Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 66, Shloka 16
अयोध्यायां शोकविलापः
Lamentation in Ayodhya after Daśaratha’s death
तैलद्रोण्यां तु सचिवैश्शायितं तं नराधिपम्।हा मृतोऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा स्त्रियस्ताः पर्यदेवयन्।।।।
tailadroṇyāṃ tu sacivaiḥ śāyitaṃ taṃ narādhipam |
hā mṛto ’yam iti jñātvā striyas tāḥ paryadevayan ||
Seeing the lord of men laid in the oil-vat by the ministers, the women, realizing, “Alas, he is dead,” cried out in lamentation.
On seeing the king's body laid in the oil vat by the counsellors, the women cried Alas, the king is dead.
FAQs
The verse underscores the dharmic realism of anitya (impermanence): even a king is subject to death, and society must respond through both human grief and orderly rites.
The women of the palace see Daśaratha’s body preserved in an oil-vat and break into collective mourning.
Sincere devotion and loyalty to the king, expressed as communal mourning rather than indifference.