Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 45: The Brāhmaṇas from Ayodhyā Follow Rāma
Text 2.45.2
निवर्तितेऽपि च बलात्सुहुद्वर्गे च राजनि।
नैव ते सन्न्यवर्तन्त रामस्यानुगता रथम्॥
nivartite ’pi ca balāt suhṛd-varge ca rājani
naiva te sannyavartanta rāmasyānugatā ratham
nivartite = were restrained; api ca = though; balāt = forcefully; suhṛt-varge = the king’s well-wishing guards; ca = and his secretaries; rājani = the king; na eva = not; te = the residents of the city; sannyavartanta = did stop; rāmasya = Rāma’s; anugatāḥ = they followed; ratham = chariot.
Though the king’s well-wishing guards, the king and his secretaries were forcefully restrained, the residents of the city did not stop; they followed Rāma’s chariot.