26 shlokas
तेषां समुपविष्टानां सर्वेषां दीनचेतसाम् । उवाच वाक्यं काकुत्स्थो मुखेन परिशुष्यता ।। 7.45.1 ।।
teṣāṃ samupaviṣṭānāṃ sarveṣāṃ dīnacetasām | uvāca vākyaṃ kākutstho mukhena pariśuṣyatā || 7.45.1 ||
Translation
To all of them seated there with dejected hearts, Kakutstha spoke these words with a face grown parched.
सर्वे शृणुत भद्रं वो मा कुरुध्वं मनो ऽन्यथा । पौराणां मम सीतायां यादृशी वर्तते कथा ।। 7.45.2 ।।
sarve śṛṇuta bhadraṃ vo mā kurudhvaṃ mano 'nyathā | paurāṇāṃ mama sītāyāṃ yādṛśī vartate kathā || 7.45.2 ||
Translation
"Listen, all of you, and blessings upon you; do not let your minds turn otherwise. Hear what manner of tale concerning Sita and concerning me is current among the townsfolk."
पौरापवादः सुमहांस्तथा जनपदस्य च । वर्तते मयि बीभत्सा सा मे मर्माणि कृन्तति ।। 7.45.3 ।।
paurāpavādaḥ sumahāṃstathā janapadasya ca | vartate mayi bībhatsā sā me marmāṇi kṛntati || 7.45.3 ||
Translation
"A very great scandal among the citizens, and likewise throughout the realm, circulates about me—that loathsome talk cuts me to the quick."
अहं किल कुले जात इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् । सीता ऽपि सत्कुले जाता जनकानां महात्मनाम् ।। 7.45.4 ।।
ahaṃ kila kule jāta ikṣvākūṇāṃ mahātmanām | sītā 'pi satkule jātā janakānāṃ mahātmanām || 7.45.4 ||
Translation
"I, indeed, was born in the lineage of the great-souled Ikshvakus, and Sita too was born in the noble family of the great-souled Janakas."
जानासि त्वं यथा सौम्य दण्डके विजने वने । रावणेन हृता सीता स च विध्वंसितो मया ।। 7.45.5 ।।
jānāsi tvaṃ yathā saumya daṇḍake vijane vane | rāvaṇena hṛtā sītā sa ca vidhvaṃsito mayā || 7.45.5 ||
Translation
"You know, gentle one, how in the Dandaka forest, in that desolate wilderness, Sita was carried off by Ravana, and how he was destroyed by me."
तत्र मे बुद्धिरुत्पन्ना जनकस्य सुतां प्रति । अत्रोषितामिमां सीतामानयेयं कथं पुरीम् ।। 7.45.6 ।।
tatra me buddhirutpannā janakasya sutāṃ prati | atroṣitāmimāṃ sītāmānayeyaṃ kathaṃ purīm || 7.45.6 ||
Translation
"At that time a thought arose in me concerning Janaka's daughter: 'How can I bring back to the city this Sita, who has dwelt here in the dwelling of another?'"
प्रत्ययार्थं ततः सीता विवेश ज्वलनं तदा । प्रत्यक्षं तव सौमित्रे देवानां हव्यवाहनः । अपापां मैथिलीमाह वायुश्चाकाशगोचरः ।। 7.45.7 ।।
pratyayārthaṃ tataḥ sītā viveśa jvalanaṃ tadā | pratyakṣaṃ tava saumitre devānāṃ havyavāhanaḥ | apāpāṃ maithilīmāha vāyuścākāśagocaraḥ || 7.45.7 ||
Translation
"Then, for the sake of proof, Sita entered the fire at that time—before your very eyes, Saumitri—and the bearer of the gods' oblations declared Maithili to be without sin, and so too did the Wind that ranges through the sky."
चन्द्रादित्यौ च शंसेते सुराणां सन्निधौ पुरा । ऋषीणां चैव सर्वेषामपापां जनकात्मजाम् ।। 7.45.8 ।।
candrādityau ca śaṃsete surāṇāṃ sannidhau purā | ṛṣīṇāṃ caiva sarveṣāmapāpāṃ janakātmajām || 7.45.8 ||
Translation
"The moon and the sun also testified, of old, in the presence of the gods and of all the sages, that the daughter of Janaka was without sin."
एवं शुद्धसमाचारा देवगन्धर्वसन्निधौ । लङ्काद्वीपे महेन्द्रेण मम हस्ते निवेशिता ।। 7.45.9 ।।
evaṃ śuddhasamācārā devagandharvasannidhau | laṅkādvīpe mahendreṇa mama haste niveśitā || 7.45.9 ||
Translation
"Thus, of pure conduct, in the presence of the gods and the gandharvas, on the island of Lanka she was placed into my hand by great Indra."
अन्तरात्मा च मे वेत्ति सीतां शुद्धां यशस्विनीम् । ततो गृहीत्वा वैदेहीमयोध्यामहमागतः ।। 7.45.10 ।।
antarātmā ca me vetti sītāṃ śuddhāṃ yaśasvinīm | tato gṛhītvā vaidehīmayodhyāmahamāgataḥ || 7.45.10 ||
Translation
"My inner soul too knows Sita to be pure and illustrious. Then, taking Vaidehi, I came to Ayodhya."
अयं तु मे महान्वादः शोकश्च हृदि वर्तते । पौरापवादः सुमहांस्तथा जनपदस्य च ।। 7.45.11 ।।
ayaṃ tu me mahānvādaḥ śokaśca hṛdi vartate | paurāpavādaḥ sumahāṃstathā janapadasya ca || 7.45.11 ||
Translation
This great rumor and the grief it brings dwell within my heart, for the censure of the citizens is exceedingly great, and so too is the censure of the people of the realm.
अकीर्तिर्यस्य गीयेत लोके भूतस्य कस्यचित् । पतत्येवाधमाँल्लोकान्यावच्छब्दः प्रकीर्त्यते ।। 7.45.12 ।।
akīrtiryasya gīyeta loke bhūtasya kasyacit | patatyevādhamāँllokānyāvacchabdaḥ prakīrtyate || 7.45.12 ||
Translation
When the ill-repute of any living being whatsoever is sung throughout the world, that being falls into the lowest realms, and remains there for as long as the report of it is proclaimed.
अकीर्तिर्निन्द्यते देवैः कीर्तिर्लोकेषु पूज्यते । कीर्त्यर्थं तु समारम्भः सर्वेषां सुमहात्मनाम् ।। 7.45.13 ।।
akīrtirnindyate devaiḥ kīrtirlokeṣu pūjyate | kīrtyarthaṃ tu samārambhaḥ sarveṣāṃ sumahātmanām || 7.45.13 ||
Translation
Ill-repute is condemned by the gods, while good fame is honored in all the worlds; and indeed the very undertakings of all the great-souled ones are for the sake of fame.
अप्यहं जीवितं जह्यां युष्मान्वा पुरुषर्षभाः । अपवादभयाद्भीतः किं पुनर्जनकात्मजाम् ।। 7.45.14 ।।
apyahaṃ jīvitaṃ jahyāṃ yuṣmānvā puruṣarṣabhāḥ | apavādabhayādbhītaḥ kiṃ punarjanakātmajām || 7.45.14 ||
Translation
O bulls among men, frightened by the fear of such slander, I would even give up my own life, or give up all of you; how much more readily, then, the daughter of Janaka.
तस्माद्भवन्तः पश्यन्तु पतितं शोकसागरे । नहि पश्याम्यहं भूतं किञ्चिद्दुःखमतो ऽधिकम् ।। 7.45.15 ।।
tasmādbhavantaḥ paśyantu patitaṃ śokasāgare | nahi paśyāmyahaṃ bhūtaṃ kiñcidduḥkhamato 'dhikam || 7.45.15 ||
Translation
Therefore behold me, fallen into an ocean of sorrow, for I see no living being burdened with any grief greater than this.
श्वस्त्वं प्रभाते सौमित्रे सुमन्त्राधिष्ठितं रथम् । आरुह्य सीतामारोप्य विषयान्ते समुत्सृज ।। 7.45.16 ।।
śvastvaṃ prabhāte saumitre sumantrādhiṣṭhitaṃ ratham | āruhya sītāmāropya viṣayānte samutsṛja || 7.45.16 ||
Translation
Tomorrow at dawn, O son of Sumitra, mounting the chariot driven by Sumantra and having placed Sita upon it, abandon her at the borders of the kingdom.
गङ्गायास्तु परे पारे वाल्मीकेस्तु महात्मनः । आश्रमो दिव्यसङ्काशस्तमसातीरमाश्रितः ।। 7.45.17 ।।
gaṅgāyāstu pare pāre vālmīkestu mahātmanaḥ | āśramo divyasaṅkāśastamasātīramāśritaḥ || 7.45.17 ||
Translation
On the far bank of the Ganga lies the hermitage of the great-souled Valmiki, resembling a divine abode, situated upon the shore of the Tamasa river.
तत्रैनां विजने देशे विसृज्य रघुनन्दन । शीघ्रमागच्छ भद्रं ते कुरुष्व वचनं मम ।। 7.45.18 ।।
tatraināṃ vijane deśe visṛjya raghunandana | śīghramāgaccha bhadraṃ te kuruṣva vacanaṃ mama || 7.45.18 ||
Translation
There, O delight of the Raghus, having left her in that desolate region, return swiftly—blessings be upon you—and carry out my command.
न चास्मिन् प्रतिवक्तव्यः सीतां प्रति कथञ्चन । तस्मात्त्वं गच्छ सौमित्रे नात्र कार्या विचारणा ।। 7.45.19 ।।
na cāsmin prativaktavyaḥ sītāṃ prati kathañcana | tasmāttvaṃ gaccha saumitre nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 7.45.19 ||
Translation
And concerning Sita nothing whatsoever is to be said in reply to me in this matter; therefore go, O son of Sumitra, and let there be no deliberation here.
अप्रीतिर्हि परा मह्यं त्वयेतत्प्रतिवारिते । शापिता हि मया यूयं भुजाभ्यां जीवितेन च ।। 7.45.20 ।।
aprītirhi parā mahyaṃ tvayetatprativārite | śāpitā hi mayā yūyaṃ bhujābhyāṃ jīvitena ca || 7.45.20 ||
Translation
For it will be the greatest displeasure to me should you obstruct this; indeed I have adjured you all by my arms and by my very life.
ये मां वाक्यान्तरे ब्रूयुरनुनेतुं कथञ्चन । अहिता नाम ते नित्यं मदभीष्टविघातनात् ।। 7.45.21 ।।
ye māṃ vākyāntare brūyuranunetuṃ kathañcana | ahitā nāma te nityaṃ madabhīṣṭavighātanāt || 7.45.21 ||
Translation
Those who would speak any word to me to dissuade me in this matter are surely to be reckoned forever as my enemies, since they thwart what I desire.
मानयन्तु भवन्तो मां यदि मच्छासने स्थिताः । इतो ऽद्य नीयतां सीता कुरुष्व वचनं मम ।। 7.45.22 ।।
mānayantu bhavanto māṃ yadi macchāsane sthitāḥ | ito 'dya nīyatāṃ sītā kuruṣva vacanaṃ mama || 7.45.22 ||
Translation
Honor me, if you abide by my command: let Sita be taken away from here this very day—carry out my word.
पूर्वमुक्तो ऽहमनया गङ्गातीरे ऽहमाश्रमान् । पश्येयमिति तस्याश्च कामः संवर्त्यतामयम् ।। 7.45.23 ।।
pūrvamukto 'hamanayā gaṅgātīre 'hamāśramān | paśyeyamiti tasyāśca kāmaḥ saṃvartyatāmayam || 7.45.23 ||
Translation
Formerly I was told by her, 'I would behold the hermitages upon the bank of the Ganga'; let this wish of hers now be fulfilled.
एवमुक्त्वा तु काकुत्स्थो बाष्पेण पिहिताननः । प्रविवेश स धर्मात्मा भ्रातृभिः परिवारितः ।। 7.45.24 ।।
evamuktvā tu kākutstho bāṣpeṇa pihitānanaḥ | praviveśa sa dharmātmā bhrātṛbhiḥ parivāritaḥ || 7.45.24 ||
Translation
Having spoken thus, Kakutstha, that righteous one, his face covered with tears, withdrew into his chambers, surrounded by his brothers.
शोकसंलग्नहृदयो निशश्वास यथा द्विपः ।। 7.45.25 ।।
śokasaṃlagnahṛdayo niśaśvāsa yathā dvipaḥ || 7.45.25 ||
Translation
His heart clinging to sorrow, he sighed deeply like an elephant.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ।। 45 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe pañcacatvāriṃśaḥ sargaḥ || 45 ||
Translation
Thus ends the forty-fifth canto of the sacred Uttara Kanda in the venerable Ramayana, the first poem, composed by the sage Valmiki.