Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 22, Shloka 27
रावणस्य तर्जनं सीताया धर्मोक्तिः
Ravana’s Threats and Sita’s Dharma-Centered Reply
ताभ्यां स परिपूर्णाभ्यां भुजाभ्यां राक्षसेश्वरः।शुशुभेऽचलसङ्काशः शृङ्गाभ्यामिव मन्दरः।।।।
tābhyāṁ sa paripūrṇābhyāṁ bhujābhyāṁ rākṣaseśvaraḥ | śuśubhe ’calasaṅkāśaḥ śṛṅgābhyām iva mandaraḥ ||
ด้วยแขนทั้งสองอันเต็มเปี่ยมและทรงพลังนั้น เจ้าแห่งรากษสก็รุ่งเรืองดุจภูผา—ประหนึ่งเขามันทระที่มีสองยอด
The lord of demons shone like mount Mandara, both his long two arms like two mountain peaks.
FAQs
Physical might is not dharma; the epic repeatedly separates strength from righteousness to teach ethical evaluation beyond appearances.
The narrator heightens Rāvaṇa’s formidable presence by likening his arms to mountain peaks.
Discernment (viveka): readers are guided to admire poetic grandeur yet judge by dharmic standards.