Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 2: Rāma Encounters the Rākṣasa Virādha
Text 3.2.11

कथं तापसयोर्वां च वासः प्रमदया सह।
अधर्मचारिणौ पापौ कौ युवां मुनिदूषकौ॥

kathaṁ tāpasayor vāṁ ca vāsaḥ pramadayā saha
adharmacāriṇau pāpau kau yuvāṁ muni-dūṣakau

katham = how is it that; tāpasayoḥ = ascetics; vām = You; ca = and; vāsaḥ = live; pramadayā = an enchanting lady; saha = with; adharmacāriṇau = You are engaged in adharma; pāpau = and so are sinful; kau = who; yuvām = are You?; muni-dūṣakau = You have contaminated the dharma of a sage.

And how is it that You ascetics live with an enchanting lady? You are engaged in adharma. You have contaminated the dharma of a sage and so are sinful.1 Who are You?2


The rākṣasa wanted to kill Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa for engaging in perverse activities. According to him, They contaminated the dress of a sage because They carried arrows, bows and swords which are incompatible with the dress of a sage.

NOTE. The rākṣasa imagined that Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa engaged in adharma. Ātmavan manyate jagat: a materialist thinks the whole world is like him.

1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhāva-dīpa: muni-dūṣakau muni-dharma-dūṣakau.

 

2 “You” in this verse refers to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.