Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 93, Shloka 32
Sarga 93: Rāvaṇa’s Grief and Fury after Indrajit’s Fall; Move to Slay Vaidehī and Ministerial Restraint
त्तदातिप्रसन्नेनसशरंकार्मुकंमहत् ।।।।देवासुरविमर्धेषुममदत्तंस्वयम्भुवा ।अद्यतूर्यशतैर्भीमंधनुरुत्थाप्यतांमम ।।।।रामलक्ष्मणयोरेववधायपरमाहवे ।
tad ātiprasannena saśaraṁ kārmukaṁ mahat |
devāsuravimardheṣu mama dattaṁ svayambhuvā |
adya tūryaśatair bhīmaṁ dhanur utthāpyatāṁ mama |
rāmalakṣmaṇayor eva vadhāya paramāhave ||
Today, amid the blare of hundreds of trumpets, let my dreadful bow be raised—great and furnished with arrows: the very bow that Svayambhū (Brahmā), greatly pleased, bestowed on me in the wars of devas and asuras, for the slaying of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa in this supreme battle.
'Today if I, with that shield mounted the chariot go for battle, who can dare to withstand me openly? Even Indra can't'.
FAQs
The misuse of divine gifts for unjust ends is adharma. The epic’s moral architecture insists that power and sacred boons must serve protection of righteousness, not personal vengeance.
Rāvaṇa issues a martial order to bring his formidable, Brahmā-bestowed bow and arrows, explicitly aiming to kill Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.
Determination is emphasized, but it is determination in the service of revenge; the implied virtue on the dharmic side is steadfastness directed toward justice rather than cruelty.