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.
ममापि त्वं सुदयितः प्राणैरपि न संशयः । अवश्यं करणीयं च राज्यस्य परिपालनम् ।। ७.७२.
You are indeed most dear to me, more than life itself, without doubt; yet the protection of the kingdom must certainly be carried out.
तस्मात्त्वं वस काकुत्स्थ सप्तरात्रमिहावस । ऊर्ध्वं गन्तासि मधुरां सभृत्यबलवाहनः ।। ७.७२.
Therefore, O descendant of Kakutstha, stay here for seven nights; afterwards, you will go to Madhura with your servants, army, and vehicles.
रामस्यैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा धर्मयुक्तं मनोगतम् । शत्रुघ्नो दीनया वाचा बाढमित्येव चाब्रवीत् ।। ७.७२.
Hearing these words of Rama, filled with righteousness and spoken from the heart, Shatrughna replied in a sorrowful voice, 'So be it.'
सप्तरात्रं च काकुत्स्थो राघवस्य यथाज्ञया । उष्य तत्र महेष्वासो गमनायोपचक्रमे ।। ७.७२.
The descendant of Kakutstha, armed with a great bow, stayed there for seven nights as commanded by Raghava, and then prepared to depart.
आमन्त्र्य तु महात्मानं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् । भरतं लक्ष्मणं चैव महारथमुपारुहत् ।। ७.७२.
Taking leave of the great-souled Rama, whose valor was true, and also of Bharata and Lakshmana, he ascended his great chariot.
दूरमाभ्यामनुगतो लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना । भरतेन च शत्रुघ्नो जगामाशु पुरं ततः ।। ७.७२.
Accompanied for a long distance by the noble Lakshmana and Bharata, Shatrughna then swiftly went to his city.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे द्विसप्ततितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the seventy-second sarga in the glorious Uttarakanda of the ancient and illustrious Ramayana composed by the sage Valmiki.
प्रस्थाप्य तु स शत्रुघ्नं भ्रातृभ्यां सह राघवः । प्रमुमोद सुखी राज्यं धर्मेण परिपालयन् ।। ७.७३.
Having sent Shatrughna off with his brothers, Raghava rejoiced, happily ruling the kingdom in accordance with dharma.
ततः कतिपयाहःसु वृद्धो जानपदो द्विजः । मृतं बालमुपादाय राजद्वारमुपागमत् ।। ७.७३.
Then, after a few days, an aged Brahmin from the countryside, carrying his dead child, came to the gate of the palace.
रुदन्बहुविधा वाचः स्नेहदुःखसमन्विताः । असकृत्पुत्र पुत्रेति वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.७३.
Weeping, uttering many words filled with affection and grief, again and again he cried out, 'My son, my son!'
किं नु मे दुष्कृतं कर्म पुरा देहान्तरे कृतम् । यदहं पुत्रमेकं त्वां पश्यामि निधनं गतम् ।। ७.७३.
What evil deed did I commit in a former life, that now I see you, my only son, gone to death?
अप्राप्तयौवनं बालं पञ्चवर्षसहस्रकम् । अकाले कालमापन्नं मम दुःखाय पुत्रक ।। ७.७३.
My child, not yet come to youth, only five years old, has met his end before his time, bringing me sorrow.
अल्पैरहोभिर्निधनं गमिष्यामि न संशयः । अहं च जननी चैव तव शोकेन पुत्रक ।। ७.७३.
In just a few days, without doubt, I and your mother too will go to death, overcome by grief for you, my son.
न स्मराम्यनृतं ह्युक्तं न च हिंसां स्मराम्यहम् । सर्वेषां प्राणिनां पापं कृतं नैव स्मराम्यहम् ।। ७.७३.
I do not recall ever speaking falsehood, nor do I remember committing violence; I do not remember doing any evil to any living being.
केनाद्य दुष्कृतेनायं बाल एव ममात्मजः । अकृत्वा पितृकार्याणि गतो वैवस्वतक्षयम् ।। ७.७३.
By whose evil act has this child of mine, still a boy, gone to the realm of Yama without performing his duties to his father?
नेदृशं दृष्टपूर्वं मे श्रुतं वा घोरदर्शनम् । मृत्युरप्राप्तकालानां रामस्य विषये यथा ।। ७.७३.
Never before have I seen or heard of such a terrible thing, that in Rama's kingdom, death comes to those whose time has not yet come.
रामस्य दुष्कृतं किञ्चिन्महदस्ति न संशयः । यथा हि विषयस्थानां बालानां मृत्युरागतः ।। ७.७३.
There is surely some great sin committed by Rama, since death has come to children living in his realm.
नह्यन्यविषयस्थानां बालानां मृत्युतो भयम् । त्वं राजञ्जीवयस्वैनं बालं मृत्युवशं गतम् ।। ७.७३.
There is no fear of death for children who are not in forbidden circumstances; O King, revive this child who has fallen under the sway of death.
राजद्वारि मरिष्यामि पत्न्या सार्धमनाथवत् । ब्रह्महत्यां ततो राम समुपेत्य सुखी भव ।। ७.७३.
I shall die at the palace gate, together with my wife, as one without support; then, Rama, having incurred the sin of killing a Brahmin, be happy.
भ्रातृभिः सहितो राजन्दीर्घमायुरवाप्स्यसि । उषिताः स्म सुखं राज्ये तवास्मिन्सुमहाबल ।। ७.७३.
With your brothers, O King, you will obtain long life; we have lived happily in your mighty reign.