तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रमृज्य नयने शुभे । नाविकानाह्वयामास लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा ।। ७.४६.
Hearing her words, Lakshmana, destroyer of foes, wiped his beautiful eyes and summoned the boatmen.
इयं च सज्जा नौश्चेति दाशाः प्राञ्जलयो ऽब्रुवन् ।। ७.४६.
The boatmen, with joined palms, said, 'The boat is ready.'
तितीर्षुर्लक्ष्मणो गङ्गां शुभां नावमुपारुहत् । गङ्गां सन्तारयामास लक्ष्मणस्तां समाहितः ।। ७.४६.
Lakshmana, intent on crossing the auspicious Ganga, boarded the boat, and carefully ferried her across.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे षट्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः
Thus ends the forty-sixth sarga in the glorious Uttarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic, composed by Valmiki.
अथ नावं सुविस्तीर्णां नैषादीं राघवानुजः । आरुरोह समायुक्तां पूर्वमारोप्य मैथिलीम् ।। ७.४७.
Then Lakshmana, Rama’s younger brother, boarded the broad Nishada boat, first seating Maithili upon it.
सुमन्त्रं चैव सरथं स्थीयतामिति लक्ष्मणः । उवाच शोकसन्तप्तः प्रयाहीति च नाविकम् ।। ७.४७.
Lakshmana, afflicted by grief, said, 'Let Sumantra and the chariot remain here,' and told the boatman, 'Proceed.'
ततस्तीरमुपागम्य भागीरथ्याः स लक्ष्मणः । उवाच मैथिलीं वाक्यं प्राञ्जलिर्बाष्पसम्प्लुतः ।। ७.४७.
Then Lakshmana, having reached the bank of the Bhagirathi, spoke to Maithili with joined palms, his voice choked with tears.
हृद्गतं मे महच्छल्यं यस्मादार्येण धीमता । अस्मिन्निमित्ते वैदेहि लोकस्य वचनीकृतः ।। ७.४७.
'A great pain has entered my heart, because the noble and wise one, for this reason, Vaidehi, has acted according to the words of the people.'
श्रेयो हि मरणं मे ऽद्य मृत्युर्वा यत्परं भवेत् । न चास्मिन्नीदृशे कार्ये नियोज्यो लोकनिन्दिते ।। ७.४७.
'Death would be better for me today, or whatever is greater than death; for in such a task, condemned by the world, I should not be employed.'
प्रसीद च न मे पापं कर्तुमर्हसि शोभने । इत्यञ्जलिकृतो भूमौ निपपात स लक्ष्मणः ।। ७.४७.
Be gracious, O noble lady, and do not compel me to commit a sin; so saying, Lakṣmaṇa, with joined palms, fell to the ground.
रुदन्तं प्राञ्जलिं दृष्ट्वा काङ्क्षन्तं मृत्युमात्मनः । मैथिली भृशसंविग्ना लक्ष्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।। ७.४७.
Seeing Lakṣmaṇa weeping, with folded hands, longing for death, Sītā, deeply disturbed, spoke to him these words.
किमिदं नावगच्छामि ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन लक्ष्मण । पश्यामि त्वां न च स्वस्थमपि क्षेमं महीपतेः ।। ७.४७.
What is this? I do not understand; tell me the truth, Lakṣmaṇa. I see you are not yourself, nor is there any well-being for the king.
शापितो ऽसि नरेन्द्रेण यत्त्वं सन्तापमागतः । तद्ब्रूयाः सन्निधौ मह्यमहमाज्ञापयामि ते ।। ७.४७.
You have been cursed by the king, and that is why you are so distressed. Tell me this in my presence; I command you.
वैदेह्या चोद्यमानस्तु लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः । अवाङ्मुखो बाष्पकलं वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.४७.
Urged by Vaidehī, Lakṣmaṇa, his mind dejected, with face turned downward and voice choked with tears, spoke these words.
श्रुत्वा परिषदो मध्ये ह्यपवादं सुदारुणम् । पुरे जनपदे चैव त्वत्कृते जनकात्मजे । रामः सन्तप्तहृदयो मा निवेद्य गृहं गतः ।। ७.४७.
Hearing, in the midst of the assembly and throughout the city and country, a most terrible reproach against you, O daughter of Janaka, Rāma, his heart tormented, returned home without informing you.
न तानि वचनीयानि मया देवि तवाग्रतः । यानि राज्ञा हृदि न्यस्तान्यमर्षात्पृष्ठतः कृतः ।। ७.४७.
O lady, I cannot speak before you the words which the king, out of anger, kept in his heart and commanded me in secret.
सा त्वं त्यक्ता नृपतिना निर्दोषा मम सन्निधौ । पौरापवादभीतेन ग्राह्यं देवि न ते ऽन्यथा ।। ७.४७.
You, though blameless, have been abandoned by the king in my presence, out of fear of public reproach; O lady, you must accept this, there is no other way.
आश्रमान्तेषु च मया त्यक्तव्या त्वं भविष्यसि । राज्ञः शासनमाज्ञाय तवेदं किल दौर्हृदम् ।। ७.४७.
At the edge of the hermitage, I am to leave you, as ordered by the king; this, O lady, is indeed your misfortune.
तदेतज्जाह्नवीतीरे ब्रह्मर्षीणां तपोवनम् । पुण्यं च रमणीयं च मा विषादं कृथाः शुभे ।। ७.४७.
Here, on the bank of the Jāhnavī, is the hermitage of the great sages, holy and beautiful; do not grieve, O noble lady.
राज्ञो दशरथस्येष्टः पितुर्मे मुनिपुङ्गवः । सखा परमको विप्रो वाल्मीकिः सुमहायशाः ।। ७.४७.
The illustrious sage Vālmīki, most renowned, is the dear friend and foremost of seers, cherished by King Daśaratha, my father.
पादच्छायामुपागम्य सुखमस्य महात्मनः । उपवासपरैकाग्रा वस त्वं जनकात्मजे ।। ७.४७.
Approach the shelter of that great soul's feet, O daughter of Janaka, and dwell there, devoted to fasting and single-mindedness.
पतिव्रतात्वमास्थाय रामं कृत्वा सदा हृदि । श्रेयस्ते परमं देवि तथा कृत्वा भविष्यति ।। ७.४७.
Abide in fidelity to your husband, keeping Rāma always in your heart; O lady, by doing so, your highest good will surely be attained.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे सप्तचत्वारिंशः सर्गः
Thus ends the forty-seventh sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa, composed by the sage Vālmīki.
लक्ष्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दारुणं जनकात्मजा । परं विषादमागम्य वैदेही निपपात ह ।। ७.४८.
Hearing Lakṣmaṇa's harsh words, the daughter of Janaka, overwhelmed by grief, fell to the ground.
सा मुहूर्तमिवासञ्ज्ञा बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा । लक्ष्मणं दीनया वाचा उवाच जनकात्मजा ।। ७.४८.
For a moment she lay unconscious, her eyes filled with tears; then, in a sorrowful voice, the daughter of Janaka spoke to Lakṣmaṇa.
मामिकेयं तनुर्नूनं सृष्टा दुःखाय लक्ष्मण । धात्रा यस्यास्तथा मे ऽद्य दुःखमूर्तिः प्रदृश्यते ।। ७.४८.
Surely, Lakṣmaṇa, this body of mine was created by the Creator for suffering, for today I am seen as the very embodiment of sorrow.
किं नु पापं कृतं पूर्वं को वा दारैर्वियोजितः । या ऽहं शुद्धसमाचारा त्यक्ता नृपतिना सती ।। ७.४८.
What sin did I commit in the past, or who was separated from his wife, that I, though pure in conduct and faithful, have been abandoned by the king?
पुरा ऽहमाश्रमे वासं रामपादानुवर्तिनी । अनुरुध्यापि सौमित्रे दुःखे च परिवर्तिनी ।। ७.४८.
Once, I dwelled in the hermitage, devoted to following Rama's feet, enduring hardship, O Saumitri, and remaining steadfast even in suffering.
सा कथं ह्याश्रमे सौम्य वत्स्यामि विजनीकृता । आख्यास्यामि च कस्याहं दुःखं दुःखपरायणा ।। ७.४८.
How then, gentle one, shall I live in the hermitage, cast into solitude? To whom shall I speak of my sorrow, I who am given over to grief?
किं नु वक्ष्यामि मुनिषु कर्म वा सत्कृतं च किम् । कस्मिंश्चित् कारणे त्यक्ता राघवेण महात्मना ।। ७.४८.
What shall I say to the sages, or what worthy deed can I recount, having been abandoned by the great-souled Raghava for some reason?