Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 24: Lord Rāma Prepares to Fight With Khara’s Army
Text 3.24.11

अनागतविधानं तु कर्तव्यं शुभमिच्छता।
आपदं शङ्कमानेन पुरुषेण विपश्चिता॥

anāgata-vidhānaṁ tu kartavyaṁ śubham icchatā
āpadaṁ śaṅkamānena puruṣeṇa vipaścitā

anāgata-vidhānam tu kartavyam = should take measures to prevent disasters; śubham = auspiciousness; icchatā = desiring; āpadam = of [the arrival of a] crisis; śaṅkamānena = and suspicious; puruṣeṇa = man; vipaścitā = a foresighted.

A foresighted man desiring auspiciousness and suspicious of [the arrival of a] crisis should take measures to prevent disasters.

This refers to [a man] suspicious of [the arrival of a] crisis because of [certain] reasons and who [desires] auspiciousness, that is, who desires to prevent [that] crisis [from occuring].1

1 On the basis of Śūrpaṇakhā’s dealings with Śrī Rāmacandra and Śrī Lakṣmaṇa, it was evident that she would certainly strike back. The omens also signified that a war was soon at hand. Lord Rāma’s point is that one shouldn’t be a lazy fatalist.