Shloka 18
इन्द्रजितः ब्रह्मास्त्र-यागः तथा वानरसेनाविध्वंसः
Indrajit’s Brahmastra Rite and the Crushing of the Vanara Host
त्वमप्रतिरथःपुत्रत्वयावैवासवोजितः ।किम्पुनर्मानुषंधृष्यंनिहनिष्यसिराघवम् ।।।।तथोक्तोराक्षसेन्द्रेणप्रत्यगृह्णान्महाशिषः ।
tvam apratirathaḥ putra tvayā vai vāsavo jitaḥ | kiṃ punar mānuṣaṃ dhṛṣyaṃ nihaniṣyasi rāghavam || tathokto rākṣasendreṇa pratyagṛhṇān mahāśiṣaḥ ||
“Wahai anakku, engkau tiada tandingan sebagai pahlawan kereta; bahkan Vāsava (Indra) telah engkau kalahkan. Maka mengapa tidak engkau bunuh Rāghava—hanya manusia, yang dapat ditundukkan?” Demikian dititahkan oleh raja Rākṣasa, dia pun menerima berkat yang agung.
Then Lanka shone like the Sun in the sky with Indrajith who was effulgent like the Sun and matchless in valour shone.
FAQs
It warns against adharma-driven counsel: pride and contempt (“only a human”) distort judgment, encouraging violence without moral scrutiny.
Rāvaṇa exhorts Indrajit to attack and kill Rāma, praising Indrajit’s past victory over Indra; Indrajit receives blessings before proceeding.
Indrajit’s martial prowess is praised, but the verse implicitly highlights the danger of arrogance—valor severed from dharma becomes destructive.