Canto 1: Bāla-kāṇḍa (Boyhood)Chapter 30: Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa Protect Viśvāmitra’s SacrificeText 1.30.2
Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 30: Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa Protect Viśvāmitra’s Sacrifice
Text 1.30.2
भगवञ्श्रोतुमिच्छावो यस्मिन्काले निशाचरौ।
संरक्षणीयौ तौ ब्रह्मन्नातिवर्तेत तत्क्षणम्॥
bhagavañ śrotum icchāvo yasmin kāle niśācarau
saṁrakṣaṇīyau tau brahman nātivarteta tat kṣaṇam
bhagavan = O Lord; śrotum icchāvah = we desire to hear; yasmin kāle = about the time; niśācarau = when the two night-ranging rākṣasas; saṁrakṣaṇīyau tau = should be prevented; brahman = O brāhmaṇa; na = nor; ativarteta tat kṣaṇam = may we let that time pass by.
O Lord, We desire to hear about the time when the two night-ranging rākṣasas should be prevented. O brāhmaṇa, may We not let that time pass by.
1 This is a very important point of clarification regarding the scriptural usage of expressions meaning “protection.”
Protection involves (1) attainment of desired [persons, things or events], and (2) prevention of undesired [persons, things or events].1 The latter is relevant in this context. [The sacrifice should be protected from the rākṣasas.]