27 shlokas
लक्ष्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दारुणं जनकात्मजा । परं विषादमागम्य वैदेही निपपात ह ।। 7.48.1 ।।
lakṣmaṇasya vacaḥ śrutvā dāruṇaṃ janakātmajā | paraṃ viṣādamāgamya vaidehī nipapāta ha || 7.48.1 ||
Translation
Having heard the dreadful words of Lakshmana, the daughter of Janaka, Vaidehi, falling into the utmost despair, sank down to the ground.
सा मुहूर्तमिवासञ्ज्ञा बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा । लक्ष्मणं दीनया वाचा उवाच जनकात्मजा ।। 7.48.2 ।।
sā muhūrtamivāsañjñā bāṣpaparyākulekṣaṇā | lakṣmaṇaṃ dīnayā vācā uvāca janakātmajā || 7.48.2 ||
Translation
For a moment, as if she had lost her senses, her eyes brimming with tears, the daughter of Janaka spoke to Lakshmana in a piteous voice.
मामिकेयं तनुर्नूनं सृष्टा दुःखाय लक्ष्मण । धात्रा यस्यास्तथा मे ऽद्य दुःखमूर्तिः प्रदृश्यते ।। 7.48.3 ।।
māmikeyaṃ tanurnūnaṃ sṛṣṭā duḥkhāya lakṣmaṇa | dhātrā yasyāstathā me 'dya duḥkhamūrtiḥ pradṛśyate || 7.48.3 ||
Translation
Surely this body of mine was created for sorrow by the Creator, O Lakshmana, since for me this very day such an embodiment of grief is made manifest.
किं नु पापं कृतं पूर्वं को वा दारैर्वियोजितः । या ऽहं शुद्धसमाचारा त्यक्ता नृपतिना सती ।। 7.48.4 ।।
kiṃ nu pāpaṃ kṛtaṃ pūrvaṃ ko vā dārairviyojitaḥ | yā 'haṃ śuddhasamācārā tyaktā nṛpatinā satī || 7.48.4 ||
Translation
What sin can I have committed in a former life, or whom did I separate from his wife, that I, of pure conduct and a faithful wife, have now been abandoned by the king?
पुरा ऽहमाश्रमे वासं रामपादानुवर्तिनी । अनुरुध्यापि सौमित्रे दुःखे च परिवर्तिनी ।। 7.48.5 ।।
purā 'hamāśrame vāsaṃ rāmapādānuvartinī | anurudhyāpi saumitre duḥkhe ca parivartinī || 7.48.5 ||
Translation
Formerly I dwelt in the hermitage, following in the footsteps of Rama, O son of Sumitra, complying with his wishes and sharing even in his hardships.
सा कथं ह्याश्रमे सौम्य वत्स्यामि विजनीकृता । आख्यास्यामि च कस्याहं दुःखं दुःखपरायणा ।। 7.48.6 ।।
sā kathaṃ hyāśrame saumya vatsyāmi vijanīkṛtā | ākhyāsyāmi ca kasyāhaṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhaparāyaṇā || 7.48.6 ||
Translation
How then, O gentle one, shall I, left all alone, dwell in the hermitage; and to whom shall I, given over to sorrow, tell my grief?
किं नु वक्ष्यामि मुनिषु कर्म वा सत्कृतं च किम् । कस्मिंश्चित् कारणे त्यक्ता राघवेण महात्मना ।। 7.48.7 ।।
kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi muniṣu karma vā satkṛtaṃ ca kim | kasmiṃścit kāraṇe tyaktā rāghaveṇa mahātmanā || 7.48.7 ||
Translation
What shall I say to the sages — what good deed I have done, or what hospitality I have shown — when for some cause I have been abandoned by the great-souled Raghava?
न खल्वद्यैव सौमित्रे जीवितं जाह्नवीजले । त्यजेयं राजवंशस्तु भर्तुर्मे परिहास्यते ।। 7.48.8 ।।
na khalvadyaiva saumitre jīvitaṃ jāhnavījale | tyajeyaṃ rājavaṃśastu bharturme parihāsyate || 7.48.8 ||
Translation
Truly, this very day, O son of Sumitra, I would give up my life in the waters of the Ganga; but then the royal line of my husband would be brought to nothing.
यथाज्ञं कुरु सोमित्रे त्यज मां दुःखभागिनीम् । निदेशे स्थीयतां राज्ञः शृणु चेदं वचो मम ।। 7.48.9 ।।
yathājñaṃ kuru somitre tyaja māṃ duḥkhabhāginīm | nideśe sthīyatāṃ rājñaḥ śṛṇu cedaṃ vaco mama || 7.48.9 ||
Translation
Do as you are commanded, O son of Sumitra; abandon me, who am marked for sorrow. Let the king's order be obeyed; and yet hear also this word of mine.
श्वश्रूणामविशेषेण प्राञ्जलिप्रग्रहेण च । शिरसा ऽ ऽवन्द्य चरणौ कुशलं ब्रूहि पार्थिवम् ।। 7.48.10 ।।
śvaśrūṇāmaviśeṣeṇa prāñjalipragraheṇa ca | śirasā ' 'vandya caraṇau kuśalaṃ brūhi pārthivam || 7.48.10 ||
Translation
Bowing your head with hands joined in reverence to all my mothers-in-law without distinction, and saluting their feet, convey to the king my wishes for his well-being.
शिरसा ऽभिनतो ब्रूयाः सर्वासामेव लक्ष्मण । वक्तव्यश्चापि नृपतिर्धर्मेषु सुसमाहितः ।। 7.48.11 ।।
śirasā 'bhinato brūyāḥ sarvāsāmeva lakṣmaṇa | vaktavyaścāpi nṛpatirdharmeṣu susamāhitaḥ || 7.48.11 ||
Translation
Bowing with your head, O Lakshmana, you shall speak to all of them; and the king, steadfast and intent upon his duties, must also be addressed thus.
जानासि च यथा शुद्धा सीता तत्त्वेन राघव । भक्त्या च परया युक्ता हिता च तव नित्यशः ।। 7.48.12 ।।
jānāsi ca yathā śuddhā sītā tattvena rāghava | bhaktyā ca parayā yuktā hitā ca tava nityaśaḥ || 7.48.12 ||
Translation
You know in truth, O Raghava, how pure Sita is, endowed with supreme devotion and ever devoted to your welfare.
अहं त्यक्ता त्वया वीर अयशोभीरुणा जने । यच्च ते वचनीयं स्यादपवादसमुत्थितम् । मया च परिहर्तव्यं त्वं हि मे परमा गतिः ।। 7.48.13 ।।
ahaṃ tyaktā tvayā vīra ayaśobhīruṇā jane | yacca te vacanīyaṃ syādapavādasamutthitam | mayā ca parihartavyaṃ tvaṃ hi me paramā gatiḥ || 7.48.13 ||
Translation
I have been abandoned by you, O hero, who feared dishonor among the people; yet whatever censure might arise against you out of slander, that too must be removed by me, for you are my supreme refuge.
वक्तव्यश्चेति नृपतिर्धमेण सुसमाहितः । यथा भ्रातृषु वर्तेथास्तथा पौरेषु नित्यदा ।। 7.48.14 ।।
vaktavyaśceti nṛpatirdhameṇa susamāhitaḥ | yathā bhrātṛṣu vartethāstathā paureṣu nityadā || 7.48.14 ||
Translation
And the king, steadfast in righteousness, must be told this: that you should always conduct yourself toward the citizens as you do toward your brothers.
परमो ह्येष धर्मस्ते तस्मात्कीर्तिरनुत्तमा ।। 7.48.15 ।।
paramo hyeṣa dharmaste tasmātkīrtiranuttamā || 7.48.15 ||
Translation
For this is the highest duty for you, and from it comes unsurpassed glory.
यत्तु पौरजनो राजन्धर्मेण समवाप्नुयात् । अहं तु नानुशोचामि स्वशरीरं नरर्षभ ।। 7.48.16 ।।
yattu paurajano rājandharmeṇa samavāpnuyāt | ahaṃ tu nānuśocāmi svaśarīraṃ nararṣabha || 7.48.16 ||
Translation
Whatever the citizens may obtain through this righteousness, O king — for myself, I do not grieve for my own body, O bull among men.
यथापवादं पौराणां तथैव रघुनन्दन । पतिर्हि देवता नार्याः पतिर्बन्धुः पतिर्गुरुः ।। 7.48.17 ।।
yathāpavādaṃ paurāṇāṃ tathaiva raghunandana | patirhi devatā nāryāḥ patirbandhuḥ patirguruḥ || 7.48.17 ||
Translation
Just as the slander of the citizens demands, so let it be, O delight of the Raghus; for the husband is a woman's deity, the husband is her kinsman, the husband is her preceptor.
प्राणैरपि प्रियं तस्माद्भर्तुः कार्यं विशेषतः । इति मद्वचनाद्रामो वक्तव्यो मम सङ्ग्रहः । निरीक्ष्य मा ऽद्य गच्छ त्वमृतुकालातिवर्तिनीम् ।। 7.48.18 ।।
prāṇairapi priyaṃ tasmādbhartuḥ kāryaṃ viśeṣataḥ | iti madvacanādrāmo vaktavyo mama saṅgrahaḥ | nirīkṣya mā 'dya gaccha tvamṛtukālātivartinīm || 7.48.18 ||
Translation
Therefore, even at the cost of one's life, what pleases the husband must be done above all. Thus, in my words, Rama is to be told my entreaty: that you cast me out today after seeing that the time of my fertile season had passed.
एवं ब्रुवन्त्यां सीतायां लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः । शिरसा ऽ ऽवन्द्य धरणीं व्याहर्तुं न शशाक ह ।। 7.48.19 ।।
evaṃ bruvantyāṃ sītāyāṃ lakṣmaṇo dīnacetanaḥ | śirasā ' 'vandya dharaṇīṃ vyāhartuṃ na śaśāka ha || 7.48.19 ||
Translation
When Sita spoke in this way, Lakshmana, his mind dejected, bowed his head to the earth and was unable to utter a word.
प्रदक्षिणं च तां कृत्वा रुदन्नेव महास्वनः । ध्यात्वा मुहूर्तं तामाह किं मां वक्ष्यसि शोभने ।। 7.48.20 ।।
pradakṣiṇaṃ ca tāṃ kṛtvā rudanneva mahāsvanaḥ | dhyātvā muhūrtaṃ tāmāha kiṃ māṃ vakṣyasi śobhane || 7.48.20 ||
Translation
Having circumambulated her, weeping aloud with a great cry, and having reflected for a moment, he said to her: What shall you say of me, O lovely one?
दृष्टपूर्वं न ते रूपं पादौ दृष्टौ तवानघे । कथमत्र हि पश्यामि रामेण रहितां वने ।। 7.48.21 ।।
dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ na te rūpaṃ pādau dṛṣṭau tavānaghe | kathamatra hi paśyāmi rāmeṇa rahitāṃ vane || 7.48.21 ||
Translation
Never before was your form seen by me; only your feet have I looked upon, O sinless one. How then can I bear to behold you here, abandoned in the forest without Rama?
इत्युक्त्वा तां नमस्कृत्य पुनर्नावमुपारुहत् । आरुह्य च पुनर्नावं नाविकं चाभ्यचोदयत् ।। 7.48.22 ।।
ityuktvā tāṃ namaskṛtya punarnāvamupāruhat | āruhya ca punarnāvaṃ nāvikaṃ cābhyacodayat || 7.48.22 ||
Translation
Having said this and saluted her, he climbed back into the boat; and having boarded the boat again, he urged on the boatman.
स गत्वा चोत्तरं तीरं शोकभारसमन्वितः । सम्मूढ इव दुःखेन रथमध्यारुहद्द्रुतम् ।। 7.48.23 ।।
sa gatvā cottaraṃ tīraṃ śokabhārasamanvitaḥ | sammūḍha iva duḥkhena rathamadhyāruhaddrutam || 7.48.23 ||
Translation
Reaching the northern bank, weighed down by the burden of his grief and as if dazed by sorrow, he swiftly mounted the chariot.
मुहुर्मुहुः परावृत्य दृष्ट्वा सीतामनाथवत् । चेष्टन्तीं परतीरस्थां लक्ष्मणः प्रययावथ ।। 7.48.24 ।।
muhurmuhuḥ parāvṛtya dṛṣṭvā sītāmanāthavat | ceṣṭantīṃ paratīrasthāṃ lakṣmaṇaḥ prayayāvatha || 7.48.24 ||
Translation
Turning back again and again, gazing upon Sita who, helpless, moved about upon the far bank, Lakshmana then departed.
दूरस्थं रथमालोक्य लक्ष्मणं च मुहूर्मुहुः । निरीक्षमाणां तूद्विग्नां सीतां शोकः समाविशत् ।। 7.48.25 ।।
dūrasthaṃ rathamālokya lakṣmaṇaṃ ca muhūrmuhuḥ | nirīkṣamāṇāṃ tūdvignāṃ sītāṃ śokaḥ samāviśat || 7.48.25 ||
Translation
As she looked again and again upon the distant chariot and Lakshmana, sorrow took hold of the agitated Sita.
सा दुःखभारावनता यशस्विनी यशोधना नाथमपश्यती सती । रुरोद सा बर्हिणनादिते वने महास्वनं दुःखपरायणा सती ।। 7.48.26 ।।
sā duḥkhabhārāvanatā yaśasvinī yaśodhanā nāthamapaśyatī satī | ruroda sā barhiṇanādite vane mahāsvanaṃ duḥkhaparāyaṇā satī || 7.48.26 ||
Translation
That illustrious lady, rich in renown, bowed down by the weight of grief and seeing no protector, the chaste woman wept aloud in the forest resounding with the cries of peacocks, given over wholly to sorrow.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे ऽष्टचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ।। 48 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe 'ṣṭacatvāriṃśaḥ sargaḥ || 48 ||
Translation
Thus ends the forty-eighth sarga in the venerable Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana, the first poem, composed by the sage Valmiki.