माणिक्यकृतसोपानाः स्फाटिकान्तरकुट्टिमाः । फुल्लपद्मोत्पलवनाश्चक्रवाकोपशोभिताः ।। ७.४२.
With steps made of ruby, floors inlaid with crystal, blooming with lotuses and blue lilies, beautified by chakravaka birds.
दात्यूहशुकसङ्घुष्टा हंससारसनादिताः । तरुभिः पुष्पवद्भिश्च तीरजैरुपशोभिताः ।। ७.४२.
Resounding with the calls of dātyūha and parrots, with the cries of swans and cranes, and graced on the banks by flowering trees.
प्राकारैर्विविधाकारैः शोभिताश्च शिलातलैः । तत्रैव च वनोद्देशे वैडूर्यमणिसन्निभैः ।। ७.४२.
Adorned with ramparts of various forms and stone terraces, and in that very forest region, with surfaces resembling cat's-eye gems.
शाद्वलैः परमोपेतां पुष्पितद्रुमकाननाम् । तत्र सङ्घर्षजातानां वृक्षाणां पुष्पशालिनाम् ।। ७.४२.
Rich with excellent grassy meadows and groves of flowering trees, where the ground is covered with blossoms fallen from the trees.
प्रस्तराः पुष्पशबला नभस्तारागणैरिव । नन्दनं हि यथेन्द्रस्य ब्राह्मं चैत्ररथं यथा । तथाभूतं हि रामस्य काननं सन्निवेशनम् ।। ७.४२.
The stone pavements, speckled with flowers, appear like clusters of stars in the sky; indeed, Rama's woodland retreat was like Indra's Nandana or Brahma's Caitraratha.
बह्वासनगृहोपेतां लतागृहसमावृताम् । अशोकवनिकां स्फीतां प्रविश्य रघुनन्दनः ।। ७.४२.
Entering the flourishing Ashoka grove, filled with many seating pavilions and surrounded by bowers of creepers, the joy of the Raghus proceeded.
आसने च शुभाकारे पुष्पप्रकरभूषिते । कुशास्तरणसंस्तीर्णे रामः सन्निषसाद ह ।। ७.४२.
On a beautiful seat adorned with heaps of flowers and spread with kusa grass, Rama sat down.
सीतामादायं हस्तेन मधुमैरेयकं शुचि । पाययामास काकुत्स्थः शचीमिव पुरन्दरः ।। ७.४२.
Taking Sita by the hand, the noble Kakutstha made her drink pure honeyed mead, as Indra would offer to Sachi.
मांसानि च समृष्टानि फलानि विविधानि च । रामस्याभ्यवहारार्थं किङ्करास्तूर्णमाहरन् ।। ७.४२.
The attendants quickly brought for Rama's meal well-cooked meats and various fruits.
उपानृत्यंश्च राजानं नृत्यगीतविशारदाः । बालाश्च रूपवत्यश्च स्त्रियः पानवशानुगाः ।। ७.४२.
Expert in dance and song, beautiful young women, following the flow of wine, danced before the king.
मनोभिरामा रामास्ता रामो रमयतां वरः । रमयामास धर्मात्मा नित्यं परमभूषितः ।। ७.४२.
Those women, delightful to the mind, were continually adorned, and Rama, the best of those who give joy, entertained them, righteous at heart.
स तया सीतया सार्धमासीनो विरराज ह । अरुन्धत्या सहासीनो वसिष्ठ इव तेजसा ।। ७.४२.
Seated together with Sita, Rama shone forth, as Vasistha does in splendor when seated with Arundhati.
एवं रामो मुदा युक्तः सीतां सुरसुतोपमाम् । रमयामास वैदेहीमहन्यहनि देववत् ।। ७.४२.
Thus Rama, filled with joy, delighted Sita, equal to a daughter of the gods, day after day, like a deity.
तथा तयोर्विहरतोः सीताराघवयोश्चिरम् । अत्यक्रामच्छुभः कालः शैशिरो भोगदः सदा ।। ७.४२.
Thus, as Sita and Raghava spent their days together, the auspicious season of winter, ever bestowing enjoyment, passed by.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि गतानि सुमहात्मनोः । प्राप्तयोर्विविधान्भोगानतीतः शिशिरागमः ।। ७.४२.
Ten thousand years passed for those two of great soul, as they enjoyed various pleasures and the winter season came to an end.
पूर्वाह्णे धर्मकार्याणि कृत्वा धर्मेण धर्मवित् । शेषं दिवसभागार्धमन्तःपुरगतो ऽभवत् ।। ७.४२.
In the forenoon, the knower of righteousness, having performed his duties of justice in accordance with dharma, would spend the remaining half of the day within the inner chambers.
सीतापि देवकार्याणि कृत्वा पौर्वाह्णिकानि वै । श्वश्रूणामकरोत्पूजां सर्वासामविशेषतः ।। ७.४२.
Sita too, after completing her morning duties for the deities, would worship all her mothers-in-law without exception.
अभ्यगच्छत्ततो रामं विचित्राभरणाम्बरा । त्रिविष्टपे सहस्राक्षमुपविष्टं यथा शची ।। ७.४२.
Then, adorned with splendid ornaments and garments, she would approach Rama, as Shachi approaches the thousand-eyed one seated in heaven.
दृष्ट्वा तु राघवः पत्नीं कल्याणेन समन्विताम् । प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे साधु साध्विति चाब्रवीत् ।। ७.४२.
Seeing his wife, endowed with all auspicious qualities, Raghava felt incomparable joy and said, 'Excellent, excellent!'
अब्रवीच्च वरारोहां सीतां सुरसुतोपमाम् । अपत्यलाभो वैदेहि त्वयि मे समुपस्थितः ।। ७.४२.
He spoke to Sita, of lovely form and equal to a daughter of the gods: 'O Vaidehi, the time for us to have a child has now arrived.'
किमिच्छसि वरारोहे कामः किं क्रियतां तव ।। ७.४२.
O beautiful one, what do you desire? What wish of yours shall be fulfilled?
स्मितं कृत्वा तु वैदेही रामं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् । तपोवनानि पुण्यानि द्रष्टुमिच्छामि राघव ।। ७.४२.
Vaidehi, with a smile, then spoke to Rama: 'O Raghava, I wish to see the sacred forest hermitages.'
गङ्गातीरोपविष्टानामृषीणामुग्रतेजसाम् । फलमूलाशिनां देव पादमूलेषु वर्तितुम् ।। ७.४२.
'I wish to dwell at the feet of the sages of fierce austerity, who sit on the banks of the Ganga, living on fruits and roots, O Lord.'
एष मे परमः कामो यन्मूलफलभोजिनाम् । अप्येकरात्रं काकुत्स्थ निवसेयं तपोवने ।। ७.४२.
'This is my highest desire, O Kakutstha: that I might dwell, even for a single night, in the forest of ascetics who subsist on roots and fruits.'
तथेति च प्रतिज्ञातं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा । विस्रब्धा भव वैदेहि श्वो गमिष्यस्यसंशयम् ।। ७.४२.
Rama, whose actions were effortless, promised, 'So be it.' He said, 'Be at ease, Vaidehi; tomorrow you shall surely go.'
एवमुक्त्वा तु काकुत्स्थो मैथिलीं जनकात्मजाम् । मध्यकक्षान्तरं रामो निर्जगाम सुहृद्वृतः ।। ७.४२.
Having thus spoken to Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, Kakutstha Rama departed to the middle chamber, surrounded by friends.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः
Thus ends the forty-second sarga in the glorious Uttarakanda of the ancient and illustrious Ramayana composed by the sage Valmiki.
तत्रोपविष्टं राजानमुपासन्ते विचक्षणाः । कथानां बहुरूपाणां हास्यकाराः समन्ततः ।। ७.४३.
There, wise men attended upon the king as he sat, and all around were jesters skilled in many kinds of stories.
विजयो मधुमत्तश्च काश्यपो मङ्गलः कुटः । सुराजः कालियो भद्रो दन्तवक्रः सुमागधः ।। ७.४३.
Vijaya, Madhumatta, Kashyapa, Mangala, Kuta, Suraja, Kaliya, Bhadra, Dantavakra, and Sumagadha—
एते कथा बहुविधाः परिहाससमन्विताः । कथयन्ति स्म संहृष्टा राघवस्य महात्मनः ।। ७.४३.
These men, delighted, would tell many kinds of stories, full of humor, to the great-souled Raghava.