Shloka 2.17.17
रामस्य राजमार्गगमनम् (Rama’s Progress along the Royal Highway)
स राजकुलमासाद्य मेघसङ्घोपमै श्शुभैः।।।।प्रासादशृङ्गैर्विविधैःकैलास शिखरोपमैः।आवारयद्भिर्गगनं विमानैरिव पाण्डुरैः।।।।वर्धमानगृहैश्चापि रत्नजालपरिष्कृतैः।तत्पृथिव्यां गृहवरं महेन्द्रसदनोपमम्।।।।राजपुत्रः पितुर्वेश्म प्रविवेश श्रिया ज्वलन्।
sa rājakulam āsādya megha-saṅghopamaiḥ śubhaiḥ | prāsāda-śṛṅgair vividhaiḥ kailāsa-śikharopamaiḥ | āvārayadbhir gaganaṃ vimānair iva pāṇḍuraiḥ || vardhamāna-gṛhaiś cāpi ratna-jāla-pariṣkṛtaiḥ | tat pṛthivyāṃ gṛha-varaṃ mahendra-sadanopamam || rāja-putraḥ pitur veśma praviveśa śriyā jvalan ||
Reaching the royal residence, the prince entered his father’s palace, radiant with splendor—an excellent mansion on earth like Indra’s abode. Its many palace-towers, auspicious and pale-white, seemed like masses of clouds, like the peaks of Kailāsa, and like bright vimānas, as though covering the sky; and its ever-expanding halls, adorned with lattices of gems, appeared to canopy the heavens.
That prince (Rama) arrived at the excellent palace of the king, which looked like the abode of Indra on earth, blazing with splendour. The various towers of the palace touching the sky resembled clusters of white clouds, like auspicious peaks of Kailasa, and like white aerial chariots decorated with gems.
Dharma is implied through setting: the royal household is portrayed as a worthy seat for righteous governance; splendor is framed as supporting ordered kingship, not mere luxury.
Rama reaches the palace complex and enters his father’s residence; the narrator offers an extended architectural and symbolic description.
Royal dignity aligned with restraint: Rama is ‘radiant’ yet the focus remains on duty and rightful place within the king’s household.