Shloka 2.40.22
प्रयाणवर्णनम् (Departure from Ayodhya; Civic Lament and the Chariot’s Urgency)
संयच्छ वाजिनां रश्मीन् सूत याहि शनैश्शनैः।मुखं द्रक्ष्याम रामस्य दुर्दर्शं नो भविष्यति।।।।
saṃyaccha vājīnāṃ raśmīn sūta yāhi śanaiḥ śanaiḥ | mukhaṃ drakṣyāma rāmasya durdarśaṃ no bhaviṣyati ||
“Charioteer, hold the horses’ reins—go slowly, slowly—so that we may behold Rāma’s face; soon it will be hard for us to see him at all.”
O charioteer, control the reins of the horses and go slow so that we may look at the face of Rama, for soon we will not be able to see him.
Dharma is tied to darśana (the sustaining sight of the righteous): the people seek one last vision of Rāma, whose truthfulness and virtue stabilize their moral world.
As the chariot moves away, the citizens beg Sumantra to slow down so they can keep seeing Rāma’s face.
Rāma’s moral radiance (satya-dharma): his very presence is treated as a source of strength and consolation.