चतुश्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः (Sarga 44): निशायुद्धम्, धूलिरुधिरप्रवाहः, इन्द्रजितो मायायुद्धम्
प्रकाशरूपस्तुतदानशक्तस्तौबाधितुंराक्षसराजपुत्रः ।मायांप्रयोक्तुंसमुपाजगामबबन्धतौराजसुतौदुरात्मा ।।।।
prakāśarūpas tu tadā na śaktas tau bādhituṃ rākṣasarājaputraḥ |
māyāṃ prayoktuṃ samupājagāma babandha tau rājasutau durātmā ||
Namun ketika itu, putera rākṣasa, tidak mampu menewaskan kedua-duanya dalam pertempuran terbuka yang nyata, lalu beralih kepada sihir; si berhati jahat itu mengikat dua putera raja dengan tipu daya.
Having lost senses in fury they dragged the elephants, those mounted upon them, and the chariots decorated with posts and flags and tore them with their teeth.
Truthful, open contest aligns with dharma; when one cannot win fairly and turns to deception, it reveals moral failure—success sought without satya or honorable means.
Indrajit cannot subdue Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa face-to-face, so he employs māyā and binds them through deceit.
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa’s superior martial integrity is implied by contrast; Indrajit’s lack of honor foregrounds the value of righteous strength.