Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 52: Rāma Crosses the Gaṅgā on Guha’s Boat
Text 2.52.41
दैन्यं हि नगरी गच्छेद्दृष्ट्वा शून्यमिमं रथम्।
सूतावशेषं स्वं सैन्यं हतवीरमिवाहवे॥
dainyaṁ hi nagarī gacched dṛṣṭvā śūnyam imaṁ ratham
sūtāvaśeṣaṁ svaṁ sainyaṁ hata-vīram ivāhave
dainyam hi = wretched; nagarī = the city; gacchet = will become; dṛṣṭvā = upon seeing; śūnyam = empty; imam = this; ratham = chariot; sūta-avaśeṣam = left with its charioteer alone; svam = one’s; sainyam = army; hata-vīram = whose hero has been killed; iva = like; āhave = in ware.
The city will become wretched upon seeing this chariot empty, left with its charioteer alone, like one’s army whose hero has been killed in war.
Sumantra’s point is that the city would fall into despair upon seeing the chariot without Rāma.