एवं विनिश्चयं कृत्वा सम्प्रगृह्य कुशीलवौ । तं जनौघं विसृज्याथ पर्णशालामुपागमत् । तामेव शोचतः सीतां सा व्यतीयाय शर्वरी ।। ७.९८.
Having thus resolved, and taking Kuśa and Lava with him, he dismissed the crowd of people and went to the leaf-hut; as he grieved for Sītā, the night passed.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे ऽष्टनवतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the ninety-eighth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the divine Rāmāyaṇa, the first poem, composed by Vālmīki.
रजन्यां तु प्रभातायां समानीय महामुनीन् । गीयतामविशङ्काभ्यां रामः पुत्रावुवाच ह ।। ७.९९.
When the night had passed and morning had come, Rāma summoned the great sages and spoke to his sons, telling them to sing without hesitation.
ततः समुपविष्टेषु ब्रह्मर्षिषु महात्मसु । भविष्यदुत्तरं काव्यं जगतुस्तौ कुशीलवौ ।। ७.९९.
Then, when the great-souled Brahmarṣis had taken their seats, Kuśa and Lava recited the future Uttara portion of the poem to the assembled world.
प्रविष्टायां तु सीतायां भूतलं सत्यसम्पदा । तस्यावसाने यज्ञस्य रामः परमदुर्मनाः ।। ७.९९.
When Sītā, endowed with truthfulness, had entered the earth, at the conclusion of the sacrifice, Rāma was exceedingly distressed.
अपश्यमानो वैदेहीं मेने शून्यमिदं जगत् । शोकेन परमायस्तो न शान्तिं मनसा ऽगमत् ।। ७.९९.
Not seeing Vaidehī, he regarded the world as empty; overwhelmed by deep sorrow, he found no peace in his mind.
विसृज्य पार्थिवान्सर्वानृक्षवानरराक्षसान् । जनौघं विप्रमुख्यानां वित्तपूर्वं विसृज्य च ।। ७.९९.
He dismissed all the kings, the bears, monkeys, and demons, and the multitude of people, foremost among whom were the learned Brahmins, after giving them wealth.
एवं समाप्य यज्ञं तु विधिवत्स तु राघवः । ततो विसृज्य तान्सर्वान्रामो राजीवलोचनः ।। ७.९९.
Thus, having completed the sacrifice according to the prescribed rites, Rāghava, the lotus-eyed Rāma, then dismissed them all.
हृदि कृत्वा तदा सीतामयोध्यां प्रविवेश ह । इष्टयज्ञो नरपतिः पुत्रद्वयसमन्वितः ।। ७.९९.
Holding Sītā in his heart, the king entered Ayodhyā, having performed the desired sacrifices, accompanied by his two sons.
न सीतायाः परां भार्यां वव्रे स रघुनन्दनः । यज्ञे यज्ञे च पत्न्यर्थं जानकी काञ्चनी भवत् ।। ७.९९.
The descendant of Raghu did not choose any wife other than Sītā; and at each sacrifice, for the sake of a wife, a golden image of Jānakī was made.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि वाजिमेघानथाकरोत् । वाजपेयान्दशगुणांस्तथा बहुसुवर्णकान् ।। ७.९९.
For ten thousand years he performed horse sacrifices, and also ten times as many Vājapeya sacrifices, as well as many with abundant gold.
अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राभ्यां गोसवैश्च महाधनैः । ईजे क्रतुभिरन्यैश्च स श्रीमानाप्तदक्षिणैः ।। ७.९९.
He worshipped with Agniṣṭoma and Atirātra sacrifices, with great wealth in cow-sacrifices, and with other rituals, all with ample gifts.
एवं स कालः सुमहान्राज्यस्थस्य महात्मनः । धर्मे प्रयतमानस्य व्यतीयाद्राघवस्य तु ।। ७.९९.
Thus, a very long time passed for the great-souled Rāghava, who was established in the kingdom and devoted to righteousness.
अनुरञ्जन्ति राजानमहन्यहनि राघवम् । ऋक्षवानररक्षांसि स्थिता रामस्य शासने ।। ७.९९.
Day after day, the bears, monkeys, and demons, remaining under Rāma’s rule, delighted the king Rāghava.
काले वर्षति पर्जन्यः सुभिक्षं विमला दिशः । हृष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णं पुरं जनपदास्तथा ।। ७.९९.
In due season the clouds rained, the directions were clear, and the city and countryside were filled with joyful and prosperous people.
नाकाले म्रियते कश्चिन्न व्याधिः प्राणिनां तथा । नानर्थो विद्यते कश्चिद्रामे राज्यं प्रशासति ।। ७.९९.
No one died before their time, nor did any living being suffer disease; no misfortune was found while Rāma ruled the kingdom.
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य राममाता यशस्विनी । पुत्रपौत्रैः परिवृता कालधर्ममुपागमत् ।। ७.९९.
Then, after a long time, Rāma’s illustrious mother, surrounded by her sons and grandsons, reached the destined end.
अन्वियाय सुमित्रा च कैकेयी च यशस्विनी । धर्मं कृत्वा बहुविधं त्रिदिवे पर्यवस्थिता ।। ७.९९.
Sumitrā and the renowned Kaikeyī also followed, having performed many acts of righteousness, and attained the heavenly realm.
सर्वाः प्रमुदिताः स्वर्गे राज्ञा दशरथेन च । समागता महाभागाः सर्वधर्मं च लेभिरे ।। ७.९९.
All those noble women, together with King Daśaratha, rejoiced in heaven, having attained all virtue.
तासां रामो महादानं काले काले प्रयच्छति । मातऽणामविशेषेण ब्राह्मणेषु तपस्विषु ।। ७.९९.
Rāma gave great gifts to the ascetics and Brahmins, especially on behalf of his mothers, at the proper times.
पित्र्याणि ब्रह्मरत्नानि यज्ञान्परमदुस्तरान् । चकार रामो धर्मात्मा पितऽन्देवान्विवर्धयन् ।। ७.९९.
Rāma, righteous-souled, performed ancestral rites, difficult sacrifices, and honored the gods and his ancestors.
एवं वर्षसहस्राणि बहून्यथ ययुः सुखम् । यज्ञैर्बहुविधं धर्मं वर्धयानस्य सर्वदा ।। ७.९९.
Thus, many thousands of years passed happily, as he always increased righteousness through various sacrifices.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकोनशततमः सर्गः
Thus ends the ninety-ninth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य युधाजित्केकयो नृपः । स्वगुरुं प्रेषयामास राघवाय महात्मने । गार्ग्यमङ्गिरसः पुत्रं ब्रह्मर्षिममितप्रभम् ।। ७.१००.
At a certain time, King Yudhājit of the Kekayas sent his own preceptor, the illustrious sage Gārgya, son of Aṅgiras, radiant as a great seer, to the noble Rāghava.
दश चाश्वसहस्राणि प्रीतिदानमनुत्तमम् ।। ७.१००.
And as a supreme token of affection, he gave ten thousand horses.
कम्बलानि च रत्नानि चित्रवस्त्रमथोत्तमम् । रामाय प्रददौ राजा शुभान्याभरणानि च ।। ७.१००.
He also presented blankets, jewels, exquisite garments, and splendid ornaments to Rāma.
श्रुत्वा तु राघवो धीमान्महर्षिं गार्ग्यमागतम् । मातुलस्याश्वपतिनः प्रहितं तन्महाधनम् ।। ७.१००.
Hearing that the great sage Gārgya, sent by his maternal uncle, the lord of horses, had arrived with abundant wealth, the wise Rāghava rejoiced.
प्रत्युद्गम्य च काकुत्स्थः क्रोशमात्रं सहानुजः । गार्ग्यं सम्पूजयामास यथा शक्रो बृहस्पतिम् ।। ७.१००.
Then Kākutstha, together with his brothers, went out a league to meet Gārgya and honored him as Indra would honor Bṛhaspati.
तथा सम्पूज्य तमृषिं तद्धनं प्रतिगृह्य च । पृष्ट्वा प्रतिपदं सर्वं कुशलं मातुलस्य च । उपविष्टं महाभागं रामः प्रष्टुं प्रचक्रमे ।। ७.१००.
Having thus honored the sage and accepted the gifts, Rāma inquired at every step about the well-being of his maternal uncle, and when the illustrious sage was seated, Rāma began to ask him.
किमाह मातुलो वाक्यं यदर्थं भगवानिह । प्राप्तो वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठः साक्षादिव बृहस्पतिः ।। ७.१००.
"What message has my maternal uncle sent, for which you, revered sage, best among speakers, have come here, like Bṛhaspati himself?"