निकुम्भवधः — The Slaying of Nikumbha
Hanuman’s Duel
सःतुतेनप्रहारेणनिकुम्भोविचचाल ह ।।।।स्वस्थश्चापिनिजग्राहहनूमन्तंमहाबलम् ।
saḥ tu tena prahāreṇa nikumbho vicacāla ha |
svasthaś cāpi nijagrāha hanūmantaṃ mahābalam ||
No entanto, com aquele golpe Nikumbha não cedeu; recuperando-se, ele agarrou o poderoso Hanuman.
Then seeing Hanuman endowed with might, lifted by Nikumbha in the battlefield the residents of Lanka roared terribly.
The verse illustrates that dharma is tested by relentless opposition; perseverance—whether used for right or wrong—intensifies the moral stakes of the conflict.
Nikumbha recovers from injury and physically grabs Hanumān, shifting the fight into close grappling.
For Nikumbha: tenacity; for Hanumān (by implication): readiness to face escalating threats without fear.