Valmiki Ramayana 2.67.31: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 31
अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः
The Night of Lamentation in Ayodhya and the Political Ethics of a Kingless Realm
नाराजके जनपदे स्वकं भवति कस्यचित् ।
मत्स्या इव नरा नित्यं भक्षयन्ति परस्परम् ॥३१॥
nārājake janapade svakaṃ bhavati kasyacit |
matsyā iva narā nityaṃ bhakṣayanti parasparam ||31||
जहाँ राजा नहीं होता, वहाँ किसी की कोई चीज़ अपनी नहीं रहती। लोग मछलियों की तरह एक दूसरे को खाते रहते हैं।
In a country where there is no king, no one can own anything and, like fish, people devour one another ceaselessly.
FAQs
Dharma requires a legitimate authority to protect rights and restrain violence; without rulership, society collapses into predation where the strong exploit the weak.
The assembly warns Vasiṣṭha that the kingdom cannot remain leaderless after Daśaratha’s death.
Protective governance—restraint, justice, and safeguarding of property and life.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
