Shloka 2.47.3

अयोध्यायाः पौरविलापः (Lament of the Citizens of Ayodhya on Rama’s Absence)

Devanagari script

ते विषादार्तवदना रहितास्तेन धीमता।कृपणाः करुणा वाचो वदन्ति स्म मनस्विनः।।।।

Transliteration

kathaṃ nāma mahābāhuḥ sa tathāvitathakriyaḥ | bhaktaṃ janaṃ parityajya pravāsaṃ rāghavo gataḥ ||

Translation

How could Rāghava—mighty-armed, one whose deeds never fail those who serve him—abandon his devoted people and go into exile?

Context

Those high-minded people with sorrowful faces due to separation from sagacious Rama expressed themselves in piteous words:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rāghava
• Ayodhyā (implied)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

It reflects the dharma of reciprocal duty: a righteous leader is expected to honor devotion and protect dependents; the citizens feel that moral bond has been ruptured.

What is the narrative situation?

The citizens struggle to reconcile Rāma’s known character with the fact of his departure to exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s reliability and gratitude—his deeds do not go ‘fruitless’ for those devoted to him.