Uttara Kanda, Sarga 99

रजन्यां तु प्रभातायां समानीय महामुनीन् । गीयतामविशङ्काभ्यां रामः पुत्रावुवाच ह ।। 7.99.1 ।।

rajanyāṃ tu prabhātāyāṃ samānīya mahāmunīn | gīyatāmaviśaṅkābhyāṃ rāmaḥ putrāvuvāca ha || 7.99.1 ||

When the night dawned, Rama assembled the great sages and instructed his sons, Kusha and Lava, to sing the Ramayana fearlessly.

ततः समुपविष्टेषु ब्रह्मर्षिषु महात्मसु । भविष्यदुत्तरं काव्यं जगतुस्तौ कुशीलवौ ।। 7.99.2 ।।

tataḥ samupaviṣṭeṣu brahmarṣiṣu mahātmasu | bhaviṣyaduttaraṃ kāvyaṃ jagatustau kuśīlavau || 7.99.2 ||

Then, as the great-souled Brahmarishis were seated, Kusha and Lava sang the future, latter part of the epic.

प्रविष्टायां तु सीतायां भूतलं सत्यसम्पदा । तस्यावसाने यज्ञस्य रामः परमदुर्मनाः ।। 7.99.3 ।।

praviṣṭāyāṃ tu sītāyāṃ bhūtalaṃ satyasampadā | tasyāvasāne yajñasya rāmaḥ paramadurmanāḥ || 7.99.3 ||

And when Sita entered the earth by the power of her truth, at the conclusion of that sacrifice, Rama became extremely distressed.

अपश्यमानो वैदेहीं मेने शून्यमिदं जगत् । शोकेन परमायस्तो न शान्तिं मनसा ऽगमत् ।। 7.99.4 ।।

apaśyamāno vaidehīṃ mene śūnyamidaṃ jagat | śokena paramāyasto na śāntiṃ manasā 'gamat || 7.99.4 ||

Unable to see Vaidehi, he considered this world empty, and being greatly distressed by sorrow, he could not attain peace of mind.

विसृज्य पार्थिवान्सर्वानृक्षवानरराक्षसान् । जनौघं विप्रमुख्यानां वित्तपूर्वं विसृज्य च ।। 7.99.5 ।।

visṛjya pārthivānsarvānṛkṣavānararākṣasān | janaughaṃ vipramukhyānāṃ vittapūrvaṃ visṛjya ca || 7.99.5 ||

Having dismissed all the kings, bears, monkeys, and rakshasas, and also having sent away the multitude of chief Brahmins with gifts of wealth.

एवं समाप्य यज्ञं तु विधिवत्स तु राघवः । ततो विसृज्य तान्सर्वान्रामो राजीवलोचनः ।। 7.99.6 ।।

evaṃ samāpya yajñaṃ tu vidhivatsa tu rāghavaḥ | tato visṛjya tānsarvānrāmo rājīvalocanaḥ || 7.99.6 ||

Thus, having properly concluded the sacrifice, that Rama, the descendant of Raghu, the lotus-eyed, then dismissed all of them.

हृदि कृत्वा तदा सीतामयोध्यां प्रविवेश ह । इष्टयज्ञो नरपतिः पुत्रद्वयसमन्वितः ।। 7.99.7 ।।

hṛdi kṛtvā tadā sītāmayodhyāṃ praviveśa ha | iṣṭayajño narapatiḥ putradvayasamanvitaḥ || 7.99.7 ||

Then, keeping Sita in his heart, that king, who had performed sacrifices and was accompanied by his two sons, entered Ayodhya.

न सीतायाः परां भार्यां वव्रे स रघुनन्दनः । यज्ञे यज्ञे च पत्न्यर्थं जानकी काञ्चनी भवत् ।। 7.99.8 ।।

na sītāyāḥ parāṃ bhāryāṃ vavre sa raghunandanaḥ | yajñe yajñe ca patnyarthaṃ jānakī kāñcanī bhavat || 7.99.8 ||

That Rama, the delight of Raghu, did not choose another wife besides Sita, and in every sacrifice, a golden image of Janaki served as his wife.

दशवर्षसहस्राणि वाजिमेघानथाकरोत् । वाजपेयान्दशगुणांस्तथा बहुसुवर्णकान् ।। 7.99.9 ।।

daśavarṣasahasrāṇi vājimeghānathākarot | vājapeyāndaśaguṇāṃstathā bahusuvarṇakān || 7.99.9 ||

For ten thousand years, he performed Ashwamedha sacrifices, and also Vajapeya sacrifices that were ten times grander and involved abundant gold.

अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राभ्यां गोसवैश्च महाधनैः । ईजे क्रतुभिरन्यैश्च स श्रीमानाप्तदक्षिणैः ।। 7.99.10 ।।

agniṣṭomātirātrābhyāṃ gosavaiśca mahādhanaiḥ | īje kratubhiranyaiśca sa śrīmānāptadakṣiṇaiḥ || 7.99.10 ||

The glorious Rama performed other sacrifices like Agnishtoma, Atiratra, and Gosava, which were accompanied by great wealth and ample gifts.

एवं स कालः सुमहान्राज्यस्थस्य महात्मनः । धर्मे प्रयतमानस्य व्यतीयाद्राघवस्य तु ।। 7.99.11 ।।

evaṃ sa kālaḥ sumahānrājyasthasya mahātmanaḥ | dharme prayatamānasya vyatīyādrāghavasya tu || 7.99.11 ||

Thus, a very long period of time passed for the great-souled Rama, who was established in his kingdom and constantly striving in righteousness.

अनुरञ्जन्ति राजानमहन्यहनि राघवम् । ऋक्षवानररक्षांसि स्थिता रामस्य शासने ।। 7.99.12 ।।

anurañjanti rājānamahanyahani rāghavam | ṛkṣavānararakṣāṃsi sthitā rāmasya śāsane || 7.99.12 ||

Day by day, the bears, monkeys, and rakshasas, abiding by Rama's command, continued to please King Rama.

काले वर्षति पर्जन्यः सुभिक्षं विमला दिशः । हृष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णं पुरं जनपदास्तथा ।। 7.99.13 ।।

kāle varṣati parjanyaḥ subhikṣaṃ vimalā diśaḥ | hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākīrṇaṃ puraṃ janapadāstathā || 7.99.13 ||

The rain-god rained at the proper time, there was an abundance of food, the directions were clear, and the city and its districts were filled with happy and well-nourished people.

नाकाले म्रियते कश्चिन्न व्याधिः प्राणिनां तथा । नानर्थो विद्यते कश्चिद्रामे राज्यं प्रशासति ।। 7.99.14 ।।

nākāle mriyate kaścinna vyādhiḥ prāṇināṃ tathā | nānartho vidyate kaścidrāme rājyaṃ praśāsati || 7.99.14 ||

When Rama was ruling the kingdom, no one died an untimely death, nor did any disease afflict living beings, nor did any misfortune exist.

अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य राममाता यशस्विनी । पुत्रपौत्रैः परिवृता कालधर्ममुपागमत् ।। 7.99.15 ।।

atha dīrghasya kālasya rāmamātā yaśasvinī | putrapautraiḥ parivṛtā kāladharmamupāgamat || 7.99.15 ||

After a long period, the illustrious Kausalya, Rama's mother, surrounded by her sons and grandsons, attained the law of time, meaning she passed away.

अन्वियाय सुमित्रा च कैकेयी च यशस्विनी । धर्मं कृत्वा बहुविधं त्रिदिवे पर्यवस्थिता ।। 7.99.16 ।।

anviyāya sumitrā ca kaikeyī ca yaśasvinī | dharmaṃ kṛtvā bahuvidhaṃ tridive paryavasthitā || 7.99.16 ||

Sumitra and the illustrious Kaikeyi also followed, and having performed various kinds of meritorious deeds, they resided in heaven.

सर्वाः प्रमुदिताः स्वर्गे राज्ञा दशरथेन च । समागता महाभागाः सर्वधर्मं च लेभिरे ।। 7.99.17 ।।

sarvāḥ pramuditāḥ svarge rājñā daśarathena ca | samāgatā mahābhāgāḥ sarvadharmaṃ ca lebhire || 7.99.17 ||

All those greatly fortunate queens, reunited with King Dasharatha in heaven, were greatly delighted and obtained all righteousness.

तासां रामो महादानं काले काले प्रयच्छति । मातऽणामविशेषेण ब्राह्मणेषु तपस्विषु ।। 7.99.18 ।।

tāsāṃ rāmo mahādānaṃ kāle kāle prayacchati | māta'ṇāmaviśeṣeṇa brāhmaṇeṣu tapasviṣu || 7.99.18 ||

Rama regularly gives great gifts for his mothers, without distinction, to Brahmins and ascetics.

पित्र्याणि ब्रह्मरत्नानि यज्ञान्परमदुस्तरान् । चकार रामो धर्मात्मा पितऽन्देवान्विवर्धयन् ।। 7.99.19 ।।

pitryāṇi brahmaratnāni yajñānparamadustarān | cakāra rāmo dharmātmā pita'ndevānvivardhayan || 7.99.19 ||

The righteous-souled Rama performed ancestral rites, excellent Vedic rituals, and extremely difficult sacrifices, thereby causing his ancestors and the gods to prosper.

एवं वर्षसहस्राणि बहून्यथ ययुः सुखम् । यज्ञैर्बहुविधं धर्मं वर्धयानस्य सर्वदा ।। 7.99.20 ।।

evaṃ varṣasahasrāṇi bahūnyatha yayuḥ sukham | yajñairbahuvidhaṃ dharmaṃ vardhayānasya sarvadā || 7.99.20 ||

Thus, many thousands of years passed happily for him who was always increasing various kinds of righteousness through sacrifices. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकोनशततमः सर्गः ।। 99 ।। Thus ends the ninety-ninth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.