Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 15: Daśaratha Personally Instructs Sumantra to Bring Rāma
Text 2.15.26

स्तुवन्तं तं तदा सूतं सुमत्रं मन्त्रकोविदम्।
प्रतिबुध्य ततो राजा इदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥

stuvantaṁ taṁ tadā sūtaṁ sumantraṁ mantra-kovidam
pratibudhya tato rājā idaṁ vacanam abravīt

stuvantam = praising [him]; tam tadā = that it was; sūtam = the sūta; sumantram = Sumantra; mantra-kovidam = who was expert in counsel; pratibudhya = understanding; tataḥ = then; rājā = the king; idam = the following; vacanam = words; abravīt = spoke.

Understanding that it was the sūta Sumantra, who was expert in counsel, praising [him], the king then spoke the following words.