स तथोक्त्वा मुनिजनमरजामिदमब्रवीत् । इहैव वस दुर्मेधे आश्रमे सुसमाहिता ।। ७.८१.
Having spoken thus, he addressed the ascetics, saying, 'Remain here, O wicked-minded one, in the hermitage with full concentration.'
इदं योजनपर्यन्तं सरः सुरुचिरप्रभम् । अरजे विज्वरा भुङ्क्ष्व कालश्चात्र प्रतीक्ष्यताम् ।। ७.८१.
This lake, extending a yojana, is beautiful and radiant; dwell here, free from dust and fever, and await the appointed time.
त्वत्समीपे च ये सत्त्वा वासमेष्यन्ति तां निशाम् । अवध्याः पांसुवर्षेण ते भविष्यन्ति नित्यदा ।। ७.८१.
Those beings who come to dwell near you during that night will always be spared from the rain of dust.
श्रुत्वा नियोगं ब्रह्मर्षेः सा ऽरजा भार्गवी तदा । तथेति पितरं प्राह भार्गवं भृशदुःखिता । इत्युक्त्वा भार्गवो वासमन्यत्र समकारयत् ।। ७.८१.
Hearing the command of the Brahmarshi, that dust-free Bhargavi, greatly distressed, said to her father, Bhargava, 'So be it.' Having spoken, Bhargava arranged his dwelling elsewhere.
तच्च राज्यं नरेन्द्रस्य सभृत्यबलवाहनम् । सप्ताहाद्भस्मसाद्भूतं यथोक्तं ब्रह्मवादिना ।। ७.८१.
That kingdom of the king, along with his servants, army, and vehicles, became ashes in seven days, just as foretold by the speaker of Brahman.
तस्यासौ दण्डविषयो विन्ध्यशैवलयोर्नृप । शप्तो ब्रह्मर्षिणा तेन वैधर्म्ये सहिते कृते ।। ७.८१.
That territory of Danda, between the Vindhya and Shaiva mountains, was cursed by the Brahmarshi because of the unrighteous act committed there.
ततः प्रभृति काकुत्स्थ दण्डकारण्यमुच्यते । तपस्विनः स्थिता ह्यत्र जनस्थानमतो ऽभवत् ।। ७.८१.
From that time onward, O Kakutstha, it is called Dandaka forest; ascetics dwell here, and thus it became known as Janasthana.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां पृच्छसि राघव । सन्ध्यामुपासितुं वीर समयो ह्यतिवर्तते ।। ७.८१.
All this has been told to you, O Raghava, as you asked me; the time for worshipping the twilight is passing, O hero.
एते महर्षयः सर्वे पूर्णकुम्भाः समन्ततः । कृतोदका नरव्याघ्र आदित्यं पर्युपासते ।। ७.८१.
All these great sages, with full water pots all around, having performed their ablutions, O tiger among men, are worshipping the sun.
स तैर्ब्राह्मणमभ्यस्तं सहितैर्ब्रह्मवित्तमैः । रविरस्तं गतो राम गच्छोदकमुपस्पृश ।। ७.८१.
The sun, practiced by those Brahmins together with the best knowers of Brahman, has set, O Rama; go and touch water for purification.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकाशीतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the eighty-first sarga in the glorious Uttarakanda of the venerable Ramayana, the ancient poem of Valmiki.
ऋषेर्वचनमाज्ञाय रामः सन्ध्यामुपासितुम् । उपाक्रमत्सरः पुण्यमप्सरोगणसेवितम् ।। ७.८२.
Having understood the sage's words, Rāma went to perform the evening worship at a sacred lake attended by hosts of apsarases.
तत्रोदकमुपस्पृश्य सन्ध्यामन्वास्य पश्चिमाम् । आश्रमं प्राविशद्रामः कुम्भयोनेर्महात्मनः ।। ७.८२.
There, after touching the water and completing the evening twilight rites, Rāma entered the hermitage of the great-souled son of the pot.
तस्यागस्त्यो बहुगुणं कन्दमूलं तथौषधिम् । शाल्यादीनि पवित्राणि भोजनार्थमकल्पयत् ।। ७.८२.
Agastya prepared for him many kinds of roots, tubers, medicinal herbs, and pure grains such as rice, for the purpose of a meal.
स भुक्तवान्नरश्रेष्ठस्तदन्नममृतोपमम् । प्रीतश्च परितुष्टश्च तां रात्रिं समुपाविशत् ।। ७.८२.
That best of men ate that food, which was like nectar, and, pleased and satisfied, he spent the night there.
प्रभाते काल्यमुत्थाय कृत्वा ऽ ऽह्निकमरिन्दमः । ऋषिं समुपचक्राम गमनाय रघूत्तमः ।। ७.८२.
At dawn, rising early and performing his daily rites, the subduer of enemies, the best of the Raghu line, approached the sage to take his leave.
अभिवाद्याब्रवीद्रामो महर्षिं कुम्भसम्भवम् । आपृच्छे स्वां पुरीं गन्तुं मामनुज्ञातुमर्हसि ।। ७.८२.
Having bowed, Rāma spoke to the great sage born from the pot: 'I seek your permission to return to my own city.'
धन्यो ऽस्म्यनुगृहीतो ऽस्मि दर्शनेन महात्मनः । द्रष्टुं चैवागमिष्यामि पावनार्थमिहात्मनः ।। ७.८२.
'I am blessed and favored by the sight of the great-souled one; I will come again to see you, for my own purification.'
तथा वदति काकुत्स्थे वाक्यमद्भुतदर्शनम् । उवाच परमप्रीतो धर्मनेत्रस्तपोधनः ।। ७.८२.
As Kākutstha spoke thus, words of wondrous import, the sage, rich in asceticism and guided by righteousness, replied with great delight.
अत्यद्भुतमिदं वाक्यं तव राम शुभाक्षरम् । पावनः सर्वभूतानां त्वमेव रघुनन्दन ।। ७.८२.
'This speech of yours, Rāma, is truly wondrous and auspicious; you alone, O joy of the Raghus, are the purifier of all beings.'
मुहूर्तमपि राम त्वां ये च पश्यन्ति केचन । पाविताः स्वर्गभूताश्च पूज्यास्ते सर्वदैवतैः ।। ७.८२.
'Even those who see you, Rāma, for a moment, are purified, become fit for heaven, and are always honored by the gods.'
ये च त्वां घोरचक्षुर्भिः पश्यन्ति प्राणिनो भुवि । हतास्ते यमदण्डेन सद्यो निरयगामिनः ।। ७.८२.
'And those creatures on earth who look upon you with hostile eyes are immediately struck down by Yama's rod and go to hell.'
ईदृशस्त्वं रघुश्रेष्ठ पावनः सर्वदेहिनाम् । भुवि त्वां कथयन्तो ऽपि सिद्धिमेष्यन्ति राघव ।। ७.८२.
'Such are you, best of the Raghus, purifier of all embodied beings; even those who speak of you on earth, O Rāghava, will attain success.'
गच्छ चारिष्टमव्याग्रः पन्थानमकुतोभयम् । प्रशाधि राज्यं धर्मेण गतिर्हि जगतो भवान् ।। ७.८२.
'Go, free from obstacles and without fear, along a safe path; rule your kingdom with righteousness, for you are the refuge of the world.'
एवमुक्तस्तु मुनिना प्राञ्जलिः प्रग्रहो नृपः । अभ्यवादयत प्राज्ञस्तमृषिं पुण्यशालिनम् ।। ७.८२.
Thus addressed by the sage, the wise king, with joined palms, respectfully saluted that virtuous seer.
अभिवाद्य मुनिश्रेष्ठं तांश्च सर्वांस्तपोधनान् । अध्यारोहत्तदव्यग्रः पुष्पकं हेमभूषितम् ।। ७.८२.
Having bowed to the best of sages and to all the ascetics, he calmly ascended the Puṣpaka, adorned with gold.
तं प्रयान्तं मुनिगणा ह्याशीर्वादैः समन्ततः । अपूजयन्महेन्द्राभं सहस्राक्षमिवामराः ।। ७.८२.
As he departed, the groups of sages honored him from all sides with blessings, like the immortals worshipping Indra of a thousand eyes.
स्वस्थः स ददृशे रामः पुष्पके हेमभूषिते । शशी मेघसमीपस्थो यथा जलधरागमे ।। ७.८२.
Seated at ease in the golden Puṣpaka, Rāma appeared like the moon near a cloud at the coming of the rainy season.
ततो ऽर्धदिवसे प्राप्ते पूज्यमानस्ततस्ततः । अयोध्यां प्राप्य काकुत्स्थो मध्यकक्ष्यामवारुहत् ।। ७.८२.
Then, when half the day had passed, being honored along the way, Kākutstha reached Ayodhyā and descended into the central courtyard.
ततो विसृज्य रुचिरं पुष्पकं कामगामि तत् । विसर्जयित्वा गच्छेति स्वस्ति ते ऽस्त्विति च प्रभुः ।। ७.८२.
Then, having dismissed the splendid, wish-fulfilling Puṣpaka chariot, the lord released it, saying, 'Go, and may you fare well.'