Valmiki Ramayana 2.67.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 16
अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः
The Night of Lamentation in Ayodhya and the Political Ethics of a Kingless Realm
नाराजके जनपदे सिद्धार्था व्यवहारिणः।कथाभिरनुरज्यन्ते कथाशीलाः कथाप्रियैः।।।।
nārājake janapade siddhārthā vyavahāriṇaḥ | kathābhir anurajyante kathāśīlāḥ kathāpriyaiḥ ||
राजाविना असलेल्या जनपदात व्यवहार करणाऱ्यांना आपल्या वादांत सिद्धी मिळत नाही; आणि कथाप्रिय श्रोत्यांना कथाशील लोकही कथांनी अनुरक्त करू शकत नाहीत।
In a country without a king, young ladies adorned with golden ornaments no longer meet in the evening at the pleasure garden for sporting.
FAQs
The verse links dharma to justice and peace: without a ruler, judicial outcomes fail and even harmless cultural exchange loses its footing.
Continuing the description of a leaderless realm, the speakers stress that both courts (vyavahāra) and leisure (kathā) are undermined by disorder.
Nyāya (justice) as a royal responsibility—implying that orderly adjudication is a key virtue of good governance.
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