Context
In the Yuddha Kanda, Rama's army has reached the southern shore but cannot cross to Lanka. For three days, Rama meditates and prays to the ocean god for passage, but receives no response. His patience finally exhausted, Rama's anger erupts in a display that reveals both his divine power and the limits of peaceful persuasion.
The Dialogue
For three days and nights, Rama had sat on the shore, making offerings, reciting prayers, asking the ocean for passage. The vast waters ignored him completely.
On the fourth morning, Lakshmana found Rama trembling with an emotion rarely seen - rage. "Brother, what troubles you?"
"I have been humble. I have been patient. I have asked with respect. And I am answered with silence." Rama's voice was cold. "I begin to think that gentleness is mistaken for weakness."
He stood, took up his bow, and fitted a Brahmastra - the most devastating weapon in existence - to the string.
"Wait, Rama! What are you doing?"
"I am done waiting. If the ocean will not give me passage, I will dry it up. I will walk across its bed. This arrow will evaporate every drop, and the creatures of the deep will learn what it means to ignore dharma."
He drew the string back. The sky darkened. The earth trembled. The waters began to boil with the mere potential of the weapon.
And then the ocean god appeared, rising from the churning waves, his hands folded in terror.
"Lord Rama, forgive me! I was bound by my own nature - I could not simply part for any request. But I see now that you are no ordinary supplicant. Please, withdraw the arrow!"
Rama did not lower the bow. "For three days you ignored my prayers while my wife suffers in captivity. Give me one reason I should spare you."
"Because I come with a solution, Lord! I cannot part myself - that is beyond my power. But Nala, the vanara architect, has a boon: whatever he builds upon me will float. Build a bridge, and I swear by all that is sacred, I will support it. Your army will cross to Lanka."
Rama slowly lowered the bow, but his eyes remained hard. "And why did you not tell me this three days ago?"
Samudra bowed deeply. "I... I confess, Lord, I did not believe you would truly threaten me. I thought your patience meant you would accept defeat. I was wrong. You have taught me that righteousness is not passive - it acts when action is needed."
"Remember this lesson, ocean. The meek may inherit the earth, but they inherit it because they are willing to fight for what is right when fighting is required. I did not want to threaten you. I prayed for peaceful passage. But when peace is answered with contempt, strength must speak."
"I understand, Lord. Build your bridge. I will bear the weight of all your armies."
As Samudra sank back into the waves, Lakshmana approached. "Brother, I have never seen you so angry."
Rama's face had returned to calm. "Because anger is the last resort, Lakshmana, not the first. I used every peaceful option before reaching for the arrow. But having reached for it, I could not hesitate. That is the lesson: patience must be real, but so must strength. Use either alone, and you fail. Use both in proper sequence, and even the ocean yields."
The building of Rama Setu began that very hour.
✨ Key Lesson
Patience must be genuine, but so must strength - when peaceful requests are ignored, righteous action must follow. Use gentleness first and force last, but do not hesitate when force becomes necessary.