25 shlokas
सीतां तु रुदतीं दृष्ट्वा ते तत्र मुनिदारकाः । प्राद्रवन्यत्र भगवानास्ते वाल्मीकिरुग्रधीः ।। 7.49.1 ।।
sītāṃ tu rudatīṃ dṛṣṭvā te tatra munidārakāḥ | prādravanyatra bhagavānāste vālmīkirugradhīḥ || 7.49.1 ||
Translation
Seeing Sita weeping there, the young sons of the sages ran to where the venerable Valmiki of fierce intellect was seated.
अभिवाद्य मुनेः पादौ मुनिपुत्रा महर्षये । सर्वं निवेदयामासुस्तस्यास्तु रुदितस्वनम् ।। 7.49.2 ।।
abhivādya muneḥ pādau muniputrā maharṣaye | sarvaṃ nivedayāmāsustasyāstu ruditasvanam || 7.49.2 ||
Translation
Saluting the sage's feet, the sons of the ascetics reported everything to the great seer — all the sound of her weeping.
अदृष्टपूर्वा भगवन्कस्याप्येषा महात्मनः । पत्नी श्रीरिव सम्मोहाद्विरौति विकृतानना ।। 7.49.3 ।।
adṛṣṭapūrvā bhagavankasyāpyeṣā mahātmanaḥ | patnī śrīriva sammohādvirauti vikṛtānanā || 7.49.3 ||
Translation
O venerable one, this woman, never seen before, the wife of some great soul, wails out of bewilderment like Sri herself, her face distorted with grief.
भगवन्साधु पश्य त्वं देवतामिव खाच्च्युताम् । नद्यास्तु तीरे भगवन्वरस्त्री कापि दुःखिता ।। 7.49.4 ।।
bhagavansādhu paśya tvaṃ devatāmiva khāccyutām | nadyāstu tīre bhagavanvarastrī kāpi duḥkhitā || 7.49.4 ||
Translation
"Reverend sir, look kindly upon her, like a goddess fallen from the sky; there on the bank of the river, holy one, is some excellent woman in distress.
दृष्टास्माभिः प्ररुदिता दृढं शोकपरायणा । अनर्हा दुःखशोकाभ्यामेकां दीनां ह्यनाथवत् ।। 7.49.5 ।।
dṛṣṭāsmābhiḥ praruditā dṛḍhaṃ śokaparāyaṇā | anarhā duḥkhaśokābhyāmekāṃ dīnāṃ hyanāthavat || 7.49.5 ||
Translation
We have seen her weeping bitterly, wholly given over to grief, undeserving of pain and sorrow, alone and wretched as one without a protector.
न ह्येनां मानुषीं विद्मः सत्क्रिया ऽस्याः प्रयुज्यताम् । आश्रमस्याविदूरे च त्वामियं शरणं गता ।। 7.49.6 ।।
na hyenāṃ mānuṣīṃ vidmaḥ satkriyā 'syāḥ prayujyatām | āśramasyāvidūre ca tvāmiyaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatā || 7.49.6 ||
Translation
We do not know her to be a mortal woman; let due hospitality be shown to her. Here, not far from the hermitage, she has come to you for refuge.
त्रातारमिच्छते साध्वी भगवंस्त्रातुमर्हसि । तेषां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य धर्मवित् । तपसा लब्धचक्षुष्मान् प्राद्रवद्यत्र मैथिली ।। 7.49.7 ।।
trātāramicchate sādhvī bhagavaṃstrātumarhasi | teṣāṃ tu vacanaṃ śrutvā buddhyā niścitya dharmavit | tapasā labdhacakṣuṣmān prādravadyatra maithilī || 7.49.7 ||
Translation
The virtuous lady seeks a protector; reverend sir, you should protect her." Hearing their words, the knower of dharma resolved in his mind, and, having gained the eye of vision through his austerities, he hastened to where Maithili was.
तं प्रयान्तमभिप्रेत्य शिष्या ह्येनं महामतिम् । तं तु देशमभि प्रेत्य किञ्चित्पद्भ्यां महामतिः ।। 7.49.8 ।।
taṃ prayāntamabhipretya śiṣyā hyenaṃ mahāmatim | taṃ tu deśamabhi pretya kiñcitpadbhyāṃ mahāmatiḥ || 7.49.8 ||
Translation
His disciples, perceiving that the great-minded sage was setting out, followed him; and the great-minded one, having proceeded a little way on foot toward that place,
अर्घ्यमादाय रुचिरं जाह्नवीतीरमागमत् । ददर्श राघवस्येष्टां सीतां पत्नीमनाथवत् ।। 7.49.9 ।।
arghyamādāya ruciraṃ jāhnavītīramāgamat | dadarśa rāghavasyeṣṭāṃ sītāṃ patnīmanāthavat || 7.49.9 ||
Translation
took up a lovely welcome-offering and came to the bank of the Jahnavi (Ganga). There he beheld Sita, the beloved wife of Raghava, helpless as one without a protector.
तां सीतां शोकभारार्तां वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवः । उवाच मधुरां वाणीं ह्लादयन्निव तेजसा ।। 7.49.10 ।।
tāṃ sītāṃ śokabhārārtāṃ vālmīkirmunipuṅgavaḥ | uvāca madhurāṃ vāṇīṃ hlādayanniva tejasā || 7.49.10 ||
Translation
To that Sita, afflicted by the burden of her grief, Valmiki, the foremost of sages, spoke sweet words, gladdening her, as it were, with his radiance.
स्नुषा दशरथस्य त्वं रामस्य महिषी प्रिया । जनकस्य सुता राज्ञः स्वागतं ते पतिव्रते ।। 7.49.11 ।।
snuṣā daśarathasya tvaṃ rāmasya mahiṣī priyā | janakasya sutā rājñaḥ svāgataṃ te pativrate || 7.49.11 ||
Translation
"You are the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha, the dear chief queen of Rama, the daughter of King Janaka; welcome to you, O faithful wife.
आयान्ती चासि विज्ञाता मया धर्मसमाधिना । कारणं चैव सर्वं मे हृदयेनोपलक्षितम् ।। 7.49.12 ।।
āyāntī cāsi vijñātā mayā dharmasamādhinā | kāraṇaṃ caiva sarvaṃ me hṛdayenopalakṣitam || 7.49.12 ||
Translation
Through my profound meditation upon dharma, your coming was known to me, and the whole reason for it has been discerned by my heart.
तव चैव महाभागे विदितं मम तत्त्वतः । सर्वं च विदितं मह्यं त्रैलोक्ये यद्धि वर्तते ।। 7.49.13 ।।
tava caiva mahābhāge viditaṃ mama tattvataḥ | sarvaṃ ca viditaṃ mahyaṃ trailokye yaddhi vartate || 7.49.13 ||
Translation
And concerning you too, O greatly fortunate one, everything is truly known to me; for all that happens in the three worlds is known to me.
अपापां वेद्मि सीते त्वां तपोलब्धेन चक्षुषा । विस्रब्धा भव वैदेहि साम्प्रतं मयि वर्तसे ।। 7.49.14 ।।
apāpāṃ vedmi sīte tvāṃ tapolabdhena cakṣuṣā | visrabdhā bhava vaidehi sāmprataṃ mayi vartase || 7.49.14 ||
Translation
I know you to be without sin, Sita, by the eye gained through my austerities. Be at ease, Vaidehi; you are now under my care.
आश्रमस्याविदूरे मे तापस्यस्तपसि स्थिताः । तास्त्वां वत्से यथा वत्सं पालयिष्यन्ति नित्यशः ।। 7.49.15 ।।
āśramasyāvidūre me tāpasyastapasi sthitāḥ | tāstvāṃ vatse yathā vatsaṃ pālayiṣyanti nityaśaḥ || 7.49.15 ||
Translation
Not far from my hermitage dwell ascetic women, established in penance; they, my child, will cherish you always, as one cherishes a calf.
इदमर्ध्यं प्रतीच्छ त्वं विस्रब्धा विगतज्वरा । यथा स्वगृहमभ्येत्य विषादं चैव मा कृथाः ।। 7.49.16 ।।
idamardhyaṃ pratīccha tvaṃ visrabdhā vigatajvarā | yathā svagṛhamabhyetya viṣādaṃ caiva mā kṛthāḥ || 7.49.16 ||
Translation
Accept this welcome-offering, at ease and freed of your fever of grief; as one returning to her own home, do not give yourself over to despair."
श्रुत्वा तु भाषितं सीता मुनेः परममद्भुतम् । शिरसा ऽ ऽवन्द्य चरणौ तथेत्याह कृताञ्जलिः ।। 7.49.17 ।।
śrutvā tu bhāṣitaṃ sītā muneḥ paramamadbhutam | śirasā ' 'vandya caraṇau tathetyāha kṛtāñjaliḥ || 7.49.17 ||
Translation
Having heard the supremely wondrous speech of the sage, Sita bowed her head to his feet and, with joined palms, said, "So be it."
तं प्रयान्तं मुनिं सीता प्राञ्जलिः पृष्ठतो ऽन्वगात् ।। 7.49.18 ।।
taṃ prayāntaṃ muniṃ sītā prāñjaliḥ pṛṣṭhato 'nvagāt || 7.49.18 ||
Translation
As the sage was departing, Sita, with palms joined, followed behind him.
तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिमायान्तं वैदेह्या मुनिपत्नयः । उपाजग्मुर्मुदा युक्ता वचनं चेदमब्रुवन् ।। 7.49.19 ।।
taṃ dṛṣṭvā munimāyāntaṃ vaidehyā munipatnayaḥ | upājagmurmudā yuktā vacanaṃ cedamabruvan || 7.49.19 ||
Translation
Seeing the sage approaching with Vaidehi, the wives of the ascetics came up to him, filled with joy, and spoke these words:
स्वागतं ते मुनिश्रेष्ठ चिरस्यागमनं च ते । अभिवादयामस्त्वां सर्वा उच्यतां कि च कुर्महे ।। 7.49.20 ।।
svāgataṃ te muniśreṣṭha cirasyāgamanaṃ ca te | abhivādayāmastvāṃ sarvā ucyatāṃ ki ca kurmahe || 7.49.20 ||
Translation
"Welcome to you, best of sages, and welcome your coming after so long. We all salute you; let it be told what we may do for you."
तासां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वाल्मीकिरिदमब्रवीत् । सीतेयं समनुप्राप्ता पत्नी रामस्य धीमतः ।। 7.49.21 ।।
tāsāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā vālmīkiridamabravīt | sīteyaṃ samanuprāptā patnī rāmasya dhīmataḥ || 7.49.21 ||
Translation
Hearing their words, Valmiki said this: "This Sita has come here, the wife of the wise Rama,
स्नुषा दशरथस्यैषा जनकस्य सुता सती । अपापा पतिना त्यक्ता परिपाल्या मया सदा ।। 7.49.22 ।।
snuṣā daśarathasyaiṣā janakasya sutā satī | apāpā patinā tyaktā paripālyā mayā sadā || 7.49.22 ||
Translation
the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha, the virtuous daughter of Janaka; though without sin, she has been forsaken by her husband, and is ever to be protected by me.
इमां भवन्त्यः(?) पश्यन्तु स्नेहेन परमेण हि । गौरवान्मम वाक्याच्च पूज्या वो ऽस्तु विशेषतः ।। 7.49.23 ।।
imāṃ bhavantyaḥ(?) paśyantu snehena parameṇa hi | gauravānmama vākyācca pūjyā vo 'stu viśeṣataḥ || 7.49.23 ||
Translation
Let you ladies look upon her with the utmost affection; out of regard for me and by my word, let her be especially honored by you."
मुहुर्मुहुश्च वैदेहीं प्रणिधाय महायशाः । स्वमाश्रमं शिष्यवृतः पुनरायान्महातपाः ।। 7.49.24 ।।
muhurmuhuśca vaidehīṃ praṇidhāya mahāyaśāḥ | svamāśramaṃ śiṣyavṛtaḥ punarāyānmahātapāḥ || 7.49.24 ||
Translation
Again and again fixing his thoughts upon Vaidehi, the illustrious one of great austerities, surrounded by his disciples, returned once more to his own hermitage.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकोनपञ्चाशः सर्गः ।। 49 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe ekonapañcāśaḥ sargaḥ || 49 ||
Translation
Thus ends the forty-ninth canto of the sacred Uttara Kanda in the blessed Ramayana, the first poem, composed by the seer Valmiki.