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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.13.40

Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 13: Aśvamedha yajña: The horse’s return and completion of the rites. The returning horse is sacrificed with prescribed posts, a Garuḍa-shaped altar and continual hospitality, Daśaratha rewards the priests and requests the rite for sons

In the sequence: they decline to govern, saying that study is their occupation and he is the proper protector of the land → they request wealth in exchange

1.13.40

na bhūmyā kāryam asmākaṃ na hi śaktāḥ sma pālane
ratāḥ svādhyāyakaraṇe vayaṃ nityaṃ hi bhūmipa
niṣkrayaṃ kiṃ cid eveha prayacchatu bhavān iti

We have no use for land, for we are not capable of governing; we are ever devoted to the practice of Vedic study, O lord of the earth. Let your honour give instead some redemption-fee here.”

Words: na — not; bhūmyā — with land; kāryam — use, business; asmākaṃ — for us; na — not; hi — for; śaktāḥ — capable; sma — (are); pālane — in governing, protecting; ratāḥ — devoted, engaged; svādhyāyakaraṇe — in the practice of Vedic study; vayaṃ — we; nityaṃ — ever, always; hi — indeed; bhūmipa — O lord of the earth; niṣkrayaṃ — a redemption-fee, ransom; kiṃ cid — some; eveha — indeed here; prayacchatu — let (him) give; bhavān — your honour; iti — thus

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.