Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 13: Daśaratha Goes to the Sacrificial Arena
Text 1.13.21-22

मिथिलाधिपतिं शूरं जनकं सत्यविक्रमम्।
निष्ठितं सर्वशास्त्रेषु तथा वेदेषु निष्ठितम्॥

तमानय महाभागं स्वयमेव सुसत्कृतम्।
पूर्वसम्बन्धिनं ज्ञात्वा ततः पूर्वं ब्रवीमि ते॥

mithilādhipatiṁ śūraṁ janakaṁ satya-vikramam
niṣṭhitaṁ
sarva-śāstreṣu tathā vedeṣu niṣṭhitam

tam ānaya mahā-bhāgaṁ svayam eva susatkṛtam
pūrva-sambandhinaṁ
jñātvā tataḥ pūrvaṁ bravīmi te

mithilā-adhipatim = the king of Mithilā; śūram = he is heroic; janakam = Janaka; satya-vikramam = truthful in his endeavors; niṣṭhitam = fixed; sarva-śāstreṣu = in all scriptures; tathā = and; vedeṣu = in the Vedas; niṣṭhitam = fixed; tam = him; ānaya = bring; mahā-bhāgam = greatly fortunate; svayam eva = personally; susatkṛtam = with proper respect; pūrva-sambandhinam = as an old well-wisher; jñātvā = I know and; tataḥ = to the others; pūrvam = him prior; bravīmi te = so I am mentioning.

With proper respect, personally bring the king of Mithilā, Janaka. He is heroic, truthful in his endeavors, greatly fortunate, fixed in all scriptures and fixed in the Vedas. I know him as an old well-wisher and so I am mentioning him prior to the others.

Sumantra should personally bring King Janaka; he should not [just] send a message through messengers.