Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 58, Shloka 32
अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः (Sarga 58)
Daśaratha Questions Sumantra; Messages from the Forest Threshold
सर्वर्लोकप्रियं त्यक्त्वा सर्वलोकहिते रतम्।सर्वलोकोऽनुरज्येत कथं त्वाऽनेनकर्मणा।।।।
sarvalokapriyaṃ tyaktvā sarvalokahite ratam |
sarvaloko ’nurajyeta kathaṃ tvā ’nena karmaṇā ||
सर्वलोकप्रियं त्यक्त्वा सर्वलोकहिते रतम्। सर्वलोकोऽनुरज्येत कथं त्वाऽनेन कर्मणा॥
That glorious princess Sita who had never experienced any adversity earlier, weeping with sorrow, could not even speak to me anything.
FAQs
A ruler’s legitimacy depends on dharma and loka-hita (public welfare); abandoning a dharmic heir undermines moral authority.
Lakshmana rebukes the decision that sends Rama away, arguing it will alienate the people.
Rama’s universal benevolence (sarvalokahita) and Lakshmana’s courage to speak moral truth.