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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.5.18

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

3.5.18

tatas tvāṃ śaraṇārthaṃ ca śaraṇyaṃ samupasthitāḥ
paripālaya no rāma vadhyamānān niśācaraiḥ

Therefore we have come to you, our refuge, seeking protection; protect us, O Rāma, who are being slain by the night-rangers.

Words: tatas — therefore; tvāṃ — you; śaraṇārthaṃ — for the sake of refuge; ca — and; śaraṇyaṃ — the refuge, the protector; samupasthitāḥ — having approached; paripālaya — protect; no — us; rāma — O Rāma; vadhyamānān — being slain; niśācaraiḥ — by the night-rangers

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.