Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 58, Shloka 36
प्रहस्तवधः
The Slaying of Prahasta
उद्धूतइववायुःखेमहदभ्रबलंबलात् ।।6.58.35।।समीक्ष्याभिद्रुतंयुद्धेप्रहस्तोवाहिनीपतिः ।रथेनादित्यवर्णेननीलमेवाभिदुद्रुवे ।।6.58.36।।
uddhūta iva vāyuḥ khe mahad-abhrabalaṃ balāt |
samīkṣyābhidrutaṃ yuddhe prahasto vāhinīpatiḥ |
rathenāditya-varṇena nīlam evābhidudruve ||6.58.35-36||
As a fierce wind in the sky drives away a great mass of clouds, so did Prahasta, the army-commander—seeing Nīla rushing forward in battle—charge straight at him in a chariot radiant like the sun.
Prahastha, the commander of the army darted, just as the violent wind blows away mass of clouds, observing Nila coming towards him, in his chariot which was bright as the sun.
FAQs
The verse shows the battlefield ethic of direct confrontation: leaders meet leaders. In Ramāyaṇa’s moral universe, power should be exercised openly (not through treachery), and responsibility rests especially on commanders who shape the fate of many.
Prahasta notices Nīla advancing and immediately charges him, likened to wind scattering clouds.
Martial boldness and initiative—swift decisive action typical of a battlefield commander (though not necessarily implying moral righteousness of his cause).