Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 30: Rāma Allows Sītā to Follow Him to the Forest
Text 2.30.4
अनृतं बत लोकोऽयमज्ञानाद्यद्धि वक्ष्यति।
तेजो नास्ति परं रामे तपतीव दिवाकरे॥
anṛtaṁ bata loko ’yam ajñānād yad dhi vakṣyati
tejo nāsti paraṁ rāme tapatīva divākare
anṛtam = are false; bata = alas; lokaḥ ayam = people; ajñānāt = in ignorance; yat = the words that; hi = because; vakṣyati = speak; tejaḥ = prowess; na = it is not so; asti param = possess supreme; rāme = Rāma; tapati = who shines; iva = like; divākare = the sun.
Alas, the words that people speak in ignorance, “Rāma, who shines like the sun, possesses supreme prowess,” are false because it is not so.
Because such prowess is not to be seen, therefore, they will say that it does not exists [unlike the sun]; [this is Sītā-devī’s accusation.]
Another meaning of this verse is: Because of not knowing Rāma’s constitutional nature, the people speak untruth. What is that untruth? That Rāma who shines like the sun does not have supreme prowess.