Shloka 6.79.18
मकराक्षवधः (The Slaying of Makarākṣa)
कत्थसेकिंवृथारक्षो बहून्यसदृशानिते ।न रणेशक्यतेजेतुंविनायुद्धेनवाग्भलात् ।।।।
makarākṣavacaḥ śrutvā rāmo daśarathātmajaḥ |
abravīt prahasan vākyam uttarottaravādinam ||
Hearing Makarākṣa’s words, Rāma—the son of Daśaratha—smiled and replied to him, who kept speaking with ever more heated retorts.
"Rakshasa! Why so much of wasteful talk about What you can't accomplish? Victory is not possible on the battlefield with your force of speech"
Dharma is expressed as composure: a righteous warrior is not destabilized by provocation and answers with clarity rather than anger.
After being challenged, Rāma responds calmly, even with a smile, to Makarākṣa’s repeated taunts.
Self-mastery (śama) and measured speech—strength without loss of inner balance.