गतो हि लक्ष्मणः पूर्वं भरतश्च महायशाः । श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्य शत्रुघ्नः परमासनात् ।। ७.४४.
'Lakshmana has already gone, and the illustrious Bharata as well.' Hearing these words, Shatrughna rose from his excellent seat.
शिरसा धरणीं प्राप्य प्रययौ यत्र राघवः । द्वाःस्थस्त्वागम्य रामाय सर्वानेव कृताञ्जलिः । निवेदयामास तदा भ्रातऽन्स्वान्समुपस्थितान् ।। ७.४४.
Touching the earth with his head, he went to where Raghava was. The doorkeeper, arriving, reported to Rama with joined palms that all his brothers had come.
कुमारानागताञ्छ्रुत्वा चिन्ताव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः । अवाङ्मुखो दीनमना द्वाःस्थं वचनमब्रवीत् ।। ७.४४.
Hearing that the princes had arrived, his senses troubled with anxious thought, Rama, downcast and dejected in mind, spoke to the doorkeeper.
प्रवेशय कुमारांस्त्वं मत्समीपं त्वरान्वितः । एतेषु जीवितं मह्यमेते प्राणाः प्रिया मम ।। ७.४४.
'Quickly admit the princes to my presence; in them is my life, they are dearer to me than breath itself.'
आज्ञप्तास्तु नरेन्द्रेण कुमाराः शक्रतेजसः । प्रह्वाः प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा विविशुस्ते समाहिताः ।। ७.४४.
Commanded by the king, the princes, radiant as Indra, entered with joined palms, humble and composed.
ते तु दृष्ट्वा मुखं तस्य सग्रहं शशिनं यथा । सन्ध्यागतमिवादित्यं प्रभया परिवर्जितम् ।। ७.४४.
But seeing his face, troubled like the moon seized by Rahu, like the sun at dusk deprived of its brilliance—
बाष्पपूर्णे च नयने दृष्ट्वा रामस्य धीमतः । हतशोभं यथा पद्मं मुखं वीक्ष्य च तस्य ते ।। ७.४४.
And seeing the wise Rama's eyes filled with tears, his face, its beauty lost like a lotus, they gazed upon him.
ततो ऽभिवाद्य त्वरिताः पादौ रामस्य मूर्धभिः । तस्थुः समाहिताः सर्वे रामस्त्वश्रूण्यवर्तयत् ।। ७.४४.
Then, quickly bowing with their heads at Rāma’s feet, all of them stood attentively; Rāma wiped away his tears.
तान्परिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यामुत्थाप्य च महाबलः । आसनेष्वासतेत्युक्त्वा ततो वाक्यं जगाद ह ।। ७.४४.
The mighty Rāma embraced them with his arms, raised them up, and, having said, 'Be seated,' he then spoke these words.
भवन्तो मम सर्वस्वं भवन्तो जीवितं मम । भवद्भिश्च कृतं राज्यं पालयामि नरेश्वराः ।। ७.४४.
You are my everything; you are my very life. It is by your actions that I rule this kingdom, O lords of men.
भवन्तः कृतशास्त्रार्था बुद्ध्या च परिनिष्ठिताः । सम्भूय च मदर्थो ऽयमन्वेष्टव्यो नरेश्वराः ।। ७.४४.
You are accomplished in the meaning of the scriptures and established in wisdom; gathered together, you must seek out this matter for my sake, O kings.
तथा वदति काकुत्स्थे अवधानपरायणाः । उद्विग्नमनसः सर्वे किं नु राजाभिधास्यति ।। ७.४४.
As the descendant of Kakutstha spoke thus, all, intent on attention and anxious at heart, wondered what the king would say.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे चतुश्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः
Thus ends the forty-fourth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
तेषां समुपविष्टानां सर्वेषां दीनचेतसाम् । उवाच वाक्यं काकुत्स्थो मुखेन परिशुष्यता ।। ७.४५.
As they all sat, their hearts dejected, Kakutstha spoke words with a parched mouth.
सर्वे शृणुत भद्रं वो मा कुरुध्वं मनो ऽन्यथा । पौराणां मम सीतायां यादृशी वर्तते कथा ।। ७.४५.
Hear me, all of you—may good befall you! Do not let your minds stray, regarding the story about Sītā that circulates among the citizens.
पौरापवादः सुमहांस्तथा जनपदस्य च । वर्तते मयि बीभत्सा सा मे मर्माणि कृन्तति ।। ७.४५.
A great reproach is spoken among the townspeople and likewise in the countryside about me, a vile rumor that cuts me to the core.
अहं किल कुले जात इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् । सीता ऽपि सत्कुले जाता जनकानां महात्मनाम् ।। ७.४५.
I was indeed born in the noble line of the great Ikṣvākus, and Sītā too was born in the honored house of the great Janakas.
जानासि त्वं यथा सौम्य दण्डके विजने वने । रावणेन हृता सीता स च विध्वंसितो मया ।। ७.४५.
You know well, gentle one, how Sītā was taken by Rāvaṇa in the lonely Daṇḍaka forest, and how I destroyed him.
तत्र मे बुद्धिरुत्पन्ना जनकस्य सुतां प्रति । अत्रोषितामिमां सीतामानयेयं कथं पुरीम् ।। ७.४५.
There, a thought arose in me concerning Janaka’s daughter: how could I bring Sītā, who had stayed there, back to the city?
प्रत्ययार्थं ततः सीता विवेश ज्वलनं तदा । प्रत्यक्षं तव सौमित्रे देवानां हव्यवाहनः । अपापां मैथिलीमाह वायुश्चाकाशगोचरः ।। ७.४५.
Then, for the sake of proof, Sītā entered the fire; in your presence, O Saumitri, the fire-god, witness of the gods, and the wind, who moves through the sky, declared the daughter of Mithilā to be pure.
चन्द्रादित्यौ च शंसेते सुराणां सन्निधौ पुरा । ऋषीणां चैव सर्वेषामपापां जनकात्मजाम् ।। ७.४५.
The moon and the sun, too, once testified before the gods and all the sages to the purity of Janaka’s daughter.
एवं शुद्धसमाचारा देवगन्धर्वसन्निधौ । लङ्काद्वीपे महेन्द्रेण मम हस्ते निवेशिता ।। ७.४५.
Thus, pure in conduct, in the presence of gods and gandharvas, she was placed in my hands by Mahendra on the island of Laṅkā.
अन्तरात्मा च मे वेत्ति सीतां शुद्धां यशस्विनीम् । ततो गृहीत्वा वैदेहीमयोध्यामहमागतः ।। ७.४५.
My inner self knows Sītā, illustrious and pure; therefore, having taken Vaidehī, I returned to Ayodhyā.
अयं तु मे महान्वादः शोकश्च हृदि वर्तते । पौरापवादः सुमहांस्तथा जनपदस्य च ।। ७.४५.
But this great reproach and grief dwell in my heart—a vast rumor among the citizens and likewise in the countryside.
अकीर्तिर्यस्य गीयेत लोके भूतस्य कस्यचित् । पतत्येवाधमाँल्लोकान्यावच्छब्दः प्रकीर्त्यते ।। ७.४५.
If infamy is spoken of anyone in the world, he surely falls to the lowest realms as long as that word is spread.
अकीर्तिर्निन्द्यते देवैः कीर्तिर्लोकेषु पूज्यते । कीर्त्यर्थं तु समारम्भः सर्वेषां सुमहात्मनाम् ।। ७.४५.
Disgrace is condemned by the gods, while fame is honored among people; indeed, all great souls undertake actions for the sake of reputation.
अप्यहं जीवितं जह्यां युष्मान्वा पुरुषर्षभाः । अपवादभयाद्भीतः किं पुनर्जनकात्मजाम् ।। ७.४५.
O best of men, I might even give up my own life or you, out of fear of slander—how much more so Janaka's daughter?
तस्माद्भवन्तः पश्यन्तु पतितं शोकसागरे । नहि पश्याम्यहं भूतं किञ्चिद्दुःखमतो ऽधिकम् ।। ७.४५.
Therefore, let you all witness me fallen into the ocean of sorrow; for I do not see any being suffering a pain greater than this.
श्वस्त्वं प्रभाते सौमित्रे सुमन्त्राधिष्ठितं रथम् । आरुह्य सीतामारोप्य विषयान्ते समुत्सृज ।। ७.४५.
Tomorrow morning, O Saumitri, mount the chariot prepared by Sumantra, place Sita upon it, and abandon her at the edge of the kingdom.
गङ्गायास्तु परे पारे वाल्मीकेस्तु महात्मनः । आश्रमो दिव्यसङ्काशस्तमसातीरमाश्रितः ।। ७.४५.
On the far shore of the Ganga, near the great sage Valmiki, there is a hermitage, resplendent like the divine, situated on the bank of the Tamasa.