Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 2: Lord Brahmā Instructs Vālmīki
Text 1.2.2

यथावत्पूजितस्तेन देवर्षिर्नारदस्तदा।
आपृष्ट्वैवाभ्यनुज्ञातः स जगाम विहायसम्॥

yathāvat pūjitas tena devarṣir nāradas tadā
āpṛṣṭvaivābhyanujñātaḥ sa jagāma vihāyasam

yathāvat = properly; pūjitaḥ = having been worshipped; tena = by Śrī Vālmīki; deva-ṛṣiḥ = celestial sage; nāradaḥ = Nārada; tadā = then; āpṛṣṭvā eva = having taken his permission to leave; abhyanujñātaḥ = [and] having been granted such permission; saḥ = the; jagāma = set off; vihāyasam = to the skies.

Having been properly worshipped by Śrī Vālmīki, having taken his permission to leave and having been granted such permission, the celestial sage Nārada then set off to the skies.

Nārada is both celestial and a sage [3]. He was properly worshipped by Vālmīki, that is, he was offered the worship that he deserved. Śrī Vālmīki circumambulated Śrī Nārada, offered him obeisances and so on. Then, Śrī Nārada requested him for permission to take leave and the sage Vālmīki granted him permission to leave.

[3] nāradādyā sura-rṣayaḥ.