Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 22
अतिकायवधः
The Slaying of Atikāya
रक्तगण्ठगुणोधीरोमहापर्वतसन्निभः ।कालःकालमहावक्त्रोमेघस्थइवभास्करः ।।।।
rakta-gaṇṭha-guṇo dhīraḥ mahā-parvata-sannibhaḥ | kālaḥ kāla-mahā-vaktro meghastha iva bhāskaraḥ ||
கழுத்தில் செந்நிற மாலையை அணிந்த அந்தத் திடமுடையவன் மகாபர்வதம் போல் தோன்றினான்; யமனைப் போல் அச்சமூட்டும், இருண்ட பெருவாயுடையவன்—மேகங்களில் மறைந்த சூரியனைப் போலப் பளிச்சென்றான்।
"Wearing red garland s round the neck, brave, like a mountain in form, dark with large mouth, like death, like sun veiled by clouds he seems."
FAQs
The verse highlights how adharma manifests as terror and oppressive grandeur; Dharma is understood by contrast—righteous power does not rely on dread alone.
A fearsome figure is being described through powerful similes (Death; sun behind clouds) to convey battlefield dread.
Not virtue but formidable presence: the steadiness (dhairya) of the warrior is noted, though it serves a destructive cause in context.