बहवः साधवो लोके युक्ता धर्ममनुष्ठिताः।
परेषामपराधेन विनष्टाः सपरिच्छदाः॥
bahavaḥ sādhavo loke yuktā dharmam anuṣṭhitāḥ
pareṣām aparādhena vinaṣṭāḥ saparicchadāḥ
bahavaḥ = many; sādhavaḥ = knowers of dharma; loke = in the world; yuktāḥ = were fixed on the path of morality; dharmam = dharma; anuṣṭhitāḥ = and have carried out; pareṣām = others’; aparādhena = due to offenses; vinaṣṭāḥ = they have perished; sa-paricchadāḥ = along with their family members.
Many knowers of dharma were fixed on the path of morality and have carried out dharma in the world. They have perished along with their family members due to others’ offenses.1
1 Saintly persons are duty-bound to conduct themselves properly, carry out dharma and protest against offenses committed within their circle of influence. If they do not do this, they will be punished by the laws of nature. See the note to Rāmāyaṇa 2.75.57 in this regard. And the current verse of Śrī Rāmāyaṇa notes that even dependants of such saintly persons will have to face the same consequences.
This is a general principle which will be explained in a later verse.