Uttara Kanda, Sarga 43

तत्रोपविष्टं राजानमुपासन्ते विचक्षणाः । कथानां बहुरूपाणां हास्यकाराः समन्ततः ।। 7.43.1 ।।

tatropaviṣṭaṃ rājānamupāsante vicakṣaṇāḥ | kathānāṃ bahurūpāṇāṃ hāsyakārāḥ samantataḥ || 7.43.1 ||

There, wise men, jesters, and storytellers of various kinds surrounded and attended upon the seated king.

विजयो मधुमत्तश्च काश्यपो मङ्गलः कुटः । सुराजः कालियो भद्रो दन्तवक्रः सुमागधः ।। 7.43.2 ।।

vijayo madhumattaśca kāśyapo maṅgalaḥ kuṭaḥ | surājaḥ kāliyo bhadro dantavakraḥ sumāgadhaḥ || 7.43.2 ||

These were the names of some of the attendees: Vijaya, Madhumatta, Kashyapa, Mangala, Kuta, Suraja, Kaliya, Bhadra, Dantavakra, and Sumagadha.

एते कथा बहुविधाः परिहाससमन्विताः । कथयन्ति स्म संहृष्टा राघवस्य महात्मनः ।। 7.43.3 ।।

ete kathā bahuvidhāḥ parihāsasamanvitāḥ | kathayanti sma saṃhṛṣṭā rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ || 7.43.3 ||

These delighted individuals used to tell the great-souled Rama many kinds of stories filled with humor.

ततः कथायां कस्याञ्चिद्राघवः समभाषत । काः कथा नगरे भद्र वर्तन्ते विषयेषु च ।। 7.43.4 ।।

tataḥ kathāyāṃ kasyāñcidrāghavaḥ samabhāṣata | kāḥ kathā nagare bhadra vartante viṣayeṣu ca || 7.43.4 ||

Then, during a certain conversation, Rama spoke, asking, "O good one, what stories are current in the city and in the provinces?"

मामाश्रितानि कान्याहुः पौरजानपदा जनाः । किं च सीतां समाश्रित्य भरतं किं च लक्ष्मणम् ।। 7.43.5 ।।

māmāśritāni kānyāhuḥ paurajānapadā janāḥ | kiṃ ca sītāṃ samāśritya bharataṃ kiṃ ca lakṣmaṇam || 7.43.5 ||

What do the city dwellers and country folk say about me, and what do they say about Sita, Bharata, and Lakshmana?

किं नु शत्रुघ्नमुद्दिश्य कैकयीं किं नु मातरम् । वक्तव्यतां च राजानो वरे राज्ये व्रजन्ति च ।। 7.43.6 ।।

kiṃ nu śatrughnamuddiśya kaikayīṃ kiṃ nu mātaram | vaktavyatāṃ ca rājāno vare rājye vrajanti ca || 7.43.6 ||

What do they say about Shatrughna, and what about mother Kaikeyi, and what kind of criticism do kings face in an excellent kingdom?

एवमुक्ते तु रामेण भद्रः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत् । स्थिताः कथा शुभाः राजन्वर्तन्ते पुरवासिनाम् ।। 7.43.7 ।।

evamukte tu rāmeṇa bhadraḥ prāñjalirabravīt | sthitāḥ kathā śubhāḥ rājanvartante puravāsinām || 7.43.7 ||

When Rama had thus spoken, Bhadra, with folded hands, replied, "O King, auspicious talks are indeed current among the city dwellers."

अमुं तु विजयं सौम्य दशग्रीववधार्जितम् । भूयिष्ठं स्वपुरे पौरैः कथ्यन्ते पुरुषर्षभ ।। 7.43.8 ।।

amuṃ tu vijayaṃ saumya daśagrīvavadhārjitam | bhūyiṣṭhaṃ svapure pauraiḥ kathyante puruṣarṣabha || 7.43.8 ||

O gentle one, O best among men, this victory, indeed, obtained by the slaying of Dashagriva, is mostly narrated by the citizens in your city.

एवमुक्तस्तु भद्रेण राघवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । कथयस्व यथातत्त्वं सर्वं निरवशेषतः ।। 7.43.9 ।।

evamuktastu bhadreṇa rāghavo vākyamabravīt | kathayasva yathātattvaṃ sarvaṃ niravaśeṣataḥ || 7.43.9 ||

When Bhadra had thus spoken, Rama indeed replied, "Tell everything truthfully and completely, without omitting anything."

शुभाशुभानि वाक्यानि यान्याहुः पुरवासिनः । श्रुत्वेदानीं शुभं कुर्यां नकुर्यामशुभानि च ।। 7.43.10 ।।

śubhāśubhāni vākyāni yānyāhuḥ puravāsinaḥ | śrutvedānīṃ śubhaṃ kuryāṃ nakuryāmaśubhāni ca || 7.43.10 ||

Having heard the good and bad words spoken by the city dwellers, I should now do what is good and avoid what is bad.

कथयस्व च विस्रब्धो निर्भयं विगतज्वरः । कथयन्ति यथा पौराः पापा जनपदेषु च ।। 7.43.11 ।।

kathayasva ca visrabdho nirbhayaṃ vigatajvaraḥ | kathayanti yathā paurāḥ pāpā janapadeṣu ca || 7.43.11 ||

Speak confidently, fearlessly, and without anxiety, just as the citizens and people in the districts speak, even about wicked things.

राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तु भद्रः सुरुचिरं वचः । प्रत्युवाच महाबाहुं प्राञ्जलिः सुसमाहितः ।। 7.43.12 ।।

rāghaveṇaivamuktastu bhadraḥ suruciraṃ vacaḥ | pratyuvāca mahābāhuṃ prāñjaliḥ susamāhitaḥ || 7.43.12 ||

Thus addressed by Rama, Bhadra, with folded hands and great attention, replied with very pleasing words to the mighty-armed king.

शृणु राजन्यथा पौराः कथयन्ति शुभाशुभम् । चत्वरापणरथ्यासु वनेषूपवनेषु च ।। 7.43.13 ।।

śṛṇu rājanyathā paurāḥ kathayanti śubhāśubham | catvarāpaṇarathyāsu vaneṣūpavaneṣu ca || 7.43.13 ||

O King, listen to how the citizens speak of good and bad things in the squares, markets, streets, forests, and gardens.

दुष्करं कृतवान्रामः समुद्रे सेतुबन्धनम् । अश्रुतं पूर्वकैः कैश्चिद्देवैरपि सदानवैः ।। 7.43.14 ।।

duṣkaraṃ kṛtavānrāmaḥ samudre setubandhanam | aśrutaṃ pūrvakaiḥ kaiściddevairapi sadānavaiḥ || 7.43.14 ||

Rama has accomplished the impossible task of building a bridge in the ocean, a feat unheard of by any ancestors, gods, or even demons.

रावणश्च दुराधर्षो हतः सबलवाहनः । वानराश्च वशं नीता ऋक्षाश्च सह राक्षसैः ।। 7.43.15 ।।

rāvaṇaśca durādharṣo hataḥ sabalavāhanaḥ | vānarāśca vaśaṃ nītā ṛkṣāśca saha rākṣasaiḥ || 7.43.15 ||

The formidable Rāvaṇa was killed along with his army and vehicles, and the monkeys and bears were brought under control along with the Rākṣasas.

हत्वा च रावणं सङ्ख्ये सीतामाहृत्य राघवः । अमर्षं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा स्ववेश्म पुनरानयत् ।। 7.43.16 ।।

hatvā ca rāvaṇaṃ saṅkhye sītāmāhṛtya rāghavaḥ | amarṣaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā svaveśma punarānayat || 7.43.16 ||

Having killed Rāvaṇa in battle and brought Sītā back, Rāma set aside his indignation and brought her back to his own house.

कीदृशं हृदये तस्य सीतासम्भोगजं सुखम् । अङ्कमारोप्य तु पुरा रावणेन बलाद्धृताम् ।। 7.43.17 ।।

kīdṛśaṃ hṛdaye tasya sītāsambhogajaṃ sukham | aṅkamāropya tu purā rāvaṇena balāddhṛtām || 7.43.17 ||

What kind of happiness, born from union with Sītā, could be in his heart, when she was previously forcibly seized and placed on his lap by Rāvaṇa?

लङ्कामपि पुरा नीतामशोकवनिकां गताम् । रक्षसां वशमापन्नां कथं रामो न कुत्सते ।। 7.43.18 ।।

laṅkāmapi purā nītāmaśokavanikāṃ gatām | rakṣasāṃ vaśamāpannāṃ kathaṃ rāmo na kutsate || 7.43.18 ||

How can Rāma not despise her, who was formerly taken to Laṅkā, went to the Aśoka grove, and fell under the control of Rākṣasas?

अस्माकमपि दारेषु सहनीयं भविष्यति । यथा हि कुरुते राजा प्रजा तमनुवर्तते ।। 7.43.19 ।।

asmākamapi dāreṣu sahanīyaṃ bhaviṣyati | yathā hi kurute rājā prajā tamanuvartate || 7.43.19 ||

If the king acts this way, then even for us, regarding our wives, such things will become tolerable, because indeed, as the king acts, so do the subjects follow him.

एवं बहुविधा वाचो वदन्ति पुरवासिनः । नगरेषु च सर्वेषु राजञ्जनपदेषु च ।। 7.43.20 ।।

evaṃ bahuvidhā vāco vadanti puravāsinaḥ | nagareṣu ca sarveṣu rājañjanapadeṣu ca || 7.43.20 ||

O King, thus, the city dwellers speak various kinds of words in all cities and districts.

तस्यैवं भाषितं श्रुत्वा राघवः परमार्तवत् । उवाच सुहृदः सर्वान्कथमेतद्ब्रवीथ माम् ।। 7.43.21 ।।

tasyaivaṃ bhāṣitaṃ śrutvā rāghavaḥ paramārtavat | uvāca suhṛdaḥ sarvānkathametadbravītha mām || 7.43.21 ||

Having heard his words, Rama, greatly distressed, asked all his friends, "How can you say this to me?"

सर्वे तु शिरसा भूमावभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च । प्रत्यूचू राघवं दीनमेवमेतन्न संशयः ।। 7.43.22 ।।

sarve tu śirasā bhūmāvabhivādya praṇamya ca | pratyūcū rāghavaṃ dīnamevametanna saṃśayaḥ || 7.43.22 ||

All of them, having saluted and bowed down with their heads to the ground, replied to the distressed Rama, "This is indeed so, there is no doubt."

श्रुत्वा तु वाक्यं काकुत्स्थः सर्वेषां समुदीरितम् । विसर्जयामास तदा वयस्याञ्छत्रुसूदनः ।। 7.43.23 ।।

śrutvā tu vākyaṃ kākutsthaḥ sarveṣāṃ samudīritam | visarjayāmāsa tadā vayasyāñchatrusūdanaḥ || 7.43.23 ||

Having heard the words uttered by all, Rama, the destroyer of enemies, then dismissed his friends. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे त्रिचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ।। 43 ।। Thus ends the forty-third sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.