Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 33: Rāma, Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa Depart to Meet Daśaratha
Text 2.33.15

मुलं ह्येष मनुष्याणां धर्मसारो  महाद्युतिः।
पुष्पं फलं च पत्रं च शाखांश्चास्येतरे जनाः॥

mūlaṁ hy eṣa manuṣyāṇāṁ dharma-sāro mahā-dyutiḥ
puṣpaṁ phalaṁ ca patraṁ ca śākhāś cāsyetare janāḥ

mūlam = is the root; hi = indeed; eṣaḥ = Rāma; manuṣyāṇām = [all] living creatures; dharma-sāraḥ = His essence is nothing but dharma; mahā-dyutiḥ = of great effulgence; puṣpam = are the flower; phalam ca = fruit; patram ca = leaf; śākhāḥ = branches; ca = and; asya = that have grown out of Him; itare janāḥ = everyone else.

Indeed, Rāma of great effulgence is the root of [all] living creatures. His essence is nothing but dharma. Everyone else are the flower, fruit, leaf and branches that have grown out Him.1 

NOTE. In this regard, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.31.14 notes:

yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ
tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā

“As pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body, simply worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality.”

1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣaṇa: manuṣyāṇāṁ prāṇinām upalakṣaṇam etat.