Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 43: Sītā Sees the Magical Deer
Text 3.43.33
अर्थी येनार्थकृत्येन संव्रजत्यविचारयन्।
तमर्थमर्थशास्त्रज्ञाः प्राहुरर्थ्याश्च लक्ष्मण॥
arthī yenārtha-kṛtyena saṁvrajaty avicārayan
tam artham artha-śāstrajñāḥ prāhur arthyāś ca lakṣmaṇa
arthī = a man in need; yena artha-kṛtyena = which; saṁvrajati = fully pursues; avicārayan = without a second thought; tam = [to be] that; artham = wealth; artha-śāstrajñāḥ = experts in artha-śāstra; prāhuḥ = declare; arthyāḥ = men of wealth 7; ca = and; lakṣmaṇa = Lakṣmaṇa.
Lakṣmaṇa, men of wealth and experts in artha-śāstra declare wealth [to be] that which a man in need fully pursues without a second thought.
Anticipating that Lakṣmaṇa might object, “Alright, but You should deliberate on this before acting” and so speaks this verse.
Wealth is actually that which a needy man busily and fully pursues to get without deliberating [on the risks involved simply] because of its beauty and his greed to procure it. Such is the declaration of knowers of artha-śāstra and possessors of wealth.
When a man is obsessed with something and is pleased with its excellences, it is called an item of wealth by knowers of artha-śāstra and possessors of wealth.
Śrī Rāmacandra implies that this [deer] is one such [item].