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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.5.17

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: unable to endure the assaults, they appeal to him for refuge

3.5.17

evaṃ vayaṃ na mṛṣyāmo viprakāraṃ tapasvinam
kriyamāṇaṃ vane ghoraṃ rakṣobhir bhīmakarmabhiḥ

Thus we cannot endure the dreadful outrage being done to the ascetics in the forest by the rākṣasas of terrible deeds.

Words: evaṃ — thus; vayaṃ — we; na — not; mṛṣyāmo — endure; viprakāraṃ — the outrage, injury; tapasvinam — to the ascetics; kriyamāṇaṃ — being done; vane — in the forest; ghoraṃ — dreadful; rakṣobhir — by the rākṣasas; bhīmakarmabhiḥ — of terrible deeds

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.