Shloka 17
रावणवधः — The Slaying of Ravana
Brahmāstra Discharge
स वज्रइवदुर्धर्षोवज्रिबाहुविसर्जितः ।कृतान्तइवचावार्योन्यपतद्रावणोरसि ।।।।
sa vajra iva durdharṣo vajri-bāhu-visarjitaḥ |
kṛtānta iva cāvāryo nyapatad rāvaṇorasi ||
ഇന്ദ്രന്റെ വജ്രംപോലെ ദുർധർഷവും, വജ്രധാരിയുടെ ഭുജത്തിൽ നിന്നു വിടുതലായതുപോലെയും—കൃതാന്തനെപ്പോലെ തടയാനാകാത്തതുമായ ആ അമ്പ് രാവണന്റെ വക്ഷസ്സിൽ പതിച്ചു.
Like the thunderbolt hurled by the arm of Indra, difficult to obstruct, capable of bringing life to an end, that arrow released by Rama penetrated into Ravana's chest.
FAQs
The verse frames punishment as inevitable when adharma matures: righteous retribution is depicted as unpreventable, like cosmic law (ṛta) operating through the agent of Dharma.
The released arrow strikes Rāvaṇa directly in the chest, described through overwhelming divine and eschatological metaphors.
Rāma as an instrument of justice: his action is portrayed not merely personal victory, but the execution of a larger moral order.