28 shlokas
वाल्मीकिनैवमुक्तस्तु राघवः प्रत्यभाषत । प्राञ्जलिर्जगतो मध्ये दृष्ट्वा तां वरवर्णिनीम् ।। 7.97.1 ।।
vālmīkinaivamuktastu rāghavaḥ pratyabhāṣata | prāñjalirjagato madhye dṛṣṭvā tāṃ varavarṇinīm || 7.97.1 ||
Translation
Being thus addressed by Valmiki, Raghava, beholding that woman of fair complexion in the midst of the assembly, replied with hands joined in reverence.
एवमेतन्महाभाग यथा वदसि धर्मवित् । प्रत्ययस्तु मम ब्रह्मंस्तव वाक्यैरकल्मषैः ।। 7.97.2 ।।
evametanmahābhāga yathā vadasi dharmavit | pratyayastu mama brahmaṃstava vākyairakalmaṣaiḥ || 7.97.2 ||
Translation
"It is even so, O illustrious and righteous one, just as you say; I have full faith in your faultless words, O Brahman."
प्रत्ययस्तु पुरा वृत्तो वैदेह्याः सुरसन्निधौ । शपथस्तु कृतस्तत्र तेन वेश्म प्रवेशिता । लोकापवादो बलवान्येन त्यक्ता हि मैथिली ।। 7.97.3 ।।
pratyayastu purā vṛtto vaidehyāḥ surasannidhau | śapathastu kṛtastatra tena veśma praveśitā | lokāpavādo balavānyena tyaktā hi maithilī || 7.97.3 ||
Translation
"Indeed, proof was given before by Vaidehi in the presence of the gods, and an oath was sworn there by her; on that account she was admitted into my house, for the slander of the people was strong, by reason of which Maithili was forsaken."
सेयं लोकभयाद्ब्रह्मन्नपापेत्यभिजानता । परित्यक्ता मया सीता तद्भावन्क्षन्तुमर्हति ।। 7.97.4 ।।
seyaṃ lokabhayādbrahmannapāpetyabhijānatā | parityaktā mayā sītā tadbhāvankṣantumarhati || 7.97.4 ||
Translation
"O Brahman, this Sita, though I knew her to be sinless, was forsaken by me out of fear of the people; may she forgive that act of mine."
जानामि चेमौ पुत्रौ मे यमजातौ कुशीलवौ । शुद्धायां जगतो मध्ये मैथिल्यां प्रीतिरस्तु मे ।। 7.97.5 ।।
jānāmi cemau putrau me yamajātau kuśīlavau | śuddhāyāṃ jagato madhye maithilyāṃ prītirastu me || 7.97.5 ||
Translation
"And I know that these two twin-born boys, Kusha and Lava, are my sons; let my affection be set upon Maithili, who is pure, here in the midst of the world."
अभिप्रायं तु विज्ञाय रामस्य सुरसत्तमाः । सीतायाः शपथे तस्मिन् महेन्द्राद्या महौजसः ।। 7.97.6 ।।
abhiprāyaṃ tu vijñāya rāmasya surasattamāḥ | sītāyāḥ śapathe tasmin mahendrādyā mahaujasaḥ || 7.97.6 ||
Translation
And the most excellent of the gods, mighty in strength, Indra and the rest, having understood Rama's intention regarding that oath of Sita.
पितामहं पुरस्कृत्य सर्व एव समागताः ।। 7.97.7 ।।
pitāmahaṃ puraskṛtya sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.97.7 ||
Translation
Placing the Grandsire (Brahma) at their head, they all came together.
आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा ह्यश्विनौ समरुद्गणाः । गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव सर्व एव समागताः ।। 7.97.8 ।।
ādityā vasavo rudrā hyaśvinau samarudgaṇāḥ | gandharvāpsarasaścaiva sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.97.8 ||
Translation
The Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the two Ashvins together with the host of Maruts, and the Gandharvas and Apsarases as well, all came together.
साध्याश्च विश्वेदेवाश्च सर्वे च परमर्षयः । नागाः सुपर्णाः सिद्धाश्च ते सर्वे हृष्टमानसाः । सीताशपथसम्भ्रान्ताः सर्व एव समागताः ।। 7.97.9 ।।
sādhyāśca viśvedevāśca sarve ca paramarṣayaḥ | nāgāḥ suparṇāḥ siddhāśca te sarve hṛṣṭamānasāḥ | sītāśapathasambhrāntāḥ sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.97.9 ||
Translation
The Sadhyas and the Vishvedevas, and all the great sages, the Nagas, the Suparnas, and the Siddhas, all of them with joyful hearts, agitated by Sita's oath, all came together.
दृष्ट्वा देवानृषींश्चैव राघवः पुनरब्रवीत् । प्रत्ययो मे नरश्रेष्ठा ऋषिवाक्यैरकल्मषैः ।। 7.97.10 ।।
dṛṣṭvā devānṛṣīṃścaiva rāghavaḥ punarabravīt | pratyayo me naraśreṣṭhā ṛṣivākyairakalmaṣaiḥ || 7.97.10 ||
Translation
Seeing the gods and the sages, Raghava spoke once more: "O best of men, I have full conviction through the faultless words of the sages."
शुद्धायां जगतो मध्ये वैदेह्यां प्रीतिरस्तु मे ।। 7.97.11 ।।
śuddhāyāṃ jagato madhye vaidehyāṃ prītirastu me || 7.97.11 ||
Translation
"Let my love rest upon Vaidehi, who is proved pure in the midst of the world."
ततो वायुः शुभः पुण्यो दिव्यगन्धो मनोरमः । तज्जनौघं सुरश्रेष्ठो ह्लादयामास सर्वतः ।। 7.97.12 ।।
tato vāyuḥ śubhaḥ puṇyo divyagandho manoramaḥ | tajjanaughaṃ suraśreṣṭho hlādayāmāsa sarvataḥ || 7.97.12 ||
Translation
Then a wind, auspicious and holy, of divine fragrance and delightful, sent forth by the chief of the gods, gladdened that whole multitude of people on every side.
तदद्भुतमिवाचिन्त्यं निरैक्षन्त समागताः । मानवाः सर्वराष्ट्रेभ्यः पूर्वं कृतयुगे यथा ।। 7.97.13 ।।
tadadbhutamivācintyaṃ niraikṣanta samāgatāḥ | mānavāḥ sarvarāṣṭrebhyaḥ pūrvaṃ kṛtayuge yathā || 7.97.13 ||
Translation
Gathered there, the men from all the kingdoms beheld that wonder, as though inconceivable, just as it had been of old in the Krita Yuga.
सर्वान्समागतान्दृष्ट्वा सीता काषायवासिनी । अब्रवीत्प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमधोदृष्टिरवाङ्मुखी ।। 7.97.14 ।।
sarvānsamāgatāndṛṣṭvā sītā kāṣāyavāsinī | abravītprāñjalirvākyamadhodṛṣṭiravāṅmukhī || 7.97.14 ||
Translation
Seeing all assembled, Sita, clad in ochre robes, with her gaze cast down and her face lowered, spoke these words with hands joined in reverence.
यथा ऽहं राघवादन्यं मनसापि न चिन्तये । तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ।। 7.97.15 ।।
yathā 'haṃ rāghavādanyaṃ manasāpi na cintaye | tathā me mādhavī devī vivaraṃ dātumarhati || 7.97.15 ||
Translation
"As I do not think of any other than Raghava even with my mind, so let the goddess Madhavi (the Earth) grant me an opening."
मनसा कर्मणा वाचा यथा रामं समर्चये । तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ।। 7.97.16 ।।
manasā karmaṇā vācā yathā rāmaṃ samarcaye | tathā me mādhavī devī vivaraṃ dātumarhati || 7.97.16 ||
Translation
"As in thought, deed, and word I have worshipped Rama, so let the goddess Madhavi grant me an opening."
यथैतत्सत्यमुक्तं मे वेद्मि रामात्परं न च । तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ।। 7.97.17 ।।
yathaitatsatyamuktaṃ me vedmi rāmātparaṃ na ca | tathā me mādhavī devī vivaraṃ dātumarhati || 7.97.17 ||
Translation
"As this that I have spoken is true, and I know none beyond Rama, so let the goddess Madhavi grant me an opening."
तथा शपन्त्यां वैदेह्यां प्रादुरासीत्तदद्भुतम् । भूतलादुत्थितं दिव्यं सिंहासनमनुत्तमम् ।। 7.97.18 ।।
tathā śapantyāṃ vaidehyāṃ prādurāsīttadadbhutam | bhūtalādutthitaṃ divyaṃ siṃhāsanamanuttamam || 7.97.18 ||
Translation
As Vaidehi was thus taking her oath, that marvel appeared: a divine and most excellent throne rose up from the surface of the earth.
ध्रियमाणं शिरोभिस्तु नागैरमितविक्रमैः । दिव्यं दिव्येन वपुषा दिव्यरत्नविभूषितैः ।। 7.97.19 ।।
dhriyamāṇaṃ śirobhistu nāgairamitavikramaiḥ | divyaṃ divyena vapuṣā divyaratnavibhūṣitaiḥ || 7.97.19 ||
Translation
It was borne upon their heads by Nagas of measureless might, divine in form with their divine bodies, adorned with celestial jewels.
तस्मिंस्तु धरणी देवी बाहुभ्यां गृह्य मैथिलीम् । स्वागतेनाभिनन्द्यैनामासने चोपवेशयत् ।। 7.97.20 ।।
tasmiṃstu dharaṇī devī bāhubhyāṃ gṛhya maithilīm | svāgatenābhinandyaināmāsane copaveśayat || 7.97.20 ||
Translation
Upon it the goddess Earth, taking Maithili in her arms, welcomed and greeted her, and seated her upon the throne.
तामासनगतां दृष्ट्वा प्रविशन्तीं रसातलम् । पुष्पवृष्टिरविच्छिन्ना दिव्या सीतामवाकिरत् ।। 7.97.21 ।।
tāmāsanagatāṃ dṛṣṭvā praviśantīṃ rasātalam | puṣpavṛṣṭiravicchinnā divyā sītāmavākirat || 7.97.21 ||
Translation
As they beheld her seated upon the throne and entering the netherworld, an unbroken shower of celestial flowers rained down upon Sita.
साधुकारश्च सुमहान्देवानां सहसोत्थितः । साधु साध्विति वै सीते यस्यास्ते शीलमीदृशम् ।। 7.97.22 ।।
sādhukāraśca sumahāndevānāṃ sahasotthitaḥ | sādhu sādhviti vai sīte yasyāste śīlamīdṛśam || 7.97.22 ||
Translation
And a great cry of approval rose suddenly from the gods: "Well done, well done, O Sita, whose character is such as this!"
एवं बहुविधा वाचो ह्यन्तरिक्षगताः सुराः । व्याजह्रुर्हृष्टमनसो दृष्ट्वा सीताप्रवेशनम् ।। 7.97.23 ।।
evaṃ bahuvidhā vāco hyantarikṣagatāḥ surāḥ | vyājahrurhṛṣṭamanaso dṛṣṭvā sītāpraveśanam || 7.97.23 ||
Translation
Thus the gods, stationed in the sky, uttered words of many kinds with joyful hearts, beholding Sita's entrance into the earth.
यज्ञवाटगताश्चापि मुनयः सर्व एव ते । राजानश्च नरव्याघ्रा विस्मयान्नोपरेमिरे ।। 7.97.24 ।।
yajñavāṭagatāścāpi munayaḥ sarva eva te | rājānaśca naravyāghrā vismayānnoparemire || 7.97.24 ||
Translation
And the sages who had come to the sacrificial enclosure, all of them, and the kings, those tigers among men, could not cease from their wonder.
अन्तरिक्षे च भूमौ च सर्वे स्थावरजङ्गमाः । दानवाश्च महाकायाः पाताले पन्नगाधिपाः ।। 7.97.25 ।।
antarikṣe ca bhūmau ca sarve sthāvarajaṅgamāḥ | dānavāśca mahākāyāḥ pātāle pannagādhipāḥ || 7.97.25 ||
Translation
In the sky and on the earth all beings, moving and unmoving, and the Danavas of mighty frame, and the lords of serpents in the netherworld —
केचिद्विनेदुः संहृष्टाः केचिद्ध्यानपरायणाः । केचिद्रामं निरीक्षन्ते केचित्सीतामचेतनाः ।। 7.97.26 ।।
kecidvineduḥ saṃhṛṣṭāḥ keciddhyānaparāyaṇāḥ | kecidrāmaṃ nirīkṣante kecitsītāmacetanāḥ || 7.97.26 ||
Translation
Some cried out, thrilled with joy; some were absorbed in meditation; some gazed at Rama; and some, their senses stunned, gazed at Sita.
सीताप्रवेशनं दृष्ट्वा तेषामासीत्समागमः । तन्मुहूर्तमिवात्यर्थं समं सम्मोहितं जगत् ।। 7.97.27 ।।
sītāpraveśanaṃ dṛṣṭvā teṣāmāsītsamāgamaḥ | tanmuhūrtamivātyarthaṃ samaṃ sammohitaṃ jagat || 7.97.27 ||
Translation
Seeing Sita enter the earth, those gathered there pressed together as one; and for that moment the whole world alike was utterly stupefied.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे सप्तनवतितमः सर्गः ।। 97 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe saptanavatitamaḥ sargaḥ || 97 ||
Translation
Thus ends the ninety-seventh sarga of the venerable Uttara Kanda in the holy Ramayana, the first poem composed by the sage Valmiki.