Chapter 12 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12

Valmiki Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda

Verse 12.85

यस्य चाहारसमये सूदाः कुण्डलधारिणः। अहंपूर्वाः पचन्ति स्म प्रसन्नाः पानभोजनम्॥ स कथं नु कषायाणि तिक्तानि कटुकानि च। भक्षयन् वन्यमाहारं सुतो मे वर्तयिष्यति ॥

yasya cāhārasamaye sūdāḥ kuṇḍaladhāriṇaḥ| ahaṃpūrvāḥ pacanti sma prasannāḥ pānabhojanam|| sa kathaṃ nu kaṣāyāṇi tiktāni kaṭukāni ca| bhakṣayan vanyamāhāraṃ suto me vartayiṣyati ||

English Meaning

How will my son, at the approach of whose meal-time, cooks wearing ear-rings and emulating each other prepare excellent meats and drinks, pass his days, living on fare furnished by the woods, of astringent, or bitter, or pungent taste?

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)