कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च याश्चान्या राजयोषितः । पप्रच्छुः कुशलं देवि प्रीत्या त्वामाशिषा सह
Kausalyā, Sumitrā, and the other royal ladies, O goddess, have affectionately asked after your well-being, together with their blessings.
कुशलप्रश्नपूर्वं हि तव पादाभिवंदनम् । निवेदयामि शत्रुघ्न भरताभ्यां कृतं शुभे
First offering you salutations at your feet, I convey the greetings and well-wishes made to you by Śatrughna and Bharata, O blessed one.
गुरुभिर्गुरुपत्नीभिः सर्वाभिरपि ते शुभे । दत्ताशीः कुशलप्रश्नः कृतश्च त्वयि जानकि
By the elders and their wives, O blessed one, you have been given blessings and asked after with concern, O Jānakī.
आकारयति देवस्त्वां निर्व्यलीकेन चात्मवान् । अलभ्यान्यरतिस्त्वत्तोऽन्यत्र सर्वत्र भामिनि
The lord calls you, openly and sincerely; apart from you, O radiant one, he finds no delight anywhere.
शून्या एव दिशः सर्वास्त्वां विना जनकात्मजे । पश्यन्रोदिति नाथो नो रोदयन्नितरानपि
All directions are empty without you, daughter of Janaka; the lord weeps as he looks for you, and does not make others weep.
यत्र देवि स्थितासि त्वं नित्यं स्मरति राघवः । अशून्यं तु तमेवासौ मन्यमानो विदेहजे
Wherever you dwell, O goddess, Rāghava remembers you always; he considers only that place, O daughter of Videha, as not empty.
धन्योऽयमाश्रमो जातो वाल्मीकेर्यत्र जानकी । कालं क्षपति वार्ताभिर्मदीयाभिर्वदन्निति
Blessed is this hermitage of Vālmīki, where Jānakī resides; he passes the time speaking of my affairs, saying thus.
उक्तवान्यद्रुदन्किंचित्स्वामी नस्त्वयि तच्छृणु । व्यक्तीभवति वक्तुर्यद्धृद्गतं तदसंशयम्
The master has spoken something else in grief about you; listen to that. Whatever is in the speaker's heart becomes clear, without doubt.
लोका वदंति मामेव सर्वेषामीश्वरेश्वरम् । अहं त्वदृष्टमेवैषां स्वतंत्रं कारणं ब्रुवे
People say I alone am the lord of all lords; but I declare that only what is unseen by you is the cause of their independence.
अदृष्टमेव कार्येषु सर्वेशोऽप्यनुगच्छति । ईशनीयाः कुतो नैतदन्वीयुः सुखदुःखयोः
Even the lord of all follows only the unseen in actions; how then could those who are to be ruled not follow it in happiness and sorrow?
धनुर्भंगे मतिभ्रंशे कैकय्या मरणे पितुः । अरण्यगमने तत्र हरणे तव वारिधेः
In the breaking of the bow, the loss of wisdom, the death of the father by Kaikeyī, the journey to the forest, and your abduction by the ocean-dweller—
तरणे रक्षसां भर्तुर्मारणेऽपि रणेरणे । सहायीभवने मह्यमृक्षवानररक्षसाम्
In crossing the ocean, in the slaying of the lord of the demons in battle, in the gaining of allies for me among bears, monkeys, and demons—
लाभे तव प्रतिज्ञायाः सत्यत्वे च सतीमणे । पुनः स्वबंधुसंबंधे राज्यप्राप्तौ च भामिनि
In the fulfillment of your vow, O jewel among women, in its truth, in the restoration of kinship, and in the attainment of the kingdom, O beautiful one—
पुनः प्रियावियोगे च कारणं यदवारणम् । प्रसीदति तदेवाद्य संयोगे पुनरावयोः
Again, in the separation from the beloved, whatever is the cause of that, it is that which today brings about our reunion.
वेदोऽन्यथा कृतो येन लोकोत्पत्ति लयौ यतः । लोकाननुगतस्तस्मात्कारणं प्रथमं त्वहम्
By whom the Veda was made otherwise, from whom the creation and dissolution of the worlds arise; since the worlds follow me, I am the first cause.
अदृष्टमनुवर्तंते लोकाः संप्रतिबोधकाः । भोगेन जीर्यतेऽदृष्टं तत्तद्भुक्तं त्वया वने
People follow the unseen, which is the awakener; the unseen is worn away by enjoyment, and whatever you experienced in the forest has been consumed.
स्नेहोऽकारणकः सीते वर्धमानो मम त्वयि । लोकादृष्टे तिरस्कृत्य त्वामाह्वयत आदरात्
Love for you, O Sītā, is causeless and grows within me; disregarding the world's unseen, I call you with reverence.
शङ्कितेनापि दोषेण स्नेहनैर्मल्यमज्जनम् । भवतीति स वै शुद्ध आस्वाद्यो विबुधैः सदा
Even with suspicion of fault, the purity of love is cleansed; thus it is always pure and delightful to the wise.
स्नेहशुद्धिरियं भद्रे कृता मे त्वयि नान्यथा । मंतव्यं रक्षितोऽप्येष लोकः शिष्टानुवर्तिना
This purity of love, O gentle one, has been made by me for you, not otherwise; it should be considered that even this world is preserved by those who follow the virtuous.
आवयोर्निंदया देवि सर्वावस्था सुशुद्धये । लोको नश्येद्धि संमूढश्चरितैर्महतामयम्
By the reproach of us both, O goddess, in every circumstance, purity is attained; otherwise, the world would perish, confused by the actions of the great.
आवयोरुज्ज्वला कीर्तिरावयोरुज्ज्वलो रसः । आवयोरुज्ज्वलौ वंशावावयोरुज्ज्वलाः क्रियाः
The fame of us both is radiant, the flavor of us both is radiant, the lineages of us both are radiant, the deeds of us both are radiant.
भवेयुरावयोः कीर्तिर्गायका उज्ज्वला भुवि । आवयोर्भक्तिमंतो ये ते यांत्यंते भवांबुधेः
May the radiant fame of us both be sung on earth; those devoted to us both reach the end of the ocean of existence.
इत्युक्ता भवती तेन प्रीयमाणेन ते गुणैः । पत्युः पादांबुजे द्रष्टुं करोतु सदयं मनः
Thus addressed by him, who was delighted with your virtues, let your heart kindly incline to behold the lotus feet of your husband.
वासांसि रमणीयानि भूषणानि महांति च । अंगरागस्तथा गंधा मनोज्ञास्त्वयि योजिताः
Charming garments, splendid ornaments, fragrant unguents, and delightful scents have been adorned upon you.
रथो दास्यश्च रामेण प्रेषिता उत्सवायते । छत्रं च चामरे शुभ्रे गजा अश्वाश्च शोभने
A chariot and maidservants have been sent by Rāma for the festival; a white parasol, pure fly-whisks, and splendid elephants and horses as well.
स्तूयमाना द्विजश्रेष्ठैः सूतमागधबंदिभिः । वंद्यमाना पुरस्त्रीभिः सेव्यमाना च योद्धृभिः
Praised by the foremost Brāhmaṇas, by bards and heralds, honored by the women of the city, and served by warriors,
पुष्पैः संछाद्यमाना च देवीदेवांगनादिभिः । धनानि ददती तेभ्यो द्विजातिभ्यो यथेप्सितम्
Covered with flowers by divine women and celestial nymphs, you gave wealth to them and to the twice-born as they desired.
गजारूढौ कुमारौ च पुरस्कृत्य जनेश्वरी । मयानुगम्यमाना च गच्छायोध्यां निजां पुरीम्
With your sons, the princes, mounted on elephants before you, O queen of the people, and followed by me, you went to Ayodhyā, your own city.
त्वयि तत्र गतायां तु संगतायां प्रियेण ते । सर्वासां राजनारीणामागतानां च सर्वशः
When you had gone there and met your beloved, all the royal women and all those who had arrived
सर्वासामृषिपत्नीनां कौसलानां तथैव च । मंगलैर्वाद्यगीताद्यैर्भवत्वद्य महोत्सवः
—all the wives of the sages and the women of Kosala as well—celebrated a great festival for you today with auspicious music, instruments, and songs.