Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 2: Lord Brahmā Instructs Vālmīki
Text 1.2.24
वाल्मीकिरथ तं दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय वाग्यतः।
प्राञ्जलिः प्रयतो भूत्वा तस्थौ परमविस्मितः॥
vālmīkir atha taṁ dṛṣṭvā sahasotthāya vāg-yataḥ
prāñjaliḥ prayato bhūtvā tasthau parama-vismitaḥ
vālmīkiḥ = Vālmīki; atha = then; tam = him; dṛṣṭvā = noticing; sahasā = immediately; utthāya = stood up; vāg-yataḥ = with his words under control; prāñjaliḥ = with his palms joined in supplication; prayataḥ bhūtvā = and his mind under control; tasthau = he stood; parama-vismitaḥ = with great astonishment.
Then, Vālmīki, noticing him, stood up immediately. With his words and mind under control, with great astonishment, he stood with his palms joined together in supplication.1
1 This is the civilized etiquette of respecting spiritual authorities.
Prayataḥ indicates that Vālmīki controlled his mind upon seeing Lord Brahmā.