Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 12: Agastya Requests Rāma to Protect the Sages
Text 3.12.22

अब्रवीद्वचनं वीरो लक्ष्मणं लक्ष्मिवर्धनम्।
एष लक्ष्मण निष्क्रामत्यगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः।
औदार्येणावगच्छामि निधानं तपसामिमम्॥

abravīd vacanaṁ vīro lakṣmaṇaṁ lakṣmi-vardhanam
eṣa lakṣmaṇa niṣkrāmaty agastyo bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
audāryeṇāvagacchāmi nidhānaṁ tapasām imam

abravīt = spoke; vacanam = these words; vīraḥ = heroic Rāma; lakṣmaṇam = to Lakṣmaṇa; lakṣmi-vardhanam = who increased auspiciousness; eṣaḥ = here; lakṣmaṇa = Lakṣmaṇa; niṣkrāmati = comes; agastyaḥ = Agastya; bhagavān = the powerful; ṛṣiḥ = sage; audāryeṇa = by his nobility; avagacchāmi = I recognize; nidhānam = [to be] the source; tapasām = of austerities; imam = him.

Heroic Rāma spoke these words to Lakṣmaṇa who increased auspiciousness: “Lakṣmaṇa, here comes the powerful sage Agastya. By his nobility I recognize him [to be] the source of austerities.”

“By his nobility” means “by the greatness of his special prowess.”