Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 29: Rāma Breaks Khara’s Mace
Text 3.29.16
प्राकृतान्राक्षसान्हत्वा युद्धे दशरथात्मज।
आत्मना कथमात्मानमप्रशस्यं प्रशंससि॥
prākṛtān rākṣasān hatvā yuddhe daśarathātmaja
ātmanā katham ātmānam apraśasyaṁ praśaṁsasi
prākṛtān = ordinary; rākṣasān = rākṣasas; hatvā = upon killing; yuddhe = in battle; daśaratha-ātmaja = O son of Daśaratha; ātmanā1 katham = how; ātmānam = Yourself; apraśasyam = who are not praiseworthy; praśaṁsasi = can You praise.
O son of Daśaratha, how can You praise Yourself, who are not praiseworthy, upon killing ordinary rākṣasas in battle?
1 Technical note: ātmanā praśaṁsasi. Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣaṇa: ātmanā svayam eva.