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.
ततः कथायां कस्याञ्चिद्राघवः समभाषत । काः कथा नगरे भद्र वर्तन्ते विषयेषु च ।। ७.४३.
Then, during one such story, Raghava asked, 'What tales are current in the city, O Bhadra, and in the provinces?'
मामाश्रितानि कान्याहुः पौरजानपदा जनाः । किं च सीतां समाश्रित्य भरतं किं च लक्ष्मणम् ।। ७.४३.
Some say they rely on me, the citizens of the city and countryside; others depend on Sītā, or on Bharata, or on Lakṣmaṇa.
किं नु शत्रुघ्नमुद्दिश्य कैकयीं किं नु मातरम् । वक्तव्यतां च राजानो वरे राज्ये व्रजन्ति च ।। ७.४३.
Some look to Śatrughna, some to Kaikeyī, and some to their mother; kings approach for advice and enter into the choice of rule.
एवमुक्ते तु रामेण भद्रः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत् । स्थिताः कथा शुभाः राजन्वर्तन्ते पुरवासिनाम् ।। ७.४३.
When Rāma had spoken thus, Bhadra, with joined palms, replied: 'O king, auspicious tales are told among the city dwellers.'
अमुं तु विजयं सौम्य दशग्रीववधार्जितम् । भूयिष्ठं स्वपुरे पौरैः कथ्यन्ते पुरुषर्षभ ।। ७.४३.
But, gentle one, the victory won by slaying the ten-headed Rāvaṇa is most often recounted by the citizens in your own city, O best of men.
एवमुक्तस्तु भद्रेण राघवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । कथयस्व यथातत्त्वं सर्वं निरवशेषतः ।। ७.४३.
Thus addressed by Bhadra, Rāghava spoke: 'Tell me everything as it truly is, without omission.'
शुभाशुभानि वाक्यानि यान्याहुः पुरवासिनः । श्रुत्वेदानीं शुभं कुर्यां नकुर्यामशुभानि च ।। ७.४३.
Whatever good or bad words the city dwellers speak, having heard them now, I shall do what is good and avoid what is not.
कथयस्व च विस्रब्धो निर्भयं विगतज्वरः । कथयन्ति यथा पौराः पापा जनपदेषु च ।। ७.४३.
Speak freely, without fear or anxiety; tell me as the citizens and the people in the countryside speak.
राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तु भद्रः सुरुचिरं वचः । प्रत्युवाच महाबाहुं प्राञ्जलिः सुसमाहितः ।। ७.४३.
Thus addressed by Rāghava, Bhadra, with pleasing words, replied to the mighty-armed one, with joined palms and full attention.
शृणु राजन्यथा पौराः कथयन्ति शुभाशुभम् । चत्वरापणरथ्यासु वनेषूपवनेषु च ।। ७.४३.
Hear, O king, how the citizens speak of good and bad, in the squares, markets, streets, forests, and groves.