Shloka 4.46.1
पृथिवीमण्डलपरिज्ञानम् — Sugriva on Surveying the Earth’s Regions
गतेषु वानरेन्द्रेषु रामस्सुग्रीवमब्रवीत्।कथं भवान्विजानीते सर्वं वै मण्डलं भुवः।।।।
gateṣu vānarendreṣu rāmaḥ sugrīvam abravīt |
kathaṃ bhavān vijānīte sarvaṃ vai maṇḍalaṃ bhuvaḥ || 4.46.1 ||
When the monkey-lords had departed, Rāma said to Sugrīva: “How do you know the entire circuit of the earth—this whole terrestrial sphere?”
When the chieftains of the monkeys left, Rama enquired Sugriva, how he had come to know the regions of the entire earth (which is a mandala. a circular form).
Dharma includes truthful inquiry and responsible planning: Rāma seeks accurate knowledge before action, valuing clarity (satya-oriented understanding) in executing a righteous mission.
After the search parties leave, Rāma questions Sugrīva about the basis of his geographic knowledge used to direct the search.
Rāma’s prudence and respect for verified knowledge—asking ‘how’ rather than assuming.