Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 47, Shloka 9
अयोध्यायाः पौरविलापः
Lament of the Citizens of Ayodhya on Rama’s Absence
किं वक्ष्यामो महाबाहुरनसूयः प्रियंवदः।नीत स्स राघवोऽस्माभिरिति वक्तुं कथं क्षमम्।।।।
kiṃ vakṣyāmo mahābāhur anasūyaḥ priyaṃvadaḥ | nītaḥ sa rāghavo ’smābhir iti vaktuṃ kathaṃ kṣamam ||
Was sollen wir sagen? Wie könnten wir es ertragen zu sagen: „Wir führten Rāghava fort“—ihn, den Großarmigen, ohne Arg und von sanfter Rede?
We all will die here. We will go on the everlasting journey to death. Of what use is this life to us without Rama?
FAQs
It highlights moral accountability: even if one is not directly guilty, society feels responsible for failing to protect the righteous.
Citizens feel shame at the thought that it may be said they ‘sent’ or ‘led’ Rāma into exile.
Rāma’s gentleness and absence of malice (anasūyā, priyaṃvada) are stressed as reasons the citizens’ shame is intensified.