Shloka 3.54.18
सीताहरणोत्तरं लङ्काप्रवेशः — Sita’s Abduction and Ravana’s Entry into Lanka
तथोक्त्वा राक्षसीस्तास्तु राक्षसेन्द्रः प्रतापवान्।।3.54.17।।निष्क्रम्यान्तः पुरात्तस्मात्किंकृत्यमिति चिन्तयन्।ददर्शाष्टौ महावीर्यान्राक्षसान्पिशिताशनान्।।3.54.18।।
sa tān dṛṣṭvā mahāvīryo varadānena mohitaḥ |
uvāca etān idaṃ vākyaṃ praśasya bala-vīryataḥ ||
Seeing them, that mighty one—deluded by the boons he had obtained—praised their strength and valor and spoke these words to them.
The courageous lord of the demons, having said so to the demonesses, came out of the inner apartment. While contemplating the future course of action, he saw eight powerful, carnivorous demons.
Power without humility obscures satya: reliance on boons breeds arrogance and moral blindness, leading one to mistake invincibility for righteousness.
Rāvaṇa encounters eight strong demons and begins addressing them after praising their might, preparing for further action.
The cautionary opposite of virtue is emphasized: the absence of humility and ethical discernment (viveka) under the intoxication of power.