Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 91, Shloka 61
इन्द्रजित्-वधः
The Slaying of Indrajit
तद्दृष्टवालक्ष्मणःसङ्ख्येघोरमस्त्रंसुदारुणम् ।।।।अवार्यंसर्वभूतानांसर्वशस्त्रविदारणम् ।महेश्वरेणद्युतिमांस्तदस्त्रंप्रत्यवारयत् ।।।।
tad dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇaḥ saṅkhye ghoram astraṃ sudāruṇam |
avāryaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ sarvaśastravidāraṇam |
maheśvareṇa dyutimāṃs tad astraṃ pratyavārayat ||6.91.62||
रणांगणात ते घोर, अत्यंत दारुण अस्त्र—जे सर्वभूतांस अवार्य व सर्वशस्त्रविदारक होते—पाहून तेजस्वी लक्ष्मणाने महेश्वर-अस्त्राने त्याचा प्रतिवार केला।
Effulgent Lakshmana, seeing the terrible Asura missile and deliberating that it is capable of destroying all human beings and difficult to repel, used a Maheswara missile to divert.
FAQs
Dharma appears as discerning restraint: Lakshmaṇa responds with an appropriate countermeasure to prevent wider harm. Protecting all beings from indiscriminate destruction is aligned with righteous duty.
Indrajit’s Asura missile is described as exceptionally destructive; Lakshmaṇa assesses the danger and neutralizes it using the Maheśvara weapon.
Prudence and responsibility: Lakshmaṇa’s judgment focuses on safeguarding the many, not merely winning the duel.