Shloka 16
वाली–रामसंवादः
Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma
चपलश्चपलैस्सार्धं वानरैरकृतात्मभिः।जात्यन्ध इव जात्यन्धैर्मन्त्रयन् प्रेक्षसे नु किम्।।
capalaś capalaiḥ sārdhaṁ vānarair akṛtātmabhiḥ | jātyandha iva jātyandhair mantrayan prekṣase nu kim ||
تو خود چنچل ہے، اور چنچل، بےضبط و بےمہار وानروں کے ساتھ مشورہ کرتا ہے؛ گویا پیدائشی اندھا، پیدائشی اندھوں ہی سے راہ پوچھے—پھر تو کیا سمجھ پائے گا؟
'You are fickle by nature. Your consultants are frivolous, petty-minded monkeys. It is like one born blind suppporting another blind by birth. What do you know (about dharma)?
FAQs
Right action depends on disciplined judgment and wise counsel; moral blindness is reinforced by surrounding oneself with similarly unprincipled advisors.
Rama rebukes Vali’s decision-making, implying that Vali’s ethical confusion is worsened by poor company and counsel.
Discernment in choosing advisers—an essential virtue of rāja-dharma.