Valmiki Ramayana 2.40.1 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 1

प्रयाणवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

अथ रामश्च सीता च लक्ष्मणश्च कृताञ्जलिः।उपसङ्गृह्य राजानं चक्रुर्दीना: प्रदक्षिणम्।।।।

Transliteration

atha rāmaś ca sītā ca lakṣmaṇaś ca kṛtāñjaliḥ | upasaṅgṛhya rājānaṃ cakrur dīnāḥ pradakṣiṇam ||2.40.1||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ രാമനും സീതയും ലക്ഷ്മണനും കൈകൾ ചേർത്ത്, മനസ്സിൽ ദുഃഖഭാരത്തോടെ, രാജാവിനെ ഭക്ത്യാദരത്തോടെ സ്പർശിച്ചു വന്ദിച്ച് പ്രദക്ഷിണം ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• atha: then / thereafter
• atha: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle / temporal adverb (अनन्तरार्थक)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sītā: Sita
• sītā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• kṛta-añjaliḥ: with folded hands
• kṛta-añjaliḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; कृ धातु) + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; past participle (क्त) used adjectivally: ‘having made (kṛta) folded hands (añjali)’

• upasaṅgṛhya: having held/embraced
• upasaṅgṛhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-saṅ-grah (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ‘having held/embraced/approached and supported’

• rājānam: the king
• rājānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• cakruḥ: did / performed
• cakruḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect/लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• dīnāḥ: distressed
• dīnāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; predicate/qualifier of the subjects

• pradakṣiṇam: circumambulation
• pradakṣiṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of cakruḥ (performed what?)

Context

Thereafter, Sita, Rama and Lakshmana with folded palms in a forlom state touched (the feet of) the king and circumambulated him.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Daśaratha (rājā)

FAQs

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

Dharma of honoring elders and rightful authority: respectful gestures (añjali, reverent touch, pradakṣiṇā) express humility and adherence to righteous social order even in sorrow.

What is the narrative situation?

At a tense moment before departure, Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa approach the king respectfully and perform customary reverence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and self-restraint—especially in grief, they maintain dignified, dharmic conduct.