यस्य त्वाहारसमये सूदाः कुण्डलधारिणः।
अहंपूर्वाः पचन्ति स्म प्रशस्तं पानभोजनम्॥
स कथं नु कषायाणि तिक्तानि कटुकानि च।
भक्षयन्वन्यमाहारं सुतो मे वर्तयिष्यति॥
yasya tv āhāra-samaye sūdāḥ kuṇḍaladhāriṇaḥ
ahaṁ-pūrvāh pacanti sma praśastaṁ pāna-bhojanam
sa kathaṁ tu kaṣāyāṇi tiktāni kaṭukāni ca
bhakṣayan vanyam āhāraṁ suto me vartayiṣyati
yasya tu = for whose sake; āhāra-samaye = at the time of eating; sūdāḥ = cooks; kuṇḍaladhāriṇaḥ = wearing earrings; aham-pūrvāh = would compete with one another; pacanti sma = and prepare; praśastam = excellent; pāna-bhojanam = drinks and food; saḥ1 katham tu = how; kaṣāyāṇi = astringent; tiktāni = bitter; kaṭukāni = pungent foods; ca = and; bhakṣayan = while eating; vanyam = on forest; āhāram = food; sutaḥ = son; me = my; vartayiṣyati = can live.
How can my son, for whose sake cooks wearing earrings would compete with one another and prepare excellent drinks and food at the time of eating, live on forest food while eating astringent, bitter and pungent foods?
1 Technical note: saḥ me sutaḥ.
Rāma had been given excellent foods which have been referred to in the scripture as follows:
āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ
“Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart.” (Bhagavad-gītā 17.8)