Rama with His citizens: Happy when others are happy; sad when others are sad.
व्यसनेषु मनुष्याणां भृशं भवति दुःखितः | उत्सवेषु च सर्वेषु पितेव परितुष्यति || २-२-४०
Rama feels very sad if any of His citizens are afflicted; and Rama feels delighted in all the celebrations of people during the happy occasions of child-birth and the like, just as their own father.
The biggest quality every person should have is, love towards fellow beings, and compassion towards those in trouble. Rama’s compassion and care for His citizens shows us how a leader, nay, a human being should be.
Such was Rama’s love towards His citizens, that If any person in His kingdom was in pain, Rama would be hurt. If anyone was having a misery, Rama would feel the pain. If any person was suffering due to any distress, Rama would be sad. Rama would try and reduce/remove their reason for distress or give them some solace by staying around. And if anybody had any happy occasion and celebration, be it social or private, Rama would feel delighted.
Every home in Ayodhya had some occasion for celebration – marriage, upanayana, namakarana, child birth etc. Rama would be present for that occasion without having to be invited – without having any ego. Rama would behave as if it were His own blood relation and would attend those functions, celebrate along with the people and delight in their happiness, just like how a father would do during the celebrations of his own children.
It is exactly in contrast with our behaviour these days of waiting for a formal invitation for everything from the host and expecting them to force us into accepting the invite. Rama has no such ego! Rama was there for the people of Ayodhya in grief and joy alike; hence did they love and worship Him unconditionally and submit themselves to Rama completely.
“This body and soul, the grief and joy belong to Him!” (तनु निन्नदु जीवन निन्नदु रंग | अनुदिनदलि बाहॊ सुखदुःख निन्नदय्य — Kanakadasa). Rama through such innumerable acts of kindness, love, and compassion towards His citizens, teaches all of us to follow His footsteps. Let such affectionate Rama, our father, always be with us during our grief and joy, alike.