Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 10: Rāma Asserts His Unbreakable Resolution to Fulfill His Promises
Text 3.10.13

राक्षसैर्धर्षितानां च तापसानां तपस्विनाम्।
गतिं मृगयमाणानां भवान्नः परमा गतिः॥

rākṣasair dharṣitānāṁ ca tāpasānāṁ tapasvinām
gatiṁ mṛgayamāṇānāṁ bhavān naḥ paramā gatiḥ

rākṣasaiḥ dharṣitānām = who are tormented by the rākṣasas; ca = and; tāpasānām = ascetics; tapasvinām = who are absorbed in contemplative meditation on the Supreme Soul; gatim = a protector; mṛgayamāṇānām = who are searching for; bhavān = You; naḥ = for us; paramā = [are our] supreme; gatiḥ = shelter.

For us ascetics who are absorbed in contemplative meditation on the Supreme Soul, who are tormented by the rākṣasas and who are searching for a protector, You [are our] supreme shelter.1

They then point out how [they are] not the supreme shelter in the next verse.

GLOSS. Tāpasānāṁ tapasvinām also indicates that these sages were extremely austere by nature.1

1 Technical note: tapasvinām paramātma-vicāra-śīlānām.

1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhāva-dīpa: atyanta-tapasvinām iti bhāvaḥ.