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 ||
又有这些众多持杖的梵行者，通晓迦塔迦与迦罗帕诸传承——因恒常勤修每日吠陀自习，别无他务。虽在他事上似显懒散，且喜甘美饮食，却连伟大之人亦敬重他们。为他们备办八十辆满载珠宝的车；一千头适于运粮的公牛；另有两百头优良健牛；并且，萨乌密特丽啊，再供给一千头母牛以备烹饪之用。
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.