Shloka 20

वाली–रामसंवादः

Rama’s Justification to Vali on Rājadharma

Devanagari script

तद्व्यतीतस्य ते धर्मात्कामवृत्तस्य वानर।भ्रातृभार्यावमर्शेऽस्मिन्दण्डोऽयं प्रतिपादितः।।

Transliteration

tad vyatītasya te dharmāt kāma-vṛttasya vānara | bhrātṛ-bhāryā-vamarśe 'smin daṇḍo 'yaṁ pratipāditaḥ ||

Translation

Vì vậy, hỡi loài khỉ, do ngươi đã vượt khỏi dharma, chạy theo dục vọng mà xâm phạm vợ của anh em mình, nên hình phạt này đã được thi hành đúng phép.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Nirdeśa (निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakliṅga, Pañcamī? used correlatively with ablative ‘dharmāt’; here as deictic ‘that (dharma)’ in sense ‘from that’ (tad-dharmāt)

• vyatītasya: of (you) who have transgressed
• vyatītasya: Sambandha-viśeṣaṇa (सम्बन्ध-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ati-√i इ (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (Past participle/क्त) used adjectivally; Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; ‘of one who has transgressed’ qualifying implied ‘tava’/‘tvam’

• te: of you/your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana (Genitive/षष्ठी)

• dharmāt: from dharma
• dharmāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī, Ekavacana

• kāma-vṛttasya: of (you) of lustful conduct
• kāma-vṛttasya: Sambandha-viśeṣaṇa (सम्बन्ध-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (कृदन्त; √vṛt वृत्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa ‘kāme vṛttiḥ yasya’ (one whose conduct is lustful); qualifies implied ‘tvam’

• vānara: O monkey
• vānara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• bhrātṛ-bhāryā-amarśe: in the offence of violating a brother’s wife
• bhrātṛ-bhāryā-amarśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक) + amarśa (प्रातिपदिक; from √mṛś मृश् with a-)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa (genitive relation) ‘bhrātuḥ bhāryāyāḥ amarśaḥ’ = ‘touching/violating brother’s wife’

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• daṇḍaḥ: punishment
• daṇḍaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• pratipāditaḥ: has been laid down/justified
• pratipāditaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√pad पद् (धातु)
• Form: Kta (Past passive participle/क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with ‘daṇḍaḥ’

Context

'O monkey! since you have violated morality by sinning against your brother's wife this punishment is justified.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Vali
• Sugriva
• Ruma

FAQs

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

When dharma is violated—especially in protected family relations—rāja-dharma authorizes daṇḍa (punishment) to restore moral order.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama concludes the justification: Vali’s transgression regarding Sugriva’s wife warrants the penalty already inflicted.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Impartial enforcement of moral law—punishment is presented as principled, not personal.