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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.46.30

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 46: Rāma crosses the Gaṅgā. He sends Sumantra back as proof of departure, forms matted locks with banyan sap and crosses while Sītā prays

In the sequence: Sumantra pleads to stay: he cannot face returning with the empty chariot or telling Kausalyā where her son has gone

2.46.30

yad ahaṃ nopacāreṇa brūyāṃ snehād aviklavaḥ
bhaktimān iti tat tāvad vākyaṃ tvaṃ kṣantum arhasi

'If, out of affection and not by mere courtesy, I — steadfast and devoted — should say something, that speech, at least, you ought to forgive.'

Words: yad — if, that; ahaṃ — I; nopacāreṇa — not by (mere) formal courtesy; brūyāṃ — should say; snehād — out of affection; aviklavaḥ — unwavering, steady; bhaktimān — devoted; iti — thus; tat tāvad — that at least; vākyaṃ — speech; tvaṃ — you; kṣantum — to forgive; arhasi — ought

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.