Shloka 24
मैत्रीप्रतिज्ञा-वैरकारणप्रश्नः
Friendship Vow and Inquiry into the Cause of Enmity
भ्रातृसंज्ञममित्रं ते वालिनं कृतकिल्बिषम्।शरैर्विनिहतं पश्य विकीर्णमिव पर्वतम्।।
bhrātṛ-saṃjñam amitraṃ te vālinam kṛta-kilbiṣam | śarair vinihataṃ paśya vikīrṇam iva parvatam ||
भ्रातृनाम्ना त्वमित्रं ते वालिनं कृतकिल्बिषम्। मम शरैर्विनिहतं पश्य विकीर्णमिव पर्वतम्॥
'Here are my highspeed, winged arrows glowing like fierce fire, born out of Kartikeya's bed of reeds.They are smooth and welljointed, decked with gold, comparable in strength to great Indra's thunderbolt, very sharp with pointed tips looking like angry serpents.
FAQs
Dharma judges by actions, not labels: one may be ‘brother’ in name, yet an enemy by unjust deeds; wrongdoing warrants correction.
Rāma intensifies his assurance by describing Vāli’s impending defeat through his arrows.
Rāma’s unwavering resolve to uphold justice and protect the wronged ally.