अक्षवधः (The Slaying of Prince Aksha)
Sundarakāṇḍa Sarga 47
ततस्तपस्सङ्ग्रहसञ्चयार्जितं प्रतप्तजाम्बूनदजालशोभितम्।पताकिनं रत्नविभूषितध्वजं मनोजवाष्टाश्ववरैः सुयोजितम्।।5.47.4।।
tatas tapassaṅgrahasañcayārjitaṃ prataptajāmbūnadajālaśobhitam |
patākinaṃ ratnavibhūṣitadhvajaṃ manojavāṣṭāśvavaraiḥ suyोजitam ||5.47.4||
Bấy giờ hiện ra cỗ chiến xa, do sức công phu khổ hạnh tích tụ mà đắc được; rực rỡ với mạng lưới vàng Jāmbūnada tinh luyện, phấp phới cờ phướn, kỳ xí nạm châu báu, và được thắng vào tám tuấn mã thượng hạng, nhanh như ý niệm.
The chariot was (strong as it was) gained by his austerities of high order. It was overlaid with pure gold armour, fixed with flags, and staff, studded with precious gems, yoked to the best of eight horses and endowed with the speed of mind.
The verse implies that power can be ‘earned’ through discipline (tapas), but Dharma ultimately judges how that power is used—splendor and merit do not automatically sanctify one’s cause.
The epic describes the extraordinary chariot associated with the coming combatant (Akṣa), setting the stage for his confrontation with Hanumān.
Tapas as disciplined capacity—here shown as a source of formidable resources, even within the rākṣasa polity.