तम् उद्यतमहाचापं निशाम्य व्यथिता नृपाः ॥
युगान्तकालसमये दण्डहस्तम् इवान्तकम् ॥
भयार्दिता प्रचुक्षोभ पुत्रस्य तव वाहिनी ॥
वायुना क्षोभितावर्ता गङ्गेवोर्ध्वतरङ्गिणी ॥
घटोत्कचप्रयुक्तेन सिंहनादेन भीषिताः ॥
प्रसुस्रुवुर् गजा मूत्रं विव्यथुश् च नरा भृशम् ॥
ततो ऽश्मवृष्टिर् अत्यर्थम् आसीत् तत्र समन्ततः ॥
संध्याकालाधिकबलैः प्रमुक्ता राक्षसैः क्षितौ ॥
tam udyatamahācāpaṃ niśāmya vyathitā nṛpāḥ ||
yugāntakālasamaye daṇḍahastam ivāntakam ||
bhayārditā pracukṣobha putrasya tava vāhinī ||
vāyunā kṣobhitāvartā gaṅgevordhvataraṅgiṇī ||
ghaṭotkacaprayuktena siṃhanādena bhīṣitāḥ ||
prasusruvur gajā mūtraṃ vivyathuś ca narā bhṛśam ||
tato 'śmavṛṣṭir atyartham āsīt tatra samantataḥ ||
saṃdhyākālādhikabalaiḥ pramuktā rākṣasaiḥ kṣitau ||
Seeing him with his great bow raised, the kings were troubled, as at the moment of the end of the yuga — as at the sight of Antaka [Yama] with the rod in hand. Oppressed by fear, the army of your son was stirred up, like the Ganga with waves reared up, agitated by the wind, with whirlpools. Terrified by the lion's roar uttered by Ghatotkacha, the elephants discharged urine, and the men trembled greatly. Then an immense rain of stones fell there from every side, loosed upon the ground by the rakshasas, strongest at the twilight hour.
95c8dfbe14f1 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:40:45 PM UTC
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The rakshasas, strongest at twilight, unleash a rain of stones: night is their hour, and terror is doubled by darkness. It is telling that a single roar from Ghatotkacha sends elephants and men into trembling: fear strikes before the weapon does. The verse teaches that in night battle terror is added to the sword; and one who can strike fear wins half the fight before the first blow — for one whose spirit falters is already half defeated.