Shloka 30

वालिवधः

The Slaying of Vali

Devanagari script

तौ शोणिताक्तौ युध्येतां वानरौ वनचारिणौ।मेघाविव महाशब्दै स्तर्जमानौ परस्परम्4.16.30।।

Transliteration

tau śoṇitāktau yudhyetāṃ vānarau vanacāriṇau |

meghāv iva mahāśabdaiḥ starjamānau parasparam || 4.16.30 ||

Translation

那两只林中游行的猿猴，浑身染血，仍在厮杀；彼此以如雷巨吼相互震慑，宛若两团乌云轰鸣对峙。

Word by Word

• hīyamānam: waning (in strength)
• hīyamānam: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √hā (हा ‘to diminish’) (शानच्/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Present middle participle (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शानच्); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with sugrīvam

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Discourse particle/adverb (निपात)

• u: indeed
• u: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: u (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• apaśyat: saw/observed
• apaśyat: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश्/दृश् ‘to see’)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• sugrīvam: Sugrīva
• sugrīvam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vānara-īśvaram: lord of monkeys
• vānara-īśvaram: Karma (कर्म/Object-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘vānārāṇām īśvaraḥ’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to sugrīvam

• vīkṣamāṇam: looking/glancing
• vīkṣamāṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √īkṣ (ईक्ष् ‘to look’) (शानच्/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Present middle participle (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शानच्); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with sugrīvam

• diśaḥ: directions
• diśaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object of looking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• rāghavaḥ: Rāghava (Rāma)
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-emphasis)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• muhuḥ: again and again
• muhuḥ: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhuḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• muhuḥ: repeatedly
• muhuḥ: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhuḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), repetition for emphasis

Context

Both like Vritra and Indra fought, hitting each other again and again with trees full of branches and tops, with their hard nails akin to thunderbolts and with their fists, knees, feet, etc.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Vālin
• forest
• clouds

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the cost of adharma-driven rivalry: kin-conflict and power-struggle spill into bloodshed, urging the listener to value restraint, reconciliation, and truth-guided leadership.

What is the narrative situation?

The duel continues; both are wounded and roar at each other amid the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ferocity and unwavering engagement—though the imagery also serves as a warning about uncontrolled rage.