Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 41, Shloka 13
अयोध्यायाः शोकप्रकम्पः
Ayodhya’s Tremor of Grief and Omens
कालिकानिलवेगेन महोदधिरिवोत्थितः।रामे वनं प्रव्रजिते नगरं प्रचचाल तत्।।2.41.13।।
kālikānilavegena mahodadhir ivotthitaḥ | rāme vanaṃ pravrajite nagaraṃ pracacāla tat || 2.41.13 ||
When Rama had departed into exile for the forest, that city of Ayodhya shook—as though the great ocean had risen up, driven by the force of a dark, stormy wind.
After Rama left for the forest, dark clouds appeared (in the sky) like the (waves of) the great ocean uplifted by the speed of the wind which shook the city.
FAQs
Dharma is shown through the social consequence of a righteous person’s removal: Rama’s adherence to duty (accepting exile) destabilizes the city emotionally, highlighting how personal dharma sustains public well-being.
Rama has left Ayodhya for forest-exile; the poet describes the city’s tremor and turmoil through a storm-and-ocean simile.
Rama’s steadfastness in dharma—he goes to exile without resisting, and his moral stature is implied by the city’s profound reaction.