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 |
「この我が矢は蛇のごとく汝の血を飲むであろう――怒れる獅子が王なる象の血を啜るように。」そう言い放つと、憤怒のまま矢を弓に番えた。
"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.