Valmiki Ramayana 6.53.1 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 1
युद्धकाण्डे त्रिपञ्चाशः सर्गः — धूम्राक्षवधश्रवणं, वज्रदंष्ट्रप्रेषणं, अङ्गद-राक्षसयुद्धम्
Ravana Dispatches Vajradamshtra; Portents and Angada’s Assault
धूम्राक्षंनिहतंश्रुत्वारावणोराक्षसेश्वरः ।क्रोधेनमहताऽविष्टोनिश्श्वसन्नुरगोयथा ।।।।दीर्घमुष्णंविनिश्श्वस्यक्रोधेनकलुषीकृतः ।अब्रवीद्राक्षसंक्रूरंवज्रदंष्ट्रंमहाबलम् ।।।।
dhūmrākṣaṃ nihataṃ śrutvā rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ |
krodhena mahatāviṣṭo niśśvasann urago yathā ||
dīrgham uṣṇaṃ viniśśvasya krodhena kaluṣīkṛtaḥ |
abravīd rākṣasaṃ krūraṃ vajradaṃṣṭraṃ mahābalam ||
ધૂમ્રાક્ષના વધની વાત સાંભળતાં રાક્ષસેશ્વર રાવણ મહાક્રોધથી આવિષ્ટ થયો; સર્પ સમો ફુફકાર્યો. લાંબો તપ્ત શ્વાસ ખેંચી, ક્રોધથી મન કલુષિત થઈ, તેણે મહાબલી, ક્રૂર રાક્ષસ વજ્રદંષ્ટ્રને સંબોધ્યો.
The Lord of Rakshasas was overcome with anger on hearing about Dhumraksha's death. He was hissing like a serpent, heaving a deep burning sigh, for having done a dirty task. He spoke to cruel Vajradamshtra of mighty prowess.
FAQs
The verse warns that uncontrolled krodha (anger) clouds judgment and taints one’s inner state; Dharma requires self-mastery even amid grief and war.
After Dhūmrākṣa is killed, Rāvaṇa reacts in fury and summons/addresses Vajradaṃṣṭra to continue the war effort.
By contrast (through negation), the virtue emphasized is restraint (dama) and clarity of mind—qualities absent in Rāvaṇa’s anger-driven response.
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