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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.9.18
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: he declares that he would sooner surrender his life, Sītā, or Lakṣmaṇa than break his word, especially to brāhmaṇas → protecting the munis would be his duty even without a promise
3.9.18
apy ahaṃ jīvitaṃ jahyāṃ tvāṃ vā sīte salakṣmaṇām
na tu pratijñāṃ saṃśrutya brāhmaṇebhyo viśeṣataḥ
I would sooner give up my life, or even you, O Sītā, along with Lakṣmaṇa, than break a promise, once made—especially one made to brahmins.
Words: apy — even; ahaṃ — I; jīvitaṃ — life; jahyāṃ — I would give up; tvāṃ — you; vā — or; sīte — O Sītā; salakṣmaṇām — along with Lakṣmaṇa; na tu — but not; pratijñāṃ — a promise, vow; saṃśrutya — having pledged; brāhmaṇebhyo — to the brahmins; viśeṣataḥ — especially
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.