Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 53: Rāma Requests Lakṣmaṇa to Return to Ayodhyā
Text 2.53.25
एको ह्यहमयोध्यां च पृथिवीं चापि लक्ष्मण।
तरेयमिषुभिः क्रुद्धो ननु वीर्यमकारणम्॥
eko hy aham ayodhyāṁ ca pṛthivīṁ cāpi lakṣmaṇa
tareyam iṣubhiḥ kruddho nanu vīryam akāraṇam
ekaḥ hi = singlehandedly; aham = I; ayodhyām ca = Ayodhyā; pṛthivīm = the earth; ca = and; api = even; lakṣmaṇa = Lakṣmaṇa; tareyam = can overtake; iṣubhiḥ = with My arrows; kruddhaḥ = in anger; nanu = but; vīryam akāraṇam = that would be prowess shown unnecessarily.
Lakṣmaṇa, I can overtake Ayodhyā and even the earth singlehandedly with My arrows in anger, but that would be prowess shown unnecessarily.
“That would be prowess shown unnecessarily” indicates that one should not take shelter of prowess that destroys one’s piety. Why? That is stated in the next verse.