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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.5.12

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 5: The ṛṣis appeal for protection. Tapasvins display the victims of rākṣasa attacks, Rāma promises to defend them and gives his exile a purpose

In the sequence: they argue that a ruler who takes taxes must protect his people, while a ruler who protects tapasvins receives a share of their merit

3.5.12

prāpnoti śāśvatīṃ rāma kīrtiṃ sa bahuvārṣikīm
brahmaṇaḥ sthānam āsādya tatra cāpi mahīyate

he, O Rāma, wins everlasting fame lasting many years, and, attaining the abode of Brahman, is there magnified.

Words: prāpnoti — attains; śāśvatīṃ — everlasting; rāma — O Rāma; kīrtiṃ — fame; sa — he; bahuvārṣikīm — lasting many years; brahmaṇaḥ — of Brahman; sthānam — abode; āsādya — having attained; tatra — there; cāpi — and also; mahīyate — is magnified, honoured

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. 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.