यथा ऽहं राघवादन्यं मनसापि न चिन्तये । तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ।। ७.९७.
As I do not even think of any other than Rāghava in my heart, so may the goddess Mādhavī grant me a passage.
मनसा कर्मणा वाचा यथा रामं समर्चये । तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ।। ७.९७.
As I honor Rāma in mind, deed, and word, so may the goddess Mādhavī grant me a passage.
यथैतत्सत्यमुक्तं मे वेद्मि रामात्परं न च । तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ।। ७.९७.
As what I have spoken is true, and I know none beyond Rāma, so may the goddess Mādhavī grant me a passage.
तथा शपन्त्यां वैदेह्यां प्रादुरासीत्तदद्भुतम् । भूतलादुत्थितं दिव्यं सिंहासनमनुत्तमम् ।। ७.९७.
As Vaidehī uttered her oath, a wondrous and extraordinary thing appeared—a divine, unsurpassed throne arose from the earth.
ध्रियमाणं शिरोभिस्तु नागैरमितविक्रमैः । दिव्यं दिव्येन वपुषा दिव्यरत्नविभूषितैः ।। ७.९७.
It was borne upon their heads by Nāgas of immeasurable might, divine in form and adorned with celestial jewels.
तस्मिंस्तु धरणी देवी बाहुभ्यां गृह्य मैथिलीम् । स्वागतेनाभिनन्द्यैनामासने चोपवेशयत् ।। ७.९७.
Then the goddess Earth, taking Maithilī by the arms, welcomed her and seated her upon the throne.
तामासनगतां दृष्ट्वा प्रविशन्तीं रसातलम् । पुष्पवृष्टिरविच्छिन्ना दिव्या सीतामवाकिरत् ।। ७.९७.
As she sat upon the throne and entered the netherworld, an unbroken shower of divine flowers rained down upon Sītā.
साधुकारश्च सुमहान्देवानां सहसोत्थितः । साधु साध्विति वै सीते यस्यास्ते शीलमीदृशम् ।। ७.९७.
A great cry of approval suddenly arose from the gods: ‘Well done, well done, O Sītā, whose character is thus!’
एवं बहुविधा वाचो ह्यन्तरिक्षगताः सुराः । व्याजह्रुर्हृष्टमनसो दृष्ट्वा सीताप्रवेशनम् ।। ७.९७.
Thus, many voices of the gods in the sky, their hearts gladdened, spoke out upon witnessing Sītā’s entry.
यज्ञवाटगताश्चापि मुनयः सर्व एव ते । राजानश्च नरव्याघ्रा विस्मयान्नोपरेमिरे ।। ७.९७.
And all the sages who had come to the sacrificial ground, as well as the kings, O tiger among men, were so astonished that they could not move.
अन्तरिक्षे च भूमौ च सर्वे स्थावरजङ्गमाः । दानवाश्च महाकायाः पाताले पन्नगाधिपाः ।। ७.९७.
All beings, both immobile and mobile, in the sky and on earth, the mighty-bodied demons, and the serpent lords in the netherworld,
केचिद्विनेदुः संहृष्टाः केचिद्ध्यानपरायणाः । केचिद्रामं निरीक्षन्ते केचित्सीतामचेतनाः ।। ७.९७.
Some rejoiced and sang out, some were absorbed in meditation, some gazed at Rama, and some were stunned, looking at Sita.
सीताप्रवेशनं दृष्ट्वा तेषामासीत्समागमः । तन्मुहूर्तमिवात्यर्थं समं सम्मोहितं जगत् ।। ७.९७.
Witnessing Sita’s entry, they all gathered together; for that moment, the entire world was utterly bewildered.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे सप्तनवतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the ninety-seventh chapter in the glorious Uttarakanda of the venerable Ramayana, the first epic composed by the sage Valmiki.
रसातलं प्रविष्टायां वैदेह्यां सर्ववानराः । चुक्रुशुः साधु साध्वीति मुनयो रामसन्निधौ ।। ७.९८.
When Vaidehi entered the netherworld, all the monkeys cried out, 'Well done, well done!' and the sages, in Rama’s presence, did likewise.
दण्डकाष्ठमवष्टभ्य बाष्पव्याकुलितेक्षणः । अवाक्छिरा दीनमना रामो ह्यासीत्सुदुःखितः ।। ७.९८.
Clutching a staff, his eyes clouded with tears, head bowed, and mind dejected, Rama sat in great sorrow.
स रुदित्वा चिरं कालं बहुशो बाष्पमुत्सृजन् । क्रोधशोकसमाविष्टो रामो वचनमब्रवीत् ।। ७.९८.
He wept for a long time, shedding many tears, and overwhelmed by anger and grief, Rama spoke these words:
अभूतपूर्वं शोकं मे मनः स्प्रष्टुमिवेच्छति । पश्यतो मे यथा नष्टा सीता श्रीरिव रूपिणी ।। ७.९८.
An unprecedented sorrow seems to touch my mind, as I see Sita lost before me, like fortune itself vanishing.
सा ऽदर्शनं पुरा सीता लङ्कापारे महोदधेः । ततश्चापि मयानीता किं पुनर्वसुधातलात् ।। ७.९८.
Once, Sita was hidden from sight across the great ocean in Lanka; then I brought her back—how could she now vanish from the earth?
वसुधे देवि भवति सीता निर्यात्यतां मम । दर्शयिष्यामि वा रोषं यथा मामवगच्छसि ।। ७.९८.
O goddess Earth, let Sita return to me, or I will show you my wrath so you may understand who I am.
कामं श्वश्रूर्ममैव त्वं त्वत्सकाशाद्धि मैथिली । कर्षता हलहस्तेन जनकेनोद्धृता पुरा ।। ७.९८.
Indeed, you are my mother-in-law, for Maithili was drawn out from you by Janaka, wielding the plough.
तस्मान्निर्यात्यतां सीता विवरं वा प्रयच्छ मे । पाताले नाकपृष्ठे वा वसेयं सहितस्तया ।। ७.९८.
Therefore, let Sita come forth, or grant me a passage; I will dwell with her in the netherworld or in heaven.
आनय त्वं हि तां सीतां मत्तो ऽहं मैथिलीकृते । न मे दास्यसि चेत्सीतां यथारूपां महीतले ।। ७.९८.
Bring Sita to me, for I am devoted to Maithili; if you do not give me Sita as she was upon the earth,
सपर्वतवनां कृत्स्नां विधमिष्यामि ते स्थितम् । नाशयिष्याम्यहं भूमिं सर्वमापो भवत्विह ।। ७.९८.
I will destroy all that stands upon you, mountains and forests alike; I will annihilate the earth, and let everything become water here.
एवं ब्रुवाणे काकुत्स्थे क्रोधशोकसमन्विते । ब्रह्मा सुरगणैः सार्धमुवाच रघुनन्दनम् ।। ७.९८.
As Kakutstha spoke thus, filled with anger and grief, Brahma, together with the hosts of gods, addressed the descendant of Raghu:
राम राम न सन्तापं कर्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत । स्मर त्वं पूर्वकं भावं मन्त्रं चामित्रकर्शन ।। ७.९८.
Rama, Rama, you should not grieve, O virtuous one; recall your former nature and the mantra, O destroyer of enemies.
न खलु त्वां महाबाहो स्मारयेयमनुत्तमम् । इमं मुहूर्तं दुर्धर्ष स्मर त्वं जन्म वैष्णवम् ।। ७.९८.
Indeed, O mighty-armed one, I would not remind you of this supreme truth, but for this moment, O invincible one, remember your Vaishnava birth.
सीता हि विमला साध्वी तव पूर्वपरायणा । नागलोकं सुखं प्रायात्त्वदाश्रयतपोबलात् ।। ७.९८.
Sītā, pure and virtuous, devoted to you from the beginning, happily attained the realm of the nāgas by the power of asceticism gained through her reliance on you.
स्वर्गे ते सङ्गमो भूयो भविष्यति न संशयः । अस्यास्तु परिषन्मध्ये यद्ब्रवीमि निबोध तत् ।। ७.९८.
There will again be union with her in heaven, without doubt; now listen carefully to what I say in the midst of this assembly.
एतदेव हि काव्यं ते काव्यानामुत्तमं श्रुतम् । सर्वं विस्तरतो राम व्याख्यास्यति न संशयः ।। ७.९८.
This is indeed the poem for you, the foremost among poems, which has been heard; Rāma will explain everything in detail, without doubt.