Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 57, Shloka 10

सप्तपञ्चाशः सर्गः

Sumantra’s Return to Ayodhya and the Palace’s Lament

Devanagari script

तेषां शशंस गङ्गायामहमापृच्छ्य राघवम्।अनुज्ञातो निवृत्तोऽस्मि धार्मिकेण महात्माना।।।।

Transliteration

teṣāṃ śaśaṃsa gaṅgāyām aham āpṛcchya rāghavam | anujñāto nivṛtto 'smi dhārmikeṇa mahātmanā ||

Translation

我在恒河岸边向罗伽婆辞别；蒙那位大心而守法之人允准，我已返回——他便如此向众人禀告。

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: to them; of them
• तेषाम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदानम्/recipient; ‘to them’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी 6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• शशंस: told; reported
• शशंस: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• गङ्गायाम्: on/at the Ganga
• गङ्गायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी 7), Singular (एकवचन)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• आपृच्छ्य: having taken leave
• आपृच्छ्य: Kriya-samānādhikaraṇa (पूर्वकालिकक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√prach (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having taken leave (asked permission)’

• राघवम्: Raghava (Rama)
• राघवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of taking leave)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया 2), Singular (एकवचन)

• अनुज्ञातः: permitted
• अनुज्ञातः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu√jñā (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Singular (एकवचन); ‘permitted’

• निवृत्तः: returned
• निवृत्तः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Singular (एकवचन); ‘returned’

• अस्मि: am
• अस्मि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• धार्मिकेण: by the righteous one
• धार्मिकेण: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-हेतु/agent in passive sense)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhārmika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया 3), Singular (एकवचन)

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (Rama)
• महात्मना: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-हेतु/agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया 3), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

I took leave of the great, righteous Rama on the bank of the Ganga and have returned with his permission. (replied Sumantra).

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

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

Truthful reporting and disciplined obedience: Sumantra acts within permission (anujñā) and speaks factually, reflecting satya and proper conduct within hierarchy.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra, having escorted Rāma up to the Gaṅgā, returns and informs the people that he departed only after formally taking leave of Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya (truthfulness) and niyama (restraint): Sumantra neither exaggerates nor conceals; he presents Rāma as dhārmika and follows protocol.