HomeRamayanaYuddha KandaSarga 97Shloka 6.97.13
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Shloka 6.97.13

सप्तनवतितमः सर्गः (Yuddha Kāṇḍa 97): Sugrīva’s Onslaught and the Fall of Virūpākṣa

अथसंक्षीयमाणेषुराक्षसेषुसमन्ततः ।सुग्रीवेणप्रभग्नेषुपतत्सुनिनदत्सु च ।।।।विरूपाक्षस्स्वकंनामधन्वीविश्राव्यराक्षसः ।रथादाप्लुत्यदुर्धर्षोगजस्कन्धमुपारुहत् ।।।।

atha saṃkṣīyamāṇeṣu rākṣaseṣu samantataḥ | sugrīveṇa prabhagneṣu patatsu ninadatsu ca ||6.97.13||

virūpākṣaḥ svakaṃ nāma dhanvī viśrāvya rākṣasaḥ | rathād āplutya durdharṣo gajaskandham upāruhat ||6.97.14||

Then, as the rākṣasas on every side were being worn down—shattered by Sugrīva, falling and crying out—Virūpākṣa, the hard-to-overcome bowman, proclaimed his own name, leapt down from his chariot, and mounted the back of a rutting elephant.

And thereafter, all the Rakshasas shattered by Sugriva, tormented, fallen on the ground were shouting. Seeing that Virupaksha, himself, who is difficult to encounter, holding his bow, announcing his name, jumped from the chariot onto an elephant in a rut.

S
Sugrīva
V
Virūpākṣa
R
rākṣasas
E
elephant (gaja)

It portrays the battlefield ethic of personal accountability: a named champion steps forward when his side collapses, taking responsibility to re-engage the enemy.

As Sugrīva routs the rākṣasa forces, Virūpākṣa dramatically re-enters by mounting an elephant to continue the fight.

Martial audacity and self-assertion (proclaiming one’s name), characteristic of heroic combat culture—though placed in service of Rāvaṇa’s adharma-aligned army.