रामदर्शनार्थं दारानयनम्
The Queens Summoned; Rama’s Leave-Taking and Dasaratha’s Collapse
उपरक्तमिवादित्यं भस्मच्छन्नमिवानलम्।तटाकमिव निस्तोयमपश्यज्जगतीपतिम्।।।।
uparaktam ivādityaṃ bhasmacchannam ivānalam |
taṭākam iva nistoyam apaśyaj jagatīpatim ||
అతడు జగతీపతి (దశరథుని)ను మ్లానంగా చూశాడు—గ్రహణంతో కమ్మబడిన సూర్యునిలా, భస్మంతో కప్పబడిన అగ్నిలా, నీరు ఎండిపోయిన చెరువులా।
On seeing Rama, unruffled, waiting for his permission to proceed to the forest, the lord of the earth, king Dasaratha said:
The verse frames the king’s inner collapse as a moral and emotional consequence of a dharmic crisis—when royal duty and truth-bound promises strain the heart, even a powerful ruler can appear 'eclipsed.'
Rāma sees Daśaratha in a weakened, lifeless state, foreshadowing the painful exchange about exile and truth-bound obligations.
Indirectly, Daśaratha’s truth-binding (satya) and sense of duty are implied as forces that, though righteous, weigh heavily upon him.