Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 18
द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः
Gifts to Suyajna and the Brahmins; Trijata’s Petition and Rama’s Charity
ये चेमे कठकालापा बहवो दण्डमाणवाः।।।।नित्यस्वाध्यायशीलत्वान्नान्यत्कुर्वन्ति किञ्चन।अलसा स्वादुकामाश्च महतां चापि सम्मताः।।।।तेषामशीतियानानि रत्नपूर्णानि दापय।शालिवाहसहस्रं च द्वे शते भद्रकां स्तथा।।।।व्यञ्जनार्थं च सौमित्रे गोसहस्रमुपाकुरु।
ye ceme kaṭhakālāpā bahavo daṇḍamāṇavāḥ |
nityasvādhyāyaśīlatvān nānyat kurvanti kiṃcana |
alasāḥ svādukāmāś ca mahatāṃ cāpi sammatāḥ ||
teṣām aśītiyānāni ratnapūrṇāni dāpaya |
śālivāhasahasraṃ ca dve śate bhadrakāṃs tathā ||
vyañjanārthaṃ ca saumitre gosahasram upākuru ||
اور یہ بہت سے دَण्ड دھاری برہماچارین—کٹھک اور کالاپ شاخاؤں کے ماہر—روزانہ سوادھیائے کے شوق کی وجہ سے کوئی اور کام نہیں کرتے۔ اگرچہ دوسری باتوں میں سست اور لذیذ خوراک کے خواہاں ہیں، پھر بھی بڑے لوگ بھی انہیں معزز جانتے ہیں۔ ان کے لیے اسی گاڑیاں رتنوں سے بھری دلواؤ؛ غلّہ ڈھونے کے لائق ایک ہزار بیل؛ مزید دو سو عمدہ بیل بھی؛ اور اے سَومِترِی! کھانے کی تیاری کے لیے ایک ہزار گائیں بھی مہیا کرو۔
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.