ततः सीतां पुरस्कृत्य विभीषणपुरस्कृताम्। अविन्ध्यो नाम सुप्रज्ञो वृद्धामात्यो विनिर्ययौ
Then, placing Sita at the forefront, accompanied by Vibhishana, the wise elder minister named Avindhya came forth.
उवाच च महात्मानं काकुत्स्थं दैन्यमास्थितम्। प्रतीच्छ देवीं सद्वृत्तां महात्मञ्जानकीमिति
He spoke to the great-souled Kakutstha, who was sunk in sorrow: 'Accept the virtuous queen, Janaki, O noble one.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्मादवतीर्य रथोत्तमात्। बाष्पेणापिहितां सीतां ददर्शेक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः
Hearing these words, he descended from his splendid chariot and saw Sita, her face veiled with tears, O descendant of Ikshvaku.
तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गीं यानस्थां शोककर्शिताम्। मलोपचितसर्वाङ्गीं जटिलां कृष्णवाससम्
Seeing her, beautiful in every limb, standing in the vehicle, worn by grief, her body covered in dirt, with matted hair and clad in dark garments—
उवाच रामो वैदेहीं परामर्शविशङ्कितः। `लक्षयित्वेङ्गितं सर्वं प्रियं तस्यै निवेद्य सः
Rama spoke to Vaidehi, hesitant to touch her, observing all her gestures and conveying his beloved message to her.
गच्छ वैदेहि मुक्ता त्वं यत्कार्यं तनमया कृतम्। मामासाद्यपतिं भद्रे न त्वं राक्षसवेश्मनि। जरां व्रजेथा इतिमे निहतोसौ निशाचरः
Go, Vaidehi, you are freed; what needed to be done has been accomplished by me. Having found me as your husband, O blessed one, you need not enter the Rakshasa's house or grow old there, for that night-wanderer has been slain.
कथं ह्यस्मद्विधो जातु जानन्धर्मविनिश्चयम्। परहस्तगतां नारीं मुहूर्तमपि धारयेत्
How could someone like me, who knows the true nature of righteousness, ever keep a woman who has been in another man's hands, even for a moment?
सुवृत्तामसुवृत्तां वाऽप्यहं त्वामद्य मैथिलि। नोत्सहे परिभोगाय श्वावलीढं हविर्यथा
Whether you are virtuous or not, O Maithili, today I cannot bring myself to enjoy you, just as one would not eat an offering licked by a dog.
ततः सा सहसा बाला तच्छ्रुत्वा दारुणं वचः। पपात देवी व्यथिता निकृत्ता कदली यथा
Then, that young lady, hearing those harsh words, suddenly collapsed, distressed, like a plantain tree cut down.
योप्यस्या हर्षसंभूतो मुखरागः पुराऽभवत्। क्षणेन सपुनर्नष्टो निःश्वासादिव दर्पणे
The color of joy that once shone on her face vanished in an instant, like breath fading from a mirror.
ततस्ते हरयः सर्वे तच्छ्रुत्वा रामभाषितम्। गतासुकल्पा निश्चेष्टा बभूवुः सहलक्ष्मणाः
Then all the monkeys, along with Lakshmana, upon hearing Rama's words, became as if lifeless and motionless.
ततो देवो विशुद्धात्मा विमानेन चतुर्मुखः। पद्मयोनिर्जगत्स्रष्टा दर्शयामास राघवम्
Then the god with pure soul, the four-faced creator born from the lotus, appeared to Rama in his celestial chariot.
शक्रश्चाग्निश्च वायुश्चयमो वरुण एव च। यक्षाधिपश्च भगवांस्तथा सप्तर्षयोऽमलाः
Indra, Agni, Vayu, Yama, Varuna, the lord of the Yakshas, and the seven pure sages also appeared.
राजा दशरथश्चैव दिव्यभास्वरमूर्तिमान्। विमानेन महार्हेण हंसयुक्तेन भास्वता
King Dasharatha too, radiant in a divine form, arrived in a splendid, shining chariot drawn by swans.
ततोऽन्तरिक्षं तत्सर्वंदेवगन्धर्वसंकुलम्। शुशुभे तारकाचित्रं शरदीव नभस्तलम्
Then the entire sky, crowded with gods and Gandharvas, shone like the autumn night sky adorned with stars.
तत उत्थाय वैदेही तेषां मध्ययशस्विनी। उवाच वाक्यं कल्याणी रामं पृथुलवक्षसम्
Then Vaidehi, renowned among them, rose up and, virtuous, spoke these words to Rama, broad-chested.
राजपुत्र न ते कोपं करोमि विदिताहि मे। गतिः स्त्रीणां नराणां च शृणु चदं वचो मम
Prince, I do not make you angry, for I know the fate of women and men; listen now to my words.
अन्तश्चरतिभूतानां मातरिश्वा सदागतिः। स मे विमुञ्चतु प्राणान्यदि पापं चराम्यहम्
The wind, who moves secretly among beings, is always my witness; let him take my life if I have done wrong.
अग्निरापस्तथाऽऽकाशं पृथिवी वायुरेव च। विमुञ्चन्तु मम प्राणान्यदि पापं चराम्यहम्
Let fire, water, ether, earth, and wind take my life if I have committed any sin.
यथाऽहं त्वदृतेवीर नान्यंस्वप्नेऽप्यचिन्तयम्। तथा मे देव निर्दिष्टस्त्वमेव हि पतिर्भव
As I, O hero, have never even in a dream thought of anyone but you, so let the gods declare: you alone are my husband.
ततोऽन्तरिक्षे वागारीत्सुभगा लोकसाक्षिणी। पुण्यासंहर्षणी तेषां वानराणां महात्मनाम्
Then a blessed, auspicious voice was heard in the sky, witnessed by all worlds, bringing joy to those great monkeys.
बोभो राघव सत्यं वै वायुरस्मि सदागतिः। अपापा मैथिली राजन्संगच्छसहभार्यया
O Raghava, truly, I am the wind, always moving; Maithili is without sin, O king—go forth with your wife.
अहमन्तःशरीरस्थो भूतानां रघुनन्दन। सुसूक्ष्ममपि काकुत्स्थ मैथिलीनापराध्यति
I dwell within the bodies of beings, O descendant of Raghu; even the subtlest fault does not attach to Maithili, O Kakutstha.
रसावै मत्प्रसूता हि भूतदेहेषु राघव। अहंवै त्वां प्रब्रवीमि मैथिली प्रतिगृह्यताम्
For the vital fluids in beings' bodies arise from me, O Raghava; I tell you truly—accept Maithili.
धर्मोऽहमस्मि काकुत्स्थ साक्षी लोकस्य कर्मणाम्। शुभाशुभानां सीतेयमपापा प्रतिगृह्यताम्
O Kakutstha, I am Dharma itself, the witness of the deeds of the world; O Sita, who is without sin, let her be accepted.
पुत्र नैतदिहाश्चर्यं त्वयि राजर्षिधर्मणि। साधो सद्वृत्त काकुत्स्थ शृणु चेदं वचो मम
My son, this is not a wonder in you, who are steadfast in the royal sage's duty; O righteous one of noble conduct, Kakutstha, listen now to my words.
शत्रुरेष त्वया वीर देवगनधर्वभोगिनाम्। यक्षाणां दानवानां च महर्षीणां च पातितः
O hero, you have slain this enemy of the gods, Gandharvas, serpents, Yakshas, Danavas, and great sages.
अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां मत्प्रसादात्पुराऽभवत्। कस्माच्चित्कारणात्पापः कंचित्कालमुपेक्षितः
By my favor, he was once invulnerable to all beings; for some reason, this wicked one was neglected for a certain time.
वधार्थमात्मनस्तेन हृता सीता दुरात्मना। नलकूबरशापेन रक्षा चास्याः कृता मया
For the sake of his own destruction, that evil-minded one abducted Sita; by the curse of Nalakuvara, her protection was ensured by me.
यदि ह्यकामामासेवेत्स्तरियमन्यामपि ध्रुवम्। शतधाऽस्य फलेन्मूर्धा इत्युक्तः सोभवत्पुरा
If he had approached her against her will, or any other woman, his head would have split into a hundred pieces as foretold in former times.