Shloka 6.58.39

प्रहस्तवधः (The Slaying of Prahasta)

Devanagari script

नीलःशरैरभिहतोनिशितैर्ज्वलनोपमैः ।।।।सतंपरमदुर्धर्षमापतन्तंमहाकपिः ।प्रहस्तंताडयामासवृक्षमुत्पाट्यवीर्यवान् ।।।।

Transliteration

nīlaḥ śarair abhihato niśitair jvalanopamaiḥ | sa taṃ paramadurdharṣam āpatantaṃ mahākapiḥ | prahastaṃ tāḍayāmāsa vṛkṣam utpāṭya vīryavān ||

Translation

Nīla, struck by sharp arrows blazing like fire, the mighty and valiant great ape, uprooted a tree and struck Prahasta as he charged—an adversary exceedingly hard to face.

Context

Great Vanara, a valiant one, Nila having been hit with arrows sharp as tongues of fire, struck Prahastha, who is most difficult to encounter and rushing towards him by uprooting a tree.

Characters & Entities

• Nīla
• Prahasta

FAQs

What dharma is reflected in Nīla’s response after being wounded?

It reflects kṣātra-dharma (the duty of a warrior in battle): endurance under injury and resolute resistance against an aggressor, without abandoning one’s post.

How does this verse relate to satya (truth) in the Ramayana’s ethical frame?

Satya here is expressed as fidelity to one’s pledged cause—Nīla remains true to the alliance and the war’s purpose, acting consistently with the declared commitment to defeat Rāvaṇa’s forces.