Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 102, Shloka 44
पितृमरणश्रवणं जलक्रिया च
Hearing of Daśaratha’s death and the libation rites at Mandākinī
तेन शब्देन वित्रस्तैराकाशं पक्षिभिर्वृतम्।मनुष्यैरावृता भूमिरुभयं प्रबभौ तदा।।।।
tena śabdena vitrastair ākāśaṃ pakṣibhir vṛtam |
manuṣyair āvṛtā bhūmir ubhayaṃ prababhau tadā ||
With birds frightened by that sound, the sky became filled; with people, the earth became covered—both sky and earth then appeared strikingly vivid.
The sky was filled with birds frightened by the sound and the earth covered with people. Both looked extremely beautiful.
FAQs
Dharma here is communal: society gathers around the dhārmic center (Rāma). The ‘filling’ of earth and sky suggests that moral events are not private—they involve the whole world.
Birds crowd the sky in alarm while people throng the ground, creating an overwhelming scene.
The people’s steadfast concern and reverence for Rāma (implicit), strong enough to draw multitudes together.