Shloka 53
अतिकायवधः
The Slaying of Atikāya
सुखप्रसुप्तंकालाग्निंविबोधयितुमिच्छसि ।न्यस्यचापंनिवर्तस्वमाप्राणान् जहिमद्गतः ।।।।
sukhaprasuptaṃ kālāgniṃ vibodhayitum icchasi | nyasya cāpaṃ nivartasva mā prāṇān jahi madgataḥ ||
کیا تو آرام سے سوئے ہوئے کال آگنی—ہلاکت کی آگ—کو جگانا چاہتا ہے؟ اپنا کمان رکھ دے اور پلٹ جا؛ مجھ سے ٹکرا کر اپنی جان نہ گنوا۔
"Why do you want to arouse the fire of dissolution sleeping comfortably? Return, casting away your bow, without confronting. Go away."
FAQs
The verse frames violence as inevitable if provoked, but dharma would instead counsel restraint and truthful assessment; threatening rhetoric shows how adharma uses fear to deter rightful action.
Atikāya continues to warn and threaten Lakṣmaṇa, urging retreat and surrender of the bow.
Lakṣmaṇa’s steadfastness is implied: a dharmic warrior does not abandon duty due to intimidation.