Valmiki Receives Sita

Shloka 1 (uttara.49.1)

सीतां तु रुदतीं दृष्ट्वा ते तत्र मुनिदारकाः । प्राद्रवन्यत्र भगवानास्ते वाल्मीकिरुग्रधीः ।। 49.1 ।।

sītāṃ tu rudatīṃ dṛṣṭvā te tatra munidārakāḥ | prādravanyatra bhagavānāste vālmīkirugradhīḥ || 49.1 ||

Seeing Sita weeping there, the young sons of the sages ran to where the blessed Valmiki, of formidable wisdom, was seated.

Shloka 2 (uttara.49.2)

अभिवाद्य मुनेः पादौ मुनिपुत्रा महर्षये । सर्वं निवेदयामासुस्तस्यास्तु रुदितस्वनम् ।। 49.2 ।।

abhivādya muneḥ pādau muniputrā maharṣaye | sarvaṃ nivedayāmāsustasyāstu ruditasvanam || 49.2 ||

Bowing to the sage's feet, the sage's sons told the great seer everything — the sound of her weeping.

Shloka 3 (uttara.49.3)

अदृष्टपूर्वा भगवन्कस्याप्येषा महात्मनः । पत्नी श्रीरिव सम्मोहाद्विरौति विकृतानना ।। 49.3 ।।

adṛṣṭapūrvā bhagavankasyāpyeṣā mahātmanaḥ | patnī śrīriva sammohādvirauti vikṛtānanā || 49.3 ||

"O blessed one, this woman, never seen before, the wife it seems of some great soul, like Shri herself, cries out in anguish, her face contorted with grief.

Shloka 4 (uttara.49.4)

भगवन्साधु पश्य त्वं देवतामिव खाच्च्युताम् । नद्यास्तु तीरे भगवन्वरस्त्री कापि दुःखिता ।। 49.4 ।।

bhagavansādhu paśya tvaṃ devatāmiva khāccyutām | nadyāstu tīre bhagavanvarastrī kāpi duḥkhitā || 49.4 ||

"Come, blessed one, look for yourself — she seems a goddess fallen from the sky. There, on the riverbank, blessed one, sits some noble woman, sunk in sorrow.

Shloka 5 (uttara.49.5)

दृष्टास्माभिः प्ररुदिता दृढं शोकपरायणा । अनर्हा दुःखशोकाभ्यामेकां दीनां ह्यनाथवत् ।। 49.5 ।।

dṛṣṭāsmābhiḥ praruditā dṛḍhaṃ śokaparāyaṇā | anarhā duḥkhaśokābhyāmekāṃ dīnāṃ hyanāthavat || 49.5 ||

"We saw her weeping bitterly, wholly given over to sorrow — one who deserves no such grief, alone, forlorn, as though without protector.

Shloka 6 (uttara.49.6)

न ह्येनां मानुषीं विद्मः सत्क्रिया ऽस्याः प्रयुज्यताम् । आश्रमस्याविदूरे च त्वामियं शरणं गता ।। 49.6 ।।

na hyenāṃ mānuṣīṃ vidmaḥ satkriyā 'syāḥ prayujyatām | āśramasyāvidūre ca tvāmiyaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatā || 49.6 ||

"We do not even know her to be a mere mortal; let her be shown proper honor. And she has come, not far from this hermitage, seeking refuge in you.

Shloka 7 (uttara.49.7)

त्रातारमिच्छते साध्वी भगवंस्त्रातुमर्हसि । तेषां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य धर्मवित् । तपसा लब्धचक्षुष्मान् प्राद्रवद्यत्र मैथिली ।। 49.7 ।।

trātāramicchate sādhvī bhagavaṃstrātumarhasi | teṣāṃ tu vacanaṃ śrutvā buddhyā niścitya dharmavit | tapasā labdhacakṣuṣmān prādravadyatra maithilī || 49.7 ||

"That virtuous woman seeks a protector; blessed one, you ought to shelter her." Hearing their words, and resolving in his wisdom, the knower of dharma — he whose sight had been won through austerity — hastened to where Maithili was.

Shloka 8 (uttara.49.8)

तं प्रयान्तमभिप्रेत्य शिष्या ह्येनं महामतिम् । तं तु देशमभि प्रेत्य किञ्चित्पद्भ्यां महामतिः ।। 49.8 ।।

taṃ prayāntamabhipretya śiṣyā hyenaṃ mahāmatim | taṃ tu deśamabhi pretya kiñcitpadbhyāṃ mahāmatiḥ || 49.8 ||

Seeing the great sage set out, his disciples followed him; and the great-minded one went the short remaining way on foot.

Shloka 9 (uttara.49.9)

अर्घ्यमादाय रुचिरं जाह्नवीतीरमागमत् । ददर्श राघवस्येष्टां सीतां पत्नीमनाथवत् ।। 49.9 ।।

arghyamādāya ruciraṃ jāhnavītīramāgamat | dadarśa rāghavasyeṣṭāṃ sītāṃ patnīmanāthavat || 49.9 ||

Taking a fair offering of welcome, he came to the bank of the Jahnavi, and there saw Sita, Raghava's beloved wife, sitting as though without protector.

Shloka 10 (uttara.49.10)

तां सीतां शोकभारार्तां वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवः । उवाच मधुरां वाणीं ह्लादयन्निव तेजसा ।। 49.10 ।।

tāṃ sītāṃ śokabhārārtāṃ vālmīkirmunipuṅgavaḥ | uvāca madhurāṃ vāṇīṃ hlādayanniva tejasā || 49.10 ||

To that Sita, afflicted by the weight of grief, Valmiki, foremost of sages, spoke in a sweet voice, as though soothing her by his own inner radiance.

Shloka 11 (uttara.49.11)

स्नुषा दशरथस्य त्वं रामस्य महिषी प्रिया । जनकस्य सुता राज्ञः स्वागतं ते पतिव्रते ।। 49.11 ।।

snuṣā daśarathasya tvaṃ rāmasya mahiṣī priyā | janakasya sutā rājñaḥ svāgataṃ te pativrate || 49.11 ||

"You are the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha, the beloved queen of Rama, the daughter of King Janaka. Welcome, O devoted wife.

Shloka 12 (uttara.49.12)

आयान्ती चासि विज्ञाता मया धर्मसमाधिना । कारणं चैव सर्वं मे हृदयेनोपलक्षितम् ।। 49.12 ।।

āyāntī cāsi vijñātā mayā dharmasamādhinā | kāraṇaṃ caiva sarvaṃ me hṛdayenopalakṣitam || 49.12 ||

"Even as you were coming, I knew it, through my meditation fixed upon dharma; and the whole cause of it my heart has already grasped.

Shloka 13 (uttara.49.13)

तव चैव महाभागे विदितं मम तत्त्वतः । सर्वं च विदितं मह्यं त्रैलोक्ये यद्धि वर्तते ।। 49.13 ।।

tava caiva mahābhāge viditaṃ mama tattvataḥ | sarvaṃ ca viditaṃ mahyaṃ trailokye yaddhi vartate || 49.13 ||

"And your true nature, most blessed one, is fully known to me; and whatever happens in all three worlds is known to me.

Shloka 14 (uttara.49.14)

अपापां वेद्मि सीते त्वां तपोलब्धेन चक्षुषा । विस्रब्धा भव वैदेहि साम्प्रतं मयि वर्तसे ।। 49.14 ।।

apāpāṃ vedmi sīte tvāṃ tapolabdhena cakṣuṣā | visrabdhā bhava vaidehi sāmprataṃ mayi vartase || 49.14 ||

"I know you, Sita, through the sight my austerities have won me, to be free of all sin. Be at ease, Vaidehi; you are now in my keeping.

Shloka 15 (uttara.49.15)

आश्रमस्याविदूरे मे तापस्यस्तपसि स्थिताः । तास्त्वां वत्से यथा वत्सं पालयिष्यन्ति नित्यशः ।। 49.15 ।।

āśramasyāvidūre me tāpasyastapasi sthitāḥ | tāstvāṃ vatse yathā vatsaṃ pālayiṣyanti nityaśaḥ || 49.15 ||

"Not far from my hermitage there dwell women ascetics, steadfast in austerity; they, my child, will care for you always, as for their own daughter.

Shloka 16 (uttara.49.16)

इदमर्ध्यं प्रतीच्छ त्वं विस्रब्धा विगतज्वरा । यथा स्वगृहमभ्येत्य विषादं चैव मा कृथाः ।। 49.16 ।।

idamardhyaṃ pratīccha tvaṃ visrabdhā vigatajvarā | yathā svagṛhamabhyetya viṣādaṃ caiva mā kṛthāḥ || 49.16 ||

"Accept this offering of welcome, calm now, your torment gone, as though you had come home; and grieve no more.

Shloka 17 (uttara.49.17)

श्रुत्वा तु भाषितं सीता मुनेः परममद्भुतम् । शिरसा ऽ ऽवन्द्य चरणौ तथेत्याह कृताञ्जलिः ।। 49.17 ।।

śrutvā tu bhāṣitaṃ sītā muneḥ paramamadbhutam | śirasā ' 'vandya caraṇau tathetyāha kṛtāñjaliḥ || 49.17 ||

Hearing the sage's wondrous words, Sita, bowing her head to his feet, joined her palms and said, "So be it."

Shloka 18 (uttara.49.18)

तं प्रयान्तं मुनिं सीता प्राञ्जलिः पृष्ठतो ऽन्वगात् ।। 49.18 ।।

taṃ prayāntaṃ muniṃ sītā prāñjaliḥ pṛṣṭhato 'nvagāt || 49.18 ||

With hands still joined, Sita followed behind the sage as he set out.

Shloka 19 (uttara.49.19)

तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिमायान्तं वैदेह्या मुनिपत्नयः । उपाजग्मुर्मुदा युक्ता वचनं चेदमब्रुवन् ।। 49.19 ।।

taṃ dṛṣṭvā munimāyāntaṃ vaidehyā munipatnayaḥ | upājagmurmudā yuktā vacanaṃ cedamabruvan || 49.19 ||

Seeing the sage approaching with Vaidehi, the wives of the sages came forward, filled with joy, and spoke these words.

Shloka 20 (uttara.49.20)

स्वागतं ते मुनिश्रेष्ठ चिरस्यागमनं च ते । अभिवादयामस्त्वां सर्वा उच्यतां कि च कुर्महे ।। 49.20 ।।

svāgataṃ te muniśreṣṭha cirasyāgamanaṃ ca te | abhivādayāmastvāṃ sarvā ucyatāṃ ki ca kurmahe || 49.20 ||

"Welcome, O best of sages; it has been long since you last came this way. We all bow to you; tell us, what would you have us do?

Shloka 21 (uttara.49.21)

तासां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वाल्मीकिरिदमब्रवीत् । सीतेयं समनुप्राप्ता पत्नी रामस्य धीमतः ।। 49.21 ।।

tāsāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā vālmīkiridamabravīt | sīteyaṃ samanuprāptā patnī rāmasya dhīmataḥ || 49.21 ||

Hearing their words, Valmiki said, "This is Sita, who has come to us, the wife of the wise Rama.

Shloka 22 (uttara.49.22)

स्नुषा दशरथस्यैषा जनकस्य सुता सती । अपापा पतिना त्यक्ता परिपाल्या मया सदा ।। 49.22 ।।

snuṣā daśarathasyaiṣā janakasya sutā satī | apāpā patinā tyaktā paripālyā mayā sadā || 49.22 ||

"This faithful woman is the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha, and the daughter of Janaka; sinless, cast off by her husband, she is to be under my protection always.

Shloka 23 (uttara.49.23)

इमां भवत्यः पश्यन्तु स्नेहेन परमेण हि । गौरवान्मम वाक्याच्च पूज्या वो ऽस्तु विशेषतः ।। 49.23 ।।

imāṃ bhavatyaḥ paśyantu snehena parameṇa hi | gauravānmama vākyācca pūjyā vo 'stu viśeṣataḥ || 49.23 ||

"Look upon her, all of you, with the deepest affection; and, out of regard for me and at my word, let her be held especially dear by you all."

Shloka 24 (uttara.49.24)

मुहुर्मुहुश्च वैदेहीं प्रणिधाय महायशाः । स्वमाश्रमं शिष्यवृतः पुनरायान्महातपाः ।। 49.24 ।।

muhurmuhuśca vaidehīṃ praṇidhāya mahāyaśāḥ | svamāśramaṃ śiṣyavṛtaḥ punarāyānmahātapāḥ || 49.24 ||

Having, again and again, entrusted Vaidehi to their keeping, that greatly renowned, great ascetic returned once more to his own hermitage, surrounded by his disciples.