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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.98.70
Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 98: Bharata’s appeal and Rāma’s answer. Bharata asks him to restore the Kingdom, Rāma teaches the inevitability of loss, separation and death
In the sequence: he says ruling and maintaining a household are appropriate duties for Rāma at this stage of life → he asks Vasiṣṭha to install Rāma there in the forest and offers once again to stay if Rāma will not return → Rāma remains firm, while the gathering joins Bharata's appeal.
2.98.70
tad adbhutaṃ sthairyam avekṣya rāghave samaṃ jano harṣam avāpa duḥkhitaḥ
na yāty ayodhyām iti duḥkhito 'bhavat sthirapratijñatvam avekṣya harṣitaḥ
Beholding that wondrous steadfastness in Rāghava, the sorrowing people felt at once both grief and joy—grieved that he would not go to Ayodhyā, yet gladdened to behold his firmness of resolve.
Words: tad adbhutaṃ sthairyam — that wondrous steadfastness; avekṣya — having beheld; rāghave — in Rāghava; samaṃ — at once, equally; jano — the people; harṣam avāpa — obtained joy; duḥkhitaḥ — (though) grieved; na yāty ayodhyām iti — “he goes not to Ayodhyā,” thus; duḥkhito 'bhavat — became grieved; sthirapratijñatvam — firmness of resolve; avekṣya — having beheld; harṣitaḥ — gladdened
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.