Valmiki Ramayana 2.16.1-2: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 16, Shlokas 1-2

सुमन्त्रदर्शनम् तथा रामस्य राजदर्शनाय प्रस्थानम्

Sumantra Meets Rama; Rama Departs to See the King

Setting: Ayodhyā (antaḥpura-dvāra and inner courtyard/kakṣyā)Moving inward through palace thresholds

Devanagari script

तदन्तःपुरद्वारं समतीत्य जनाकुलम् ।

प्रविविक्तां ततः कक्ष्यामाससाद पुराणवित् ॥१॥

प्रासकार्मुकबिभ्रद्भिर्युवभिर्मृष्टकुण्डलैः ।

अप्रमादिभिरेकाग्रै स्स्वनुरक्तैरधिष्ठिताम् ॥२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.16.1-2

Transliteration

tad antaḥpuradvāraṃ samatītya janākulam |

praviviktāṃ tataḥ kakṣyām āsasāda purāṇavit ||1||

prāsakārmukabibhradbhiḥ yuvabhiḥ mṛṣṭakuṇḍalaiḥ |

apramādibhir ekāgraiḥ svanuraktair adhiṣṭhitām ||2||

Translation

ຕໍ່ມາ ສຸມັນຕະ ຜູ້ຮູ້ຂົນທຳນຽມໂບຮານ ໄດ້ຜ່ານປະຕູພາຍໃນວັງທີ່ແອອັດດ້ວຍຜູ້ຄົນ ແລ້ວເຂົ້າເຖິງລານຊັ້ນໃນທີ່ສະງົບກວ່າ. ລານນັ້ນມີຊາຍໜຸ່ມຜູ້ບໍ່ປະມາດ ຈິດແນ່ວແນ່ ຮັກແລະຊື່ສັດຕໍ່ໜ້າທີ່ ເຝົ້າຮັກສາຢູ່ ຖືຫອກແລະຄັນທະນູ ແລະສວມຕຸ້ມຫູຂັດມັນ.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• tat: that
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative used adjectivally
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• antaḥpura-dvāram: the inner-palace door
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaḥpura + dvāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'door of the inner apartments'
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• samatītya: having passed beyond
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam + ati + √i (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्): 'having passed'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• janākulam: crowded with people
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jana + ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; karmadhāraya: 'crowded with people'
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• praviviktām: secluded/sparsely occupied
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + vivikta (कृदन्त; √vic)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; PPP (क्त) used adjectivally qualifying कक्ष्याम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रम/अनन्तर)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• kakṣyām: courtyard/inner corridor
• Type: Noun
• Root: kakṣyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• āsasāda: reached/approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + √sad (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• purāṇavit: knower of ancient tradition
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'knower of ancient lore'; stem in -vit (agent noun)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• prāsa-kārmuka-bibhradbhis: by young men carrying spears and bows
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāsa + kārmuka + bibhrat (कृदन्त; √bhṛ)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; dvandva: prāsa 'spear' + kārmuka 'bow'; bibhrat = present active participle (शतृ) 'carrying'
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Compound: Dvandva

• yuvabhiḥ: by young men
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• mṛṣṭa-kuṇḍalaiḥ: with shining earrings
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛṣṭa + kuṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; karmadhāraya: 'polished/shining earrings'
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• apramādibhiḥ: by vigilant (guards)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apramādin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; 'vigilant/without negligence'
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• ekāgraiḥ: by attentive (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekāgra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; karmadhāraya: 'single-pointed/attentive'
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• svanuraktaiḥ: by very devoted (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + anurakta (कृदन्त; √rañj)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; avyayībhāva: सु- (well) + अनुरक्त (devoted); PPP (क्त)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• adhiṣṭhitām: guarded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhi + √sthā (धातु)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; PPP (क्त) qualifying कक्ष्याम्: 'guarded/occupied'
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• तदन्तःपुरद्वारं → tad antaḥpura-dvāram
• कक्ष्यामाससाद → kakṣyām āsasāda
• प्रासकार्मुकबिभ्रद्भिः → prāsa-kārmuka-bibhradbhis
• अप्रमादिभिरेकाग्रैः → apramādibhiḥ ekāgraiḥ
• स्वनुरक्तैरधिष्ठिताम् → svanuraktaiḥ adhiṣṭhitām.

Context

Sumantra, who was conversant with ancient traditions, passed through the entrance of the inner apartment full of people and reached the sparsely crowded courtyard. There alert, loyal young men were attentively guarding the frontyard, armed with spears and bows and wearing shining earrings.

The teaching

Ācāra and restraint govern access to power and privacy; dharma in a court includes knowing boundaries and proceeding with decorum.

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma (protocol/discipline)

For your practice

Encourages mindfulness in transitions—entering ‘inner spaces’ with restraint and purity of intent.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Procedural, hushed, anticipatory

Themes

• Itihasa
• Rajadharma
• Maryada
• Dharma

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Rāma (implied destination)
• Antaḥpura (inner apartments)

FAQs

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

Dharma appears as disciplined guardianship: alertness, loyalty, and restraint in service protect social order and the sanctity of royal spaces.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra proceeds inward through palace zones—moving from a crowded gate to a quieter courtyard under watchful guards—on his way to meet Rama.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The guards’ virtues: apramāda (vigilance), ekāgratā (focused attention), and bhakti-like loyalty to duty and king.