Shloka 3
चतुश्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः (Sarga 44): निशायुद्धम्, धूलिरुधिरप्रवाहः, इन्द्रजितो मायायुद्धम्
राक्षसोऽसीतिहरयोहरिश्चाऽसीतिराक्षसाः ।अन्योन्यंसमरेजघ्नुस्तस्मिंस्तमसिदारुणे ।।।।
rākṣaso'sīti harayo hariścā'sīti rākṣasāḥ | anyonyaṃ samare jaghnus tasmiṃs tamasi dāruṇe ||
その凄まじい闇の中、ヴァナラたちは「これはラークシャサだ」と思って互いに打ち合い、ラークシャサたちも「これは猿だ」と思って同士討ちをした。戦場は苛烈な混乱に呑まれていた。
In the fierce darkness that prevailed, monkeys hit monkeys thinking to be Rakshasas and Rakshasas hit Rakshasas thinking to be Vanaras (not knowing in darkness) hit each other.
FAQs
Dharma requires discernment (viveka): when clarity is lost, even allies can harm allies. The verse warns that ignorance and confusion breed adharma-like outcomes, even within a righteous cause.
A night battle becomes so dark and chaotic that both sides mistakenly attack their own, misidentifying friend as foe.
The implied virtue is vigilance and discrimination; the verse highlights the cost when these are absent.