Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 15
रामस्य राजमार्गगमनम्
Rama’s Progress along the Royal Highway
सर्वेषु हि स धर्मात्मा वर्णानां कुरुते दयाम्।।।।चतुर्णां हि वयः स्थानां तेन ते तमनुव्रताः।
sarveṣu hi sa dharmātmā varṇānāṃ kurute dayām | caturṇāṃ hi vayaḥ-sthānāṃ tena te tam anuvratāḥ ||
因为那位具正法之心者对一切皆施慈悲——遍及四姓与人生四期；因此众人都忠诚随顺于他。
That righteous Rama shows compassion to all, to the four castes, to the young and the old. So they were devoted to him.
FAQs
Dharma as inclusive compassion: a ruler-in-training must extend care beyond narrow identity—across social groups and ages—so that loyalty arises from justice and kindness.
The narrator explains why the public follows Rama: his compassion is universal, not selective.
Dayā (compassion) joined with dharma: Rama’s empathy is presented as the foundation of legitimate authority.