Shloka 17
निकुम्भवधः — The Slaying of Nikumbha
Hanuman’s Duel
सःतुतेनप्रहारेणनिकुम्भोविचचाल ह ।।।।स्वस्थश्चापिनिजग्राहहनूमन्तंमहाबलम् ।
saḥ tu tena prahāreṇa nikumbho vicacāla ha |
svasthaś cāpi nijagrāha hanūmantaṃ mahābalam ||
Doch durch diesen Schlag wich Nikumbha nicht zurück; er fasste sich wieder und ergriff den mächtigen Hanumān.
Then seeing Hanuman endowed with might, lifted by Nikumbha in the battlefield the residents of Lanka roared terribly.
FAQs
The verse illustrates that dharma is tested by relentless opposition; perseverance—whether used for right or wrong—intensifies the moral stakes of the conflict.
Nikumbha recovers from injury and physically grabs Hanumān, shifting the fight into close grappling.
For Nikumbha: tenacity; for Hanumān (by implication): readiness to face escalating threats without fear.