Valmiki Ramayana 2.16.25: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 25

सुमन्त्रदर्शनम् तथा रामस्य राजदर्शनाय प्रस्थानम्

Sumantra Meets Rama; Rama Departs to See the King

Devanagari script

अथ सीतामनुज्ञाप्य कृतकौतुकमङ्गलः।निश्चक्राम सुमन्त्रेण सह रामो निवेशनात्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.16.25

Transliteration

atha sītām anujñāpya kṛtakautukamaṅgalaḥ |

niścakrāma sumantreṇa saha rāmo niveśanāt || 2.16.25 ||

Translation

अथ सीतामनुज्ञाप्य कृतकौतुकमङ्गलः। निश्चक्राम सुमन्त्रेण सह रामो निवेशनात्॥

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Word by Word

• atha: then/thereafter
• atha: Kāla-sambandha (कालसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Anantarya-bodhaka avyaya (sequence marker)

• sītām: Sita
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• anujñāpya: having taken leave of
• anujñāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu- + √jñā (ज्ञा) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-arthī), 'having asked/obtained permission'

• kṛta-kautuka-maṅgalaḥ: having performed auspicious rites/ornaments
• kṛta-kautuka-maṅgalaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (√kṛ; क्त, प्रातिपदिक) + kautuka (प्रातिपदिक) + maṅgala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: kṛtāni kautuka-maṅgalāni yena saḥ (one who has performed/put on auspicious rites/ornaments)

• niścakrāma: went out/departed
• niścakrāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nis- + √kram (क्रम्) (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ Imperfect, Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa Ekavacana

• sumantreṇa: with Sumantra
• sumantreṇa: Sahakāraka/Instrument (सह/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sumantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā Ekavacana

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: Sahārtha-avyaya

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• niveśanāt: from the residence/palace
• niveśanāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niveśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Pañcamī (पञ्चमी) Ekavacana (ablative)

Context

Adorned in auspicious ornaments, Rama took leave of Sita and departed from his palace accompanied by Sumantra.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Sumantra

FAQs

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

Dharma is courteous transition: taking proper leave, maintaining auspicious decorum, and proceeding to fulfill one’s obligation without disorder.

What is the narrative situation?

After Sītā’s blessings, Rāma formally departs the palace accompanied by the minister-charioteer Sumantra.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s maryādā (propriety) and steadiness—he acts with ritual and relational correctness while moving toward duty.