18 shlokas
रामो बहून्यहान्येवं तद्गीतं परमं शुभम् । शुश्राव मुनिभिः सार्धं पार्थिवैः सह वानरैः ।। 7.95.1 ।।
rāmo bahūnyahānyevaṃ tadgītaṃ paramaṃ śubham | śuśrāva munibhiḥ sārdhaṃ pārthivaiḥ saha vānaraiḥ || 7.95.1 ||
Translation
Rama, together with the sages and with the kings and the vanaras, thus heard that supremely auspicious song for many days.
तस्मिन्गीते तु विज्ञाय सीतापुत्रौ कुशीलवौ । तस्याः परिषदो मध्ये रामो वचनमब्रवीत् । दूताञ्छुद्धसमाचारानाहूयात्ममनीषया ।। 7.95.2 ।।
tasmingīte tu vijñāya sītāputrau kuśīlavau | tasyāḥ pariṣado madhye rāmo vacanamabravīt | dūtāñchuddhasamācārānāhūyātmamanīṣayā || 7.95.2 ||
Translation
But recognizing from that song that Kusha and Lava were the sons of Sita, Rama, in the midst of that assembly, having by his own discernment summoned messengers of pure conduct, spoke these words.
मद्वचो ब्रूत गच्छध्वमितो भगवतो ऽन्तिकम् ।। 7.95.3 ।।
madvaco brūta gacchadhvamito bhagavato 'ntikam || 7.95.3 ||
Translation
"Speak my words; go from here into the presence of the blessed one."
परिषदो मध्ये रामो वचनमब्रवीत् । यदि शुद्धसमाचारा यदि वा वीतकल्मषा । करोत्विहात्मनः शुद्धिमनुमान्य महामुनिम् ।। 7.95.4 ।।
pariṣado madhye rāmo vacanamabravīt | yadi śuddhasamācārā yadi vā vītakalmaṣā | karotvihātmanaḥ śuddhimanumānya mahāmunim || 7.95.4 ||
Translation
In the midst of the assembly Rama spoke: "If she is of pure conduct, or if she is free of taint, let her here perform the purification of herself, having obtained the consent of the great sage."
छन्दं मुनेश्च विज्ञाय सीतायाश्च मनोगतम् । प्रत्ययं दातुकामायास्ततः शंसत मे लघु ।। 7.95.5 ।।
chandaṃ muneśca vijñāya sītāyāśca manogatam | pratyayaṃ dātukāmāyāstataḥ śaṃsata me laghu || 7.95.5 ||
Translation
"Having ascertained the wish of the sage and the intention in Sita's heart — that she wishes to give proof — then tell me quickly."
श्वः प्रभाते तु शपथं मैथिली जनकात्मजा । करोतु परिषन्मध्ये शोधनार्थं ममैव च ।। 7.95.6 ।।
śvaḥ prabhāte tu śapathaṃ maithilī janakātmajā | karotu pariṣanmadhye śodhanārthaṃ mamaiva ca || 7.95.6 ||
Translation
"Tomorrow at dawn let Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, take the oath in the midst of the assembly, for the clearing of her own name and of mine as well."
श्रुत्वा तु ऱागवस्यैतद्वचः परममद्भुतम् । दूताः सम्प्रययुर्बाटं यत्रास्ते मुनिपुङ्गवः ।। 7.95.7 ।।
śrutvā tu ऱ्āgavasyaitadvacaḥ paramamadbhutam | dūtāḥ samprayayurbāṭaṃ yatrāste munipuṅgavaḥ || 7.95.7 ||
Translation
Having heard this supremely wonderful speech of Raghava, the messengers set out at once to where the foremost of sages was dwelling.
ते प्रणम्य महात्मानं ज्वलन्तममितप्रभम् । ऊचुस्ते रामवाक्यानि मृदूनि मधुराणि च ।। 7.95.8 ।।
te praṇamya mahātmānaṃ jvalantamamitaprabham | ūcuste rāmavākyāni mṛdūni madhurāṇi ca || 7.95.8 ||
Translation
Bowing to that great soul, blazing with measureless splendor, they spoke to him Rama's words, gentle and sweet.
तेषां तद्व्याहृतं श्रुत्वा रामस्य च मनोगतम् । विज्ञाय सुमहातेजा मुनिर्वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ।। 7.95.9 ।।
teṣāṃ tadvyāhṛtaṃ śrutvā rāmasya ca manogatam | vijñāya sumahātejā munirvākyamathābravīt || 7.95.9 ||
Translation
Having heard that which they had uttered, and discerning the intention in Rama's heart, the sage of vast splendor then spoke these words.
एवं भवतु भद्रं वो यथा वदति राघवः । तथा करिष्यते सीता दैवतं हि पतिः स्त्रियाः ।। 7.95.10 ।।
evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ vo yathā vadati rāghavaḥ | tathā kariṣyate sītā daivataṃ hi patiḥ striyāḥ || 7.95.10 ||
Translation
"So be it; blessings upon you all. As Raghava declares, so shall Sita do, for to a woman her husband is her deity."
तथोक्ता मुनिना सर्वे राजदूता महौजसम् । प्रत्येत्य राघवं क्षिप्रं मुनिवाक्यं बभाषिरे ।। 7.95.11 ।।
tathoktā muninā sarve rājadūtā mahaujasam | pratyetya rāghavaṃ kṣipraṃ munivākyaṃ babhāṣire || 7.95.11 ||
Translation
Thus addressed by the sage, all the king's messengers returned at once to the mighty Raghava and reported the sage's words.
ततः प्रहृष्टः काकुत्स्थः श्रुत्वा वाक्यं महात्मनः । ऋषींस्तत्र समेतांश्च राज्ञश्चैवाभ्यभाषत ।। 7.95.12 ।।
tataḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ kākutsthaḥ śrutvā vākyaṃ mahātmanaḥ | ṛṣīṃstatra sametāṃśca rājñaścaivābhyabhāṣata || 7.95.12 ||
Translation
Then Kakutstha, greatly delighted at hearing the words of the great-souled one, spoke to the sages assembled there and to the kings as well.
भगवन्तः सशिष्या वै सानुगाश्च नराधिपाः । पश्यन्तु सीताशपथं यश्चैवान्यो ऽपि काङ्क्षते ।। 7.95.13 ।।
bhagavantaḥ saśiṣyā vai sānugāśca narādhipāḥ | paśyantu sītāśapathaṃ yaścaivānyo 'pi kāṅkṣate || 7.95.13 ||
Translation
"Let the venerable sages with their disciples, and the kings with their attendants, and whoever else desires it, behold the oath of Sita."
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राघवस्य महात्मनः । सर्वेषामृषिमुख्यानां साधुवादो महानभूत् ।। 7.95.14 ।।
tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ | sarveṣāmṛṣimukhyānāṃ sādhuvādo mahānabhūt || 7.95.14 ||
Translation
Hearing those words of the great-souled Raghava, a great cry of approval arose from all the foremost of the sages.
राजानश्च महात्मानः प्रशंसन्ति स्म राघवम् । उपपन्नं नरश्रेष्ठ त्वय्येव भुवि नान्यतः ।। 7.95.15 ।।
rājānaśca mahātmānaḥ praśaṃsanti sma rāghavam | upapannaṃ naraśreṣṭha tvayyeva bhuvi nānyataḥ || 7.95.15 ||
Translation
And the great-souled kings praised Raghava, saying, "This befits you alone upon the earth, O best of men, and no other."
एवं विनिश्चयं कृत्वा श्वोभूत इति राघवः । विसर्जयामास तदा सर्वांस्ताञ्छत्रुसूदनः ।। 7.95.16 ।।
evaṃ viniścayaṃ kṛtvā śvobhūta iti rāghavaḥ | visarjayāmāsa tadā sarvāṃstāñchatrusūdanaḥ || 7.95.16 ||
Translation
Having thus made his decision—that it should be on the morrow—Raghava, the slayer of foes, then dismissed all of them.
इति सम्प्रविचार्य राजसिंहः श्वोभूते शपथस्य निश्चयं वै । विससर्ज मुनीन्नृपांश्च सर्वान्स महात्मा महतो महानुभावः ।। 7.95.17 ।।
iti sampravicārya rājasiṃhaḥ śvobhūte śapathasya niścayaṃ vai | visasarja munīnnṛpāṃśca sarvānsa mahātmā mahato mahānubhāvaḥ || 7.95.17 ||
Translation
Having thus deliberated, that lion among kings, the great-souled one of mighty and exalted spirit, fixed the resolve of the oath for the morrow and dismissed all the sages and kings.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चनवतितमः सर्ग ।। 95 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe pañcanavatitamaḥ sarga || 95 ||
Translation
Thus ends the ninety-fifth canto in the venerable Uttara Kanda of the sacred Ramayana, the first poem, composed by the seer Valmiki.