यथा स्म लालिताः पित्रा यथा पूर्वैः पितामहैः।
ततः सुखतरं रामे वत्स्यामः सति राजनि॥
yathā sma lālitāḥ pitrā yathā pūrvaiḥ pitāmahaiḥ
tataḥ sukhataraṁ rāme vatsyāmaḥ sati rājani
yathā sma = when; lālitāḥ = cherished us; pitrā = His father; yathā pūrvaiḥ pitāmahaiḥ = and ancestors; tataḥ = than; sukhataram = happier; rāme = when Rāma; vatsyāmaḥ = we will be; sati = is; rājani = our king.
“When Rāma is our king, we will be happier than when His father, grandfather and ancestors cherished us.1
1 Notice here that the citizens freely state that they had been cherished by the rulers in the past. Lālitāḥ also indicates that they were pampered by the kings, of course, within the boundaries of Vedic dharma, just as affectionate parents pamper their children. This directly contrasts with the corrupt monarchical regimes in the recent centuries and, of course, with other systems of government when no one really takes permanent charge of keeping the citizens satisfied, benefitted and kept under control, what to speak of accept Vedic authority. This is a general policy in Vedic culture: authorities are dutybound to keep their dependants (1) happy, (2) benefitted, (3) under control and (4) within the boundaries of Vedic dharma. This uniformly applies to the relationships between a king and his subjects, between a husband and his wife, and between parents and their children.