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.
सो ऽभिवाद्य मुनिश्रेष्ठं रथमारुह्य सुप्रभम् । अयोध्यामगमत्तूर्णं राघवोत्सुकदर्शनः ।। ७.७२.
He saluted the eminent sage, mounted his splendid chariot, and hastened to Ayodhyā, eager to see Rāghava.
स प्रविष्टः पुरीं रम्यां श्रीमानिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । प्रविवेश महाबाहुर्यत्र रामो महाद्युतिः ।। ७.७२.
That glorious descendant of Ikṣvāku entered the delightful city, and the mighty-armed one went to where Rāma, of great splendor, was.
स रामं मन्त्रिमध्यस्थं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम् । पश्यन्नमरमध्यस्थं सहस्रनयनं यथा ।। ७.७२.
He saw Rāma, seated among counselors, his face resembling the full moon, surrounded by immortals, like the thousand-eyed one.
सो ऽभिवाद्य महात्मानं ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् ।। ७.७२.
He saluted the great-souled one, radiant as if blazing with energy, and, with joined palms, spoke words to Rāma, whose valor was true.
यदाज्ञप्तं महाराज सर्वं तत्कृतवानहम् । हतः स लवणः पापः पुरी चास्य निवेशिता ।। ७.७२.
'O great king, all that you commanded I have accomplished. That wicked Lavaṇa has been slain, and his city has been established.'
द्वादशैते गता वर्षास्त्वां विना रघुनन्दन । नोत्सहेयमहं वस्तुं त्वया विरहितो नृप ।। ७.७२.
'Twelve years have passed, O delight of the Raghu line, since I have been without you. I cannot endure to dwell apart from you, O king.'
स मे प्रसादं काकुत्स्थ कुरुष्वामितविक्रम । मातृहीनो यथा वत्सो न चिरं प्रवसाम्यहम् ।। ७.७२.
'Show me your favor, O Kakutstha, of immeasurable prowess. Like a calf without its mother, I cannot remain long away.'
एवं ब्रुवाणं शत्रुघ्नं परिष्वज्येदमब्रवीत् । मा विषादं कृथाः शूर नैतत्क्षत्रियचेष्टितम् ।। ७.७२.
To Śatrughna, who spoke thus, he embraced and said: 'Do not grieve, O hero; such conduct is not fitting for a kṣatriya.'
नावसीदन्ति राजानो विप्रवासेषु राघव । प्रजा नः परिपाल्या हि क्षत्रधर्मेण राघव ।। ७.७२.
'Kings do not lose heart in exile, O Rāghava. Our people must be protected, O Rāghava, according to the duty of kṣatriyas.'
काले काले तु मां वीर अयोध्यामवलोकितुम् । आगच्छ त्वं नरश्रेष्ठ गन्तासि च पुरं तव ।। ७.७२.
From time to time, O hero, come to Ayodhya to see me, O best of men, and then you may return to your own city.