Shloka 37

वालिवधः

The Slaying of Vali

Devanagari script

इन्द्रध्वज इवोद्धूतः पौर्णमास्यां महीतले।आश्वयुक्समये मासि गतश्रीको विचेतनः4.16.37।।

Transliteration

indradhvaja ivoddhūtaḥ paurṇamāsyāṃ mahītale |

āśvayuksamaye māsi gataśrīko vicetanaḥ || 4.16.37 ||

Translation

శోభలేని, చైతన్యరహితుడై అతడు నేలపై పడి ఉన్నాడు—ఆశ్వయుజ మాస పౌర్ణమికి ఇంద్రధ్వజం నేలకూలినట్లుగా।

Word by Word

• इन्द्रध्वजः: Indra's banner/pole
• इन्द्रध्वजः: उपमान (उपमानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (इन्द्रस्य ध्वजः)

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• उद्धूतः: thrown down / cast off
• उद्धूतः: कर्मणि-भाव (कर्मणि प्रयोगः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-धू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पौर्णमास्याम्: on the full-moon day
• पौर्णमास्याम्: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर्णमासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• महीतले: on the ground/earth-surface
• महीतले: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महीयाः तलम्)

• आश्वयुक्समये: at the time of Āśvayuja
• आश्वयुक्समये: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्वयुक्-समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आश्वयुकस्य समयः)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• गतश्रीकः: one whose splendor is gone
• गतश्रीकः: विशेषण (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत-श्रीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (गता श्रीः यस्य सः)

• विचेतनः: unconscious
• विचेतनः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

While Indra's son (Vali) fell unconscious on the ground, drenched in blood flowing, like a fully bloomed Asoka tree shaken down by the wind, he looked like Indra's flag fallen.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē ṣōḍaśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the sixteenth sarga of Kishkindakanda of the Holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Vāli

FAQs

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

The verse teaches impermanence: worldly glory (śrī) can fall suddenly; dharma, not power or status, is the stable measure of worth.

What is the narrative situation?

Vāli lies unconscious after being struck, described through a ritual-cultural simile of a fallen Indra-banner.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is humility before time and moral law; even kings and heroes are subject to decline.