Shloka 26
Lord Rāmacandra’s Charity, Sītā’s Departure, and the Lord’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha
आसिक्तमार्गां गन्धोदै: करिणां मदशीकरै: । स्वामिनं प्राप्तमालोक्य मत्तां वा सुतरामिव ॥ २६ ॥
āsikta-mārgāṁ gandhodaiḥ kariṇāṁ mada-śīkaraiḥ svāminaṁ prāptam ālokya mattāṁ vā sutarām iva
Während der Herrschaft des Herrn Rāmacandra wurden die Straßen Ayodhyās mit duftendem Wasser besprengt und auch mit wohlriechenden Tropfen berauschenden Tranks, die Elefanten aus ihren Rüsseln versprühten. Als die Bürger sahen, wie der Herr persönlich in solcher Pracht die Angelegenheiten der Stadt überwachte, schätzten sie diese Opulenz sehr.
We have simply heard about the opulence of Rāma-rājya during the reign of Lord Rāmacandra. Now, here is one example of the opulence of the Lord’s kingdom. The streets of Ayodhyā were not only cleaned but also sprinkled with perfumed water and drops of perfumed liquor, which were distributed by elephants through their trunks. There was no need of sprinkling machines, for the elephant has a natural ability to suck water through its trunk and again throw it out in a shower. We can understand the opulence of the city from this one example: it was actually sprinkled with perfumed water. Moreover, the citizens had the opportunity to see the Lord personally supervising the affairs of the state. He was not a sleeping monarch, as we can understand from His activities in sending His brothers to see to affairs outside the capital and punish anyone who did not obey the emperor’s orders. This is called dig-vijaya. The citizens were all given facilities for peaceful life, and they were also qualified with appropriate attributes according to varṇāśrama. As we have seen from the previous chapter, varṇāśrama-guṇānvitāḥ: the citizens were trained according to the varṇāśrama system. A class of men were brāhmaṇas, a class of men were kṣatriyas, a class were vaiśyas, and a class were śūdras. Without this scientific division, there can be no question of good citizenship. The King, being magnanimous and perfect in His duty, performed many sacrifices and treated the citizens as His sons, and the citizens, being trained in the varṇāśrama system, were obedient and perfectly ordered. The entire monarchy was so opulent and peaceful that the government was even able to sprinkle the street with perfumed water, what to speak of other management. Since the city was sprinkled with perfumed water, we can simply imagine how opulent it was in other respects. Why should the citizens not have felt happy during the reign of Lord Rāmacandra?
FAQs
This verse portrays Ayodhyā as overflowing with celebration—its roads perfumed and sprinkled as Lord Rāma arrives—showing the citizens’ ecstatic devotion upon seeing their divine king.
The comparison conveys heightened bliss and emotional overflow: upon seeing Lord Rāma, the entire city seems “mattā”—enraptured—like someone overwhelmed by joyful love.
It encourages cultivating heartfelt welcome for the Lord’s presence—through cleanliness, beauty, and devotion—turning one’s home and mind into a celebratory “Ayodhyā” when remembering or worshiping Rāma.