Rama's Return to Ayodhya

Shloka 1 (uttara.82.1)

ऋषेर्वचनमाज्ञाय रामः सन्ध्यामुपासितुम् । उपाक्रमत्सरः पुण्यमप्सरोगणसेवितम् ।। ७.८२.१ ।।

ṛṣervacanamājñāya rāmaḥ sandhyāmupāsitum | upākramatsaraḥ puṇyamapsarogaṇasevitam || 7.82.1 ||

Having understood the sage's words, Rama, to perform the evening worship, approached the sacred lake, frequented by troops of Apsaras.

Shloka 2 (uttara.82.2)

तत्रोदकमुपस्पृश्य सन्ध्यामन्वास्य पश्चिमाम् । आश्रमं प्राविशद्रामः कुम्भयोनेर्महात्मनः ।। ७.८२.२ ।।

tatrodakamupaspṛśya sandhyāmanvāsya paścimām | āśramaṃ prāviśadrāmaḥ kumbhayonermahātmanaḥ || 7.82.2 ||

There, having touched the water and performed the evening rite, Rama entered the hermitage of that great-souled one born of a water-pot.

Shloka 3 (uttara.82.3)

तस्यागस्त्यो बहुगुणं कन्दमूलं तथौषधिम् । शाल्यादीनि पवित्राणि भोजनार्थमकल्पयत् ।। ७.८२.३ ।।

tasyāgastyo bahuguṇaṃ kandamūlaṃ tathauṣadhim | śālyādīni pavitrāṇi bhojanārthamakalpayat || 7.82.3 ||

For him, Agastya prepared, for his meal, many-virtued roots and tubers, medicinal herbs, and pure rice and the like.

Shloka 4 (uttara.82.4)

स भुक्तवान्नरश्रेष्ठस्तदन्नममृतोपमम् । प्रीतश्च परितुष्टश्च तां रात्रिं समुपाविशत् ।। ७.८२.४ ।।

sa bhuktavānnaraśreṣṭhastadannamamṛtopamam | prītaśca parituṣṭaśca tāṃ rātriṃ samupāviśat || 7.82.4 ||

That best of men ate that food, comparable to nectar, and, pleased and content, passed that night there.

Shloka 5 (uttara.82.5)

प्रभाते काल्यमुत्थाय कृत्वाह्निकमरिन्दमः । ऋषिं समुपचक्राम गमनाय रघूत्तमः ।। ७.८२.५ ।।

prabhāte kālyamutthāya kṛtvāhnikamarindamaḥ | ṛṣiṃ samupacakrāma gamanāya raghūttamaḥ || 7.82.5 ||

At dawn, rising early and performing his daily rites, that subduer of foes, the foremost of the Raghus, approached the sage in order to depart.

Shloka 6 (uttara.82.6)

अभिवाद्याब्रवीद्रामो महर्षिं कुम्भसम्भवम् । आपृच्छे स्वां पुरीं गन्तुं मामनुज्ञातुमर्हसि ।। ७.८२.६ ।।

abhivādyābravīdrāmo maharṣiṃ kumbhasambhavam | āpṛcche svāṃ purīṃ gantuṃ māmanujñātumarhasi || 7.82.6 ||

Having saluted him, Rama said to the great sage born of a water-pot: "I take my leave to go to my own city; you should grant me permission."

Shloka 7 (uttara.82.7)

धन्यो ऽस्म्यनुगृहीतो ऽस्मि दर्शनेन महात्मनः । द्रष्टुं चैवागमिष्यामि पावनार्थमिहात्मनः ।। ७.८२.७ ।।

dhanyo 'smyanugṛhīto 'smi darśanena mahātmanaḥ | draṣṭuṃ caivāgamiṣyāmi pāvanārthamihātmanaḥ || 7.82.7 ||

"I am blessed, I am favored, by the sight of this great soul; and I shall come again here to see you, for the purifying of my own self."

Shloka 8 (uttara.82.8)

तथा वदति काकुत्स्थे वाक्यमद्भुतदर्शनम् । उवाच परमप्रीतो धर्मनेत्रस्तपोधनः ।। ७.८२.८ ।।

tathā vadati kākutsthe vākyamadbhutadarśanam | uvāca paramaprīto dharmanetrastapodhanaḥ || 7.82.8 ||

As Kakutstha spoke thus, that ascetic rich in austerity, the guide of dharma, greatly pleased, uttered a word wondrous to hear.

Shloka 9 (uttara.82.9)

अत्यद्भुतमिदं वाक्यं तव राम शुभाक्षरम् । पावनः सर्वभूतानां त्वमेव रघुनन्दन ।। ७.८२.९ ।।

atyadbhutamidaṃ vākyaṃ tava rāma śubhākṣaram | pāvanaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ tvameva raghunandana || 7.82.9 ||

"Most wondrous, Rama, is this speech of yours, of auspicious syllables; you yourself, O joy of the Raghus, are the purifier of all beings."

Shloka 10 (uttara.82.10)

मुहूर्तमपि राम त्वां ये च पश्यन्ति केचन । पाविताः स्वर्गभूताश्च पूज्यास्ते सर्वदैवतैः ।। ७.८२.१० ।।

muhūrtamapi rāma tvāṃ ye ca paśyanti kecana | pāvitāḥ svargabhūtāśca pūjyāste sarvadaivataiḥ || 7.82.10 ||

"Rama, whatever beings look upon you even for a moment become purified, become as if of heaven, and are honored by all the gods."

Shloka 11 (uttara.82.11)

ये च त्वां घोरचक्षुर्भिः पश्यन्ति प्राणिनो भुवि । हतास्ते यमदण्डेन सद्यो निरयगामिनः ।। ७.८२.११ ।।

ye ca tvāṃ ghoracakṣurbhiḥ paśyanti prāṇino bhuvi | hatāste yamadaṇḍena sadyo nirayagāminaḥ || 7.82.11 ||

"And whatever beings on earth look upon you with malevolent eyes, they are struck down by Yama's rod, going at once to hell."

Shloka 12 (uttara.82.12)

ईदृशस्त्वं रघुश्रेष्ठ पावनः सर्वदेहिनाम् । भुवि त्वां कथयन्तो ऽपि सिद्धिमेष्यन्ति राघव ।। ७.८२.१२ ।।

īdṛśastvaṃ raghuśreṣṭha pāvanaḥ sarvadehinām | bhuvi tvāṃ kathayanto 'pi siddhimeṣyanti rāghava || 7.82.12 ||

"Such are you, O best of the Raghus, the purifier of all embodied beings; even those on earth who merely speak of you, Raghava, shall attain perfection."

Shloka 13 (uttara.82.13)

गच्छ चारिष्टमव्याग्रः पन्थानमकुतोभयम् । प्रशाधि राज्यं धर्मेण गतिर्हि जगतो भवान् ।। ७.८२.१३ ।।

gaccha cāriṣṭamavyāgraḥ panthānamakutobhayam | praśādhi rājyaṃ dharmeṇa gatirhi jagato bhavān || 7.82.13 ||

"Go, undismayed, by an auspicious road free of danger; rule your kingdom with righteousness, for you are the refuge of the world."

Shloka 14 (uttara.82.14)

एवमुक्तस्तु मुनिना प्राञ्जलिः प्रग्रहो नृपः । अभ्यवादयत प्राज्ञस्तमृषिं पुण्यशालिनम् ।। ७.८२.१४ ।।

evamuktastu muninā prāñjaliḥ pragraho nṛpaḥ | abhyavādayata prājñastamṛṣiṃ puṇyaśālinam || 7.82.14 ||

Thus addressed by the sage, that wise king, with joined palms, humbly saluted that meritorious sage.

Shloka 15 (uttara.82.15)

अभिवाद्य मुनिश्रेष्ठं तांश्च सर्वांस्तपोधनान् । अध्यारोहत्तदव्यग्रः पुष्पकं हेमभूषितम् ।। ७.८२.१५ ।।

abhivādya muniśreṣṭhaṃ tāṃśca sarvāṃstapodhanān | adhyārohattadavyagraḥ puṣpakaṃ hemabhūṣitam || 7.82.15 ||

Having saluted the best of sages and all those rich in austerity, he, undisturbed, then mounted the gold-adorned Pushpaka.

Shloka 16 (uttara.82.16)

तं प्रयान्तं मुनिगणा ह्याशीर्वादैः समन्ततः । अपूजयन्महेन्द्राभं सहस्राक्षमिवामराः ।। ७.८२.१६ ।।

taṃ prayāntaṃ munigaṇā hyāśīrvādaiḥ samantataḥ | apūjayanmahendrābhaṃ sahasrākṣamivāmarāḥ || 7.82.16 ||

As he departed, the troops of sages honored him on every side with blessings -- him who was resplendent as great Indra -- just as the immortals honor the thousand-eyed one.

Shloka 17 (uttara.82.17)

स्वस्थः स ददृशे रामः पुष्पके हेमभूषिते । शशी मेघसमीपस्थो यथा जलधरागमे ।। ७.८२.१७ ।।

svasthaḥ sa dadṛśe rāmaḥ puṣpake hemabhūṣite | śaśī meghasamīpastho yathā jaladharāgame || 7.82.17 ||

Composed, Rama appeared upon the gold-adorned Pushpaka, like the moon close beside a cloud at the onset of the rains.

Shloka 18 (uttara.82.18)

ततो ऽर्धदिवसे प्राप्ते पूज्यमानस्ततस्ततः । अयोध्यां प्राप्य काकुत्स्थो मध्यकक्ष्यामवारुहत् ।। ७.८२.१८ ।।

tato 'rdhadivase prāpte pūjyamānastatastataḥ | ayodhyāṃ prāpya kākutstho madhyakakṣyāmavāruhat || 7.82.18 ||

Then, midday having come, being honored from place to place, Kakutstha, having reached Ayodhya, descended into the inner courtyard.

Shloka 19 (uttara.82.19)

ततो विसृज्य रुचिरं पुष्पकं कामगामि तत् । विसर्जयित्वा गच्छेति स्वस्ति ते ऽस्त्विति च प्रभुः ।। ७.८२.१९ ।।

tato visṛjya ruciraṃ puṣpakaṃ kāmagāmi tat | visarjayitvā gaccheti svasti te 'stviti ca prabhuḥ || 7.82.19 ||

Then, dismissing that lovely, wish-going Pushpaka, the Lord, releasing it, said, "Go, and may there be well-being to you."

Shloka 20 (uttara.82.20)

कक्षान्तरविनिक्षिप्तं द्वास्स्थं रामो ऽब्रवीद्वचः । लक्ष्मणं भरतं चैव गत्वा तौ लघुविक्रमौ । ममागमनमाख्याय शब्दापयत मा चिरम् ।। ७.८२.२० ।।

kakṣāntaravinikṣiptaṃ dvāssthaṃ rāmo 'bravīdvacaḥ | lakṣmaṇaṃ bharataṃ caiva gatvā tau laghuvikramau | mamāgamanamākhyāya śabdāpayata mā ciram || 7.82.20 ||

Then Rama spoke this word to the doorkeeper stationed within the inner courtyard: "Go to Lakshmana and Bharata, those two swift in valor, and, having told them of my arrival, summon them without delay."