Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 57, Shloka 4
प्रहस्तनिर्याणम्
Prahasta’s Departure and the Muster of the Rakshasa Host
रुद्धांतुनगरींदृष्टवारावणोराक्षसेश्वरः ।।।।उवाचात्महितंकालेप्रहस्तंयुद्धकोविदम् ।
ruddhāṁ tu nagarīṁ dṛṣṭvā rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ | uvācātmahitaṁ kāle prahastaṁ yuddhakovidam ||
रुद्धां तु नगरीं दृष्ट्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः । उवाचात्महितं काले प्रहस्तं युद्धकोविदम् ॥
A meteor fell from the sky, the wind blew violently. Jackals howled vomiting tongues of fire.
FAQs
The verse contrasts dharma with self-interest: leadership speech can be driven by ‘ātmahita’ (self-advantage), reminding readers that righteous counsel should aim at the common good, not merely personal gain.
Laṅkā is under siege; Rāvaṇa reacts by addressing his general Prahasta to organize the defense and counterattack.
Strategic competence is highlighted in Prahasta (‘yuddhakovida’), though the verse also implicitly signals Rāvaṇa’s reliance on expediency rather than righteous judgment.
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