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.
दुष्करं कृतवान्रामः समुद्रे सेतुबन्धनम् । अश्रुतं पूर्वकैः कैश्चिद्देवैरपि सदानवैः ।। ७.४३.
Rāma accomplished the difficult task of building a bridge over the ocean, a feat unheard of even by some gods and demons of old.
रावणश्च दुराधर्षो हतः सबलवाहनः । वानराश्च वशं नीता ऋक्षाश्च सह राक्षसैः ।। ७.४३.
Rāvaṇa, fierce and formidable, was slain along with his forces; the monkeys and bears were brought under control, together with the rākṣasas.
हत्वा च रावणं सङ्ख्ये सीतामाहृत्य राघवः । अमर्षं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा स्ववेश्म पुनरानयत् ।। ७.४३.
Having slain Rāvaṇa in battle and recovered Sītā, Rāghava, setting aside his anger, brought her back to his own house.
कीदृशं हृदये तस्य सीतासम्भोगजं सुखम् । अङ्कमारोप्य तु पुरा रावणेन बलाद्धृताम् ।। ७.४३.
What kind of happiness arises in his heart from union with Sītā, who was once forcibly taken by Rāvaṇa and placed on his lap?
लङ्कामपि पुरा नीतामशोकवनिकां गताम् । रक्षसां वशमापन्नां कथं रामो न कुत्सते ।। ७.४३.
She was once led to Laṅkā, entered the Aśoka grove, and fell under the power of the rākṣasas; how does Rāma not feel shame?
अस्माकमपि दारेषु सहनीयं भविष्यति । यथा हि कुरुते राजा प्रजा तमनुवर्तते ।। ७.४३.
For us too, endurance with our wives will become necessary; as the king acts, so do the people follow.
एवं बहुविधा वाचो वदन्ति पुरवासिनः । नगरेषु च सर्वेषु राजञ्जनपदेषु च ।। ७.४३.
Thus, the city dwellers speak many kinds of words, O king, in all the cities and throughout the land.
तस्यैवं भाषितं श्रुत्वा राघवः परमार्तवत् । उवाच सुहृदः सर्वान्कथमेतद्ब्रवीथ माम् ।। ७.४३.
Hearing these words, Rāghava, deeply distressed, said to all his friends: 'How do you speak to me about this?'
सर्वे तु शिरसा भूमावभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च । प्रत्यूचू राघवं दीनमेवमेतन्न संशयः ।। ७.४३.
All bowed their heads to the ground and saluted, then replied to Rāghava, sorrowfully: 'It is so, there is no doubt.'
श्रुत्वा तु वाक्यं काकुत्स्थः सर्वेषां समुदीरितम् । विसर्जयामास तदा वयस्याञ्छत्रुसूदनः ।। ७.४३.
Hearing the words spoken by all, Kakutstha, the destroyer of enemies, then dismissed his friends.