सीतां तु रुदतीं दृष्ट्वा ते तत्र मुनिदारकाः । प्राद्रवन्यत्र भगवानास्ते वाल्मीकिरुग्रधीः ।। ७.४९.
Seeing Sita weeping there, the sons of the sages ran to where the revered Valmiki, of intense intellect, was staying.
अभिवाद्य मुनेः पादौ मुनिपुत्रा महर्षये । सर्वं निवेदयामासुस्तस्यास्तु रुदितस्वनम् ।। ७.४९.
Having bowed at the feet of the great sage, the sons of the sage reported everything to him, including the sound of her weeping.
अदृष्टपूर्वा भगवन्कस्याप्येषा महात्मनः । पत्नी श्रीरिव सम्मोहाद्विरौति विकृतानना ।। ७.४९.
O revered one, never before have we seen such a woman, the wife of some great soul, wailing in confusion, her face distorted, like the goddess of fortune herself.
भगवन्साधु पश्य त्वं देवतामिव खाच्च्युताम् । नद्यास्तु तीरे भगवन्वरस्त्री कापि दुःखिता ।। ७.४९.
O revered one, please come and see—a noble woman, as if fallen from the heavens, is grieving on the riverbank.
दृष्टास्माभिः प्ररुदिता दृढं शोकपरायणा । अनर्हा दुःखशोकाभ्यामेकां दीनां ह्यनाथवत् ।। ७.४९.
We have seen her weeping bitterly, wholly given over to sorrow and grief, undeserving of such suffering, alone, wretched, and seemingly without support.
न ह्येनां मानुषीं विद्मः सत्क्रिया ऽस्याः प्रयुज्यताम् । आश्रमस्याविदूरे च त्वामियं शरणं गता ।। ७.४९.
We do not think she is human; let her be properly received. She has come to your hermitage for refuge, not far from here.
त्रातारमिच्छते साध्वी भगवंस्त्रातुमर्हसि । तेषां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य धर्मवित् । तपसा लब्धचक्षुष्मान् प्राद्रवद्यत्र मैथिली ।। ७.४९.
This virtuous woman seeks a protector, O revered one; you ought to protect her. Hearing their words, and discerning with his mind, the sage, endowed with vision through austerity and knowing righteousness, went quickly to where Maithili was.
तं प्रयान्तमभिप्रेत्य शिष्या ह्येनं महामतिम् । तं तु देशमभि प्रेत्य किञ्चित्पद्भ्यां महामतिः ।। ७.४९.
His disciples, recognizing his intent, followed that wise one as he went; and the great-minded sage, having reached that place, proceeded a little further on foot.
अर्घ्यमादाय रुचिरं जाह्नवीतीरमागमत् । ददर्श राघवस्येष्टां सीतां पत्नीमनाथवत् ।। ७.४९.
Taking pure water as an offering, he approached the bank of the Jahnavi and saw Sita, the beloved wife of Raghava, appearing helpless.
तां सीतां शोकभारार्तां वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवः । उवाच मधुरां वाणीं ह्लादयन्निव तेजसा ।। ७.४९.
Valmiki, foremost among sages, seeing Sita weighed down by sorrow, spoke to her sweet words, as if gladdening her with his radiance.
स्नुषा दशरथस्य त्वं रामस्य महिषी प्रिया । जनकस्य सुता राज्ञः स्वागतं ते पतिव्रते ।। ७.४९.
You are the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha, the beloved queen of Rama, and the daughter of King Janaka; welcome to you, O devoted wife.
आयान्ती चासि विज्ञाता मया धर्मसमाधिना । कारणं चैव सर्वं मे हृदयेनोपलक्षितम् ।। ७.४९.
As you were approaching, I recognized you through my steadfastness in righteousness; and the entire reason for your coming has been perceived by my heart.
तव चैव महाभागे विदितं मम तत्त्वतः । सर्वं च विदितं मह्यं त्रैलोक्ये यद्धि वर्तते ।। ७.४९.
O greatly fortunate one, your story is known to me in truth; and all that happens in the three worlds is known to me.
अपापां वेद्मि सीते त्वां तपोलब्धेन चक्षुषा । विस्रब्धा भव वैदेहि साम्प्रतं मयि वर्तसे ।। ७.४९.
O Sītā, I know you are without sin, by the vision gained through ascetic practice. Be at ease, O Vaidehī, for now you dwell with me.
आश्रमस्याविदूरे मे तापस्यस्तपसि स्थिताः । तास्त्वां वत्से यथा वत्सं पालयिष्यन्ति नित्यशः ।। ७.४९.
Near my hermitage are ascetic women devoted to penance; they will always care for you, child, as a calf is cared for by cows.
इदमर्ध्यं प्रतीच्छ त्वं विस्रब्धा विगतज्वरा । यथा स्वगृहमभ्येत्य विषादं चैव मा कृथाः ।। ७.४९.
Receive this honored gift, free from anxiety and distress; and when you return to your own home, do not let sorrow touch you.
श्रुत्वा तु भाषितं सीता मुनेः परममद्भुतम् । शिरसा ऽ ऽवन्द्य चरणौ तथेत्याह कृताञ्जलिः ।। ७.४९.
Hearing the sage’s most wondrous words, Sītā bowed her head to his feet and, with joined palms, replied, 'So be it.'
तं प्रयान्तं मुनिं सीता प्राञ्जलिः पृष्ठतो ऽन्वगात् ।। ७.४९.
As the sage departed, Sītā, with hands joined in reverence, followed behind him.
तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिमायान्तं वैदेह्या मुनिपत्नयः । उपाजग्मुर्मुदा युक्ता वचनं चेदमब्रुवन् ।। ७.४९.
Seeing the sage approaching with Vaidehī, the wives of the ascetics came forward joyfully and spoke these words.
स्वागतं ते मुनिश्रेष्ठ चिरस्यागमनं च ते । अभिवादयामस्त्वां सर्वा उच्यतां कि च कुर्महे ।। ७.४९.
"Welcome, best of sages! It has been long since your coming. We all offer you our respects—tell us, what shall we do?"
तासां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वाल्मीकिरिदमब्रवीत् । सीतेयं समनुप्राप्ता पत्नी रामस्य धीमतः ।। ७.४९.
Hearing their words, Vālmīki spoke: "This is Sītā, the wife of wise Rāma, who has come here."
स्नुषा दशरथस्यैषा जनकस्य सुता सती । अपापा पतिना त्यक्ता परिपाल्या मया सदा ।। ७.४९.
"She is the daughter-in-law of Daśaratha, the virtuous daughter of Janaka, innocent, abandoned by her husband, and always to be protected by me."
इमां भवन्त्यः(?) पश्यन्तु स्नेहेन परमेण हि । गौरवान्मम वाक्याच्च पूज्या वो ऽस्तु विशेषतः ।। ७.४९.
"Let you all regard her with the highest affection; and, out of respect for my words, let her be especially honored by you."
मुहुर्मुहुश्च वैदेहीं प्रणिधाय महायशाः । स्वमाश्रमं शिष्यवृतः पुनरायान्महातपाः ।। ७.४९.
Again and again, the illustrious sage looked upon Vaidehī, and then, surrounded by his disciples, the great ascetic returned to his own hermitage.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकोनपञ्चाशः सर्गः
Thus ends the forty-ninth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
दृष्ट्वा तु मैथिलीं सीतामाश्रमे सम्प्रवेशिताम् । सन्तापमगमद्घोरं लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः ।। ७.५०.
Seeing Sītā of Mithilā led into the hermitage, Lakṣmaṇa, his mind cast down, was seized by intense anguish.
अब्रवीच्च महातेजाः सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रसारथिम् । सीतासन्तापजं दुःखं पश्य रामस्य सारथे ।। ७.५०.
And the mighty Lakṣmaṇa spoke to Sumantra, the wise charioteer: "O charioteer, see the sorrow that has come to Rāma from Sītā’s grief."
ततो दुःखतरं किं नु राघवस्य भविष्यति । पत्नीं शुद्धसमाचारां विसृज्य जनकात्मजाम् ।। ७.५०.
"What could be more painful for Rāghava than this—having abandoned his blameless wife, the daughter of Janaka?"
व्यक्तं दैवादहं मन्ये राघवस्य विना भवम् । वैदेह्या सारथे नित्यं दैवं हि दुरतिक्रमम् ।। ७.५०.
"Clearly, I think, this is fate for Rāghava, to be without Vaidehī; for fate, O charioteer, is indeed hard to overcome."
यो हि देवान्सगन्धर्वानसुरान्सह राक्षसैः । निहन्याद्राघवः क्रुद्धः स दैवमनुवर्तते ।। ७.५०.
"Even Rāghava, who in his wrath could slay gods, gandharvas, asuras, and rākṣasas together, follows the course of fate."