Uttara Kanda: Chapter 98

रसातलं प्रविष्टायां वैदेह्यां सर्ववानराः। चुक्रुशुः साधुसाध्वीति मुनयो रामसंनिधौ॥
Sītā having entered Rasātala, all the monkeys and Rșis repeatedly eulogised her before Rāma.

दण्डकाष्ठमवष्टभ्य बाष्पव्याकुलितेक्षणः। अवाक्शिरा दीनमना रामो ह्यासीत्सुदुःखितः॥
Stricken with sorrow and grief and lowering down his head, Rāma, with eyes full of fears, face downwards, and a dejected mind, sat down.

स रुदित्वा चिरं कालं बहुशो बाष्पमुत्सृजन्। क्रोधशोकसमाविष्टो रामो वचनमब्रवीत्॥
And being possessed by grief and anger and shedding tears he wept for some time and ther said.

अभूतपूर्वं शोकं मे मनः स्पष्टुमिवेच्छति। पश्यतो मे यथा नष्टा सीता श्रीरिव रूपिणी॥
My mind is about to be possessed by grief, which I had never experienced before, for in the very presence of mine the graceful Jānaki, like Lakşmī herself, has disappeared from view.

सादर्शनं पुरा सीता लङ्का पारे महोदधेः। ततश्चापि मयानीता किं पुनर्वसुधातलात्॥
Formerly, in my absence, Janaki was once carried away into the city her back; what wonder it is that I shall get her back from Pātāla?

वसुधे देवि भवति सीता निर्यात्यतां मम। दर्शयिष्यामि वा रोषं यथा मामवगच्छसि॥
O goddess Vasudhā, do you soon bring Sità in my vies, or else, worked up with ire I shall give you the fruits of your negligence.

कामं श्वश्रूर्ममैव त्वं त्वत्सकाशात्तु मैथिली। कर्षता फालहस्तेन जनकेनोद्धृता पुरा ।७।।
You are my mother-in-law, since the royal saint Janaka obtained Sītā from your womb while cultivating you with plough share.

तस्मानिर्यात्यतां सीता विवरं वा प्रयच्छ मे। पाताले नाकपृष्ठे वा वसेयं सहितस्तया॥
Do you therefore bring back my Sītā or give me a region of the celestials, I wish to live with Sītā in nether world or heaven.

आनय त्वं हि तां सीतां मत्तोऽहं मैथिलीकृते। न मे दास्यसि चेत्सीतां यथारूपां महीतले।।९ सपर्वतवनां कृत्स्नां व्यथयिष्यामि ते स्थितिम्। नाशयिष्याम्यहं भूमिं सर्वमापो भवन्त्विह॥
I am beside myself for her; do you therefore bring back Sita. If you do not render back Sītā to me O Vasudha, I shall deluge the earth with Waters, having assailed, destroyed and drowned into water your huge compass with mountains and forests.

एवं ब्रुवाणे काकुत्स्थे क्रोधशोकसमन्विते। ब्रह्मा सुरगणैः सार्धमुवाच रघुनन्दनम्॥
Rāma, having given vent to those accents under the influence of ire, the patriarch Brahmā, with the consent of the celestials, said.

राम राम न संतापं कर्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत। स्मर त्वं पूर्वकं भावं मन्त्रं चामित्रकर्शन॥
O Rāma of firm vows, O slayer of enemies, you should not grieve thus, Recollect your former state of Vişņu and the counsels.

न खलु त्वां महाबाहो स्मारयेयमनुत्तमम्। इमं मुहूर्त दुर्धर्ष स्मर त्वं जन्म वैष्णवम् ॥
I would not have reminded you of this secret but for the present necessity. Do you now once more remember your birth from Vişnu.

सीता हि विमला साध्वी तव पूर्वपरायणा। नागलोकं सुखं प्रायात्त्वदाश्रयतपोबलात्॥
By nature, Sītā is pure, chaste and ever dependent upon you. And by virtue of her ascetic dependence upon you she has gone to the region of Nagas.

स्वर्गे ते संगमो भूयो भविष्यति न संशयः। अस्यास्तु परिषन्मध्ये यद्ब्रवीमि निबोध तत्॥
You shall again meet her in heaven. Hear, what I communicate to you before the assembly.

एतदेव हि काव्यं ते काव्यानामुत्तमं श्रुतम्। सर्व विस्तरतो राम व्याख्यास्यति न संशयः॥
You shall be informed of everything by listening to this excellent poem describing your own actions.

जन्मप्रभृति ते वीर सुखदुःखोपसेवनम्। भविष्यदुत्तरं चेह सर्वं वाल्मीकिना कृतम्॥
O hero, Vālmīki had described herein all miseries and joys you have experienced since your birth and what shall happen in future after SIta's entrance into Patala.

आदिकाव्यमिदं राम त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्। नह्यन्योऽर्हति काव्यानां यशोभाग्राघवादृते॥
O Rāma, this first epic poem, Rāmāyaṇa, has been composed describing your works. None but you is worthy of the fame of this poem.

श्रुतं ते पूर्वमेतद्धिमया सर्वं सुरैः सह। दिव्यमद्भुतरूपं च सत्यवाक्यमनावृतम्॥
Even before you I have heard this complete poem with gods, which is wonderful, truthful and unveiled.

स त्वं पुरुषशार्दूल धर्मेण सुसमाहितः। शेषं भविष्यं काकुत्स्थ काव्यं रामायणं शृणु।२०
O lion among the men, Odescended of Raghu, you may hear the remaining portion of Rāmāyaṇa epic with religious mind.

उत्तरं नाम काव्यस्य शेषमत्र महायशः। तच्छृणुष्व महातेज ऋषिभिः सार्धमुत्तमम्॥ न खल्वन्येन काकुत्स्थ श्रोतव्यमिदमुत्तमम्। परमऋषिणा वीर त्वयैव रघुनन्दन॥
O Rāghava, O highly illustrious one, do you hear with the Rsis, Uttarakandam, the last portion of this poem. O descendant of Raghu, this is not worthy of being heard by any but those who are the foremost of the royal saints.

एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं ब्रह्मा त्रिभुवनेश्वरः। जगाम त्रिदिवं देवो देवैः सह सबान्धवैः॥ ये च तत्र महात्मान ऋषयो ब्राह्मलौकिकाः। ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञाता न्यवर्तन्त महौजसः॥ उत्तरं श्रोतुमनसो भविष्यं यच्च राघवे।
Having said this, the deity Brahmă, the lord of the three worlds, with other deities, repaired to the region of immortals. The high-souled and the highly effulgent ascetics, living in Brahma's region, who were present in the assembly, obtaining Brahma's permission, waited there, to hear Rama's future career in the Uttarakandam.

ततो रामः शुभां वाणी देवदेवस्य भाषिताम्॥ श्रुत्वा परमतेजस्वी वाल्मीकिमिदमब्रवीत्। भगवश्रोतुमनस ऋषयो ब्राह्मलौकिकाः॥ भविष्यदुत्तरं यन्मे श्वोभूते संप्रवर्तताम्।
Hearing the words of the great Patriarch instinct with well-being, the highly effulgent Rāma said to Vālmīki. O illustrious sir, the Rşis living in Brahmă's region have grown desirous of hearing my future history. So let it be taken up next morning.

एवं विनिश्चयं कृत्वा संप्रगृह्य कुशीलवौ॥ तं जनौघं विसृज्याथ पर्णशालामुपागमत्। तामेव शोचतः सीतां सा व्यतीता च शर्वरी॥
Having thus settled and taken with him Kuća and Lava and sent away the assembled people he entered his palace and spent the night mourning for Sită.