स राघवाणां कुलधर्ममात्मनः सनातनं नाद्य विहन्तुमर्हसि।
प्रभूतरत्नामनुशाधि मेदिनीं प्रभूतराष्ट्रां पितृवन्महायशः॥
sa rāghavāṇāṁ kula-dharmam ātmanaḥ
sanātanaṁ nādya vihantum arhasi
prabhūta-ratnām anuśādhi medinīṁ
prabhūta-rāṣṭrāṁ pitṛvan mahāyaśaḥ
saḥ rāghavāṇām = the descendants of Raghu; kula-dharmam = family dharma; ātmanaḥ = of Your relatives; sanātanam = the eternal; na = not; adya = from today; vihantum = destroy; arhasi = You should; prabhūta-ratnām = abundant with excellent items [of value]; anuśādhi = rule; medinīm = on earth; prabhūta-rāṣṭrām = the extensive kingdom; pitṛvat = like Your father; mahāyaśaḥ = greatly reputed Rāma.
“Greatly reputed Rāma, You should not destroy the eternal family dharma of Your relatives, the descendants of Raghu, from today. Like Your father, rule the extensive kingdom on earth abundant with excellent items [of value].”1
[1] dāyādau suta-bāndhavau (Amara).
1 As we will note at the end of the next chapter, Lord Rāmacandra does accept this instruction without bypassing His father’s instruction to fulfill his promise to Kaikeyī.
The “eternal family dharma of the descendants of Raghu” was to coronate the eldest son [as the king]. The second line of this verse indicates that none other than Rāma can protect the kingdom which was extensive, that is, comprised of several provinces.