Shloka 7

वालिवधः

The Slaying of Vali

Devanagari script

प्रतियोत्स्याम्यहं गत्वा सुग्रीवं जहि सम्भ्रमम्।दर्पमात्रं विनेष्यामि न च प्राणैर्विमोक्ष्यते4.16.7।।

Transliteration

pratiyotsyāmy ahaṃ gatvā sugrīvaṃ jahi sambhramam |

darpamātraṃ vineṣyāmi na ca prāṇair vimokṣyate ||4.16.7||

Translation

我将前去迎战须伽利婆的挑战；放下你的恐惧。我只摧折他的傲慢，并不夺去他的性命。

Word by Word

• pratiyotsyāmi: I will fight back / accept the challenge
• pratiyotsyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√yudh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: प्रति; धातु: √युध् (to fight)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; (common gender usage)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: √गम् (to go)

• sugrīvam: Sugriva
• sugrīvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• jahi: give up / abandon
• jahi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: √हन् (to strike/kill) — here: 'give up/abandon' (idiomatic)

• sambhramam: agitation / anxiety
• sambhramam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sambhrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• darpamātram: mere pride
• darpamātram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darpamātra (प्रातिपदिक: darpa+mātra)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मात्रा-तत्पुरुष: 'only pride')

• vineṣyāmi: I will subdue / remove
• vineṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√nī (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: वि; धातु: √नी (to lead) — causative sense 'to subdue/remove' in context

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• prāṇaiḥ: with (his) life-breaths / by life
• prāṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• vimokṣyate: will be released / will escape
• vimokṣyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√muc (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; उपसर्ग: वि; धातु: √मुच् (to release)

Context

'I shall accept the challenge and fight with Sugriva. Give up your anxiety. I will destroy his pride, not his life.

Characters & Entities

• Vālī
• Sugrīva
• Tārā

FAQs

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

It asserts a principle of proportionate force: punishment should target wrongful pride and disorder, not escalate into needless killing.

What is the narrative situation?

Before going out to fight Sugrīva, Vālī reassures Tārā that he intends to humble Sugrīva rather than kill him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-restraint is claimed: Vālī presents himself as capable of limiting violence to correction rather than annihilation.