Uttara Kanda, Sarga 49

सीतां तु रुदतीं दृष्ट्वा ते तत्र मुनिदारकाः । प्राद्रवन्यत्र भगवानास्ते वाल्मीकिरुग्रधीः ।। 7.49.1 ।।

sītāṃ tu rudatīṃ dṛṣṭvā te tatra munidārakāḥ | prādravanyatra bhagavānāste vālmīkirugradhīḥ || 7.49.1 ||

Seeing Sita crying there, the hermit boys ran to where the revered Valmiki, of keen intellect, resided.

अभिवाद्य मुनेः पादौ मुनिपुत्रा महर्षये । सर्वं निवेदयामासुस्तस्यास्तु रुदितस्वनम् ।। 7.49.2 ।।

abhivādya muneḥ pādau muniputrā maharṣaye | sarvaṃ nivedayāmāsustasyāstu ruditasvanam || 7.49.2 ||

Having saluted the feet of the great sage, the hermit boys reported to him everything about her crying.

अदृष्टपूर्वा भगवन्कस्याप्येषा महात्मनः । पत्नी श्रीरिव सम्मोहाद्विरौति विकृतानना ।। 7.49.3 ।।

adṛṣṭapūrvā bhagavankasyāpyeṣā mahātmanaḥ | patnī śrīriva sammohādvirauti vikṛtānanā || 7.49.3 ||

O venerable one, this woman, never seen before, the wife of some great soul, cries out with a distorted face as if Lakshmi herself were deluded and wailing.

भगवन्साधु पश्य त्वं देवतामिव खाच्च्युताम् । नद्यास्तु तीरे भगवन्वरस्त्री कापि दुःखिता ।। 7.49.4 ।।

bhagavansādhu paśya tvaṃ devatāmiva khāccyutām | nadyāstu tīre bhagavanvarastrī kāpi duḥkhitā || 7.49.4 ||

O venerable one, please observe carefully this excellent woman on the river bank, who appears distressed as if a goddess has fallen from the sky.

दृष्टास्माभिः प्ररुदिता दृढं शोकपरायणा । अनर्हा दुःखशोकाभ्यामेकां दीनां ह्यनाथवत् ।। 7.49.5 ।।

dṛṣṭāsmābhiḥ praruditā dṛḍhaṃ śokaparāyaṇā | anarhā duḥkhaśokābhyāmekāṃ dīnāṃ hyanāthavat || 7.49.5 ||

We have seen her weeping profusely, intensely overcome by grief, alone and miserable like an orphan, though she is undeserving of such sorrow and grief.

न ह्येनां मानुषीं विद्मः सत्क्रिया ऽस्याः प्रयुज्यताम् । आश्रमस्याविदूरे च त्वामियं शरणं गता ।। 7.49.6 ।।

na hyenāṃ mānuṣīṃ vidmaḥ satkriyā 'syāḥ prayujyatām | āśramasyāvidūre ca tvāmiyaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatā || 7.49.6 ||

Indeed, we do not believe her to be a human woman, so let proper hospitality be offered to her, as she has come seeking refuge with you near the hermitage.

त्रातारमिच्छते साध्वी भगवंस्त्रातुमर्हसि । तेषां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य धर्मवित् । तपसा लब्धचक्षुष्मान् प्राद्रवद्यत्र मैथिली ।। 7.49.7 ।।

trātāramicchate sādhvī bhagavaṃstrātumarhasi | teṣāṃ tu vacanaṃ śrutvā buddhyā niścitya dharmavit | tapasā labdhacakṣuṣmān prādravadyatra maithilī || 7.49.7 ||

The virtuous woman desires a protector, O venerable one, and you ought to protect her; having heard their words, the knower of dharma, who had gained spiritual sight through asceticism, ascertained the situation with his intellect and rushed to where Maithili was.

तं प्रयान्तमभिप्रेत्य शिष्या ह्येनं महामतिम् । तं तु देशमभि प्रेत्य किञ्चित्पद्भ्यां महामतिः ।। 7.49.8 ।।

taṃ prayāntamabhipretya śiṣyā hyenaṃ mahāmatim | taṃ tu deśamabhi pretya kiñcitpadbhyāṃ mahāmatiḥ || 7.49.8 ||

The great sage Valmiki, perceived by his disciples as he was departing, proceeded a short distance on foot towards a particular spot.

अर्घ्यमादाय रुचिरं जाह्नवीतीरमागमत् । ददर्श राघवस्येष्टां सीतां पत्नीमनाथवत् ।। 7.49.9 ।।

arghyamādāya ruciraṃ jāhnavītīramāgamat | dadarśa rāghavasyeṣṭāṃ sītāṃ patnīmanāthavat || 7.49.9 ||

Having taken a beautiful offering, Valmiki arrived at the bank of the Ganga and there saw Sita, Rama's beloved wife, appearing helpless and unprotected.

तां सीतां शोकभारार्तां वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवः । उवाच मधुरां वाणीं ह्लादयन्निव तेजसा ।। 7.49.10 ।।

tāṃ sītāṃ śokabhārārtāṃ vālmīkirmunipuṅgavaḥ | uvāca madhurāṃ vāṇīṃ hlādayanniva tejasā || 7.49.10 ||

The foremost sage Valmiki spoke sweet words to that Sita, who was afflicted by the burden of sorrow, as if comforting her with his spiritual radiance.

स्नुषा दशरथस्य त्वं रामस्य महिषी प्रिया । जनकस्य सुता राज्ञः स्वागतं ते पतिव्रते ।। 7.49.11 ।।

snuṣā daśarathasya tvaṃ rāmasya mahiṣī priyā | janakasya sutā rājñaḥ svāgataṃ te pativrate || 7.49.11 ||

Valmiki addressed Sita, saying, "You are the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha, the beloved queen of Rama, and the daughter of King Janaka; welcome to you, O chaste wife."

आयान्ती चासि विज्ञाता मया धर्मसमाधिना । कारणं चैव सर्वं मे हृदयेनोपलक्षितम् ।। 7.49.12 ।।

āyāntī cāsi vijñātā mayā dharmasamādhinā | kāraṇaṃ caiva sarvaṃ me hṛdayenopalakṣitam || 7.49.12 ||

Valmiki further stated, "You, as you were coming, were known to me through my meditation on dharma, and indeed, all the reasons for your arrival have been discerned by my heart."

तव चैव महाभागे विदितं मम तत्त्वतः । सर्वं च विदितं मह्यं त्रैलोक्ये यद्धि वर्तते ।। 7.49.13 ।।

tava caiva mahābhāge viditaṃ mama tattvataḥ | sarvaṃ ca viditaṃ mahyaṃ trailokye yaddhi vartate || 7.49.13 ||

O highly fortunate one, your true nature is indeed known to me, and everything that exists in the three worlds is also known to me.

अपापां वेद्मि सीते त्वां तपोलब्धेन चक्षुषा । विस्रब्धा भव वैदेहि साम्प्रतं मयि वर्तसे ।। 7.49.14 ।।

apāpāṃ vedmi sīte tvāṃ tapolabdhena cakṣuṣā | visrabdhā bhava vaidehi sāmprataṃ mayi vartase || 7.49.14 ||

O Sita, I know you to be sinless through the eye of wisdom gained by my penance; O Vaidehi, be confident, for you are now under my protection.

आश्रमस्याविदूरे मे तापस्यस्तपसि स्थिताः । तास्त्वां वत्से यथा वत्सं पालयिष्यन्ति नित्यशः ।। 7.49.15 ।।

āśramasyāvidūre me tāpasyastapasi sthitāḥ | tāstvāṃ vatse yathā vatsaṃ pālayiṣyanti nityaśaḥ || 7.49.15 ||

Not far from my hermitage, there are female ascetics engaged in penance, and they, O dear child, will always protect you as a mother protects her calf.

इदमर्ध्यं प्रतीच्छ त्वं विस्रब्धा विगतज्वरा । यथा स्वगृहमभ्येत्य विषादं चैव मा कृथाः ।। 7.49.16 ।।

idamardhyaṃ pratīccha tvaṃ visrabdhā vigatajvarā | yathā svagṛhamabhyetya viṣādaṃ caiva mā kṛthāḥ || 7.49.16 ||

Accept this offering, confident and free from distress, and do not feel any sorrow, as if you have come to your own home.

श्रुत्वा तु भाषितं सीता मुनेः परममद्भुतम् । शिरसा ऽ ऽवन्द्य चरणौ तथेत्याह कृताञ्जलिः ।। 7.49.17 ।।

śrutvā tu bhāṣitaṃ sītā muneḥ paramamadbhutam | śirasā ' 'vandya caraṇau tathetyāha kṛtāñjaliḥ || 7.49.17 ||

Having heard the supremely wonderful words of the sage, Sita, with folded hands, bowed down to his feet with her head and said, "So be it."

तं प्रयान्तं मुनिं सीता प्राञ्जलिः पृष्ठतो ऽन्वगात् ।। 7.49.18 ।।

taṃ prayāntaṃ muniṃ sītā prāñjaliḥ pṛṣṭhato 'nvagāt || 7.49.18 ||

Sita, with folded hands, followed the departing sage from behind.

तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिमायान्तं वैदेह्या मुनिपत्नयः । उपाजग्मुर्मुदा युक्ता वचनं चेदमब्रुवन् ।। 7.49.19 ।।

taṃ dṛṣṭvā munimāyāntaṃ vaidehyā munipatnayaḥ | upājagmurmudā yuktā vacanaṃ cedamabruvan || 7.49.19 ||

Seeing the sage approaching with Vaidehi, the wives of the sages, filled with joy, came forward and spoke these words.

स्वागतं ते मुनिश्रेष्ठ चिरस्यागमनं च ते । अभिवादयामस्त्वां सर्वा उच्यतां कि च कुर्महे ।। 7.49.20 ।।

svāgataṃ te muniśreṣṭha cirasyāgamanaṃ ca te | abhivādayāmastvāṃ sarvā ucyatāṃ ki ca kurmahe || 7.49.20 ||

"Welcome to you, O best of sages; your arrival is after a long time; all of us salute you, please tell us what we should do."

तासां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वाल्मीकिरिदमब्रवीत् । सीतेयं समनुप्राप्ता पत्नी रामस्य धीमतः ।। 7.49.21 ।।

tāsāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā vālmīkiridamabravīt | sīteyaṃ samanuprāptā patnī rāmasya dhīmataḥ || 7.49.21 ||

Having heard their words, Valmiki spoke this: "This is Sita, the wife of the wise Rama, who has arrived."

स्नुषा दशरथस्यैषा जनकस्य सुता सती । अपापा पतिना त्यक्ता परिपाल्या मया सदा ।। 7.49.22 ।।

snuṣā daśarathasyaiṣā janakasya sutā satī | apāpā patinā tyaktā paripālyā mayā sadā || 7.49.22 ||

"She is the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha and the chaste daughter of Janaka; though sinless, she has been abandoned by her husband and must always be protected by me."

इमां भवन्त्यः(?) पश्यन्तु स्नेहेन परमेण हि । गौरवान्मम वाक्याच्च पूज्या वो ऽस्तु विशेषतः ।। 7.49.23 ।।

imāṃ bhavantyaḥ(?) paśyantu snehena parameṇa hi | gauravānmama vākyācca pūjyā vo 'stu viśeṣataḥ || 7.49.23 ||

Indeed, may you all regard her with supreme affection, and especially, let her be worthy of your reverence out of respect for my words.

मुहुर्मुहुश्च वैदेहीं प्रणिधाय महायशाः । स्वमाश्रमं शिष्यवृतः पुनरायान्महातपाः ।। 7.49.24 ।।

muhurmuhuśca vaidehīṃ praṇidhāya mahāyaśāḥ | svamāśramaṃ śiṣyavṛtaḥ punarāyānmahātapāḥ || 7.49.24 ||

And having repeatedly entrusted Vaidehi, the greatly renowned and great ascetic Valmiki, surrounded by his disciples, returned to his own hermitage. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकोनपञ्चाशः सर्गः ।। 49 ।। Thus ends the forty-ninth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.