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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.46.76

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: on the southern bank, Rāma arranges their walking order: Lakṣmaṇa in front, Sītā in the middle, and himself behind to guard them both

2.46.76

athābravīn mahābāhuḥ sumitrānandavardhanam
agrato gaccha saumitre sītā tvām anugacchatu

Then the mighty-armed one said to Saumitri, the increaser of Sumitrā's joy: 'Go in front, Saumitri; let Sītā follow you.'

Words: athābravīn — then said; mahābāhuḥ — the mighty-armed one; sumitrānandavardhanam — the increaser of Sumitrā's joy; agrato — in front; gaccha — go; saumitre — O Saumitri; sītā — Sītā; tvām — you; anugacchatu — let (her) follow

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. 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.