Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 56, Shloka 5
अकम्पनवधः — The Slaying of Akampana
Hanuman’s rout of the Rakshasa host
एतान्निहन्तुमिच्छामिसमरश्लाघिनोह्यहम् ।एतैःप्रमथितंसर्वंदृश्यतेराक्षसांबलम् ।।6.56.5।।
etān nihantum icchāmi samara-ślāghino hy aham |
etaiḥ pramathitaṃ sarvaṃ dṛśyate rākṣasāṃ balam ||6.56.5||
“I desire to slay these Vānaras, for I am one who prides himself on war. By them the entire Rākṣasa host is seen to be shattered.”
Hanuman also who was richly endowed with goodness greatly honoured all the Vanaras accordingly.
FAQs
The verse warns that pride in violence (mere ‘boasting of war’) is not dharma; true kṣatriya conduct requires disciplined courage rather than ego-driven destruction.
Akampana, seeing the Rākṣasa forces devastated by the Vānaras, declares his intent to kill them.
Here the highlighted trait is not virtue but a flaw—martial arrogance—set against the larger epic’s ideal of restrained, principled strength.