Shloka 2.33.23
त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः — Civic Lament and Rama’s Dutiful Approach to Daśaratha
बिलानि दंष्ट्रिण स्सर्वे सानूनि मृगपक्षिणः।त्यजन्त्वस्मद्भयाद्भीता गजास्सिंहा वनानि च।।।।अस्मत्त्यक्तं प्रपद्यन्तां सेव्यमानं त्यजन्तु च।
bilāni daṁṣṭriṇaḥ sarve sānūni mṛga-pakṣiṇaḥ |
tyajantv asmad-bhayād bhītā gajāḥ siṁhā vanāni ca ||
asmat-tyaktaṁ prapadyantāṁ sevyamānaṁ tyajantu ca ||
Let all fanged beasts abandon their dens; let the animals and birds forsake the mountain slopes; and let elephants and lions, and even the forests, withdraw in fear of our presence. Let them move into the city we leave behind, and let them desert the places that are now inhabited by us.
Let all the fanged creatures leave their lairs, birds and animals the mountain slopes, lions and elephants, their haunts due to the fear caused by our presence and occupy the city left by us (on seeing us deserting).
Rama frames his departure as so decisive that even wild creatures could take over what humans abandon; the emphasis is on steadfast acceptance of a righteous course (dharma) rather than clinging to comfort or power.
The verse presupposes Rama’s truthful commitment to leave—his action aligns with the vow-like certainty of keeping his word, so the city is spoken of as ‘left by us’ even as he proceeds to fulfill that truth-bound decision.