Valmiki Ramayana 2.23.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 3
लक्ष्मणक्रोधः—दैवपुरुषकारविवादः
Lakshmana’s Wrath and the Debate on Destiny vs Human Effort
तस्य दुष्प्रतिवीक्षं तद्भ्रुकुटीसहितं तदा।बभौ क्रुद्धस्य सिंहस्य मुखस्य सदृशं मुखम्।।।।
tasya duṣprativīkṣaṃ tad bhrukuṭīsahitaṃ tadā | babhau kruddhasya siṃhasya mukhasya sadṛśaṃ mukham || 2.23.03 ||
तेव्हा त्याचे भुवया कुंचित झालेले, पाहणे कठीण असे मुख क्रुद्ध सिंहाच्या मुखासारखे भासले।
With his frown, his face looked frightening like the face of a lion provoked.
FAQs
The verse frames anger as ethically significant only when tethered to protection of dharma; the ‘lion-like’ expression signals a guardian’s readiness to confront adharma.
The narration describes the visible transformation in a key character’s face—fierce and frowning—immediately before/alongside declarations of protecting Rāma’s cause.
Fearless vigilance: the character’s intensity reflects resolve to defend what is right, not mere aggression.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.