Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 2: Rāma Encounters the Rākṣasa Virādha
Text 3.2.21
अनाथ इव भूतानां नाथस्त्वं वासवोपमः।
मया प्रेष्येण काकुत्स्थ किमर्थं परितप्यसे॥
anātha iva bhūtānāṁ nāthas tvaṁ vāsavopamaḥ
mayā preṣyeṇa kākutstha kim-arthaṁ paritapyase
anāthaḥ = a man who needs a caretaker; iva = like; bhūtānām = of all creatures; nāthaḥ = are the Lord; tvam = You; vāsava-upamaḥ = Indra is understood in comparison to You; mayā = in My presence; preṣyeṇa = I am Your servant; kākutstha = O descendant of Kakutstha; kim-artham = why; paritapyase = do You lament in sorrow.
O descendant of Kakutstha, You are the Lord of all creatures. Indra is understood in comparison to You.1 I am Your servant. Why do You lament in sorrow in My presence like a man who needs a caretaker?
1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣaṇa: vāsava upamīyate ’neneti vāsavopamaḥ.
Anāthaḥ iva actually indicates that Rāma lamented as if He was not the Lord [of all creatures].
[Authorities] have sung the truth [about Lord Rāma as follows].
Viśvāmitra has stated:
ahaṁ vedmi mahātmānaṁ rāmaṁ satya-parākramam
vasiṣṭho ’pi mahā-tejā ye ceme tapasi sthitāḥ
“I am aware that Rāma is the Supreme Soul and that His prowess is true. Even Vasiṣṭha of great prowess and all those here situated in austerities also know this.” (Rāmāyaṇa 1.19.14)
Paraśurāma has stated:
na ceyaṁ mama kākutstha vrīḍā bhavitum arhati
tvayā trailokya-nāthena yad ahaṁ vimukhīkṛtaḥ
“O descendant of Kakutstha, I should not feel ashamed of being defeated because I have been defeated by You, the Lord of the three worlds.” (Rāmāyaṇa 1.76.21)
Likewise, the sages have also [described the truth regarding Lord Rāmacandra].