Uttara Kanda, Sarga 48

लक्ष्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दारुणं जनकात्मजा । परं विषादमागम्य वैदेही निपपात ह ।। 7.48.1 ।।

lakṣmaṇasya vacaḥ śrutvā dāruṇaṃ janakātmajā | paraṃ viṣādamāgamya vaidehī nipapāta ha || 7.48.1 ||

Having heard Lakshmana's harsh words, Sita, the daughter of Janaka, was overcome with extreme sorrow and fell to the ground.

सा मुहूर्तमिवासञ्ज्ञा बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा । लक्ष्मणं दीनया वाचा उवाच जनकात्मजा ।। 7.48.2 ।।

sā muhūrtamivāsañjñā bāṣpaparyākulekṣaṇā | lakṣmaṇaṃ dīnayā vācā uvāca janakātmajā || 7.48.2 ||

For a moment, she lay as if unconscious, her eyes agitated with tears, and then the daughter of Janaka spoke to Lakshmana in a piteous voice.

मामिकेयं तनुर्नूनं सृष्टा दुःखाय लक्ष्मण । धात्रा यस्यास्तथा मे ऽद्य दुःखमूर्तिः प्रदृश्यते ।। 7.48.3 ।।

māmikeyaṃ tanurnūnaṃ sṛṣṭā duḥkhāya lakṣmaṇa | dhātrā yasyāstathā me 'dya duḥkhamūrtiḥ pradṛśyate || 7.48.3 ||

O Lakshmana, this body of mine was surely created by the creator for sorrow, as today it appears to me as the very embodiment of suffering.

किं नु पापं कृतं पूर्वं को वा दारैर्वियोजितः । या ऽहं शुद्धसमाचारा त्यक्ता नृपतिना सती ।। 7.48.4 ।।

kiṃ nu pāpaṃ kṛtaṃ pūrvaṃ ko vā dārairviyojitaḥ | yā 'haṃ śuddhasamācārā tyaktā nṛpatinā satī || 7.48.4 ||

What sin did I commit previously, or whom did I separate from his wife, that I, a chaste woman of pure conduct, have been abandoned by the king?

पुरा ऽहमाश्रमे वासं रामपादानुवर्तिनी । अनुरुध्यापि सौमित्रे दुःखे च परिवर्तिनी ।। 7.48.5 ।।

purā 'hamāśrame vāsaṃ rāmapādānuvartinī | anurudhyāpi saumitre duḥkhe ca parivartinī || 7.48.5 ||

O son of Sumitra, formerly I dwelt in the hermitage, devoted to Rama, and even though I followed him, I remained in sorrow.

सा कथं ह्याश्रमे सौम्य वत्स्यामि विजनीकृता । आख्यास्यामि च कस्याहं दुःखं दुःखपरायणा ।। 7.48.6 ।।

sā kathaṃ hyāśrame saumya vatsyāmi vijanīkṛtā | ākhyāsyāmi ca kasyāhaṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhaparāyaṇā || 7.48.6 ||

O gentle one, how shall I, made desolate, indeed live in the hermitage, and to whom shall I, full of sorrow, tell my grief?

किं नु वक्ष्यामि मुनिषु कर्म वा सत्कृतं च किम् । कस्मिंश्चित् कारणे त्यक्ता राघवेण महात्मना ।। 7.48.7 ।।

kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi muniṣu karma vā satkṛtaṃ ca kim | kasmiṃścit kāraṇe tyaktā rāghaveṇa mahātmanā || 7.48.7 ||

What indeed shall I say among the sages, or what good deed have I done, that I have been abandoned by the great-souled Raghava for some reason?

न खल्वद्यैव सौमित्रे जीवितं जाह्नवीजले । त्यजेयं राजवंशस्तु भर्तुर्मे परिहास्यते ।। 7.48.8 ।।

na khalvadyaiva saumitre jīvitaṃ jāhnavījale | tyajeyaṃ rājavaṃśastu bharturme parihāsyate || 7.48.8 ||

O son of Sumitra, I would indeed not abandon my life in the waters of the Ganga just today, but my husband's royal lineage would be ridiculed.

यथाज्ञं कुरु सोमित्रे त्यज मां दुःखभागिनीम् । निदेशे स्थीयतां राज्ञः शृणु चेदं वचो मम ।। 7.48.9 ।।

yathājñaṃ kuru somitre tyaja māṃ duḥkhabhāginīm | nideśe sthīyatāṃ rājñaḥ śṛṇu cedaṃ vaco mama || 7.48.9 ||

O Lakshmana, do as commanded, abandon me, who is destined for sorrow, remain steadfast in the king's command, and listen to these words of mine.

श्वश्रूणामविशेषेण प्राञ्जलिप्रग्रहेण च । शिरसा ऽ ऽवन्द्य चरणौ कुशलं ब्रूहि पार्थिवम् ।। 7.48.10 ।।

śvaśrūṇāmaviśeṣeṇa prāñjalipragraheṇa ca | śirasā ' 'vandya caraṇau kuśalaṃ brūhi pārthivam || 7.48.10 ||

Convey my respects to all mothers-in-law without distinction, and bowing down to the king's feet with folded hands and reverence, tell him of my well-being.

शिरसा ऽभिनतो ब्रूयाः सर्वासामेव लक्ष्मण । वक्तव्यश्चापि नृपतिर्धर्मेषु सुसमाहितः ।। 7.48.11 ।।

śirasā 'bhinato brūyāḥ sarvāsāmeva lakṣmaṇa | vaktavyaścāpi nṛpatirdharmeṣu susamāhitaḥ || 7.48.11 ||

O Lakshmana, you should convey my respects to all (mothers-in-law) by bowing your head, and also tell the king to remain steadfast in his duties of righteousness.

जानासि च यथा शुद्धा सीता तत्त्वेन राघव । भक्त्या च परया युक्ता हिता च तव नित्यशः ।। 7.48.12 ।।

jānāsi ca yathā śuddhā sītā tattvena rāghava | bhaktyā ca parayā yuktā hitā ca tava nityaśaḥ || 7.48.12 ||

O Rama, you truly know how pure Sita is, and how she is always endowed with supreme devotion and is beneficial to you.

अहं त्यक्ता त्वया वीर अयशोभीरुणा जने । यच्च ते वचनीयं स्यादपवादसमुत्थितम् । मया च परिहर्तव्यं त्वं हि मे परमा गतिः ।। 7.48.13 ।।

ahaṃ tyaktā tvayā vīra ayaśobhīruṇā jane | yacca te vacanīyaṃ syādapavādasamutthitam | mayā ca parihartavyaṃ tvaṃ hi me paramā gatiḥ || 7.48.13 ||

O hero, I have been abandoned by you, who fears ill-repute among people; whatever blame arises from public criticism, I shall endure it, for you are indeed my ultimate refuge.

वक्तव्यश्चेति नृपतिर्धमेण सुसमाहितः । यथा भ्रातृषु वर्तेथास्तथा पौरेषु नित्यदा ।। 7.48.14 ।।

vaktavyaśceti nṛpatirdhameṇa susamāhitaḥ | yathā bhrātṛṣu vartethāstathā paureṣu nityadā || 7.48.14 ||

The king should be told, with a composed mind and righteously, that he should always behave towards his citizens just as he behaves towards his brothers.

परमो ह्येष धर्मस्ते तस्मात्कीर्तिरनुत्तमा ।। 7.48.15 ।।

paramo hyeṣa dharmaste tasmātkīrtiranuttamā || 7.48.15 ||

Indeed, this is your supreme duty, and from it comes unsurpassed fame.

यत्तु पौरजनो राजन्धर्मेण समवाप्नुयात् । अहं तु नानुशोचामि स्वशरीरं नरर्षभ ।। 7.48.16 ।।

yattu paurajano rājandharmeṇa samavāpnuyāt | ahaṃ tu nānuśocāmi svaśarīraṃ nararṣabha || 7.48.16 ||

O King, whatever the citizens may righteously obtain, I, O best among men, do not grieve for my own body.

यथापवादं पौराणां तथैव रघुनन्दन । पतिर्हि देवता नार्याः पतिर्बन्धुः पतिर्गुरुः ।। 7.48.17 ।।

yathāpavādaṃ paurāṇāṃ tathaiva raghunandana | patirhi devatā nāryāḥ patirbandhuḥ patirguruḥ || 7.48.17 ||

O delight of the Raghus, act according to the citizens' slander, for indeed, a husband is a woman's deity, her relative, and her preceptor.

प्राणैरपि प्रियं तस्माद्भर्तुः कार्यं विशेषतः । इति मद्वचनाद्रामो वक्तव्यो मम सङ्ग्रहः । निरीक्ष्य मा ऽद्य गच्छ त्वमृतुकालातिवर्तिनीम् ।। 7.48.18 ।।

prāṇairapi priyaṃ tasmādbhartuḥ kāryaṃ viśeṣataḥ | iti madvacanādrāmo vaktavyo mama saṅgrahaḥ | nirīkṣya mā 'dya gaccha tvamṛtukālātivartinīm || 7.48.18 ||

Therefore, the husband's duty is dearer even than life, and thus, Rama should be told this message from me: "Having seen me today, who has passed the time of menstruation (i.e., pregnant), you may go."

एवं ब्रुवन्त्यां सीतायां लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः । शिरसा ऽ ऽवन्द्य धरणीं व्याहर्तुं न शशाक ह ।। 7.48.19 ।।

evaṃ bruvantyāṃ sītāyāṃ lakṣmaṇo dīnacetanaḥ | śirasā ' 'vandya dharaṇīṃ vyāhartuṃ na śaśāka ha || 7.48.19 ||

While Sita was speaking thus, Lakshmana, with a distressed mind, bowed his head to the earth and was unable to utter a word.

प्रदक्षिणं च तां कृत्वा रुदन्नेव महास्वनः । ध्यात्वा मुहूर्तं तामाह किं मां वक्ष्यसि शोभने ।। 7.48.20 ।।

pradakṣiṇaṃ ca tāṃ kṛtvā rudanneva mahāsvanaḥ | dhyātvā muhūrtaṃ tāmāha kiṃ māṃ vakṣyasi śobhane || 7.48.20 ||

Having circumambulated her and weeping loudly, he pondered for a moment and then said to her, "O beautiful one, what will you say to me?"

दृष्टपूर्वं न ते रूपं पादौ दृष्टौ तवानघे । कथमत्र हि पश्यामि रामेण रहितां वने ।। 7.48.21 ।।

dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ na te rūpaṃ pādau dṛṣṭau tavānaghe | kathamatra hi paśyāmi rāmeṇa rahitāṃ vane || 7.48.21 ||

"Your face has never been seen by me before, only your feet, O sinless one; how then can I look upon you here in the forest, separated from Rama?"

इत्युक्त्वा तां नमस्कृत्य पुनर्नावमुपारुहत् । आरुह्य च पुनर्नावं नाविकं चाभ्यचोदयत् ।। 7.48.22 ।।

ityuktvā tāṃ namaskṛtya punarnāvamupāruhat | āruhya ca punarnāvaṃ nāvikaṃ cābhyacodayat || 7.48.22 ||

Having spoken thus and saluted her, he boarded the boat again, and having re-boarded the boat, he urged the boatman to proceed.

स गत्वा चोत्तरं तीरं शोकभारसमन्वितः । सम्मूढ इव दुःखेन रथमध्यारुहद्द्रुतम् ।। 7.48.23 ।।

sa gatvā cottaraṃ tīraṃ śokabhārasamanvitaḥ | sammūḍha iva duḥkhena rathamadhyāruhaddrutam || 7.48.23 ||

Having reached the northern bank, he, overwhelmed by the burden of sorrow and as if bewildered by distress, quickly mounted the chariot.

मुहुर्मुहुः परावृत्य दृष्ट्वा सीतामनाथवत् । चेष्टन्तीं परतीरस्थां लक्ष्मणः प्रययावथ ।। 7.48.24 ।।

muhurmuhuḥ parāvṛtya dṛṣṭvā sītāmanāthavat | ceṣṭantīṃ paratīrasthāṃ lakṣmaṇaḥ prayayāvatha || 7.48.24 ||

Lakshmana, having repeatedly turned back to see Sita struggling helplessly on the other bank, then departed.

दूरस्थं रथमालोक्य लक्ष्मणं च मुहूर्मुहुः । निरीक्षमाणां तूद्विग्नां सीतां शोकः समाविशत् ।। 7.48.25 ।।

dūrasthaṃ rathamālokya lakṣmaṇaṃ ca muhūrmuhuḥ | nirīkṣamāṇāṃ tūdvignāṃ sītāṃ śokaḥ samāviśat || 7.48.25 ||

As Sita, agitated, repeatedly looked at the chariot and Lakshmana moving far away, sorrow overwhelmed her.

सा दुःखभारावनता यशस्विनी यशोधना नाथमपश्यती सती । रुरोद सा बर्हिणनादिते वने महास्वनं दुःखपरायणा सती ।। 7.48.26 ।।

sā duḥkhabhārāvanatā yaśasvinī yaśodhanā nāthamapaśyatī satī | ruroda sā barhiṇanādite vane mahāsvanaṃ duḥkhaparāyaṇā satī || 7.48.26 ||

She, glorious and renowned, bowed down by the immense sorrow and finding no protector, cried loudly in the forest filled with peacock calls, being utterly immersed in her grief. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे ऽष्टचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ।। 48 ।। Thus ends the forty-eighth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.