Uttara Kanda, Sarga 96

तस्यां रजन्यां व्युष्टायां यज्ञवाटगतो नृपः । ऋषीन्सर्वान्महातेजाः शब्दापयति राघवः ।। 7.96.1 ।।

tasyāṃ rajanyāṃ vyuṣṭāyāṃ yajñavāṭagato nṛpaḥ | ṛṣīnsarvānmahātejāḥ śabdāpayati rāghavaḥ || 7.96.1 ||

When that night had dawned, King Rama, the greatly effulgent one, having gone to the sacrificial enclosure, summoned all the sages.

वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च जाबालिरथ काश्यपः । विश्वामित्रो दीर्घतपा दुर्वासाश्च महातपाः ।। 7.96.2 ।।

vasiṣṭho vāmadevaśca jābāliratha kāśyapaḥ | viśvāmitro dīrghatapā durvāsāśca mahātapāḥ || 7.96.2 ||

Vasistha, Vamadeva, Jabali, Kashyapa, Vishwamitra of great austerity, and Durvasa of great penance were present.

पुलस्त्यो ऽपि तथा शक्तिर्भार्गवश्चैव वामनः । मार्कण्डेयश्च दीर्घायुर्मौद्गल्यश्च महायशाः ।। 7.96.3 ।।

pulastyo 'pi tathā śaktirbhārgavaścaiva vāmanaḥ | mārkaṇḍeyaśca dīrghāyurmaudgalyaśca mahāyaśāḥ || 7.96.3 ||

Pulastya, Shakti, Bhargava, Vamana, the long-lived Markandeya, and the highly renowned Maudgalya were also present.

गर्गश्च च्यवनश्चैव शतानन्दश्च धर्मवित् । भरद्वाजश्च तेजस्वी ह्यग्निपुत्रश्च सुप्रभः ।। 7.96.4 ।।

gargaśca cyavanaścaiva śatānandaśca dharmavit | bharadvājaśca tejasvī hyagniputraśca suprabhaḥ || 7.96.4 ||

Garga, Chyavana, Shatananda the knower of dharma, the radiant Bharadvaja, and the brilliant Agniputra were also among them.

नारदः पर्वतश्चैव गौतमश्च महायशाः । कात्यायनः सुयज्ञश्च ह्यगस्त्यस्तपसां निधिः ।। 7.96.5 ।।

nāradaḥ parvataścaiva gautamaśca mahāyaśāḥ | kātyāyanaḥ suyajñaśca hyagastyastapasāṃ nidhiḥ || 7.96.5 ||

Narada, Parvata, the highly renowned Gautama, Katyayana, Suyajna, and Agastya, a treasure-house of austerities, were also present.

एते चान्ये च बहवो मुनयः संशितव्रताः । कौतूहलसमाविष्टाः सर्व एव समागताः ।। 7.96.6 ।।

ete cānye ca bahavo munayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ | kautūhalasamāviṣṭāḥ sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.96.6 ||

These and many other sages of firm vows, all filled with curiosity, had assembled.

राक्षसाश्च महावीर्या वानराश्च महाबलाः । सर्व एव समाजग्मुर्महात्मानः कुतूहलात् ।। 7.96.7 ।।

rākṣasāśca mahāvīryā vānarāśca mahābalāḥ | sarva eva samājagmurmahātmānaḥ kutūhalāt || 7.96.7 ||

All the great-souled demons of immense valor and monkeys of great strength assembled there out of curiosity.

क्षत्रिया ये च शूद्राश्च वैश्याश्चैव सहस्रशः । नानादेशगताश्चैव ब्राह्मणाः संशितव्रताः ।। 7.96.8 ।।

kṣatriyā ye ca śūdrāśca vaiśyāścaiva sahasraśaḥ | nānādeśagatāścaiva brāhmaṇāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ || 7.96.8 ||

Thousands of Kshatriyas, Shudras, and Vaishyas, along with Brahmins of firm vows from various countries, also gathered.

ज्ञाननिष्ठाः कर्मनिष्ठाः योगनिष्ठास्तथापरे । सीताशपथवीक्षार्थं सर्व एव समागताः ।। 7.96.9 ।।

jñānaniṣṭhāḥ karmaniṣṭhāḥ yoganiṣṭhāstathāpare | sītāśapathavīkṣārthaṃ sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.96.9 ||

All these, including those devoted to knowledge, action, and yoga, had assembled there to witness Sita's oath.

तदा समागतं सर्वमश्मभूतमिवाचलम् । श्रुत्वा मुनिवरस्तूर्णं ससीतः समुपागमत् ।। 7.96.10 ।।

tadā samāgataṃ sarvamaśmabhūtamivācalam | śrutvā munivarastūrṇaṃ sasītaḥ samupāgamat || 7.96.10 ||

Then, hearing that everyone had assembled and stood unmoving like a stone, the best of sages, Valmiki, quickly approached with Sita.

तमृषिं पृष्ठतः सीता त्वन्वगच्छदवाङ्मुखी । कृताञ्जलिर्बाष्पगला कृत्वा रामं मनोगतम् ।। 7.96.11 ।।

tamṛṣiṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ sītā tvanvagacchadavāṅmukhī | kṛtāñjalirbāṣpagalā kṛtvā rāmaṃ manogatam || 7.96.11 ||

Sita, with a downcast face, folded hands, and a voice choked with tears, followed that sage from behind, having fixed Rama in her mind.

दृष्ट्वा श्रुतिमिवायान्तीं ब्रह्माणमनुगामिनीम् । वाल्मीकेः पृष्ठतः सीतां साधुवादो महानभूत् ।। 7.96.12 ।।

dṛṣṭvā śrutimivāyāntīṃ brahmāṇamanugāminīm | vālmīkeḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ sītāṃ sādhuvādo mahānabhūt || 7.96.12 ||

Upon seeing Sita following Valmiki, appearing like a Veda following Brahma, a great acclamation of "excellent" arose from the crowd.

ततो हलहलाशब्दः सर्वेषामेवमाबभौ । दुःखजन्मविशालेन शोकेनाकुलितात्मनाम् ।। 7.96.13 ।।

tato halahalāśabdaḥ sarveṣāmevamābabhau | duḥkhajanmaviśālena śokenākulitātmanām || 7.96.13 ||

Then, a tumultuous clamor arose from all those whose minds were agitated by the vast sorrow born of their distress.

साधु रामेति केचित्तु साधु सीतेति चापरे । उभावेव च तत्रान्ये प्रेक्षकाः सम्प्रचुक्रुशुः ।। 7.96.14 ।।

sādhu rāmeti kecittu sādhu sīteti cāpare | ubhāveva ca tatrānye prekṣakāḥ sampracukruśuḥ || 7.96.14 ||

Some spectators acclaimed, "Excellent, Rama!", others cried, "Excellent, Sita!", and still others there loudly praised both of them.

ततो मध्ये जनौघस्य प्रविश्य मुनिपुङ्गवः । सीतासहायो वाल्मीकिरिति होवाच राघवम् ।। 7.96.15 ।।

tato madhye janaughasya praviśya munipuṅgavaḥ | sītāsahāyo vālmīkiriti hovāca rāghavam || 7.96.15 ||

Then, having entered the midst of the multitude of people, Valmiki, the foremost of sages, accompanied by Sita, spoke thus to Rama.

इयं दाशरथे सीता सुव्रता धर्मचारिणी । अपवादैः परित्यक्ता ममाश्रमसमीपतः ।। 7.96.16 ।।

iyaṃ dāśarathe sītā suvratā dharmacāriṇī | apavādaiḥ parityaktā mamāśramasamīpataḥ || 7.96.16 ||

O son of Dasharatha, this is Sita, virtuous and righteous, who was abandoned near my hermitage due to public slanders.

लोकापवादभीतस्य तव राम महाव्रत । प्रत्ययं दास्यते सीता तदनुज्ञातुमर्हसि ।। 7.96.17 ।।

lokāpavādabhītasya tava rāma mahāvrata | pratyayaṃ dāsyate sītā tadanujñātumarhasi || 7.96.17 ||

O Rama, keeper of great vows, you who are fearful of public scandal, Sita will provide proof, and you ought to permit her to do so.

इमौ तु जानकीपुत्रावुभौ च यमजातकौ । सुतौ तवैव दुर्धर्षौ सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ।। 7.96.18 ।।

imau tu jānakīputrāvubhau ca yamajātakau | sutau tavaiva durdharṣau satyametadbravīmi te || 7.96.18 ||

These two formidable sons, born as twins to Janaki, are indeed your own sons, and I speak this truth to you.

प्रचेतसो ऽहं दशमः पुत्रो राघवनन्दन । न स्मराम्यनृतं वाक्यमिमौ तु तव पुत्रकौ ।। 7.96.19 ।।

pracetaso 'haṃ daśamaḥ putro rāghavanandana | na smarāmyanṛtaṃ vākyamimau tu tava putrakau || 7.96.19 ||

O delight of the Raghus, I am the tenth son of Prachetas, and I have never uttered a lie; these two are indeed your sons.

बहुवर्षसहस्राणि तपश्चर्या मया कृता । नोपाश्नीयां फलं तस्या दुष्टेयं यदि मैथिली ।। 7.96.20 ।।

bahuvarṣasahasrāṇi tapaścaryā mayā kṛtā | nopāśnīyāṃ phalaṃ tasyā duṣṭeyaṃ yadi maithilī || 7.96.20 ||

If this Maithili were impure, I would not partake of the fruit of the penance that I have performed for many thousands of years.

मनसा कर्मणा वाचा भूतपूर्वं न किल्बिषम् । तस्याः फलमुपाश्नीयामपापा मैथिली यदि ।। 7.96.21 ।।

manasā karmaṇā vācā bhūtapūrvaṃ na kilbiṣam | tasyāḥ phalamupāśnīyāmapāpā maithilī yadi || 7.96.21 ||

If Maithili is sinless, then may I enjoy the fruit of never having committed any sin by thought, word, or deed.

अहं पञ्चसु भूतेषु मनष्षष्ठेषु राघव । विचिन्त्य सीतां शुद्धेति जग्राह वननिर्झरे ।। 7.96.22 ।।

ahaṃ pañcasu bhūteṣu manaṣṣaṣṭheṣu rāghava | vicintya sītāṃ śuddheti jagrāha vananirjhare || 7.96.22 ||

O Raghava, I, who am present in the five elements and the mind as the sixth, accepted Sita as pure, having considered her in the forest stream.

इयं शुद्धसमाचारा अपापा पतिदेवता । लोकापवादभीतस्य प्रत्ययं तव दास्यति ।। 7.96.23 ।।

iyaṃ śuddhasamācārā apāpā patidevatā | lokāpavādabhītasya pratyayaṃ tava dāsyati || 7.96.23 ||

This Sita, who is of pure conduct, sinless, and devoted to her husband as a deity, will provide conviction to you, who feared public scandal.

तस्मादियं नरवरात्मज शुद्धभावा दिव्येन दृष्टिविषयेण तदा प्रविष्टा । लोकापवादकलुषीकृतचेतसा या त्यक्ता त्वया प्रियतमा विदिता ऽपि शुद्धा ।। 7.96.24 ।।

tasmādiyaṃ naravarātmaja śuddhabhāvā divyena dṛṣṭiviṣayeṇa tadā praviṣṭā | lokāpavādakaluṣīkṛtacetasā yā tyaktā tvayā priyatamā viditā 'pi śuddhā || 7.96.24 ||

Therefore, O son of the best among men, this Sita of pure nature, whom you, whose mind was defiled by public scandal, abandoned even though she was known to be pure and dearest to you, then entered the divine realm. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे षण्णवतितमः सर्गः ।। 96 ।। Thus ends the ninety-sixth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.