Shloka 27
रावणस्य तर्जनं सीताया धर्मोक्तिः
Ravana’s Threats and Sita’s Dharma-Centered Reply
ताभ्यां स परिपूर्णाभ्यां भुजाभ्यां राक्षसेश्वरः।शुशुभेऽचलसङ्काशः शृङ्गाभ्यामिव मन्दरः।।।।
tābhyāṁ sa paripūrṇābhyāṁ bhujābhyāṁ rākṣaseśvaraḥ | śuśubhe ’calasaṅkāśaḥ śṛṅgābhyām iva mandaraḥ ||
Mit jenen beiden vollen, kraftvollen Armen erstrahlte der Herr der Rākṣasas wie ein Berg—wie der Mandara mit seinen zwei Gipfeln.
The lord of demons shone like mount Mandara, both his long two arms like two mountain peaks.
FAQs
Physical might is not dharma; the epic repeatedly separates strength from righteousness to teach ethical evaluation beyond appearances.
The narrator heightens Rāvaṇa’s formidable presence by likening his arms to mountain peaks.
Discernment (viveka): readers are guided to admire poetic grandeur yet judge by dharmic standards.