Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 88, Shloka 2
इन्द्रजित्–लक्ष्मण संवादः तथा युद्धप्रवृत्तिः
Indrajit and Lakshmana: War-Boasts, Rebuke, and the Clash
उद्यतायुधनिस्त्रिंशोरथेसुसमलङ्कृते ।कालाश्वयुक्तेमहतिस्थितःकालान्तकोपमः ।।।।महाप्रमाणमुद्यम्यविपुलंवेगवद्धृढम् ।धनुर्बीमंपरामृश्यशरांश्चामित्रनाशनान् ।।।।
udyatāyudha-nistriṁśo rathe su-samalaṅkṛte |
kālāśva-yukte mahati sthitaḥ kālāntakopamaḥ ||
mahā-pramāṇam udyamya vipulaṁ vegavad dṛḍham |
dhanur bhīmaṁ parāmṛśya śarāṁś cāmitra-nāśanān ||
Standing in a great chariot, beautifully adorned and yoked to black horses—weapon and sword raised—Indrajit looked like Death at the end of time. Lifting his vast, long, firm, and swift terrific bow, he also grasped enemy-destroying arrows.
After Lakshmana had spoken that way, Indrajith, endowed with mighty prowess, and victorious in combat seized a terrific bow and released pointed arrows.
FAQs
The verse frames adharma through intimidation: power and terror are displayed as instruments of harm. In the Ramayana’s ethical horizon, true dharma is not mere might but restraint and righteous purpose.
Indrajit prepares for a decisive attack in the battle, mounting a splendid chariot and readying bow and arrows.
Not a virtue but a martial quality—formidable prowess—presented in a way that foreshadows misuse when ungoverned by dharma.