Shloka 54
अतिकायवधः
The Slaying of Atikāya
अथवात्वंप्रतिष्टब्धो न निवर्तितुमिच्छसि ।तिष्ठप्राणान् परित्यज्यगमिष्यसियमक्ष्यम् ।।।।
athavā tvaṃ pratiṣṭabdho na nivartitum icchasi | tiṣṭha prāṇān parityajya gamiṣyasi yamakṣayam ||
หรือหากเจ้าดื้อดึงไม่ยอมถอย ก็จงยืนหยัดเถิด; เมื่อสละชีวิตแล้ว เจ้าจักไปสู่แดนแห่งพระยม
"Or else if you want to oppose and not return, give up your life and proceed to Yama's abode."
FAQs
It shows the adharma pattern of coercion: framing the opponent’s duty as “obstinacy” and threatening death. Dharma, by contrast, holds firm to rightful purpose even under threat.
Atikāya escalates from warning to explicit death-threat, invoking Yama to intimidate Lakṣmaṇa.
Moral courage (dhairya) is implied on Lakṣmaṇa’s side—standing for duty despite threats.