Viradha signaled to his accompanying rakshasas, and they began to encircle Rama and Lakshmana. The atmosphere tensed with an imminent confrontation. Rama, his eyes unwavering, gestured for Lakshmana to be prepared but not to initiate hostilities unless necessary.
"What? Scared already?" Viradha taunted, his rakshasas closing in. Rama maintained his calm demeanor, assessing the situation with a keen eye.
"We are not afraid," Rama replied, "but unnecessary violence serves no purpose. If passage is what you seek to grant, let us negotiate rather than resort to conflict."
Viradha chuckled, a sinister undertone in his voice. "Negotiate, you say? Okay then, Leave your life here and you can go~"
Rama's gaze remained steady, unaffected by Viradha's taunts. He spoke with a calm determination, "Life is a precious gift, not to be traded or discarded. We seek only to pass through these lands peacefully, and we are willing to negotiate terms that do not involve harm."
