Shloka 18
अकम्पन-प्रेषणम् तथा कपि-राक्षस-रणवर्णनम्
Akampana Dispatched; The Vanara–Rakshasa Battle and Omens
रजश्चारुणवर्णाभंसुभीममभवद् भृशम् ।।।।उद्धतंहरिरक्षोभिःसंरुरोधदिशोदश ।
rajaś cāruṇa-varṇābhaṃ subhīmam abhavad bhṛśam | uddhataṃ hari-rakṣobhiḥ saṃrurōdha diśo daśa ||
ഉടൻ തന്നെ ചുവപ്പുനിറം കലർന്ന ഭയങ്കരമായ ധൂളിമേഘം ഉയർന്നു; വാനര-രാക്ഷസരുടെ കലഹത്തിൽ ചുഴലിക്കപ്പെട്ടത് പത്ത് ദിക്കുകളെയും വ്യാപിച്ചു മറച്ചു.
Terrific dust of red colour arose instantly in all the ten directions by the Vanaras, and Rakshasas and it enveloped all over.
FAQs
The verse highlights how uncontrolled violence and rage can obscure discernment; Dharma in war requires clarity and restraint, otherwise even direction and orientation (symbolically ‘the ten directions’) are lost.
The battlefield becomes engulfed in a red, terrifying dust-cloud raised by the intense clash between the Vānara forces and the Rākṣasas.
Not a single character’s virtue, but the implied wartime virtue of vigilance and self-control—without it, the battle environment itself becomes morally and practically disorienting.