Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 40: Rāma Departs from Ayodhyā
Text 2.40.33
रामो याहीति सूतं तं तिष्ठेति स जनस्तदा।
उभयं नाशकत्सूतः कर्तुमध्वनि चोदितः॥
rāmo yāhīti sūtaṁ taṁ tiṣṭheti sa janas tadā
ubhayaṁ nāśakat sūtaḥ kartum adhvani coditaḥ
rāmaḥ = Rāma; yāhi iti = “go”; sūtam = [told] the sūta; tam = [told] him; tiṣṭha iti = “stop”; saḥ = the; janaḥ = people; tadā = then; ubhayam = both [orders]; na aśakat = could not; sūtaḥ = the sūta; kartum = carry out; adhvani = on the road; coditaḥ = being thus instructed.
Rāma [told] the sūta, “Go!” The people then [told] him, “Stop!” Being thus instructed on the road, the sūta could not carry out both [orders].1
1 This is a clear indication that even a charioteer can’t ignore the demands of the public in order to serve the leaders.