Shloka 36
प्रहस्तवधः
The Slaying of Prahasta
उद्धूतइववायुःखेमहदभ्रबलंबलात् ।।6.58.35।।समीक्ष्याभिद्रुतंयुद्धेप्रहस्तोवाहिनीपतिः ।रथेनादित्यवर्णेननीलमेवाभिदुद्रुवे ।।6.58.36।।
uddhūta iva vāyuḥ khe mahad-abhrabalaṃ balāt |
samīkṣyābhidrutaṃ yuddhe prahasto vāhinīpatiḥ |
rathenāditya-varṇena nīlam evābhidudruve ||6.58.35-36||
Como um vento feroz no céu que, pela força, afugenta uma grande massa de nuvens, assim Prahasta, comandante do exército—vendo Nīla avançar na batalha—arremeteu direto contra ele num carro radiante como o sol.
Prahastha, the commander of the army darted, just as the violent wind blows away mass of clouds, observing Nila coming towards him, in his chariot which was bright as the sun.
FAQs
The verse shows the battlefield ethic of direct confrontation: leaders meet leaders. In Ramāyaṇa’s moral universe, power should be exercised openly (not through treachery), and responsibility rests especially on commanders who shape the fate of many.
Prahasta notices Nīla advancing and immediately charges him, likened to wind scattering clouds.
Martial boldness and initiative—swift decisive action typical of a battlefield commander (though not necessarily implying moral righteousness of his cause).