Valmiki Ramayana 2.67.13: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 13
अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः
The Night of Lamentation in Ayodhya and the Political Ethics of a Kingless Realm
नाराजके जनपदे यज्ञशीला द्विजातयः ।
सत्राण्यन्वासते दान्ता ब्राह्मणा स्संशितव्रताः ॥१३॥
nārājake janapade yajñaśīlā dvijātayaḥ |
satrāṇy anvāsate dāntā brāhmaṇāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ||13||
In einem Land ohne König setzen selbst die Zweimalgeborenen, dem Opferdienst ergeben—Brahmanen, selbstbeherrscht und fest in ihren Gelübden—die großen Sattras, die langen Opfer-Sitzungen, nicht fort.
In a country without a king, self-controlled brahmins in charge of sacrificial ceremonies, well-versed in the study of Vedas and strict followers of austerity will not function.
FAQs
Dharma is interdependent: ritual and spiritual life require a secure, lawfully governed society. Without a king, even disciplined religious specialists cannot sustain public rites.
The speakers highlight the breakdown of sacrificial culture in a leaderless state, strengthening the argument that the kingdom must not remain without a ruler.
Śama and vrata-niṣṭhā (self-control and steadfast vows), paired with the recognition that personal virtue needs societal protection to flourish.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.