Valmiki Ramayana 2.32.18-20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shlokas 18-20
द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः · Gifts to Suyajna and the Brahmins; Trijata’s Petition and Rama’s Charity
ये चेमे कठकालापा बहवो दण्डमाणवाः ॥१८॥
नित्यस्वाध्यायशीलत्वान्नान्यत्कुर्वन्ति किञ्चन ।
अलसा स्वादुकामाश्च महतां चापि सम्मताः ॥१९॥
तेषामशीतियानानि रत्नपूर्णानि दापय ।
शालिवाहसहस्रं च द्वे शते भद्रकां स्तथा ॥२०॥
व्यञ्जनार्थं च सौमित्रे गोसहस्रमुपाकुरु ।
ye ceme kaṭhakālāpā bahavo daṇḍamāṇavāḥ ||18||
nityasvādhyāyaśīlatvān nānyat kurvanti kiṃcana |
alasāḥ svādukāmāś ca mahatāṃ cāpi sammatāḥ ||19||
teṣām aśītiyānāni ratnapūrṇāni dāpaya |
śālivāhasahasraṃ ca dve śate bhadrakāṃs tathā ||20||
vyañjanārthaṃ ca saumitre gosahasram upākuru |
Dan para brahmacārin pemegang tongkat ini, ramai jumlahnya, mahir dalam tradisi Kāṭhaka dan Kālāpa—kerana tekun berswādhyāya Veda setiap hari, mereka tidak melakukan pekerjaan lain. Walau tampak tidak giat dalam urusan dunia dan gemar makanan lazat, mereka tetap dihormati oleh para mulia. Untuk mereka, sediakan lapan puluh pedati penuh permata; seribu ekor lembu jantan untuk mengangkut padi; dua ratus ekor lembu pilihan lagi; dan, wahai Saumitrī, sediakan seribu ekor lembu bagi keperluan penyediaan hidangan.
O Lakshmana! many brahmacharis with a staff (as a mark of religious authority) well-versed in Katha and Kalapa portions of the Vedas engaged daily in the study of the Vedas and nothing else. Not active otherwise, they are fond of delicious food and are respected even by great people. Give them eighty carts filled with gems, a thousand bulls capable of carrying paddy, and two hundred oxen capable of ploughing land and a thousand cows for preparing food (with milk products).
FAQs
Supporting sacred learning: society’s duty is to materially sustain those committed to Vedic study, so that spiritual education and truth-transmission continue uninterrupted.
Rāma instructs Lakṣmaṇa to distribute large-scale gifts to groups of Vedic students identified by their recensional affiliations and lifestyle.
Responsibility and generosity: Rāma ensures even large groups dependent on religious learning are provided for in an organized, abundant manner.
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