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.
इदं तु पतितं तस्मात्तव राम वशे स्थिताः । कालस्य वशमापन्नाः स्वल्पं हि नहि नः सुखम् ।। ७.७३.
This has happened, therefore, Rama, we are under your control; having fallen under the sway of time, our happiness is indeed very little.
सम्प्रत्यनाथो विषय इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् । रामं नाथमिहासाद्य बालान्तकरणं ध्रुवम् ।। ७.७३.
Now the realm of the great-souled Ikshvakus is without a protector; having found Rama as the lord here, it is certain that the destruction of children will cease.
राजदोषैर्विपद्यन्ते प्रजा ह्यविधिपालिताः । असद्वृत्ते तु नृपतावकाले म्रियते जनः ।। ७.७३.
Subjects perish due to the faults of the king when not governed by proper law; when the ruler behaves unrighteously, people die in his time.
यद्वा पुरेष्वयुक्तानि जना जनपदेषु च । कुर्वते न च रक्षा ऽस्ति तदा कालकृतं भयम् ।। ७.७३.
Whenever people in cities and provinces act improperly and there is no protection, then the fear caused by time arises.
सुव्यक्तं राजदोषो हि भविष्यति न संशयः । पुरे जनपदे चापि ततो बालवधो ह्ययम् ।। ७.७३.
It is clear that the king's fault will be the cause, there is no doubt; in city and province, therefore, this killing of a child has occurred.
एवं बहुविधैर्वाक्यैरुपरुध्य मुहुर्मुहुः । राजानं दुःखसन्तप्तः सुतं तमुपगूहते ।। ७.७३.
Thus, repeatedly restraining the king with many kinds of words, the grief-stricken man embraces his son.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे त्रिसप्ततितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the seventy-third chapter of the glorious Uttarakanda in the venerable, sage-authored Ramayana of Valmiki.
तथा तु करुणं तस्य द्विजस्य परिदेवनम् । शुश्राव राघवः सर्वं दुःखशोकसमन्वितम् ।। ७.७४.
Raghava heard all the sorrowful lamentation of the Brahmin, full of pain and grief.
स दुःखेन च सन्तप्तो मन्त्रिणस्तानुपाह्वयत् । वसिष्ठं वामदेवं च भ्रातरौ सह नैगमान् ।। ७.७४.
Afflicted with sorrow, he summoned his counselors—Vasishtha, Vamadeva, his brothers, and the citizens.
ततो द्विजा वसिष्ठेन सार्धमष्टौ प्रवेशिताः । राजानं देवसङ्काशं वर्धस्वेति ततो ऽब्रुवन् ।। ७.७४.
Then, eight Brahmins entered together with Vasishtha; they addressed the king, radiant like a god, saying, 'May you prosper.'