Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 77: The Newly-wed Couples Reach Ayodhyā
Text 1.77.29
मातृभ्यो मातृकार्याणि कृत्वा परमयन्त्रितः।
गुरूणां गुरुकार्याणि काले कालेऽन्ववैक्षत॥
mātṛbhyo mātṛ-kāryāṇi kṛtvā parama-yantritaḥ
gurūṇāṁ guru-kāryāṇi kāle kāle ’nvavaikṣata
mātṛbhyaḥ = to His mothers; mātr-kāryāṇi = His duties; kṛtvā = He carried out and; parama-yantritaḥ = extremely disciplined; gurūṇām = to His worshipable superiors; guru-kāryāṇi = His duties; kāle kāle = from time to time; anvavaikṣata = He carried out.
Extremely disciplined, He carried out His duties to His mothers and from time to time He carried out His duties to His worshipable superiors.
“Extremely disciplined” indicates that Lord Rāma never transgressed the boundaries established in the Śruti and the Smṛti. His duties to His worshipable superiors were menial services and so on appropriate for them.
NOTE. Lord Rāmacandra thus demonstrated austerities of the body:
deva-dvija-guru-prājña-pūjanaṁ śaucam ārjavam
brahmacaryam ahiṁsā ca śārīraṁ tapa ucyate
“Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence.” (Bhagavad-gītā 17.15)