← 3.9.11 · Araṇya Kāṇḍa 9: Rāma’s promise to the ṛṣis · 3.9.13 →
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.9.12
Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 9: Rāma’s promise to the ṛṣis. He explains their refusal to spend tapasvin power on curses and declares that protecting them binds him more strongly than his own life
In the sequence: they told him that shape-changing rākṣasas attack during offerings and observances → although the tapasvins could use their tapas to kill their enemies, they will not squander their hard-earned austerity in curses
3.9.12
rākṣasair dharṣitānāṃ ca tāpasānāṃ tapasvinām
gatiṃ mṛgayamāṇānāṃ bhavān naḥ paramā gatiḥ
'For us ascetics and penitents, assailed by the rākṣasas and seeking a refuge, you are our supreme refuge.'
Words: rākṣasair — by the rākṣasas; dharṣitānāṃ — of (us) assailed; ca — and; tāpasānāṃ — of the ascetics; tapasvinām — of the penitents; gatiṃ — refuge, recourse; mṛgayamāṇānāṃ — of (us) seeking; bhavān — your honour; naḥ — our; paramā — supreme, highest; gatiḥ — refuge, recourse
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.