Shloka 20

वालिवधः

The Slaying of Vali

Devanagari script

एष मुष्टिर्मयाबद्धो गाढस्सन्निहिताङ्गुलिः।मया वेगविमुक्तस्ते प्राणानादाय यास्यति4.16.20।।

Transliteration

eṣa muṣṭir mayā baddho gāḍhaḥ sannihitāṅguliḥ |

mayā vegavimuktas te prāṇān ādāya yāsyati || 4.16.20 ||

Translation

“我的这只拳头紧紧攥住，五指相贴；一旦我以猛力挥出，它必将夺走你的性命方才离去。”

Word by Word

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुष्टिः: fist
• मुष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; उत्तमपुरुष; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• बद्धः: clenched/bound
• बद्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त; √बन्ध् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of मुष्टिः) ‘bound/clenched’

• गाढः: tight/firm
• गाढः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गाढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सन्निहित-अङ्गुलिः: with fingers pressed together
• सन्निहित-अङ्गुलिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्निहित (कृदन्त; सम्-नि-√धा/√हि?; here ‘सन्निहित’ = placed close) + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सन्निहिताः अङ्गुलयः यस्य’ = whose fingers are held close together

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया, एकवचन

• वेग-विमुक्तः: released with force
• वेग-विमुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक) + विमुक्त (कृदन्त; वि-√मुच् धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘वेगेन विमुक्तः’ = released/let go with speed

• ते: to you/your
• ते: Sampradana/Relation (सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; मध्यमपुरुष; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन (also can function as genitive in usage; here ‘of you/your’)

• प्राणान्: life-breaths/life
• प्राणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• आदाय: having taken away
• आदाय: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund); ‘having taken away’

• यास्यति: will go away
• यास्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Characters & Entities

• Vāli
• Sugrīva

FAQs

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

Threatening speech reveals intent toward harm; Dharma restrains violence and condemns prideful cruelty, especially against kin.

What is the narrative situation?

In the heat of the confrontation, Vāli verbally threatens Sugrīva with a lethal blow.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Physical confidence and dominance; ethically, it serves as a negative example of arrogance (mada) joined to anger.