Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 17: Rāma Glorified by His well-wishers
Text 2.17.10
अलमद्य हि भुक्तेन परमार्थैरलं च नः।
यथा पश्याम निर्यान्तं रामं राज्ये प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
alam adya hi bhuktena paramārthair alaṁ ca naḥ
yathā paśyāma niryāntaṁ rāmaṁ rājye pratiṣṭhitam
alam = enough of; adya hi = today; bhuktena = eating; parama-arthaiḥ = spiritual endeavors; alam = enough of; ca = too; naḥ = our; yathā = properly; paśyāma = we want to see; niryāntam = returning [to His home]; rāmam = Rāma; rājye = of this kingdom; pratiṣṭhitam = established [as the ruler] and then.
“Enough of eating! Enough of our spiritual endeavors too! Today we want to properly see Rāma established [as the ruler] of this kingdom and then returning [to His home]!
1 The glossator quotes the Viśva-kośa in this regard: alaṁ bhūṣaṇa-paryāpti-vāraṇe ca nirarthake.
“Spiritual endeavors” here refer to the means to attain the highest goal [of liberation from material existence and everlasting loving service to the Supreme Lord in His abode], that is, uttering mantras, performing fire sacrifices, meditation and so on.
GLOSS. Alam... bhuktena paramārthair alaṁ ca naḥ indicates that the residents of Ayodhyā considered their eating and even spiritual endeavors to be meaningless since they were able to see Rāma, the [ultimate] result of their eating and spiritual pursuits.1