अक्षवधः (The Slaying of Prince Aksha) — Sundarakāṇḍa Sarga 47
महाकपिर्भूमितले निपीड्य तं चकार रक्षोधिपतेर्महद्भयम्।महर्षिभिश्चक्रचरैर्महाव्रतै स्समेत्य भूतैश्च सयक्षपन्नगैः।।5.47.37।।सुरैश्च सेन्द्रैर्भृशजातविस्मयै र्हते कुमारे स कपिर्निरीक्षितः।
mahākapir bhūmitalenipīḍya taṃ cakāra rakṣodhipater mahad bhayam |
maharṣibhiś cakracaraiḥ mahāvrataiḥ sametya bhūtaiś ca sayakṣapannagaiḥ ||5.47.37||
suraiś ca sendrair bhṛśajātavismayair hate kumāre sa kapir nirīkṣitaḥ |
When the mighty ape crushed him down upon the earth, great fear seized the lord of rākṣasas. And when the prince lay slain, sages who traverse the worlds, beings of many orders—yakṣas and serpents—and even the gods with Indra, astonished, gathered and looked upon that ape in awe.
When the great vanara dashed Aksha down on to the earth, the king of demons was struck with terror. The great sages who go round the planets, great seers who were observants of vows, yakshas, panagas, suras including Indra all beings collected together and looked at the vanara with awe.
Dharma is portrayed as an action whose moral weight is publicly accountable: even gods and sages ‘witness’ the event, suggesting that righteous power (used against oppression) stands scrutiny in a wider moral universe.
Akṣa has been slain by Hanumān. Rāvaṇa is gripped by fear, and the epic heightens the moment by describing supernatural and celestial observers gathering to behold Hanumān.
Hanumān’s extraordinary tejas (awe-inspiring spiritual power) and effectiveness in battle, sufficient to alarm Rāvaṇa and draw cosmic attention.