Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 59
अतिकायवधः
The Slaying of Atikāya
कर्मणासूचयात्मानं न विकत्थितुमर्हसि ।पौरुषेणतुयोयुक्तस्सतुशूरइतिस्मृतः ।।।।
karmaṇā sūcayātmānaṃ na vikatthitum arhasi | pauruṣeṇa tu yo yuktaḥ sa tu śūra iti smṛtaḥ ||
കർമ്മങ്ങളാൽ തന്നെ സ്വയം തെളിയിക്ക; പൊങ്ങച്ചം പറയാൻ നിനക്കർഹതയില്ല. പൗരുഷം യഥാർത്ഥമായി ഉള്ളവനെയത്രേ ‘ശൂരൻ’ എന്നു സ്മരിക്കുന്നു.
"Reveal yourself by action not by indication. You do not deserve it. He who is with prowess is a right hero."
FAQs
Dharma values truth expressed through action: reputation and heroism must rest on deeds, not on self-advertisement.
Lakṣmaṇa rebukes Atikāya’s proud speech and sets the standard that the battlefield will reveal genuine strength.
Moral clarity and accountability: Lakṣmaṇa insists that merit be demonstrated concretely (karma) rather than claimed verbally.