Uttara Kanda, Sarga 95

रामो बहून्यहान्येवं तद्गीतं परमं शुभम् । शुश्राव मुनिभिः सार्धं पार्थिवैः सह वानरैः ।। 7.95.1 ।।

rāmo bahūnyahānyevaṃ tadgītaṃ paramaṃ śubham | śuśrāva munibhiḥ sārdhaṃ pārthivaiḥ saha vānaraiḥ || 7.95.1 ||

Rama thus heard that supremely auspicious song for many days, accompanied by sages, kings, and monkeys.

तस्मिन्गीते तु विज्ञाय सीतापुत्रौ कुशीलवौ । तस्याः परिषदो मध्ये रामो वचनमब्रवीत् । दूताञ्छुद्धसमाचारानाहूयात्ममनीषया ।। 7.95.2 ।।

tasmingīte tu vijñāya sītāputrau kuśīlavau | tasyāḥ pariṣado madhye rāmo vacanamabravīt | dūtāñchuddhasamācārānāhūyātmamanīṣayā || 7.95.2 ||

Having recognized Kusha and Lava as Sita's sons through that song, Rama, by his own intention, called messengers of pure conduct and spoke words in the midst of that assembly.

मद्वचो ब्रूत गच्छध्वमितो भगवतो ऽन्तिकम् ।। 7.95.3 ।।

madvaco brūta gacchadhvamito bhagavato 'ntikam || 7.95.3 ||

He instructed them, "Go from here to the presence of the revered one (Valmiki) and speak my words."

परिषदो मध्ये रामो वचनमब्रवीत् । यदि शुद्धसमाचारा यदि वा वीतकल्मषा । करोत्विहात्मनः शुद्धिमनुमान्य महामुनिम् ।। 7.95.4 ।।

pariṣado madhye rāmo vacanamabravīt | yadi śuddhasamācārā yadi vā vītakalmaṣā | karotvihātmanaḥ śuddhimanumānya mahāmunim || 7.95.4 ||

In the midst of the assembly, Rama spoke, saying that if Sita is of pure conduct or free from sin, she should perform her purification here, having obtained the great sage's permission.

छन्दं मुनेश्च विज्ञाय सीतायाश्च मनोगतम् । प्रत्ययं दातुकामायास्ततः शंसत मे लघु ।। 7.95.5 ।।

chandaṃ muneśca vijñāya sītāyāśca manogatam | pratyayaṃ dātukāmāyāstataḥ śaṃsata me laghu || 7.95.5 ||

Having understood the wish of the sage and the thought in Sita's mind, who desires to give proof, then quickly report it to me.

श्वः प्रभाते तु शपथं मैथिली जनकात्मजा । करोतु परिषन्मध्ये शोधनार्थं ममैव च ।। 7.95.6 ।।

śvaḥ prabhāte tu śapathaṃ maithilī janakātmajā | karotu pariṣanmadhye śodhanārthaṃ mamaiva ca || 7.95.6 ||

Let Maithili, Janaka's daughter, perform an oath tomorrow morning in the midst of the assembly for her own purification and indeed for mine.

श्रुत्वा तु ऱागवस्यैतद्वचः परममद्भुतम् । दूताः सम्प्रययुर्बाटं यत्रास्ते मुनिपुङ्गवः ।। 7.95.7 ।।

śrutvā tu ऱ्āgavasyaitadvacaḥ paramamadbhutam | dūtāḥ samprayayurbāṭaṃ yatrāste munipuṅgavaḥ || 7.95.7 ||

Having heard this most wonderful speech of Rama, the messengers went forth to the hermitage where the foremost among sages, Valmiki, resided.

ते प्रणम्य महात्मानं ज्वलन्तममितप्रभम् । ऊचुस्ते रामवाक्यानि मृदूनि मधुराणि च ।। 7.95.8 ।।

te praṇamya mahātmānaṃ jvalantamamitaprabham | ūcuste rāmavākyāni mṛdūni madhurāṇi ca || 7.95.8 ||

Having bowed down to the great soul, who was shining with immeasurable splendor, they spoke Rama's words, which were both soft and sweet.

तेषां तद्व्याहृतं श्रुत्वा रामस्य च मनोगतम् । विज्ञाय सुमहातेजा मुनिर्वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ।। 7.95.9 ।।

teṣāṃ tadvyāhṛtaṃ śrutvā rāmasya ca manogatam | vijñāya sumahātejā munirvākyamathābravīt || 7.95.9 ||

Having heard their words and understood Rama's intention, the greatly effulgent sage Valmiki then spoke.

एवं भवतु भद्रं वो यथा वदति राघवः । तथा करिष्यते सीता दैवतं हि पतिः स्त्रियाः ।। 7.95.10 ।।

evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ vo yathā vadati rāghavaḥ | tathā kariṣyate sītā daivataṃ hi patiḥ striyāḥ || 7.95.10 ||

Let it be so, good fortune to you, as Rama speaks, so will Sita do, for indeed, a husband is the deity of a woman.

तथोक्ता मुनिना सर्वे राजदूता महौजसम् । प्रत्येत्य राघवं क्षिप्रं मुनिवाक्यं बभाषिरे ।। 7.95.11 ।।

tathoktā muninā sarve rājadūtā mahaujasam | pratyetya rāghavaṃ kṣipraṃ munivākyaṃ babhāṣire || 7.95.11 ||

All the royal messengers, thus addressed by the sage, quickly returned to the greatly powerful Rama and conveyed the sage's words.

ततः प्रहृष्टः काकुत्स्थः श्रुत्वा वाक्यं महात्मनः । ऋषींस्तत्र समेतांश्च राज्ञश्चैवाभ्यभाषत ।। 7.95.12 ।।

tataḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ kākutsthaḥ śrutvā vākyaṃ mahātmanaḥ | ṛṣīṃstatra sametāṃśca rājñaścaivābhyabhāṣata || 7.95.12 ||

Then, greatly delighted after hearing the words of the great soul Valmiki, Rama addressed the sages and kings assembled there.

भगवन्तः सशिष्या वै सानुगाश्च नराधिपाः । पश्यन्तु सीताशपथं यश्चैवान्यो ऽपि काङ्क्षते ।। 7.95.13 ।।

bhagavantaḥ saśiṣyā vai sānugāśca narādhipāḥ | paśyantu sītāśapathaṃ yaścaivānyo 'pi kāṅkṣate || 7.95.13 ||

O revered sages with your disciples, and O kings with your followers, let all who desire witness Sita's oath.

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राघवस्य महात्मनः । सर्वेषामृषिमुख्यानां साधुवादो महानभूत् ।। 7.95.14 ।।

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ | sarveṣāmṛṣimukhyānāṃ sādhuvādo mahānabhūt || 7.95.14 ||

Having heard the words of the great-souled Rama, a great acclamation arose from all the chief sages.

राजानश्च महात्मानः प्रशंसन्ति स्म राघवम् । उपपन्नं नरश्रेष्ठ त्वय्येव भुवि नान्यतः ।। 7.95.15 ।।

rājānaśca mahātmānaḥ praśaṃsanti sma rāghavam | upapannaṃ naraśreṣṭha tvayyeva bhuvi nānyataḥ || 7.95.15 ||

The great-souled kings also praised Rama, saying, "O best among men, this is fitting only in you on earth, and not in anyone else."

एवं विनिश्चयं कृत्वा श्वोभूत इति राघवः । विसर्जयामास तदा सर्वांस्ताञ्छत्रुसूदनः ।। 7.95.16 ।।

evaṃ viniścayaṃ kṛtvā śvobhūta iti rāghavaḥ | visarjayāmāsa tadā sarvāṃstāñchatrusūdanaḥ || 7.95.16 ||

Having thus made the decision for "tomorrow," Rama, the destroyer of enemies, then dismissed all of them.

इति सम्प्रविचार्य राजसिंहः श्वोभूते शपथस्य निश्चयं वै । विससर्ज मुनीन्नृपांश्च सर्वान्स महात्मा महतो महानुभावः ।। 7.95.17 ।।

iti sampravicārya rājasiṃhaḥ śvobhūte śapathasya niścayaṃ vai | visasarja munīnnṛpāṃśca sarvānsa mahātmā mahato mahānubhāvaḥ || 7.95.17 ||

Having thus deliberated well and made the decision for the oath on the morrow, that great-souled king, the lion among kings and one of great power, dismissed all the sages and kings. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चनवतितमः सर्ग ।। 95 ।। Thus ends the ninety-fifth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.