed')
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय sense 'buddhyā sampannāḥ' = endowed with intelligence; used as adjective qualifying vṛddhān/ācāryasammatān

• vṛddhān: elders
• vṛddhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• ācārya-sammatān: approved by teachers
• ācārya-sammatān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ācārya (प्रातिपदिक) + sammata (कृदन्त, √man, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष 'ācāryāṇāṃ sammatāḥ' = approved by teachers; qualifying vṛddhān

• saumya: O gentle one
• saumya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; address

• vānaracāpalyāt: from monkey-like frivolity
• vānaracāpalyāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक) + cāpalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; समास: तत्पुरुष 'vānarasya cāpalyaṃ' = monkey-like frivolity; ablative of cause (हेतु)

• kim: why/what
• kim: Prayojana/Question (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; interrogative pronoun used adverbially 'why/what'

• mā: me
• mā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: First person pronoun; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; enclitic form of mām

• vaktum: to speak
• vaktum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु √vac, तुमुन्)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), from √vac (वच्) 'to speak'; expresses purpose

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of place

• icchasi: you wish
• icchasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु √iṣ)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/वर्तमान), Parasmaipada; Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana (singular)

Context

'O gentle Vali! why do you speak with monkeyish frivolousness, without consulting the elders and teachers endowed with intelligence?

Characters & Entities

• Sugriva

FAQs

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

Dharma here stresses restraint and due process: one should consult qualified elders and teachers before acting or speaking rashly.

What is the narrative situation?

In the tense dispute between the brothers, Vali rebukes Sugriva’s manner of speaking, accusing him of impulsiveness and lack of proper counsel.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for authority and deliberation—valuing informed counsel over impulsive speech.