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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.12.18

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 12: Agastya’s directions. Rāma asks for a wooded home near water, Agastya recommends food-rich Pañcavaṭī beside the Godāvarī and describes the route

In the sequence: Pañcavaṭī, near the Godāvarī, will give Sītā pleasure and allow Rāma to protect the region and its tapasvins

3.12.18

sa deśaḥ ślāghanīyaś ca nātidūre ca rāghava
godāvaryāḥ samīpe ca maithilī tatra raṃsyate

That region is praiseworthy and not too far, O Rāghava, and it lies near the Godāvarī; Maithilī will find joy there.

Words: sa — that; deśaḥ — region; ślāghanīyaś — praiseworthy; ca — and; nātidūre — not too far; ca — and; rāghava — O Rāghava; godāvaryāḥ — of the Godāvarī; samīpe — near, in the vicinity; ca — and; maithilī — Maithilī; tatra — there; raṃsyate — will find joy

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.