Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 78, Shloka 14
मकराक्षस्य निर्गमनम्
The Deployment of Makaraksha and Ravana’s Fury
तेकामरूपिणस्सरेदंष्ट्रिणःपिङ्गलेक्षणा ।मातङ्गाइवनर्दन्तोध्वस्तकेशाभयावहाः ।।।।परिवार्यमहाकायामहाकायंखरात्मजम् ।अभिजघ्नुस्ततोहृष्टाश्चालयन्तोवसुन्धराम् ।।।।
te kāmarūpiṇaḥ krūrā daṃṣṭriṇaḥ piṅgalekṣaṇāḥ | mātaṅgā iva nardanto dhvastakeśā bhayāvahāḥ | parivārya mahākāyā mahākāyaṃ kharātmajam | abhijaghnus tato hṛṣṭāś cālayanto vasundharām ||
Ces Rākṣasas cruels—changeant de forme, aux crocs saillants et aux yeux fauves—rugissaient tels des éléphants ; les cheveux en désordre, l’allure terrifiante. Ils entourèrent le fils de Khara au corps immense, puis, dans l’allégresse, s’élancèrent, ébranlant la terre sous leurs pas.
Those who could change their form at will, cruel, with protruding teeth, yellow eyes, dishevelled hair, of frightful appearance, huge like elephants surrounding the son of Khara went joyously forward shaking the earth.
FAQs
The verse depicts adharma’s aesthetic: cruelty, terror, and delight in intimidation. Dharma, by contrast, is associated with inner order—self-restraint, truthfulness, and protection rather than fear-making.
Rākṣasa troops gather around Makarākṣa and march out in force, described with frightening physical and acoustic imagery.
The implied virtue for the dharmic side is fearlessness rooted in righteousness: standing firm when confronted by intimidation and overwhelming spectacle.