Shloka 56
अतिकायवधः
The Slaying of Atikāya
एषतेसर्पसंकाशोबाणःपास्यतिशोणितम् ।मृगराजइवक्रुद्धोनागराजस्यशोणितम् ।।।।इत्येवमुक्त्वासंक्रुद्धश्शरंधनुषिसंदधे ।
eṣa te sarpasaṅkāśo bāṇaḥ pāsyati śoṇitam | mṛgarāja iva kruddho nāgarājasya śoṇitam || ity evam uktvā saṅkruddhaḥ śaraṃ dhanuṣi saṅdadhe |
«Esta flecha mía, semejante a una serpiente, beberá tu sangre, como un león enfurecido bebe la sangre de un elefante regio». Dicho esto, airado, encajó la saeta en su arco.
"These arrows are like serpents and can drink your blood just as an angry lion drinks the blood of elephants. Therefore, I tell you", said Atikaya to Lakshmana."
FAQs
The verse demonstrates how violent intent is intensified by speech; dharma cautions that words carry karmic weight—threats and cruelty in language harden the mind toward adharma.
Atikāya completes his taunt with vivid predatory imagery and immediately readies a shot by setting the arrow to the bow.
As a negative example, it emphasizes uncontrolled wrath; it prepares for Lakṣmaṇa’s composed, principled reply.