22 shlokas
विसृज्य तु सुहृद्वर्गं बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य राघवः । समीपे द्वाःस्थमासीनमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ।। 7.44.1 ।।
visṛjya tu suhṛdvargaṃ buddhyā niścitya rāghavaḥ | samīpe dvāḥsthamāsīnamidaṃ vacanamabravīt || 7.44.1 ||
Translation
Having dismissed the company of his friends and resolved upon a course in his mind, Raghava spoke these words to the doorkeeper who sat nearby.
शीघ्रमानय सौमित्रिं लक्ष्मणं शुभलक्षणम् । भरतं च महाभागं शत्रुघ्नमपराजितम् ।। 7.44.2 ।।
śīghramānaya saumitriṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ śubhalakṣaṇam | bharataṃ ca mahābhāgaṃ śatrughnamaparājitam || 7.44.2 ||
Translation
"Bring quickly the son of Sumitra, Lakshmana of auspicious marks, and the greatly fortunate Bharata, and the unconquered Shatrughna."
रामस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा द्वाःस्थो मूर्ध्नि कृताञ्जलिः । लक्ष्मणस्य गृहं गत्वा प्रविवेशानिवारितः ।। 7.44.3 ।।
rāmasya vacanaṃ śrutvā dvāḥstho mūrdhni kṛtāñjaliḥ | lakṣmaṇasya gṛhaṃ gatvā praviveśānivāritaḥ || 7.44.3 ||
Translation
Having heard Rama's command, the doorkeeper, with palms joined upon his head, went to Lakshmana's house and entered unhindered.
उवाच सुमहात्मानं वर्धयित्वा कृताञ्जलिः । द्रष्टुमिच्छति राजा त्वां गम्यतां तत्र मा चिरम् ।। 7.44.4 ।।
uvāca sumahātmānaṃ vardhayitvā kṛtāñjaliḥ | draṣṭumicchati rājā tvāṃ gamyatāṃ tatra mā ciram || 7.44.4 ||
Translation
Saluting that great-souled one and with joined palms he said: "The king wishes to see you; go there, and do not delay."
बाढमित्येव सौमित्रिः श्रुत्वा राघवशासनम् । प्राद्रवद्रथमारुह्य राघवस्य निवेशनम् ।। 7.44.5 ।।
bāḍhamityeva saumitriḥ śrutvā rāghavaśāsanam | prādravadrathamāruhya rāghavasya niveśanam || 7.44.5 ||
Translation
Saying "So be it," the son of Sumitra, on hearing Raghava's command, mounted his chariot and hastened to Raghava's dwelling.
प्रयान्तं लक्ष्मणं दृष्ट्वा द्वाःस्थो भरतमन्तिकात् । उवाच भरतं तत्र वर्धयित्वा कृताञ्जलिः ।। 7.44.6 ।।
prayāntaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā dvāḥstho bharatamantikāt | uvāca bharataṃ tatra vardhayitvā kṛtāñjaliḥ || 7.44.6 ||
Translation
Seeing Lakshmana depart, the doorkeeper went near Bharata and there, having greeted him with joined palms, spoke to Bharata.
विनयावनतो भूत्वा राजा त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छति । भरतस्तु वचःश्रुत्वा द्वाःस्थाद्रामसमीरितम् ।। 7.44.7 ।।
vinayāvanato bhūtvā rājā tvāṃ draṣṭumicchati | bharatastu vacaḥśrutvā dvāḥsthādrāmasamīritam || 7.44.7 ||
Translation
Bowing low in humility he said: "The king wishes to see you." And Bharata, hearing from the doorkeeper the message conveyed by Rama,
उत्पपातासनात्तूर्णं पद्भ्यामेव ययौ बली । दृष्ट्वा प्रयान्तं भरतं त्वरमाणः कृताञ्जलिः ।। 7.44.8 ।।
utpapātāsanāttūrṇaṃ padbhyāmeva yayau balī | dṛṣṭvā prayāntaṃ bharataṃ tvaramāṇaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ || 7.44.8 ||
Translation
the mighty one sprang up swiftly from his seat and went on foot. Seeing Bharata going, the doorkeeper, hastening, with joined palms,
शत्रुघ्नभवनं गत्वा ततो वाक्यमुवाच ह । एह्यागच्छ रघुश्रेष्ठ राजा त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छति ।। 7.44.9 ।।
śatrughnabhavanaṃ gatvā tato vākyamuvāca ha | ehyāgaccha raghuśreṣṭha rājā tvāṃ draṣṭumicchati || 7.44.9 ||
Translation
went to Shatrughna's mansion and then spoke these words: "Come, draw near, O best of the Raghus; the king wishes to see you."
गतो हि लक्ष्मणः पूर्वं भरतश्च महायशाः । श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्य शत्रुघ्नः परमासनात् ।। 7.44.10 ।।
gato hi lakṣmaṇaḥ pūrvaṃ bharataśca mahāyaśāḥ | śrutvā tu vacanaṃ tasya śatrughnaḥ paramāsanāt || 7.44.10 ||
Translation
"Lakshmana has already gone before, and the illustrious Bharata as well." Having heard his words, Shatrughna rose from his lofty seat,
शिरसा धरणीं प्राप्य प्रययौ यत्र राघवः । द्वाःस्थस्त्वागम्य रामाय सर्वानेव कृताञ्जलिः । निवेदयामास तदा भ्रातऽन्स्वान्समुपस्थितान् ।। 7.44.11 ।।
śirasā dharaṇīṃ prāpya prayayau yatra rāghavaḥ | dvāḥsthastvāgamya rāmāya sarvāneva kṛtāñjaliḥ | nivedayāmāsa tadā bhrāta'nsvānsamupasthitān || 7.44.11 ||
Translation
and touching the ground with his head, he proceeded to where Raghava was. Then the doorkeeper, coming to Rama with joined palms, announced to him that all his brothers had arrived and were present there.
कुमारानागताञ्छ्रुत्वा चिन्ताव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः । अवाङ्मुखो दीनमना द्वाःस्थं वचनमब्रवीत् ।। 7.44.12 ।।
kumārānāgatāñchrutvā cintāvyākulitendriyaḥ | avāṅmukho dīnamanā dvāḥsthaṃ vacanamabravīt || 7.44.12 ||
Translation
Hearing that the princes had come, his senses troubled with anxiety, with face cast down and dejected in mind, he spoke these words to the doorkeeper.
प्रवेशय कुमारांस्त्वं मत्समीपं त्वरान्वितः । एतेषु जीवितं मह्यमेते प्राणाः प्रिया मम ।। 7.44.13 ।।
praveśaya kumārāṃstvaṃ matsamīpaṃ tvarānvitaḥ | eteṣu jīvitaṃ mahyamete prāṇāḥ priyā mama || 7.44.13 ||
Translation
"Bring the boys into my presence at once; in them rests my life, and they are my beloved breaths."
आज्ञप्तास्तु नरेन्द्रेण कुमाराः शक्रतेजसः । प्रह्वाः प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा विविशुस्ते समाहिताः ।। 7.44.14 ।।
ājñaptāstu narendreṇa kumārāḥ śakratejasaḥ | prahvāḥ prāñjalayo bhūtvā viviśuste samāhitāḥ || 7.44.14 ||
Translation
Commanded by the king, the boys, who possessed the splendor of Indra, bowed low, folded their palms, and entered with composed minds.
ते तु दृष्ट्वा मुखं तस्य सग्रहं शशिनं यथा । सन्ध्यागतमिवादित्यं प्रभया परिवर्जितम् ।। 7.44.15 ।।
te tu dṛṣṭvā mukhaṃ tasya sagrahaṃ śaśinaṃ yathā | sandhyāgatamivādityaṃ prabhayā parivarjitam || 7.44.15 ||
Translation
But they, gazing upon his face that was like the moon seized by an eclipse-planet, or like the sun arrived at twilight, stripped of its radiance,
बाष्पपूर्णे च नयने दृष्ट्वा रामस्य धीमतः । हतशोभं यथा पद्मं मुखं वीक्ष्य च तस्य ते ।। 7.44.16 ।।
bāṣpapūrṇe ca nayane dṛṣṭvā rāmasya dhīmataḥ | hataśobhaṃ yathā padmaṃ mukhaṃ vīkṣya ca tasya te || 7.44.16 ||
Translation
and seeing the eyes of wise Rama filled with tears, and beholding his face robbed of its luster like a withered lotus,
ततो ऽभिवाद्य त्वरिताः पादौ रामस्य मूर्धभिः । तस्थुः समाहिताः सर्वे रामस्त्वश्रूण्यवर्तयत् ।। 7.44.17 ।।
tato 'bhivādya tvaritāḥ pādau rāmasya mūrdhabhiḥ | tasthuḥ samāhitāḥ sarve rāmastvaśrūṇyavartayat || 7.44.17 ||
Translation
thereupon swiftly saluted Rama's feet with their heads, and all stood with composed minds, while Rama let his tears flow.
तान्परिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यामुत्थाप्य च महाबलः । आसनेष्वासतेत्युक्त्वा ततो वाक्यं जगाद ह ।। 7.44.18 ।।
tānpariṣvajya bāhubhyāmutthāpya ca mahābalaḥ | āsaneṣvāsatetyuktvā tato vākyaṃ jagāda ha || 7.44.18 ||
Translation
The mighty one embraced them with his arms, raised them up, and saying "Be seated upon the seats," then spoke these words.
भवन्तो मम सर्वस्वं भवन्तो जीवितं मम । भवद्भिश्च कृतं राज्यं पालयामि नरेश्वराः ।। 7.44.19 ।।
bhavanto mama sarvasvaṃ bhavanto jīvitaṃ mama | bhavadbhiśca kṛtaṃ rājyaṃ pālayāmi nareśvarāḥ || 7.44.19 ||
Translation
"You are my all, you are my very life; by you the kingdom has been won, and I govern it, O lords of men."
भवन्तः कृतशास्त्रार्था बुद्ध्या च परिनिष्ठिताः । सम्भूय च मदर्थो ऽयमन्वेष्टव्यो नरेश्वराः ।। 7.44.20 ।।
bhavantaḥ kṛtaśāstrārthā buddhyā ca pariniṣṭhitāḥ | sambhūya ca madartho 'yamanveṣṭavyo nareśvarāḥ || 7.44.20 ||
Translation
"You are versed in the meaning of the scriptures and firmly established in wisdom; together you must investigate this matter of mine, O lords of men."
तथा वदति काकुत्स्थे अवधानपरायणाः । उद्विग्नमनसः सर्वे किं नु राजाभिधास्यति ।। 7.44.21 ।।
tathā vadati kākutsthe avadhānaparāyaṇāḥ | udvignamanasaḥ sarve kiṃ nu rājābhidhāsyati || 7.44.21 ||
Translation
As Kakutstha spoke thus, all of them, intent and attentive, became troubled in mind, wondering what the king would say.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे चतुश्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः ।। 44 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe catuścatvāriṃśaḥ sargaḥ || 44 ||
Translation
Thus ends the forty-fourth sarga in the venerable Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana, the first poem composed by the sage Valmiki.