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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.82.21

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 82: Bharata examines the grass bed. Traces of Sītā’s gold and silk reveal where she slept, he vows to adopt forest life and offer himself in Rāma’s place

In the sequence: he worries about the Kingdom's lack of leadership, though he believes Rāma's reputation still deters enemies

2.82.21

śūnyasaṃvaraṇārakṣām ayantritahayadvipām
apāvṛtapuradvārāṃ rājadhānīm arakṣitām

The royal capital lies unguarded — its ramparts and watch left empty, its horses and elephants unchecked, its city gates thrown open —

Words: śūnyasaṃvaraṇārakṣām — with ramparts and guards left empty; ayantritahayadvipām — with unrestrained horses and elephants; apāvṛtapuradvārāṃ — with its city gates thrown open; rājadhānīm — the royal capital; arakṣitām — unguarded

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. 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.