Shloka 3.6.26
षष्ठस्सर्गः — तपस्विरक्षणे राजधर्मोपदेशः (Sarga 6: The Sages’ Appeal and Instruction on Royal Duty)
दत्त्वाऽभयं चापि तपोधनानां धर्मे धृतात्मा सह लक्ष्मणेन।तपोधनैश्चापि सभाज्यवृत्तः सुतीक्ष्णमेवाभिजगाम वीरः।।।।
vaikhānasā vālakhilyāḥ samprakṣālā marīcipāḥ |
aśmakuṭṭāś ca bahavaḥ patrāhārāś ca tāpasāḥ || 3.6.2 ||
dantolūkhalinaś caiva tathaivonmajjakāḥ pare |
gātraśayyā aśayyāś ca tathaivābhrāvakāśakāḥ || 3.6.3 ||
munayaḥ salilāhārā vāyubhakṣāḥ tathāpare |
ākāśanilayāś caiva tathā sthaṇḍilaśāyinaḥ || 3.6.4 ||
vratopavāsino dāntās tathārdrapaṭavāsasaḥ |
sajapāś ca taponityās tathā pañcatapo’nvitāḥ || 3.6.5 ||
sarve brāhmyā śriyā juṣṭā dṛḍhayogāḥ samāhitāḥ |
śarabhaṅgāśrame rāmam abhijagmuś ca tāpasāḥ || 3.6.6 ||
There came the Vaikhānasas and the Vālakhilyas; ascetics who cleanse themselves again and again, and those who seem to “drink” the sun’s rays; many Aśmakūṭṭas and leaf-eating hermits; those with teeth like mortars, those who practice austerities immersed in water, others who lie upon skins or never lie down at all, and those who live exposed to the elements. There were sages who subsist on water alone, and others on air; those who dwell beneath the open sky, and those who sleep upon bare ground. Observers of vows and fasters, the self-restrained, clad in garments ever wet; devoted to unceasing japa, constant in tapas, and practicing the austerity of the “five fires.” All, endowed with the radiance born of Brahman-knowledge and steadfast in yoga, composed in mind—such ascetics came to Rāma at the hermitage of Śarabhaṅga.
Brave Rama, steadfast in righteousness, worthy of honour, gave assurance to protect the ascetics endowed with the wealth of penance, and proceeded towards sage Sutikshna.इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे षष्ठस्सर्गः।।Thus ends the sixth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.
Respect for tapas and disciplined spiritual life: the text foregrounds many forms of self-restraint, presenting ascetic dharma as a revered social and spiritual ideal.
A wide variety of forest ascetics gather and approach Rāma at Śarabhaṅga’s hermitage, setting up their interaction and their later praise of Rāma’s righteousness.
The sages’ virtue: dānta (self-control) and samāhita (concentration), expressed through diverse austerities and steady yoga.