Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 93, Shloka 31
Sarga 93: Rāvaṇa’s Grief and Fury after Indrajit’s Fall; Move to Slay Vaidehī and Ministerial Restraint
तेनमामद्यसम्युक्तंरथस्थमिहसम्युगे ।।।।प्रतीयात्कोऽद्यमामाजौसाक्षादपिपुरन्दरः ।
tena mām adya saṁyuktaṁ rathastham iha saṁyuge |
pratīyāt ko ’dya mām ājau sākṣād api purandaraḥ ||
وبتلك الدرع عليّ اليوم، وأنا قائمٌ على مركبتي في هذا الوغى، من ذا يقدر أن يلاقيني في القتال؟ لا حتى بوراندارا (إندرا) ولو كان أمام عيني.
'I was given a shield by Brahma, effulgent like the Sun which the Devas or Danavas could not break with their thunderbolt fists'.
FAQs
The Ramayana treats boastful pride (mada) as a spiritual blindfold: it leads one to deny truth and overestimate oneself, which is contrary to satya and dharmic humility.
Rāvaṇa declares his supposed invincibility, invoking even Indra as unable to confront him.
Martial boldness is displayed, but the ethical counterpoint is humility—true strength in the epic is aligned with dharma, not self-glorification.