यथा हि सार्थं गच्छन्तं ब्रूयात्कश्चित्पथि स्थितः।
अहमप्यागमिष्यामि पृष्ठतो भवतामिति॥
एवं पूर्वैर्गतो मार्गः पितृपैतामहो ध्रुवः।
तमापन्नः कथं शोचेद्यस्य नास्ति व्यतिक्रमः॥
yathā hi sārthaṁ gacchantaṁ brūyāt kaścit pathi sthitaḥ
aham apy āgamiṣyāmi pṛṣṭhato bhavatām iti
evaṁ pūrvair gato mārgaḥ pitṛ-paitāmaho dhruvaḥ
tam āpannaḥ kathaṁ śoced yasya nāsti vyatikramaḥ
yathā hi = when; sārtham = a group of travelers with wealth; gacchantam = pass by; brūyāt = may say; kaścit pathi sthitaḥ = a by-stander; aham = I; api = also; āgamiṣyāmi = will follow; pṛṣṭhataḥ = from behind; bhavatām = you; iti evam = in this manner; pūrvaiḥ gataḥ = and follow them; mārgaḥ = the path; pitṛ-paitāmahaḥ = taken by our fathers and grandfathers is [deemed]; dhruvaḥ = definitive; tam āpannaḥ = one on that path; katham = then why should; śocet = lament; yasya = when that path; na asti = has no; vyatikramaḥ = exception [to succumbing to the miseries on that path].
When a group of travelers with wealth pass by, a by-stander may say, “I will also follow you from behind” and follow them. In this manner, the path taken by our fathers and grandfathers is [deemed] definitive. Then why should one on that path lament when that path has no exception [to succumbing to the miseries on that path]?
The path is [deemed] definitive, that is, it is the path to be taken by our sons and so on.
From the next verse, Rāma summarizes what He has said so far.