Shloka 2.7.4
मन्थराप्रवेशः — Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi
पताकाभिर्वरार्हाभिर्ध्वजैश्च समलङ्कृताम्।वृतां छन्दपथैश्चापि शिरस्स्नातजनैर्वृताम्।।2.7.3।।माल्यमोदकहस्तैश्च द्विजेन्द्रैरभिनादिताम्।शुक्लदेवगृहद्वारां सर्ववादित्रनिस्वनाम्।।2.7.4।।सम्प्रहृष्टजनाकीर्णां ब्रह्मघोषाभिनादिताम्।प्रहृष्टवरहस्त्यश्वां सम्प्रणर्दितगोवृषाम्।।2.7.5।।प्रहृष्टमुदितैः पौरैरुच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनीम्।अयोध्यां मन्थरा दृष्ट्वा परं विस्मयमागता।।2.7.6।।
mālya-modaka-hastaiś ca dvijendrair abhināditām |
śukla-deva-gṛha-dvārāṃ sarva-vāditra-nisvanām || 2.7.4 ||
samprahṛṣṭa-janākīrṇāṃ brahma-ghoṣābhināditām |
prahṛṣṭa-vara-hastyaśvāṃ sampraṇardita-go-vṛṣām || 2.7.5 ||
prahṛṣṭa-muditaiḥ pauraiḥ ucchrita-dhvaja-mālinīm |
ayodhyāṃ mantharā dṛṣṭvā paraṃ vismayam āgatā || 2.7.6 ||
Ayodhyā resounded with eminent brahmins holding garlands and sweetmeats; its temples, with white-painted doorways, rang with every kind of music. Crowds rejoiced as Vedic chants rose; fine elephants and horses were spirited, and cows and bulls bellowed. Seeing the city adorned with raised flags and garlands, Mantharā was struck with amazement.
The city of Ayodhya was decorated with costly banners and pennants. The labyrinthine roads were crowded with people who had (finished) their headbath and were wandering at will. The temples with their doors painted white were reverberating with the chanting from the Vedas by the best of brahmins holding garlands and sweetmeats in their hands and with sounds of all kinds of musical instruments. The city was filled with spirited horses and elephants. The bulls were bellowing and the cows were lowing. The citizens with great joy raised the penants encircling the city of Ayodhya. All this left Manthara astonished.
Public dharma expressed through collective ritual order: Vedic recitation, temple culture, and civic joy depict a society aligned with sacred norms and auspicious conduct.
Before the exile crisis unfolds, the city celebrates—setting a sharp contrast to the impending ethical and familial conflict.
Civic harmony and reverence for sacred tradition; collectively, the city embodies orderly celebration under dharmic kingship.