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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.53.8

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 53: Daśaratha’s remorse. Sumantra describes the horses’ reluctance and the country’s grief, Daśaratha regrets his uncounselled decision and begs to see Rāma

In the sequence: in Ayodhyā, people of every disposition seemed equally distressed

2.53.8

praviśantam ayodhyāṃ māṃ na kaś cid abhinandati
narā rāmam apaśyanto niḥśvasanti muhur muhuḥ

'As I entered Ayodhyā, no one welcomed me with joy; the people, not seeing Rāma, sighed again and again.'

Words: praviśantam — entering; ayodhyāṃ — Ayodhyā; māṃ — me; na — not; kaś cid — anyone; abhinandati — greets with joy, welcomes; narā — the men, people; rāmam — Rāma; apaśyanto — not seeing; niḥśvasanti — sigh; muhur muhuḥ — again and again

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.