← 2.46.51 · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 46: Rāma crosses the Gaṅgā · 2.46.53 →
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.46.52
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: Rāma explains why he must return: the empty chariot will convince Kaikeyī that the exile is real and protect Daśaratha from suspicion of evading his promise
2.46.52
parituṣṭā hi sā devi vanavāsaṃ gate mayi
rājānaṃ nātiśaṅketa mithyāvādīti dhārmikam
'For that queen, well satisfied that I have gone to dwell in the forest, will not suspect the righteous king of being a liar.'
Words: parituṣṭā — well satisfied, pleased; hi — for; sā devi — that queen; vanavāsaṃ gate mayi — when I have gone to forest-dwelling (loc. abs.); rājānaṃ — the king; nātiśaṅketa — would not overly suspect; mithyāvādīti — 'a liar', thus; dhārmikam — the righteous (king)
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.