अतिकायवधः
The Slaying of Atikāya
तेविषण्णमुखादीनाःप्रहारजनितश्रमाः ।विनेदुरुच्चैर्बहवस्सहसाविस्वरैस्स्वरैः ।।।।
te viṣaṇṇa-mukhā dīnāḥ prahāra-janita-śramāḥ |
vinedur uccair bahavaḥ sahasā visvaraiḥ svaraiḥ ||
Com os rostos abatidos e o ânimo quebrado, exaustos pelos golpes, muitos deles de súbito soltaram gritos altos, ásperos e dissonantes.
All the Rakshasas with desperate looks, their pride hurt, became very sad and burst into discordant tones roared aloud.
When inner alignment with dharma is absent, courage easily turns into panic; unrighteous collectives fracture under pressure.
After Atikāya’s fall, the rākṣasas become exhausted and demoralized, breaking into loud, chaotic cries.
The verse highlights not a virtue but a lack of steadiness—showing the psychological cost of fighting for a failing, adharmic cause.