# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 5 — The ṛṣis appeal for protection *Tapasvins display the victims of rākṣasa attacks, Rāma promises to defend them and gives his exile a purpose* Portion: The forest ṛṣis seek protection · Verses: 21 · Ref format: 3.5. ## Sequence - After Śarabhaṅga's ascent, tapasvins of many disciplines gather around Rāma: Vaikhānasas and Vālakhilyas, those living on leaves, water, air, or rays of light, those sleeping on bare ground, and those practicing prayer or the five-fire penance (5.1–5) - they acknowledge his standing in the Ikṣvāku family and his commitment to truth and duty, then ask permission to speak of their distress (5.6–9) - they argue that a ruler who takes taxes must protect his people, while a ruler who protects tapasvins receives a share of their merit (5.10–13) - they say the rākṣasas are killing forest hermits as though they had no protector → they ask him to look at the slain munis and describe attacks around Pampā, the Mandākinī, and Citrakūṭa (5.14–16) - unable to endure the assaults, they appeal to him for refuge (5.17–18) - Rāma answers that they may command his service: protecting them will give purpose to his exile, and he wishes to fight their rākṣasa enemies (5.19–20) - having assured them of his help, he proceeds with Lakṣmaṇa toward Sutīkṣṇa (5.21). ## Verses **3.5.1** śarabhaṅge divaṃ prāpte munisaṃghāḥ samāgatāḥ abhyagacchanta kākutsthaṃ rāmaṃ jvalitatejasaṃ When Śarabhaṅga had gone to heaven, throngs of sages assembled and came to Kākutstha Rāma of blazing splendour: **3.5.2** vaikhānasā vālakhilyāḥ saṃprakṣālā marīcipāḥ aśmakuṭṭāś ca bahavaḥ patrāhārāś ca tāpasāḥ Vaikhānasas, Vālakhilyas, Saṃprakṣālas, drinkers of light-rays, many stone-pounders, leaf-eaters and ascetics; **3.5.3** dantolūkhalinaś caiva tathaivonmajjakāḥ pare munayaḥ salilāhārā vāyubhakṣās tathāpare those who use their teeth as a mortar, and likewise the 'up-plungers,' others still — sages who feed on water, and others again who feed on air; **3.5.4** ākāśanilayāś caiva tathā sthaṇḍilaśāyinaḥ tathordhvavāsino dāntās tathārdrapaṭavāsasaḥ and those who dwell in the open sky, and likewise those who lie on the bare ground, and dwellers on high, self-controlled, and those who wear wet garments; **3.5.5** sajapāś ca taponityās tathā pañcatapo'nvitāḥ sarve brāhmyā śriyā juṣṭā dṛḍhayogasamāhitāḥ śarabhaṅgāśrame rāmam abhijagmuś ca tāpasāḥ and those given to muttered prayer, ever devoted to austerity, and those practising the five-fire penance — all endowed with the splendour of Brahman and steadied in firm yoga: these ascetics came to Rāma in Śarabhaṅga's hermitage. **3.5.6** abhigamya ca dharmajñā rāmaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ varam ūcuḥ paramadharmajñam ṛṣisaṃghāḥ samāhitāḥ And having approached Rāma, the best of the upholders of dharma, the throngs of seers, knowers of dharma and composed, said to that supreme knower of dharma: **3.5.7** tvam ikṣvākukulasyāsya pṛthivyāś ca mahārathaḥ pradhānaś cāsi nāthaś ca devānāṃ maghavān iva “You are the great warrior of this house of Ikṣvāku and of the earth; you are its chief and its lord, like Maghavat (Indra) among the gods. **3.5.8** viśrutas triṣu lokeṣu yaśasā vikrameṇa ca pitṛvratatvaṃ satyaṃ ca tvayi dharmaś ca puṣkalaḥ You are renowned in the three worlds for your fame and your valour; devotion to your father, truthfulness, and abundant dharma dwell in you. **3.5.9** tvām āsādya mahātmānaṃ dharmajñaṃ dharmavatsalam arthitvān nātha vakṣyāmas tac ca naḥ kṣantum arhasi Having come to you, the great-souled one, knower of dharma and devoted to dharma, we shall speak out of our need, O lord; and you should forgive us that. **3.5.10** adhārmas tu mahāṃs tāta bhavet tasya mahīpateḥ yo hared baliṣaḍbhāgaṃ na ca rakṣati putravat Great, dear one, would be the unrighteousness of that lord of the earth who takes the sixth part as tribute yet does not protect his people like his own children. **3.5.11** yuñjānaḥ svān iva prāṇān prāṇair iṣṭān sutān iva nityayuktaḥ sadā rakṣan sarvān viṣayavāsinaḥ But (the king) who, ever diligent, cherishing them with his own life-breaths as though they were his own life, dear as sons, always guards all the dwellers of his realm — **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. **3.5.13** yat karoti paraṃ dharmaṃ munir mūlaphalāśanaḥ tatra rājñaś caturbhāgaḥ prajā dharmeṇa rakṣataḥ Of the supreme merit that a sage living on roots and fruit acquires, a fourth part belongs to the king who protects his subjects by dharma. **3.5.14** so 'yaṃ brāhmaṇabhūyiṣṭho vānaprasthagaṇo mahān tvan nātho 'nāthavad rāma rākṣasair vadhyate bhṛśam This great company of forest-hermits, mostly brahmins, though it has you for its lord, is being grievously slain by the rākṣasas as if it were lordless, O Rāma. **3.5.15** ehi paśya śarīrāṇi munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām hatānāṃ rākṣasair ghorair bahūnāṃ bahudhā vane Come, look at the bodies of the sages of purified souls, many of them, slain in various ways in the forest by the dreadful rākṣasas. **3.5.16** pampānadīnivāsānām anumandākinīm api citrakūṭālayānāṃ ca kriyate kadanaṃ mahat Great slaughter is being wrought upon those who dwell by the Pampā river, along the Mandākinī, and upon those who make their abode on Citrakūṭa. **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. **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. **3.5.19** etac chrutvā tu kākutsthas tāpasānāṃ tapasvinām idaṃ provāca dharmātmā sarvān eva tapasvinaḥ naivam arhatha māṃ vaktum ājñāpyo 'haṃ tapasvinam Hearing this from the ascetic hermits, the righteous Kākutstha said this to all the ascetics: “You ought not to speak to me thus; I am one to be commanded at the ascetics' bidding. **3.5.20** bhavatām arthasiddhyartham āgato 'haṃ yadṛcchayā tasya me 'yaṃ vane vāso bhaviṣyati mahāphalaḥ tapasvināṃ raṇe śatrūn hantum icchāmi rākṣasān It was for the accomplishing of your purpose that I came, as it happened; this dwelling of mine in the forest shall bear great fruit — I wish to slay in battle the rākṣasa foes of the ascetics.” **3.5.21** dattvā varaṃ cāpi tapodhanānāṃ dharme dhṛtātmā sahalakṣmaṇena tapodhanaiś cāpi sahārya vṛttaḥ sutīṣkṇam evābhijagāma vīraḥ And having granted a boon to the ascetics rich in austerity, the hero, his soul fixed on dharma, together with Lakṣmaṇa and behaving with noble conduct toward the ascetics, went straight on to Sutīkṣṇa.