ततो द्वादशमे वर्षे शत्रघ्नो रामपालिताम् । अयोध्यां चकमे गन्तुमल्पभृत्यबलानुगः ।। ७.७१.
Then, in the twelfth year, Shatrughna, accompanied by a small retinue and force, desired to go to Ayodhya, ruled by Rama.
ततो मन्त्रिपुरोगांश्च बलमुख्यान्निवर्त्य च । जगाम हयमुख्यैश्च रथानां च शतेन सः ।। ७.७१.
Then, after sending back his chief ministers and leading warriors, he departed with the best horses and a hundred chariots.
स गत्वा गणितान्वासान्सप्ताष्टौ रघुनन्दनः । वाल्मीक्याश्रममागत्य वासं चक्रे महायशाः ।। ७.७१.
Having traveled and spent seven or eight nights on the way, the illustrious descendant of Raghu arrived at Valmiki’s hermitage and stayed there.
सो ऽभिवाद्य ततः पादौ वाल्मीकेः पुरुषर्षभः । पाद्यमर्ध्यं तथातिथ्यं जग्राह मुनिहस्ततः ।। ७.७१.
Then, the foremost among men, having bowed to Vālmīki and touched his feet, received water for washing the feet and the honored offerings of hospitality from the sage’s hand.
बहुरूपाः सुमधुराः कथास्तत्र सहस्रशः । कथयामास स मुनिः शत्रुघ्नाय महात्मने ।। ७.७१.
There, the sage recounted to the great-souled Śatrughna thousands of stories, diverse in form and exceedingly sweet.
उवाच च मुनिर्वाक्यं लवणस्य वधाश्रितम् । सुदुष्करं कृतं कर्म लवणं निघ्नता त्वया ।। ७.७१.
And the sage spoke words concerning the slaying of Lavaṇa: 'A most difficult deed was accomplished by you in killing Lavaṇa.'
बहवः पार्थिवाः सौम्य हताः सबलवाहनाः । लवणेन महाबाहो युध्यमाना महाबलाः ।। ७.७१.
Many kings, O gentle one, powerful and mighty, along with their armies and vehicles, were slain by Lavaṇa in battle.
स त्वया निहतः पापो लीलया पुरुषर्षभ । जगतश्च भयं तत्र प्रशान्तं तव तेजसा ।। ७.७१.
But that wicked one was slain by you with ease, O foremost among men; and the terror in the world was calmed by your brilliance.
रावणस्य वधो घोरो यत्नेन महता कृतः । इदं तु सुमहत्कर्म त्वया कृतमयत्नतः ।। ७.७१.
The dreadful slaying of Rāvaṇa was accomplished with great effort; but this exceedingly great deed was done by you without exertion.
प्रीतिश्चास्मिन्परा जाता देवानां लवणे हते । भूतानां चैव सर्वेषां जगतश्च प्रियं कृतम् ।। ७.७१.
Great joy arose among the gods when Lavaṇa was slain; and for all beings, as well as the world, you have done what is dear.
तच्च युद्धं मया दृष्टं यथावत्पुरुषर्षभ । सभायां वासवस्याथ उपविष्टेन राघव ।। ७.७१.
That battle, O foremost among men, I witnessed as it truly happened, while seated in the assembly of Indra, O descendant of Raghu.
ममापि परमा प्रीतिर्हृदि शत्रुघ्न वर्तते । उपाघ्रास्यामि ते मूर्ध्नि स्नेहस्यैषा परा गतिः ।। ७.७१.
Śatrughna, even in my heart, there is supreme affection for you; I will smell your head—this is the highest expression of love.
इत्युक्त्वा मूर्ध्नि शत्रुघ्नमुपाघ्राय महामुनिः । आतिथ्यमकरोत्तस्य ये च तस्य पदानुगाः ।। ७.७१.
Having spoken thus, the great sage smelled Śatrughna’s head, and extended hospitality to him and to all those who followed at his feet.
स भुक्तवान्नरश्रेष्ठो गीतमाधुर्यमुत्तमम् । शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन्काले यथाकृमम् ।। ७.७१.
Having eaten, the best among men listened to the supreme sweetness of song—the story of Rāma, recited in proper order at that time.
तन्त्रीलयसमायुक्तं त्रिस्थानकरणान्वितम् । संस्कृतं लक्षणोपेतं समतालसमन्वितम् । शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन्काले पुरा कृतम् ।। ७.७१.
He listened to the story of Rāma, composed long ago, accompanied by the harmony of strings and rhythm, performed with the threefold technique, refined and marked by proper features, and blended with equal measure of melody.
तान्यक्षराणि सत्यानि यथावृत्तानि पूर्वशः । श्रुत्वा पुरुषशार्दूलो विसञ्ज्ञो बाष्पलोचनः ।। ७.७१.
Hearing those words, true and as they had happened in the past, the tiger among men became bewildered, his eyes filled with tears.
स मुहूर्तमिवासञ्ज्ञो विनिःश्वस्य मुहुर्मुहुः । तस्मिन् गीते यथावृत्तं वर्तमानमिवाशृणोत् ।। ७.७१.
For a moment he was insensible, sighing again and again; in that song, he heard events as if they were presently unfolding.
पदानुगाश्च ये राज्ञस्तां श्रुत्वा गीतिसम्पदम् । अवाङ्मुखाश्च दीनाश्च ह्याश्चर्यमिति चाब्रुवन् ।। ७.७१.
Those who followed the king, upon hearing the excellence of the song, became downcast and distressed, and said, 'This is astonishing.'
परस्परं च ये तत्र सैनिकाः सम्बभाषिरे । किमिदं क्व च वर्तामः किमेतत्स्वप्नदर्शनम् ।। ७.७१.
And the soldiers there spoke among themselves: 'What is this? Where are we? Is this a vision seen in a dream?'
अर्थो यो नः पुरा दृष्टस्तमाश्रमपदे पुनः । शृणुमः किमिदं स्वप्नो गीतबन्धं श्रियो भवेत् ।। ७.७१.
'The meaning we once saw, we now hear again in this hermitage; is this a dream? Could the binding of song bring us prosperity?'
विस्मयं ते परं गत्वा शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रुवन् । साधु पृच्छ नरश्रेष्ठ वाल्मीकिं मुनिपुङ्गवम् ।। ७.७१.
Filled with great wonder, they said to Śatrughna: 'O best among men, ask Vālmīki, the foremost of sages.'
शत्रुघ्नस्त्वब्रवीत्सर्वान्कौतूहलसमन्वितान् । सैनिका न क्षमो ऽस्माकं परिप्रष्टुमिहेदृशः ।। ७.७१.
Śatrughna spoke to all, who were filled with curiosity: 'Soldiers, it is not proper for us to question here in this manner.'
आश्चर्याणि बहूनीह भवन्त्यस्याश्रमे मुनेः । न तु कौतूहलाद्युक्तमन्वेष्टुं तं महामुनिम् ।। ७.७१.
Many wonders occur here in the sage's hermitage; but it is not fitting, out of curiosity, to investigate that great sage.
एवं तद्वाक्यमुक्त्वा च सैनिकान्रघुनन्दनः । अभिवाद्य महर्षिं तं स्वं निवेशं ययौ तदा ।। ७.७१.
Thus, having spoken these words to the soldiers, the descendant of Raghu, after saluting the great sage, then went to his own camp.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकसप्ततिमः सर्गः
Thus ends the seventy-first sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the venerable Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, the first epic.
तं शयानं नरव्याघ्रं निद्रा नाभ्यागमत्तदा । चिन्तयन्तमनेकार्थं रामगीतमनुत्तमम् ।। ७.७२.
Sleep did not come to him, the tiger among men, as he lay there, contemplating many meanings of the supreme song of Rāma.
तस्य शब्दं सुमधुरं तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितम् । श्रुत्वा रात्रिर्जगामाशु शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः ।। ७.७२.
Hearing that exceedingly sweet sound, accompanied by the rhythm of strings, the night swiftly passed for the great-souled Śatrughna.
तस्यां निशायां व्युष्टायां कृत्वा पौर्वाह्णिकं क्रमम् । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नो मुनिपुङ्गवम् ।। ७.७२.
When that night had passed, after performing the morning rites, Śatrughna, with joined palms, spoke to the foremost of sages.
भगवन्द्रष्टुमिच्छामि राघवं रघुनन्दनम् । त्वया ऽनुज्ञातुमिच्छामि सहैभिः संशितव्रतैः ।। ७.७२.
'Revered one, I wish to see Rāghava, the delight of the Raghu line. I seek your permission to go, together with these devoted ascetics.'
इत्येवंवादिनं तं तु शत्रुघ्नं शत्रुतापनम् । वाल्मीकिः सम्परिष्वज्य विससर्ज च राघवम् ।। ७.७२.
To Śatrughna, who spoke thus, the tormentor of foes, Vālmīki embraced him and gave leave to depart for Rāghava.