Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 71
इन्द्रजितः ब्रह्मास्त्र-यागः तथा वानरसेनाविध्वंसः
Indrajit’s Brahmastra Rite and the Crushing of the Vanara Host
प्रच्छादयत्येषहिराक्षसेन्द्रस्सर्वाधिशस्सायकवृष्टिजालैः ।एतच्चसर्वंपतिताग्य्रशूरं न भ्राजतेवानरराजसैन्यम्।। ।।
pracchādayaty eṣa hi rākṣasendraḥ sarvādiśaḥ sāyakavṛṣṭi-jālaiḥ |
etac ca sarvaṃ patitāgraśūraṃ na bhrājate vānararāja-sainyam ||
Sebab raja rākṣasa ini, Indrajit, menutupi medan dari segala arah dengan jaring rapat hujan anak panah; maka seluruh bala tentara raja Vanara, setelah para pahlawan terdepannya gugur, tak lagi tampak cemerlang di pertempuran.
"This Rakshasa king is covered thickly with volley of arrows on all sides. Able warriors of Vanaras are falling and not happy."
FAQs
The verse highlights how overwhelming force can dim even a righteous host; it implicitly contrasts the dharmic ideal of fair combat with tactics that rely on mass concealment and indiscriminate volleys.
Indrajit floods the battlefield with arrows from all sides, and the Vanara host appears devastated as its leading fighters fall.
Endurance under calamity: the Vanara forces are tested in steadfastness despite sudden, disorienting violence.