Valmiki Ramayana 2.56.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 56, Shloka 4
चित्रकूटगमनम् तथा पर्णशालाप्रवेशः
Arrival at Chitrakuta and Establishing the Leaf-Hut
Setting: Riverbank en route to CitrakutaPlaces named: CitrakūṭaDeparting after morning rites; proceeding toward Citrakūṭa along sage-indicated path
तत उत्थाय ते सर्वे स्पृष्ट्वा नद्या श्शिवं जलम् ।
पन्थानमृषिणाऽदिष्टं चित्रकूटस्य तं ययुः ॥४॥
tata utthāya te sarve spṛṣṭvā nadyāḥ śivaṃ jalam |
panthānam ṛṣiṇādiṣṭaṃ citrakūṭasya taṃ yayuḥ ||4||
Kemudian mereka semua bangun, menyentuh air sungai yang suci lagi membawa tuah, lalu menempuh jalan menuju Citrakūṭa sebagaimana ditunjukkan oleh sang resi.
Sandhi Notes
- तत उत्थाय = ततः + उत्थाय (visarga loss)
- ऋषिणाऽदिष्टम् = ऋषिणा + आदिष्टम्
- श्शिवं = शिवम् (orthographic doubling after sibilant in some editions)
Then they all rose, touched the river's auspicious waters and went the way the sage had directed -- towards mount Chitrakuta.
The teaching
Begin action with purity and right guidance: ritual clarity and obedience to the wise steady the journey of dharma.
- Ethical theme
- Ācāra (right conduct) / guru-śiṣya
For your practice
Encourages morning purification and setting intentions before travel/work; reinforces reliance on wise counsel.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
- Mood
- Ritual-pure, purposeful, quiet
Themes
- Dharma
- Itihasa
- Pilgrimage-like travel
- Auspicious beginnings
Purificatory touch as outer sign of inner resolve; following the indicated path mirrors śruti-guided movement from confusion to clarity.
Muṇḍaka-like emphasis on approaching the wise for direction (tad-vijñānārthaṃ sa gurum evābhigacchet): here the path is literally ‘ṛṣiṇā ādiṣṭa’.
Prātaḥkāla
- Rama and Sita
- Companions following sacred rite before travel (steady)
- Rama and Lakshmana
- Brothers traveling together under guidance (loyal)
Valmiki Ramayana 2.56.5 (setting out at proper time); Valmiki Ramayana 2.54-2.55 (guidance toward Citrakuta)
Vedic river-purification and ācamana/saṃsparśa rites
Repeated motif of seeking and following ṛṣis’ counsel during exile (Ayodhya-kanda and Aranya-kanda)
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Narrative
Gentle, even-paced; slight lift on ‘śivaṃ jalam’
FAQs
Dharma is reverence and right guidance: they begin the journey with auspicious purification and follow the counsel of a sage, showing humility before wisdom.
Rāma’s party sets out toward Mount Citrakūṭa, following the route indicated by the sage.
Teachability and respect—accepting and acting upon righteous instruction.
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