Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 54, Shloka 8
वज्रदंष्ट्रवधः — The Slaying of Vajradaṃṣṭra
Angada’s Duel
प्रभिन्नशिरसःकेचिछचिन्नैःपादैश्चबाहुभिः ।शस्स्रैरर्दितदेहाभ्यरुधिरेणसमुक्षिताः ।।6.54.8।।हरयोराक्षसाश्चैवशेरतेगांसमाश्रिताः ।कङ्कगृध्रवळैराढ्याश्चगोमायुगलसङ्कुलाः ।।6.54.9।।
prabhinna-śirasaḥ kecic chinnaiḥ pādaiś ca bāhubhiḥ |
śastrair ardita-dehābhyo rudhireṇa samukṣitāḥ ||6.54.8||
harayo rākṣasāś caiva śerate gāṃ samāśritāḥ |
kaṅka-gṛdhra-vaḷair āḍhyāś ca gomāyu-gala-saṅkulāḥ ||6.54.9||
Ang ilan ay nakahandusay na may basag na ulo, putol na mga paa at braso; ang kanilang mga katawan ay tadtad ng sugat at basang-basa sa dugo. Kaya't ang mga unggoy at rākṣasa ay nakahiga sa lupa, pinalilibutan ng mga uwak at buwitre, at pinagkakaguluhan ng mga asong-gubat.
Mighty son of Vali, having killed Vajradamshtra, honoured in the midst of great Vanara army was joyful surrounded like the thousand eyed Indra, the Lord of gods.।।ityārṣēvālmīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvyēyuddhakāṇḍēcatuḥpañcāśassargaḥThis is the end of the fifty fourth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.
FAQs
It underscores the grave cost of adharma and war: suffering and death fall on all sides. Dharma is not romanticized; it carries responsibility and painful consequence.
A grim battlefield tableau shows the dead and wounded scattered on the ground as scavengers gather.
Viveka (sobering discernment): the epic forces the reader to see war’s reality, strengthening commitment to righteous conduct that prevents needless destruction.