Valmiki Ramayana 2.40.10: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 10

प्रयाणवर्णनम्

Departure from Ayodhya; Civic Lament and the Chariot’s Urgency

Setting: Ayodhya (departure context; near chariot/royal precincts)Pre-departure instruction/coordination

Devanagari script

ततः सुमन्त्रः काकुत्स्थं प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।

विनीतो विनयज्ञश्च मातलिर्वासवं यथा ॥१०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.40.10

Transliteration

tataḥ sumantraḥ kākutsthaṃ prāñjalir vākyam abravīt |

vinīto vinayajñaś ca mātalir vāsavaṃ yathā ||10||

Translation

सुमंत्र ने हाथ जोड़े और राम से बोला। वो बहिन झुका के बात कर रहा था। जैसे कोई अपने बड़े से बात करता है।

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Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), temporal adverb (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• सुमन्त्रः: Sumantra
• Type: Noun
• Root: sumantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; proper noun
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• काकुत्स्थम्: to Kakutstha (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; संबोधितः/प्राप्तव्यः (object of speech)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)

• प्राञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (with folded palms) qualifying सुमन्त्रः
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अब्रवीत्: spoke/said
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• विनीतः: humble/discipline-trained
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-nīta (नी धातु + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• विनयज्ञः: knower of propriety
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinaya-jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उपपद-भाव: विनयस्य ज्ञः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• मातलिः: Matali
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; upamāna-subject in simile
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• वासवम्: Vasava (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object with implied verb (e.g., सेवते/अनुगच्छति) in simile-context
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• यथा: as/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; comparative particle (उपमा-वाचक)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

Sandhi Notes

• प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् = प्राञ्जलिः + वाक्यम् + अब्रवीत्
• विनयज्ञश्च = विनयज्ञः + च
• मातलिर्वासवं = मातलिः + वासवम्
• काकुत्स्थं (anusvāra before consonant) = काकुत्स्थम्

Context

Then Sumantra who knows the ways of politeness and humility spoke to Rama, with folded hands as Matali did to Indra.

The teaching

Vinaya in speech and service dignifies both speaker and the one addressed; propriety is itself a form of dharma.

Ethical theme

Ācāra-dharma (conduct)

For your practice

Cultivation of vinaya and respectful speech as daily sādhana; seeing service as sacred.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Formal, respectful, elevating

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Service
• Courtly etiquette

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Rāma (Kākutstha)
• Mātali
• Vāsava (Indra)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma of seva (service) with humility: Sumantra’s respectful posture and refined speech show how duty is performed without arrogance.

What is the narrative situation?

As preparations progress, Sumantra approaches Rāma formally and begins to speak, compared to Indra’s charioteer Mātali.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vinaya (humility) and maryādā (proper conduct) in communication.