Shloka 3.6.4
षष्ठस्सर्गः — तपस्विरक्षणे राजधर्मोपदेशः (Sarga 6: The Sages’ Appeal and Instruction on Royal Duty)
वैखानसा वालखिल्यास्सम्प्रक्षाला मरीचिपाः।अश्मकुट्टाश्च बहवः पत्राहाराश्च तापसाः।।3.6.2।।दन्तोलूखलिनश्चैव तथैवोन्मज्जकाः परे।गात्रशय्या अशय्याश्च तथैवाभ्रावकाशकाः।।3.6.3।।मुनयस्सलिलाहारावायुभक्षा स्तथापरे।आकाशनिलयाश्चैव तथा स्थण्डिलशायिनः।।3.6.4।।व्रतोपवासिनो दान्तास्तथाऽर्द्रपटवाससः।सजपाश्च तपोनित्यास्तथा पञ्चतपोऽन्विताः।।3.6.5।।सर्वे ब्राह्म्या श्रिया जुष्टा दृढयोगास्समाहिताः।शरभङ्गाश्रमे राममभिजग्मुश्च तापसाः।।3.6.6।।
tvam ikṣvākukulasyāsya pṛthivyāś ca mahāratha |
pradhānaś cāsi nāthaś ca devānāṁ maghavān iva || 3.6.8 ||
O great charioteer, you are the foremost and the lord of this Ikṣvāku lineage and of the earth—like Maghavān (Indra) among the gods.
Vaikhanasas, Valakhilyas, sages who continuously wash their bodies, Marichakas Asmakuttas sages who live on leaves only, those who have teeth like mortar, Unmajjakas, those who use limbs as their bed, those who practise penance without using a bed, those who do penance in the open, unmindful of rain or Sun or wind, those who live on water only, those who penance under the open sky, those who carry on penance on high places like the mountaintop, those who recline on bare ground only, those who observe fast as a part of religious tradition, those selfrestrained men, those who mutter sacred mantras, those who constantly perform penance and those who stand under the blazing Sun in summer placing fire on four sides while performing penanceall these types of sages met Rama in the hermitage of Sarabhanga.
Kingly dharma as protection and leadership: Rāma is praised as nātha (protector-lord) whose authority is meant to uphold order on earth.
The sages formally acclaim Rāma’s status and legitimacy, framing him as a rightful protector even while he lives as an exile in the forest.
Rāma’s virtue of rightful leadership—being pradhāna and nātha, i.e., fit to guide and safeguard others.