Uttara Kanda, Sarga 97

वाल्मीकिनैवमुक्तस्तु राघवः प्रत्यभाषत । प्राञ्जलिर्जगतो मध्ये दृष्ट्वा तां वरवर्णिनीम् ।। 7.97.1 ।।

vālmīkinaivamuktastu rāghavaḥ pratyabhāṣata | prāñjalirjagato madhye dṛṣṭvā tāṃ varavarṇinīm || 7.97.1 ||

Indeed, when spoken to thus by Valmiki, Rama, having seen Sita of excellent complexion in the midst of the people, replied with folded hands.

एवमेतन्महाभाग यथा वदसि धर्मवित् । प्रत्ययस्तु मम ब्रह्मंस्तव वाक्यैरकल्मषैः ।। 7.97.2 ।।

evametanmahābhāga yathā vadasi dharmavit | pratyayastu mama brahmaṃstava vākyairakalmaṣaiḥ || 7.97.2 ||

O great fortunate one, O knower of dharma, this is indeed as you say, and my conviction is established by your pure words, O Brahmana.

प्रत्ययस्तु पुरा वृत्तो वैदेह्याः सुरसन्निधौ । शपथस्तु कृतस्तत्र तेन वेश्म प्रवेशिता । लोकापवादो बलवान्येन त्यक्ता हि मैथिली ।। 7.97.3 ।।

pratyayastu purā vṛtto vaidehyāḥ surasannidhau | śapathastu kṛtastatra tena veśma praveśitā | lokāpavādo balavānyena tyaktā hi maithilī || 7.97.3 ||

Although Vaidehi's purity was previously proven by an oath taken in the presence of the gods, and she was admitted back into the home, the powerful public scandal compelled me to abandon Maithili.

सेयं लोकभयाद्ब्रह्मन्नपापेत्यभिजानता । परित्यक्ता मया सीता तद्भावन्क्षन्तुमर्हति ।। 7.97.4 ।।

seyaṃ lokabhayādbrahmannapāpetyabhijānatā | parityaktā mayā sītā tadbhāvankṣantumarhati || 7.97.4 ||

O Brahman, knowing her to be sinless, I abandoned Sita out of fear of public opinion, and for this, you should forgive me.

जानामि चेमौ पुत्रौ मे यमजातौ कुशीलवौ । शुद्धायां जगतो मध्ये मैथिल्यां प्रीतिरस्तु मे ।। 7.97.5 ।।

jānāmi cemau putrau me yamajātau kuśīlavau | śuddhāyāṃ jagato madhye maithilyāṃ prītirastu me || 7.97.5 ||

I know that these two, Kusha and Lava, are my twin sons, and I desire that my affection for Maithili, who is pure in the eyes of the world, be restored.

अभिप्रायं तु विज्ञाय रामस्य सुरसत्तमाः । सीतायाः शपथे तस्मिन् महेन्द्राद्या महौजसः ।। 7.97.6 ।।

abhiprāyaṃ tu vijñāya rāmasya surasattamāḥ | sītāyāḥ śapathe tasmin mahendrādyā mahaujasaḥ || 7.97.6 ||

Having understood Rama's intention regarding Sita's oath, the greatly powerful best among gods, led by Mahendra (Indra), prepared to act.

पितामहं पुरस्कृत्य सर्व एव समागताः ।। 7.97.7 ।।

pitāmahaṃ puraskṛtya sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.97.7 ||

All of them, indeed, assembled, making Grandfather Brahma their leader.

आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा ह्यश्विनौ समरुद्गणाः । गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव सर्व एव समागताः ।। 7.97.8 ।।

ādityā vasavo rudrā hyaśvinau samarudgaṇāḥ | gandharvāpsarasaścaiva sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.97.8 ||

The Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, the two Ashvins along with the Maruts, Gandharvas, and Apsaras, all indeed had assembled there.

साध्याश्च विश्वेदेवाश्च सर्वे च परमर्षयः । नागाः सुपर्णाः सिद्धाश्च ते सर्वे हृष्टमानसाः । सीताशपथसम्भ्रान्ताः सर्व एव समागताः ।। 7.97.9 ।।

sādhyāśca viśvedevāśca sarve ca paramarṣayaḥ | nāgāḥ suparṇāḥ siddhāśca te sarve hṛṣṭamānasāḥ | sītāśapathasambhrāntāḥ sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.97.9 ||

The Sadhyas, Vishvedevas, all great sages, Nagas, Suparnas, and Siddhas, all of them with joyful minds, agitated by Sita's oath, had indeed assembled there.

दृष्ट्वा देवानृषींश्चैव राघवः पुनरब्रवीत् । प्रत्ययो मे नरश्रेष्ठा ऋषिवाक्यैरकल्मषैः ।। 7.97.10 ।।

dṛṣṭvā devānṛṣīṃścaiva rāghavaḥ punarabravīt | pratyayo me naraśreṣṭhā ṛṣivākyairakalmaṣaiḥ || 7.97.10 ||

Having seen the gods and sages, Rama spoke again, saying, "O best among men, I have conviction in the faultless words of the sages."

शुद्धायां जगतो मध्ये वैदेह्यां प्रीतिरस्तु मे ।। 7.97.11 ।।

śuddhāyāṃ jagato madhye vaidehyāṃ prītirastu me || 7.97.11 ||

Let my affection for Vaidehi, who is pure in the midst of the world, be firm.

ततो वायुः शुभः पुण्यो दिव्यगन्धो मनोरमः । तज्जनौघं सुरश्रेष्ठो ह्लादयामास सर्वतः ।। 7.97.12 ।।

tato vāyuḥ śubhaḥ puṇyo divyagandho manoramaḥ | tajjanaughaṃ suraśreṣṭho hlādayāmāsa sarvataḥ || 7.97.12 ||

Then, the auspicious, sacred, divinely fragrant, and delightful wind, the best among gods (Vayu), delighted that multitude of people from all sides.

तदद्भुतमिवाचिन्त्यं निरैक्षन्त समागताः । मानवाः सर्वराष्ट्रेभ्यः पूर्वं कृतयुगे यथा ।। 7.97.13 ।।

tadadbhutamivācintyaṃ niraikṣanta samāgatāḥ | mānavāḥ sarvarāṣṭrebhyaḥ pūrvaṃ kṛtayuge yathā || 7.97.13 ||

People gathered from all kingdoms beheld that wonderful and inconceivable sight, just as they would have in the Krita Yuga.

सर्वान्समागतान्दृष्ट्वा सीता काषायवासिनी । अब्रवीत्प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमधोदृष्टिरवाङ्मुखी ।। 7.97.14 ।।

sarvānsamāgatāndṛṣṭvā sītā kāṣāyavāsinī | abravītprāñjalirvākyamadhodṛṣṭiravāṅmukhī || 7.97.14 ||

Having seen all the assembled people, Sita, clad in ochre robes, spoke with folded hands, her eyes and face cast downwards.

यथा ऽहं राघवादन्यं मनसापि न चिन्तये । तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ।। 7.97.15 ।।

yathā 'haṃ rāghavādanyaṃ manasāpi na cintaye | tathā me mādhavī devī vivaraṃ dātumarhati || 7.97.15 ||

Sita prayed, "Just as I do not think of any other man than Rama even in my mind, so may Goddess Earth grant me an opening."

मनसा कर्मणा वाचा यथा रामं समर्चये । तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ।। 7.97.16 ।।

manasā karmaṇā vācā yathā rāmaṃ samarcaye | tathā me mādhavī devī vivaraṃ dātumarhati || 7.97.16 ||

Sita prayed, "Just as I worship Rama with my mind, actions, and speech, so may Goddess Earth grant me an opening."

यथैतत्सत्यमुक्तं मे वेद्मि रामात्परं न च । तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ।। 7.97.17 ।।

yathaitatsatyamuktaṃ me vedmi rāmātparaṃ na ca | tathā me mādhavī devī vivaraṃ dātumarhati || 7.97.17 ||

Sita prayed, "Just as this truth has been spoken by me and I know no one superior to Rama, so may Goddess Earth grant me an opening."

तथा शपन्त्यां वैदेह्यां प्रादुरासीत्तदद्भुतम् । भूतलादुत्थितं दिव्यं सिंहासनमनुत्तमम् ।। 7.97.18 ।।

tathā śapantyāṃ vaidehyāṃ prādurāsīttadadbhutam | bhūtalādutthitaṃ divyaṃ siṃhāsanamanuttamam || 7.97.18 ||

As Vaidehi was thus swearing, a wonderful, divine, and unsurpassed throne emerged from the surface of the earth.

ध्रियमाणं शिरोभिस्तु नागैरमितविक्रमैः । दिव्यं दिव्येन वपुषा दिव्यरत्नविभूषितैः ।। 7.97.19 ।।

dhriyamāṇaṃ śirobhistu nāgairamitavikramaiḥ | divyaṃ divyena vapuṣā divyaratnavibhūṣitaiḥ || 7.97.19 ||

This divine throne was being held by the heads of Nagas of immeasurable valor, who themselves possessed divine bodies adorned with divine jewels.

तस्मिंस्तु धरणी देवी बाहुभ्यां गृह्य मैथिलीम् । स्वागतेनाभिनन्द्यैनामासने चोपवेशयत् ।। 7.97.20 ।।

tasmiṃstu dharaṇī devī bāhubhyāṃ gṛhya maithilīm | svāgatenābhinandyaināmāsane copaveśayat || 7.97.20 ||

Then, Goddess Earth, taking Maithili with her two arms, greeted her with a welcome and made her sit upon that throne.

तामासनगतां दृष्ट्वा प्रविशन्तीं रसातलम् । पुष्पवृष्टिरविच्छिन्ना दिव्या सीतामवाकिरत् ।। 7.97.21 ।।

tāmāsanagatāṃ dṛṣṭvā praviśantīṃ rasātalam | puṣpavṛṣṭiravicchinnā divyā sītāmavākirat || 7.97.21 ||

As Sita, seated on the throne, was seen entering the netherworld, an uninterrupted divine shower of flowers fell upon her.

साधुकारश्च सुमहान्देवानां सहसोत्थितः । साधु साध्विति वै सीते यस्यास्ते शीलमीदृशम् ।। 7.97.22 ।।

sādhukāraśca sumahāndevānāṃ sahasotthitaḥ | sādhu sādhviti vai sīte yasyāste śīlamīdṛśam || 7.97.22 ||

A very great acclamation of "well done" suddenly arose from the gods, praising, "Well done, well done, O Sita, whose character is indeed of such purity!"

एवं बहुविधा वाचो ह्यन्तरिक्षगताः सुराः । व्याजह्रुर्हृष्टमनसो दृष्ट्वा सीताप्रवेशनम् ।। 7.97.23 ।।

evaṃ bahuvidhā vāco hyantarikṣagatāḥ surāḥ | vyājahrurhṛṣṭamanaso dṛṣṭvā sītāpraveśanam || 7.97.23 ||

The celestial gods, with joyful minds, uttered various words upon witnessing Sita's entry into the earth.

यज्ञवाटगताश्चापि मुनयः सर्व एव ते । राजानश्च नरव्याघ्रा विस्मयान्नोपरेमिरे ।। 7.97.24 ।।

yajñavāṭagatāścāpi munayaḥ sarva eva te | rājānaśca naravyāghrā vismayānnoparemire || 7.97.24 ||

All those sages and kings, who were like tigers among men, present in the sacrificial enclosure, did not cease their astonishment.

अन्तरिक्षे च भूमौ च सर्वे स्थावरजङ्गमाः । दानवाश्च महाकायाः पाताले पन्नगाधिपाः ।। 7.97.25 ।।

antarikṣe ca bhūmau ca sarve sthāvarajaṅgamāḥ | dānavāśca mahākāyāḥ pātāle pannagādhipāḥ || 7.97.25 ||

All stationary and moving beings in the sky and on the earth, along with the huge-bodied demons and the lords of serpents in the netherworld, were present.

केचिद्विनेदुः संहृष्टाः केचिद्ध्यानपरायणाः । केचिद्रामं निरीक्षन्ते केचित्सीतामचेतनाः ।। 7.97.26 ।।

kecidvineduḥ saṃhṛṣṭāḥ keciddhyānaparāyaṇāḥ | kecidrāmaṃ nirīkṣante kecitsītāmacetanāḥ || 7.97.26 ||

Some, greatly delighted, roared; some were absorbed in meditation; some gazed at Rama, while others, stunned, looked at Sita.

सीताप्रवेशनं दृष्ट्वा तेषामासीत्समागमः । तन्मुहूर्तमिवात्यर्थं समं सम्मोहितं जगत् ।। 7.97.27 ।।

sītāpraveśanaṃ dṛṣṭvā teṣāmāsītsamāgamaḥ | tanmuhūrtamivātyarthaṃ samaṃ sammohitaṃ jagat || 7.97.27 ||

Upon witnessing Sita's entry, there was a great gathering of beings, and for a moment, the entire world seemed exceedingly bewildered. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे सप्तनवतितमः सर्गः ।। 97 ।। Thus ends the ninety-seventh sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.