Canto 3: Araṇya-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 10: Rāma Asserts His Unbreakable Resolution to Fulfill His PromisesText 3.10.17
Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 10: Rāma Asserts His Unbreakable Resolution to Fulfill His Promises
Text 3.10.17
मया चैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा कार्त्स्नयेन परिपालनम्।
ऋषीणां दण्डकारण्ये संश्रुतं जनकात्मजे॥
mayā ca etad vacaḥ śrutvā kārtsnyena paripālanam
ṛṣīṇāṁ daṇḍakāraṇye saṁśrutaṁ janakātmaje
mayā ca = I; etat = these; vacaḥ = words; śrutvā = upon hearing; kārtsnyena = complete; paripālanam = protection; ṛṣīṇām = the sages; daṇḍaka-araṇye = in Daṇḍakāraṇya; saṁśrutam = promised; janaka-ātmaje = O daughter of King Janaka.
O daughter of King Janaka, upon hearing these words, I promised the sages in Daṇḍakāraṇya complete protection.
1 Lord Viṣṇu eats through the fire sacrifices when authorized oblations are offered to Him in the fire with devotion. These sages did that.
“Complete protection” is protection [to the sages] that includes the killing of rākṣasas. Lord Rāma says this because those who oppose the ones who have taken shelter of Him [factually] oppose Him and His eating.1