Text 3.12.11 | Śrī Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa

Canto 3: Araṇya-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 12: Agastya Requests Rāma to Protect the SagesText 3.12.11

Canto 3 -

Araṇya-kāṇḍa

Chapter 12: Agastya Requests Rāma to Protect the Sages

Text 3.12.11

गम्यतां सत्कृतो रामः सभार्यः सहलक्ष्मणः।
प्रवेश्यतां समीपं मे किं चासौ न प्रवेशितः॥

gamyatāṁ satkṛto rāmaḥ sabhāryaḥ saha-lakṣmaṇaḥ
praveśyatāṁ samīpaṁ me kiṁ cāsau na praveśitaḥ

gamyatām = go; satkṛtaḥ = are to be respected; rāmaḥ = Rāma; sa-bhāryaḥ = His wife; saha-lakṣmaṇaḥ = and Lakṣmaṇa; praveśyatām = bring them; samīpam = to; me = me; kim ca = why; asau = He; na = not; praveśitaḥ = was brought in.

Go! Rāma, His wife and Lakṣmaṇa are to be respected.¹ Bring them to me. Why was He not brought in?

“Why did you delay [for so long]?” This is what the sage thought.¹

¹ The sage wanted to tell his disciple that Sītā, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are meant to be respected by means of good behavior, service and conduct. Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣaṇa: satkṛtaḥ satkārārhaḥ. Technical note: satkṛtaḥ ācāropacāra-vyavahāraiḥ.

¹ His idea was, “You didn’t have to even ask me this.”