Shloka 22

वालिवधः — Vālī’s Fall and Dharma-Accusation

Kiṣkindhā Sarga 17

Devanagari script

सतां वेषधरं पापं प्रच्छन्नमिव पावकम्।नाहं त्वामभिजानामि धर्मच्छद्माभिसंवृतम्।।

Transliteration

satāṁ veṣa-dharaṁ pāpaṁ pracchannam iva pāvakam |

na ahaṁ tvām abhijānāmi dharma-cchadmābhisaṁvṛtam ||

Translation

ข้าไม่รู้จักท่านว่าเป็นคนบาปผู้สวมคราบคนดี—ดุจไฟที่ถูกซ่อนไว้—ถูกคลุมด้วยธรรมะเป็นเพียงข้ออ้าง

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vinihatātmānam: one whose conscience/self is destroyed
• vinihatātmānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinihata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha: 'विनिहतः आत्मा यस्य/यम्'), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण tvām

• dharmadhvajam: one who parades virtue; under the banner of dharma
• dharmadhvajam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha: 'धर्मः ध्वजः यस्य' i.e., having virtue as a banner), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण tvām

• adhārmikam: unrighteous
• adhārmikam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhārmika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण tvām

• jāne: I know; I considered
• jāne: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद (Atmanepada), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• pāpasamācāram: sinful in conduct
• pāpasamācāram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + samācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha: 'पापः समाचरः/समाचारः यस्य'), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण tvām

• tṛṇaiḥ: by grass
• tṛṇaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• kūpam: a well
• kūpam: Upamana (उपमान/standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• āvṛtam: covered
• āvṛtam: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + vṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण tvām (metaphorically)

Context

'I did not know that you have killed your soul (by acting against your conscience), that you are sinful in conduct and unrighteous under the show of virtues like a well, its mouth covered with grass.

Characters & Entities

• Vāli
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse warns against moral deception: invoking dharma as a cover undermines satya (truth) and turns righteousness into a tool for harm.

What is the narrative situation?

Continuing his reproach, Vāli intensifies the charge that Rāma’s righteousness is only outward, comparing it to hidden fire that burns unexpectedly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and transparency are emphasized negatively—ethical authority requires openness, not concealed intent.