Uttara Kanda, Sarga 72

तं शयानं नरव्याघ्रं निद्रा नाभ्यागमत्तदा । चिन्तयन्तमनेकार्थं रामगीतमनुत्तमम् ।। 7.72.1 ।।

taṃ śayānaṃ naravyāghraṃ nidrā nābhyāgamattadā | cintayantamanekārthaṃ rāmagītamanuttamam || 7.72.1 ||

At that time, sleep did not come to the best of men, Shatrughna, as he lay thinking about the excellent song of Rama, which had many meanings.

तस्य शब्दं सुमधुरं तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितम् । श्रुत्वा रात्रिर्जगामाशु शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः ।। 7.72.2 ।।

tasya śabdaṃ sumadhuraṃ tantrīlayasamanvitam | śrutvā rātrirjagāmāśu śatrughnasya mahātmanaḥ || 7.72.2 ||

Having heard his (Lava's and Kusha's) very sweet singing, accompanied by string instruments and rhythm, the night quickly passed for the great-souled Shatrughna.

तस्यां निशायां व्युष्टायां कृत्वा पौर्वाह्णिकं क्रमम् । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नो मुनिपुङ्गवम् ।। 7.72.3 ।।

tasyāṃ niśāyāṃ vyuṣṭāyāṃ kṛtvā paurvāhṇikaṃ kramam | uvāca prāñjalirvākyaṃ śatrughno munipuṅgavam || 7.72.3 ||

When that night had dawned, Shatrughna, having performed his morning rituals, spoke words with folded hands to the chief of sages, Valmiki.

भगवन्द्रष्टुमिच्छामि राघवं रघुनन्दनम् । त्वया ऽनुज्ञातुमिच्छामि सहैभिः संशितव्रतैः ।। 7.72.4 ।।

bhagavandraṣṭumicchāmi rāghavaṃ raghunandanam | tvayā 'nujñātumicchāmi sahaibhiḥ saṃśitavrataiḥ || 7.72.4 ||

Shatrughna said, "O venerable one, I wish to see Rama, the delight of the Raghus, and I wish to be permitted by you to go with these ascetics of firm vows."

इत्येवंवादिनं तं तु शत्रुघ्नं शत्रुतापनम् । वाल्मीकिः सम्परिष्वज्य विससर्ज च राघवम् ।। 7.72.5 ।।

ityevaṃvādinaṃ taṃ tu śatrughnaṃ śatrutāpanam | vālmīkiḥ sampariṣvajya visasarja ca rāghavam || 7.72.5 ||

Having embraced Shatrughna, the tormentor of foes, who was speaking thus, Valmiki sent him off to Rama.

सो ऽभिवाद्य मुनिश्रेष्ठं रथमारुह्य सुप्रभम् । अयोध्यामगमत्तूर्णं राघवोत्सुकदर्शनः ।। 7.72.6 ।।

so 'bhivādya muniśreṣṭhaṃ rathamāruhya suprabham | ayodhyāmagamattūrṇaṃ rāghavotsukadarśanaḥ || 7.72.6 ||

Having saluted the revered sage Valmiki and mounted his splendid chariot, he swiftly departed for Ayodhya, eager to behold Rama.

स प्रविष्टः पुरीं रम्यां श्रीमानिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । प्रविवेश महाबाहुर्यत्र रामो महाद्युतिः ।। 7.72.7 ।।

sa praviṣṭaḥ purīṃ ramyāṃ śrīmānikṣvākunandanaḥ | praviveśa mahābāhuryatra rāmo mahādyutiḥ || 7.72.7 ||

The glorious and mighty-armed Shatrughna, the delight of the Ikshvakus, entered the beautiful city and proceeded to where the highly effulgent Rama resided.

स रामं मन्त्रिमध्यस्थं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम् । पश्यन्नमरमध्यस्थं सहस्रनयनं यथा ।। 7.72.8 ।।

sa rāmaṃ mantrimadhyasthaṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanam | paśyannamaramadhyasthaṃ sahasranayanaṃ yathā || 7.72.8 ||

He saw Rama, whose face resembled the full moon, seated amidst his ministers, appearing like the thousand-eyed Indra surrounded by gods.

सो ऽभिवाद्य महात्मानं ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् ।। 7.72.9 ।।

so 'bhivādya mahātmānaṃ jvalantamiva tejasā | uvāca prāñjalirvākyaṃ rāmaṃ satyaparākramam || 7.72.9 ||

Having saluted the great-souled Rama, who shone as if with his own splendor and possessed true valor, he spoke with folded hands.

यदाज्ञप्तं महाराज सर्वं तत्कृतवानहम् । हतः स लवणः पापः पुरी चास्य निवेशिता ।। 7.72.10 ।।

yadājñaptaṃ mahārāja sarvaṃ tatkṛtavānaham | hataḥ sa lavaṇaḥ pāpaḥ purī cāsya niveśitā || 7.72.10 ||

O great king, I have accomplished all that you commanded: the wicked Lavana has been slain, and his city has been established.

द्वादशैते गता वर्षास्त्वां विना रघुनन्दन । नोत्सहेयमहं वस्तुं त्वया विरहितो नृप ।। 7.72.11 ।।

dvādaśaite gatā varṣāstvāṃ vinā raghunandana | notsaheyamahaṃ vastuṃ tvayā virahito nṛpa || 7.72.11 ||

O Rama, twelve years have passed without you, and I, separated from you, O King, am no longer able to live here.

स मे प्रसादं काकुत्स्थ कुरुष्वामितविक्रम । मातृहीनो यथा वत्सो न चिरं प्रवसाम्यहम् ।। 7.72.12 ।।

sa me prasādaṃ kākutstha kuruṣvāmitavikrama | mātṛhīno yathā vatso na ciraṃ pravasāmyaham || 7.72.12 ||

Therefore, O Rama of immeasurable valor, grant me this favor, for I cannot stay away much longer, just like a motherless calf.

एवं ब्रुवाणं शत्रुघ्नं परिष्वज्येदमब्रवीत् । मा विषादं कृथाः शूर नैतत्क्षत्रियचेष्टितम् ।। 7.72.13 ।।

evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ śatrughnaṃ pariṣvajyedamabravīt | mā viṣādaṃ kṛthāḥ śūra naitatkṣatriyaceṣṭitam || 7.72.13 ||

Having embraced Shatrughna who was speaking thus, Rama said, "O brave one, do not despair, for this is not the conduct befitting a Kshatriya."

नावसीदन्ति राजानो विप्रवासेषु राघव । प्रजा नः परिपाल्या हि क्षत्रधर्मेण राघव ।। 7.72.14 ।।

nāvasīdanti rājāno vipravāseṣu rāghava | prajā naḥ paripālyā hi kṣatradharmeṇa rāghava || 7.72.14 ||

O Raghava, kings do not become dejected during separations, for indeed, our subjects must be protected according to the duty of a Kshatriya.

काले काले तु मां वीर अयोध्यामवलोकितुम् । आगच्छ त्वं नरश्रेष्ठ गन्तासि च पुरं तव ।। 7.72.15 ।।

kāle kāle tu māṃ vīra ayodhyāmavalokitum | āgaccha tvaṃ naraśreṣṭha gantāsi ca puraṃ tava || 7.72.15 ||

O brave one, O best among men, you should come to Ayodhya from time to time to see me, and you will also return to your own city.

ममापि त्वं सुदयितः प्राणैरपि न संशयः । अवश्यं करणीयं च राज्यस्य परिपालनम् ।। 7.72.16 ।।

mamāpi tvaṃ sudayitaḥ prāṇairapi na saṃśayaḥ | avaśyaṃ karaṇīyaṃ ca rājyasya paripālanam || 7.72.16 ||

Rama tells Shatrughna that he is dearer than life itself, but the protection of the kingdom is an essential duty.

तस्मात्त्वं वस काकुत्स्थ सप्तरात्रमिहावस । ऊर्ध्वं गन्तासि मधुरां सभृत्यबलवाहनः ।। 7.72.17 ।।

tasmāttvaṃ vasa kākutstha saptarātramihāvasa | ūrdhvaṃ gantāsi madhurāṃ sabhṛtyabalavāhanaḥ || 7.72.17 ||

Therefore, O Kakutstha, stay here for seven nights, and thereafter you shall proceed to Mathura with your servants, army, and vehicles.

रामस्यैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा धर्मयुक्तं मनोगतम् । शत्रुघ्नो दीनया वाचा बाढमित्येव चाब्रवीत् ।। 7.72.18 ।।

rāmasyaitadvacaḥ śrutvā dharmayuktaṃ manogatam | śatrughno dīnayā vācā bāḍhamityeva cābravīt || 7.72.18 ||

Having heard these righteous and heartfelt words of Rama, Shatrughna, with a humble voice, simply replied, "Indeed."

सप्तरात्रं च काकुत्स्थो राघवस्य यथाज्ञया । उष्य तत्र महेष्वासो गमनायोपचक्रमे ।। 7.72.19 ।।

saptarātraṃ ca kākutstho rāghavasya yathājñayā | uṣya tatra maheṣvāso gamanāyopacakrame || 7.72.19 ||

And the great archer Shatrughna, having stayed there for seven nights as per Rama's command, began preparations for his departure.

आमन्त्र्य तु महात्मानं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् । भरतं लक्ष्मणं चैव महारथमुपारुहत् ।। 7.72.20 ।।

āmantrya tu mahātmānaṃ rāmaṃ satyaparākramam | bharataṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ caiva mahārathamupāruhat || 7.72.20 ||

Having bid farewell to the great-souled Rama of true valor, and also to Bharata and Lakshmana, he then ascended a great chariot.

दूरमाभ्यामनुगतो लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना । भरतेन च शत्रुघ्नो जगामाशु पुरं ततः ।। 7.72.21 ।।

dūramābhyāmanugato lakṣmaṇena mahātmanā | bharatena ca śatrughno jagāmāśu puraṃ tataḥ || 7.72.21 ||

After being accompanied for a long distance by the great-souled Lakshmana and Bharata, Shatrughna then quickly proceeded to the city of Ayodhya. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे द्विसप्ततितमः सर्गः ।। 72 ।। Thus ends the seventy-second sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.