Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 54, Shloka 25
भरद्वाजाश्रमप्राप्तिः
Arrival at Bharadvāja’s Hermitage and Counsel toward Citrakūṭa
भगवन्नित आसन्नः पौरजानपदो जनः।सुदर्शमिह मां प्रेक्ष्य मन्येऽहमिममाश्रमम्।।2.54.24।।आगमिष्यति वैदेहीं मां चापि प्रेक्षको जनः।अनेन कारणेनाहमिह वासं न रोचये।।2.54.25।।
bhagavan ita āsannaḥ paurajānapado janaḥ | sudarśam iha māṃ prekṣya manye ’ham imam āśramam || āgamiṣyati vaidehīṃ māṃ cāpi prekṣako janaḥ | anena kāraṇenāham iha vāsaṃ na rocaye ||
Ehrwürdiger Herr, ich denke, dass die nahen Stadt- und Dorfbewohner, da sie mich hier leicht sehen, weiterhin zu diesem Āśrama kommen werden, um Vaidehī (Sītā) und mich zu schauen. Darum möchte ich hier nicht wohnen.
O venerable sage, I feel the people living in nearby villages and towns, perceiving that we can be easily seen here, will frequent this ashram. This is the reason I don't wish to stay here.
FAQs
The dharmic principle is avoidance of unnecessary social disturbance and protection of dignity—choosing seclusion to uphold the aims of exile.
This verse reiterates Rāma’s reason for not staying near Bharadvāja’s settlement-adjacent region: it would attract crowds.
Rāma’s discretion (viveka) and self-restraint, aligning personal conduct with the vows and expectations of forest life.