Shloka 19
दुन्दुभिवधप्रसङ्गः
The Dundubhi Episode and the Proof of Rama’s Prowess
यदि युद्धेऽसमर्थस्त्वं मद्भयाद्वा निरुद्यमः।समाचक्ष्व प्रदद्यान्मे योऽद्य युद्धं युयुत्सतः4.11.19।।
yadi yuddhe 'samarthas tvaṃ madbhayād vā nirudyamaḥ | samācakṣva pradadyān me yo 'dya yuddhaṃ yuyutsataḥ ||
Kung hindi ka makalalaban—o kung dahil sa takot sa akin ay umiiwas ka—sabihin mo sa akin kung sino ngayon ang handang humarap sa akin sa digmaan at magbigay sa akin ng isang tunggalian.
'If you are unable or unwilling to fight me out of fear, tell me who wants to challenge me to a duel.
FAQs
Dharma rejects coercive taunts: Dundubhi frames nonviolence as cowardice, showing how pride manipulates ethics by equating righteousness with weakness.
Dundubhi, angered by Himavān’s refusal, demands either a fight or the name of another challenger.
The verse foregrounds the vice of arrogance (mada) and the misuse of “honor” language to provoke conflict.