ततस्त्वहं चोत्तमबाणचापधृत्स्थितोऽभवं तत्र स यत्र लक्ष्मणः।
अतन्द्रिभिर्ज्ञातिभिरात्तकार्मुकैर्महेन्द्रकल्पं परिपालयंस्तदा॥
tatas tv ahaṁ cottama-bāṇa-cāpadhṛt
sthito ’bhavaṁ tatra sa yatra lakṣmaṇaḥ
atandribhir jñātibhir ātta-kārmukair
mahendra-kalpaṁ paripālayaṁs tadā
tataḥ = then; tu aham = I; ca = also; uttama-bāṇa-cāpadhṛt = took up my excellent arrows and bow; sthitaḥ abhavam = and stood; tatra saḥ1 yatra = where; lakṣmaṇaḥ = Lakṣmaṇa; atandribhiḥ = who were vigilant; jñātibhiḥ = I was with my relatives; ātta-kārmukaiḥ = and equipped with bows; mahā-indra-kalpam = Rāma who resembled the great Indra; paripālayan tadā = was protecting.
Then I also took up my excellent arrows and bow and stood where Lakṣmaṇa was protecting Rāma who resembled the great Indra. I was with my relatives who were vigilant and equipped with bows.
[1] barhināgnau na nā kuśe (Vaijayantī).
[2] talaṁ jyā-ghāta-vāraṇam (Amara).
1 Technical note: saḥ lakṣmaṇaḥ.
Guha armed himself [as a backup security] for he feared, “One of these brothers had been made to go to the forests from the city. The other brother might fall asleep.” [Therefore] he stood where Lakṣmaṇa stood, that is, he followed Lakṣmaṇa at every step. Guha’s relatives were vigilant, that is, they took up their bows and were attentive to protect Rāma. They followed Guha at every step.
But factually, Rāma cannot be overcome by anyone as indicated by the word mahendra-kalpam (“who resembled the great Indra”).