Though the explicit purpose of Rama avatar was the killing of Ravana, the Lord had taken the mantle of protector of the sages in the forest who were harassed by the atrocities of the demons. The rishis are delighted to see Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana when they enter the Dandaka forest, and offer their humble hospitality with Vedic chanting.
They then tell Rama, in the attitude of one who has surrendered to God for total succour (Prapanna), that He alone is their protector, said Sri V. S. Karunakarachariar in a lecture. Even when we seek God, serve Him and sing His glory with a pure heart, we should realise that all this is due to His grace. The rishis knew this truth very well. They saw the Lord as the sole protector and knew their own inadequacies in warding off the demons.
The rishis were aware that though they could not encounter the demons on a warfront, they could, by virtue of their steady penance, keep them away with curses, etc. Once they resorted to casting curses, their own inherent goodness earned through penance would begin to wane. Any effort in self-defence on their part would only undo their goodness. Besides, when a sage curses, he also incurs sin. That is why sages fight hard with their own selves to control their anger and desire. Sage Vasishta had conquered anger and vowed that he would not curse henceforth. He remained so even when Vishwamitra killed his hundred sons.
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But how could Rama, now an exile, vow to them His protection? Rama was told by Sumantra when he left Ayodhya that Dasaratha had yielded to the demand of his father-in-law to make Kaikeyi's son the heir to the kingdom of Ayodhya when he married her. So in truth the kingdom rightly belonged to Bharata.
But Bharata sought Rama and surrendered the kingdom to his brother. He even offered to fulfil the order of banishment instead of Rama. Rama says that the father's order to Him has to be observed at all costs. So Rama entrusts the responsibility of the kingdom with Bharata, while the problems of the people of the forests would be His.