Yuddha Kanda: Chapter 118

एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभं वाक्यं पितामहसमीरितम्। अङ्केनादाय वैदेहीमुत्पपात विभावसुः॥
Hearing those excellent words uttered by the great Patriarch rose up Vibhāvasu (The deity of Fire) with Vaidehi on his lap shaking the funeral pyre.

विधूयाथ चितां तां तु वैदेही हव्यवाहनः। उत्तस्थौ मूर्तिमानाशु गृहीत्वा जनकात्मजाम्॥
With the daughter of the king Janaka, the receiver (Fire) of sacrificial offering, being incarnate, rose up.

तरुणादित्यसंकाशां तप्तकांचनभूषणाम्। रक्ताम्बरधरां बालां नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजाम्॥ अक्लिष्टमाल्याभरणां तथारूपामनिन्दिताम्। ददौ रामाय वैदेहीमङ्के कृत्वा विभावसुः॥
And carrying on his lap Vaidehī, wearing a red cloth, resembling the newly risen sun, adorned with ornaments of burning gold-having black curling hairs and decked with fresh garments, Vibhāvasu gave her to Rāma.

अब्रवीत्तु तदा रामं साक्षी लोकस्य पावकः। एषा ते राम वैदेही पापमस्यां न विद्यते॥
Thereupon the Deity of Fire, the witness of the people, spoke to Rāma, saying, O Rāma, here is your Vaidehi-no sin has visited her.

नैव वाचा न मनसा नैव बुद्ध्या न चक्षुषा। सुवृत्ता वृत्तशौटीर्यं न त्वामत्यचरच्छुभा॥
Neither by words, mind, understanding nor eyes, she, good-natured and beautiful-has deviated from you who has got a good character and is heroic.

रावणेनापनीतैषा वीर्योत्सिकेन रक्षसा। त्वया विरहिता दीना विवशा निर्जने सती।७।।
She was in the solitary forest separated from you, poorly and having no control over herself and hence she was carried away by the Raksasa Rāvana having enough prowess in him.

रुद्धा चान्तःपुरे गुप्ता त्वच्चित्ता त्वत्परायणा। रक्षिता राक्षसीभिश्च घोराभिर्घोरबुद्धिभिः।।।। प्रलोभ्यमाना विविधं तय॑माना च मैथिली। नाचिन्तयत तद्रक्षस्त्वद्गतेनान्तरात्मना।९।। विशुद्धभावां निष्पापां प्रतिगृह्णीष्व मैथिलीम्। न किंचिदभिधातव्या अहमाज्ञापयामि ते॥
Although shut up in the inner apartment-well protected and guarded by the dreadful shedemons she had always her mind in you and was devoted to you. Although tempted in many a way and remonstrated with she did not think of that Rākşasa in her inner mind. Her heart is pure and she is not spoiled with sin-do you therefore take back Maithilī. Do you not speak otherwise-I do command you.

ततः प्रीतमना रामः श्रुत्वैवं वदतां वरः। दध्यौ मुहूर्त धर्मात्मा हर्षव्याकुललोचनः॥
Thereupon hearing those words-the virtuoussouled Rāma, the foremost of those skilled in speech, with his eyes agitated with delight, meditated for sometime.

एवमुक्तो महातेजा धृतिमानुरुविक्रमः। उवाच त्रिदशश्रेष्ठं रामो धर्मभृतां वरः॥
Being thus addressed, the highly effulgent and intelligent Rāma, of unmitigated prowess-the foremost of the pious, spoke to that best of celestials saying.

अवश्यं चापि लोकेषु सीता पावनमर्हति। दीर्घकालोषिता हीयं रावणान्तःपुरे शुभा॥
Beautiful (Sītā) lived in the inner apartment of Rāvana for a long time so she needs this purification in the presence of all people.

बालिशो वत कामात्मा रामो दशरथात्मजः। इति वक्ष्यति मां लोको जानकीमविशोध्य हि॥
If I would take the daughter of Janaka without purifying her, people would say that Rāma the son of king Dasaratha is lustful and ignorant of the morality of the people.

अनन्यहृदयां सीतां मच्चित्तपरिरक्षिणीम्। अहमप्यवगच्छामि मैथिली जनकात्मजाम्॥
I know it full well that Maithili, the daughter of king Janaka, has her mind devoted to me and has not given it to any one (else).

इमामपि विशालाक्षीं रक्षितां स्वेन तेजसा। रावणो नातिवर्तेत वेलामिव महोदधिः॥
As the ocean cannot go beyond its banks so Răvaņa could not approach her having expansive eyes protected by virtue of her own chastity.

न च शक्तः सुदुष्टात्मा मनसापि हि मैथिलीम्। प्रधर्षयितुमप्राप्यां दीप्तामग्निशिखामिव॥
The greatly vicious-souled one could not even by his mind get Maithili, who was beyond his reach like to the burning flame of fire.

नेयमर्हति वैक्लव्यं रावणान्तःपुरे सती। अनन्या हि मया सीता भास्करस्य प्रभा यथा।॥
Her mind could not have been moved although she lived in the inner apartment of Rāvaņa-she belongs to none else; Sītā is mine as the rays belong to the Sun.

विशुद्धा त्रिषु लोकेषु मैथिली जनकात्मजा। न विहातुं मया शक्या कीर्तिरात्मवता यथा॥
Maithili-the daughter of Janaka has been purified before the three worlds-So I am incapable of renouncing her as a self controlled person cannot forsake his (own ) reputation.

अवश्यं च मया कार्यं सर्वेषां वो वचो हितम्। स्निग्धानां लोकनाथानामेवं च वदतां हितम्॥
It behove me to carry out the well meaning words of you all the lords of people who have spoken them out of affection.

इत्येवमुक्त्वा विजयी महाबलः प्रशस्यमानः स्वकृतेन कर्मणा। समेत्य रामः प्रियया महायशाः सुखं सुखार्होऽनुबभूव राघवः॥
Saying this, the victorious, highly powerful, well renowned Rāghava, worthy of enjoying happiness, and having his praise chanted in consequence of his noble action, regaining his spouse, attained to happiness.