Rama Calls for Sita's Oath

Shloka 1 (uttara.95.1)

रामो बहून्यहान्येवं तद्गीतं परमं शुभम् । शुश्राव मुनिभिः सार्धं पार्थिवैः सह वानरैः ।। ७.९५.१ ।।

rāmo bahūny ahāny evaṃ tad gītaṃ paramaṃ śubham | śuśrāva munibhiḥ sārdhaṃ pārthivaiḥ saha vānaraiḥ || 7.95.1 ||

Thus, for many days, Rama, together with the sages, the kings, and the monkeys, listened to that most auspicious song.

Shloka 2 (uttara.95.2)

तस्मिन्गीते तु विज्ञाय सीतापुत्रौ कुशीलवौ । तस्याः परिषदो मध्ये रामो वचनमब्रवीत् । दूताञ्छुद्धसमाचारानाहूयात्ममनीषया ।। ७.९५.२ ।।

tasmin gīte tu vijñāya sītāputrau kuśīlavau | tasyāḥ pariṣado madhye rāmo vacanam abravīt | dūtāñ śuddhasamācārān āhūyātmamanīṣayā || 7.95.2 ||

Recognizing, in that song, Kusha and Lava as Sita's sons, Rama, having summoned by his own judgment messengers of pure conduct, spoke this word in the midst of that assembly.

Shloka 3 (uttara.95.3)

मद्वचो ब्रूत गच्छध्वमितो भगवतो ऽन्तिकम् ।। ७.९५.३ ।।

madvaco brūta gacchadhvam ito bhagavato 'ntikam || 7.95.3 ||

"Go from here to the blessed one's presence, and speak my word."

Shloka 4 (uttara.95.4)

यदि शुद्धसमाचारा यदि वा वीतकल्मषा । करोत्विहात्मनः शुद्धिमनुमान्य महामुनिम् ।। ७.९५.४ ।।

yadi śuddhasamācārā yadi vā vītakalmaṣā | karotv ihātmanaḥ śuddhim anumānya mahāmunim || 7.95.4 ||

"If she is of pure conduct, if she is free of taint, then, with the great sage's consent, let her here establish her own purity."

Shloka 5 (uttara.95.5)

छन्दं मुनेश्च विज्ञाय सीतायाश्च मनोगतम् । प्रत्ययं दातुकामायास्ततः शंसत मे लघु ।। ७.९५.५ ।।

chandaṃ muneś ca vijñāya sītāyāś ca manogatam | pratyayaṃ dātukāmāyās tataḥ śaṃsata me laghu || 7.95.5 ||

"Having ascertained the sage's wish and the inclination of Sita's mind -- she who desires to give proof of her purity -- report to me swiftly."

Shloka 6 (uttara.95.6)

श्वः प्रभाते तु शपथं मैथिली जनकात्मजा । करोतु परिषन्मध्ये शोधनार्थं ममैव च ।। ७.९५.६ ।।

śvaḥ prabhāte tu śapathaṃ maithilī janakātmajā | karotu pariṣanmadhye śodhanārthaṃ mamaiva ca || 7.95.6 ||

"Tomorrow at dawn, let Maithili, daughter of Janaka, take an oath in the midst of this assembly, for the sake of purifying herself -- and indeed of myself as well."

Shloka 7 (uttara.95.7)

श्रुत्वा तु ऱागवस्यैतद्वचः परममद्भुतम् । दूताः सम्प्रययुर्बाटं यत्रास्ते मुनिपुङ्गवः ।। ७.९५.७ ।।

śrutvā tu rāghavasyaitad vacaḥ paramam adbhutam | dūtāḥ samprayayur vāṭaṃ yatrāste munipuṅgavaḥ || 7.95.7 ||

Hearing this most wondrous word of Raghava, the messengers went forth to the encampment where the foremost of sages dwelt.

Shloka 8 (uttara.95.8)

ते प्रणम्य महात्मानं ज्वलन्तममितप्रभम् । ऊचुस्ते रामवाक्यानि मृदूनि मधुराणि च ।। ७.९५.८ ।।

te praṇamya mahātmānaṃ jvalantam amitaprabham | ūcus te rāmavākyāni mṛdūni madhurāṇi ca || 7.95.8 ||

Bowing to that great soul, blazing with boundless radiance, they spoke Rama's words, gentle and sweet.

Shloka 9 (uttara.95.9)

तेषां तद्व्याहृतं श्रुत्वा रामस्य च मनोगतम् । विज्ञाय सुमहातेजा मुनिर्वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ।। ७.९५.९ ।।

teṣāṃ tad vyāhṛtaṃ śrutvā rāmasya ca manogatam | vijñāya sumahātejā munir vākyam athābravīt || 7.95.9 ||

Hearing what they had spoken, and understanding what was in Rama's mind, the greatly radiant sage then spoke this word.

Shloka 10 (uttara.95.10)

एवं भवतु भद्रं वो यथा वदति राघवः । तथा करिष्यते सीता दैवतं हि पतिः स्त्रियाः ।। ७.९५.१० ।।

evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ vo yathā vadati rāghavaḥ | tathā kariṣyate sītā daivataṃ hi patiḥ striyāḥ || 7.95.10 ||

"So let it be, blessings upon you. As Raghava says, so shall Sita do; for the husband is indeed a woman's deity."

Shloka 11 (uttara.95.11)

तथोक्ता मुनिना सर्वे राजदूता महौजसम् । प्रत्येत्य राघवं क्षिप्रं मुनिवाक्यं बभाषिरे ।। ७.९५.११ ।।

tathoktā muninā sarve rājadūtā mahaujasam | pratyetya rāghavaṃ kṣipraṃ munivākyaṃ babhāṣire || 7.95.11 ||

Thus addressed by the sage, all the king's messengers returned quickly to the mighty Raghava and reported to him the sage's words.

Shloka 12 (uttara.95.12)

ततः प्रहृष्टः काकुत्स्थः श्रुत्वा वाक्यं महात्मनः । ऋषींस्तत्र समेतांश्च राज्ञश्चैवाभ्यभाषत ।। ७.९५.१२ ।।

tataḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ kākutsthaḥ śrutvā vākyaṃ mahātmanaḥ | ṛṣīṃs tatra sametāṃś ca rājñaś caivābhyabhāṣata || 7.95.12 ||

Then, delighted at hearing the great soul's words, Kakutstha addressed the sages and kings assembled there.

Shloka 13 (uttara.95.13)

भगवन्तः सशिष्या वै सानुगाश्च नराधिपाः । पश्यन्तु सीताशपथं यश्चैवान्यो ऽपि काङ्क्षते ।। ७.९५.१३ ।।

bhagavantaḥ saśiṣyā vai sānugāś ca narādhipāḥ | paśyantu sītāśapathaṃ yaś caivānyo 'pi kāṅkṣate || 7.95.13 ||

"Let the venerable sages together with their disciples, and the kings together with their retinues, witness Sita's oath -- and whoever else also wishes to see it."

Shloka 14 (uttara.95.14)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राघवस्य महात्मनः । सर्वेषामृषिमुख्यानां साधुवादो महानभूत् ।। ७.९५.१४ ।।

tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ | sarveṣām ṛṣimukhyānāṃ sādhuvādo mahān abhūt || 7.95.14 ||

Hearing that word of the great-souled Raghava, all the foremost sages raised a great cry of approval.

Shloka 15 (uttara.95.15)

राजानश्च महात्मानः प्रशंसन्ति स्म राघवम् । उपपन्नं नरश्रेष्ठ त्वय्येव भुवि नान्यतः ।। ७.९५.१५ ।।

rājānaś ca mahātmānaḥ praśaṃsanti sma rāghavam | upapannaṃ naraśreṣṭha tvayy eva bhuvi nānyataḥ || 7.95.15 ||

And the great-souled kings too praised Raghava: "This is fitting, O best of men, in you alone on this earth, and in no other."

Shloka 16 (uttara.95.16)

एवं विनिश्चयं कृत्वा श्वोभूत इति राघवः । विसर्जयामास तदा सर्वांस्ताञ्छत्रुसूदनः ।। ७.९५.१६ ।।

evaṃ viniścayaṃ kṛtvā śvobhūta iti rāghavaḥ | visarjayām āsa tadā sarvāṃs tāñ chatrusūdanaḥ || 7.95.16 ||

Having thus resolved, "Let it be tomorrow," Raghava, the slayer of foes, then dismissed them all.

Shloka 17 (uttara.95.17)

इति सम्प्रविचार्य राजसिंहः श्वोभूते शपथस्य निश्चयं वै । विससर्ज मुनीन्नृपांश्च सर्वान्स महात्मा महतो महानुभावः ।। ७.९५.१७ ।।

iti sampravicārya rājasiṃhaḥ śvobhūte śapathasya niścayaṃ vai | visasarja munīn nṛpāṃś ca sarvān sa mahātmā mahato mahānubhāvaḥ || 7.95.17 ||

Thus, having well considered the decision for the oath to be taken on the morrow, that great-souled, most illustrious lion among kings dismissed all the sages and the kings.