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."
पुरा रामः पितुर्वाक्याद्दण्डके विजने वने । उषित्वा नव वर्षाणि पञ्च चैव महावने ।। ७.५०.
"Long ago, at his father’s command, Rāma dwelt in the lonely Daṇḍaka forest for fourteen years."
ततो दुःखतरं भूयः सीताया विप्रवासनम् । पौराणां वचनं श्रुत्वा नृशंसं प्रतिभाति मे ।। ७.५०.
Then, the exile of Sita, which is even more painful, seems cruel to me after hearing the words of the citizens.
को नु धर्माश्रयः सूत कर्मण्यस्मिन्यशोहरे । मैथिलीं प्रतिसम्प्राप्तः पौरैर्हीनार्थवादिभिः ।। ७.५०.
O charioteer, what righteousness is there in this act, so disgraceful, which has come about for Maithili because of the citizens, who speak without true reason?
एता वाचो बहुविधाः श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणभाषिताः । सुमन्त्रः श्रद्धया प्राज्ञो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.५०.
Hearing these many words spoken by Lakshmana, Sumantra, wise and faithful, spoke this reply.
न सन्तापस्त्वया कार्यः सौमित्रे मैथिलीं प्रति । दृष्टमेतत्पुरा विप्रैः पितुस्ते लक्ष्मणाग्रतः ।। ७.५०.
Do not grieve, Saumitri, regarding Maithili; this was seen before by the sages, in your father's presence, O Lakshmana.
भविष्यति दृढं रामो दुःखप्रायो ऽपि सौख्यभाक् । प्राप्स्यते च महाबाहुर्विप्रयोगं प्रियैर्ध्रुवम् ।। ७.५०.
Rama will certainly remain steadfast, though afflicted by sorrow, yet he will attain happiness; and surely, the mighty-armed one will experience separation from his loved ones.
त्वां चैव मैथिलीं चैव शत्रुघ्नभरतावुभौ । सन्त्यजिष्यति धर्मात्मा कालेन महता महान् ।। ७.५०.
He, the great and righteous one, will in time abandon you, Maithili, and both Shatrughna and Bharata as well.
इदं त्वयि न वक्तव्यं सौमित्रे भरते ऽपि वा । राज्ञा वो व्याहृतं वाक्यं दुर्वासा यदुवाच ह ।। ७.५०.
But this must not be spoken by you, Saumitri, nor by Bharata; the king spoke these words, which Durvasa also uttered.
महाजनसमीपे च मम चैव नरर्षभ । ऋषिणा व्याहृतं वाक्यं वसिष्ठस्य च सन्निधौ ।। ७.५०.
In the presence of the great assembly and myself, O best of men, the sage spoke these words also before Vasistha.
ऋषेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा मामाह पुरुषर्षभः । सूत न क्वचिदेवं ते वक्तव्यं जनसन्निधौ ।। ७.५०.
Hearing the sage's words, the best of men said to me: 'O charioteer, never speak of this in the presence of people.'
तस्याहं लोकपालस्य वाक्यं तत्सुसमाहितः । नैव जात्वनृतं कार्यमिति मे सौम्य दर्शनम् ।। ७.५०.
I, being fully attentive, have always held the word of that lord of the world as not to be made false, O gentle one, such is my view.
सर्वथैव न वक्तव्यं मया सौम्य तवाग्रतः । यदि ते श्रवणे श्रद्धा श्रूयतां रघुनन्दन ।। ७.५०.
In any case, I should not speak of this before you, Saumitri; but if you have faith in hearing, listen, O descendant of Raghu.
यद्यप्यहं नरेन्द्रेण रहस्यं श्रावितः पुरा । तथाप्युदाहरिष्यामि दैवं हि दुरतिक्रमम् ।। ७.५०.
Although I was once told this secret by the king, still I will recount it, for fate is indeed inescapable.
येनेदमीदृशं प्राप्तं दुःखं शोकसमन्वितम् । न त्वया भरते वाच्यं शत्रुघ्नस्यापि सन्निधौ ।। ७.५०.
By whom this sorrowful and painful event has come to pass—yet you must not speak of it to Bharata or in the presence of Shatrughna.
तच्छ्रुत्वा भाषितं तस्य गम्भीरार्थपदं महत् । तथ्यं ब्रूहीति सौमित्रिः सूतं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ।। ७.५०.
Hearing his deep and weighty words, Saumitri then said to the charioteer: 'Speak the truth.'
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चाशः सर्गः
Thus ends the fiftieth sarga in the glorious Uttarakanda of the ancient and revered Ramayana, composed by the sage Valmiki.
तथा सञ्चोदितः सूतो लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना । तद्वाक्यमृषिणा प्रोक्तं व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। ७.५१.
Thus urged by the great-souled Lakshmana, the charioteer began to recount the words spoken by the sage.
पुरा नाम्ना हि दुर्वासा अत्रेः पुत्रो महामुनिः । वसिष्ठस्याश्रमे पुण्ये वार्षिक्यं समुवास ह ।। ७.५१.
Long ago, Durvasa by name, the great sage and son of Atri, stayed for the rainy season at Vasistha's holy hermitage.
तमाश्रमं महातेजाः पिता ते सुमहायशाः । पुरोहितं महात्मानं दिदृक्षुरगमस्त्वयम् ।। ७.५१.
To that hermitage, your father—of great splendor and immense fame—came, wishing to see the great-souled priest.
स दृष्ट्वा सूर्यसङ्काशं ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा । उपविष्टं वसिष्ठस्य सव्यपार्श्वे महामुनिम् ।। ७.५१.
He saw the great sage, radiant like the sun and blazing with energy, seated at the left side of Vasiṣṭha.