Valmiki Presents Sita

Shloka 1 (uttara.96.1)

तस्यां रजन्यां व्युष्टायां यज्ञवाटगतो नृपः । ऋषीन्सर्वान्महातेजाः शब्दापयति राघवः ।। ७.९६.१ ।।

tasyāṃ rajanyāṃ vyuṣṭāyāṃ yajñavāṭagato nṛpaḥ | ṛṣīn sarvān mahātejāḥ śabdāpayati rāghavaḥ || 7.96.1 ||

When that night had passed, the king -- the greatly radiant Raghava, who was in the sacrificial enclosure -- summoned all the sages.

Shloka 2 (uttara.96.2)

वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च जाबालिरथ काश्यपः । विश्वामित्रो दीर्घतपा दुर्वासाश्च महातपाः ।। ७.९६.२ ।।

vasiṣṭho vāmadevaś ca jābālir atha kāśyapaḥ | viśvāmitro dīrghatapā durvāsāś ca mahātapāḥ || 7.96.2 ||

Vasishtha and Vamadeva, Jabali and Kashyapa, Vishvamitra of long penance, and Durvasa of great austerity.

Shloka 3 (uttara.96.3)

पुलस्त्यो ऽपि तथा शक्तिर्भार्गवश्चैव वामनः । मार्कण्डेयश्च दीर्घायुर्मौद्गल्यश्च महायशाः ।। ७.९६.३ ।।

pulastyo 'pi tathā śaktir bhārgavaś caiva vāmanaḥ | mārkaṇḍeyaś ca dīrghāyur maudgalyaś ca mahāyaśāḥ || 7.96.3 ||

Pulastya too, and Shakti, and Bhargava, and Vamana, long-lived Markandeya, and the greatly renowned Maudgalya.

Shloka 4 (uttara.96.4)

गर्गश्च च्यवनश्चैव शतानन्दश्च धर्मवित् । भरद्वाजश्च तेजस्वी ह्यग्निपुत्रश्च सुप्रभः ।। ७.९६.४ ।।

gargaś ca cyavanaś caiva śatānandaś ca dharmavit | bharadvājaś ca tejasvī hy agniputraś ca suprabhaḥ || 7.96.4 ||

Garga, and Chyavana, and Shatananda who knew righteousness, the radiant Bharadvaja, and the splendid son of Agni.

Shloka 5 (uttara.96.5)

नारदः पर्वतश्चैव गौतमश्च महायशाः । कात्यायनः सुयज्ञश्च ह्यगस्त्यस्तपसां निधिः ।। ७.९६.५ ।।

nāradaḥ parvataś caiva gautamaś ca mahāyaśāḥ | kātyāyanaḥ suyajñaś ca hy agastyas tapasāṃ nidhiḥ || 7.96.5 ||

Narada and Parvata, the greatly renowned Gautama, Katyayana and Suyajna, and Agastya, the very treasury of austerities.

Shloka 6 (uttara.96.6)

एते चान्ये च बहवो मुनयः संशितव्रताः । कौतूहलसमाविष्टाः सर्व एव समागताः ।। ७.९६.६ ।।

ete cānye ca bahavo munayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ | kautūhalasamāviṣṭāḥ sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.96.6 ||

These, and many other sages of strict vows, filled with curiosity, all came together.

Shloka 7 (uttara.96.7)

राक्षसाश्च महावीर्या वानराश्च महाबलाः । सर्व एव समाजग्मुर्महात्मानः कुतूहलात् ।। ७.९६.७ ।।

rākṣasāś ca mahāvīryā vānarāś ca mahābalāḥ | sarva eva samājagmur mahātmānaḥ kutūhalāt || 7.96.7 ||

The Rakshasas of great valor and the Vanaras of great might -- all those great souls came together out of curiosity.

Shloka 8 (uttara.96.8)

क्षत्रिया ये च शूद्राश्च वैश्याश्चैव सहस्रशः । नानादेशगताश्चैव ब्राह्मणाः संशितव्रताः ।। ७.९६.८ ।।

kṣatriyā ye ca śūdrāś ca vaiśyāś caiva sahasraśaḥ | nānādeśagatāś caiva brāhmaṇāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ || 7.96.8 ||

Kshatriyas and Shudras and Vaishyas by the thousands, and Brahmins of strict vows come from many different lands.

Shloka 9 (uttara.96.9)

ज्ञाननिष्ठाः कर्मनिष्ठाः योगनिष्ठास्तथापरे । सीताशपथवीक्षार्थं सर्व एव समागताः ।। ७.९६.९ ।।

jñānaniṣṭhāḥ karmaniṣṭhāḥ yoganiṣṭhās tathāpare | sītāśapathavīkṣārthaṃ sarva eva samāgatāḥ || 7.96.9 ||

Those steadfast in knowledge, those steadfast in ritual action, and others steadfast in yoga -- all came together to witness Sita's oath.

Shloka 10 (uttara.96.10)

तदा समागतं सर्वमश्मभूतमिवाचलम् । श्रुत्वा मुनिवरस्तूर्णं ससीतः समुपागमत् ।। ७.९६.१० ।।

tadā samāgataṃ sarvam aśmabhūtam ivācalam | śrutvā munivaras tūrṇaṃ sasītaḥ samupāgamat || 7.96.10 ||

Then, hearing that the whole gathered assembly stood unmoving as if turned to stone, that foremost of sages swiftly arrived there together with Sita.

Shloka 11 (uttara.96.11)

तमृषिं पृष्ठतः सीता त्वन्वगच्छदवाङ्मुखी । कृताञ्जलिर्बाष्पगला कृत्वा रामं मनोगतम् ।। ७.९६.११ ।।

tam ṛṣiṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ sītā tv anvagacchad avāṅmukhī | kṛtāñjalir bāṣpagalā kṛtvā rāmaṃ manogatam || 7.96.11 ||

Sita followed behind that sage, her face bowed down, her hands folded, her throat choked with tears, her mind fixed upon Rama.

Shloka 12 (uttara.96.12)

दृष्ट्वा श्रुतिमिवायान्तीं ब्रह्माणमनुगामिनीम् । वाल्मीकेः पृष्ठतः सीतां साधुवादो महानभूत् ।। ७.९६.१२ ।।

dṛṣṭvā śrutim ivāyāntīṃ brahmāṇam anugāminīm | vālmīkeḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ sītāṃ sādhuvādo mahān abhūt || 7.96.12 ||

Seeing Sita, coming behind Valmiki, like the Veda following behind Brahma, a great cry of approval arose.

Shloka 13 (uttara.96.13)

ततो हलहलाशब्दः सर्वेषामेवमाबभौ । दुःखजन्मविशालेन शोकेनाकुलितात्मनाम् ।। ७.९६.१३ ।।

tato halahalāśabdaḥ sarveṣām evam ābabhau | duḥkhajanmaviśālena śokenākulitātmanām || 7.96.13 ||

Then a great tumultuous sound arose from everyone, their hearts stirred by a vast sorrow born of grief.

Shloka 14 (uttara.96.14)

साधु रामेति केचित्तु साधु सीतेति चापरे । उभावेव च तत्रान्ये प्रेक्षकाः सम्प्रचुक्रुशुः ।। ७.९६.१४ ।।

sādhu rāmeti kecit tu sādhu sīteti cāpare | ubhāv eva ca tatrānye prekṣakāḥ sampracukruśuḥ || 7.96.14 ||

Some cried out, "Well done, Rama!" and others, "Well done, Sita!" while still other onlookers there acclaimed them both together.

Shloka 15 (uttara.96.15)

ततो मध्ये जनौघस्य प्रविश्य मुनिपुङ्गवः । सीतासहायो वाल्मीकिरिति होवाच राघवम् ।। ७.९६.१५ ।।

tato madhye janaughasya praviśya munipuṅgavaḥ | sītāsahāyo vālmīkir iti hovāca rāghavam || 7.96.15 ||

Then the foremost of sages, Valmiki, with Sita at his side, entering the midst of that great multitude, spoke thus to Raghava.

Shloka 16 (uttara.96.16)

इयं दाशरथे सीता सुव्रता धर्मचारिणी । अपवादैः परित्यक्ता ममाश्रमसमीपतः ।। ७.९६.१६ ।।

iyaṃ dāśarathe sītā suvratā dharmacāriṇī | apavādaiḥ parityaktā mamāśramasamīpataḥ || 7.96.16 ||

"O son of Dasharatha, this is Sita, of noble vows and righteous conduct, who was abandoned near my hermitage because of slanderous rumor."

Shloka 17 (uttara.96.17)

लोकापवादभीतस्य तव राम महाव्रत । प्रत्ययं दास्यते सीता तदनुज्ञातुमर्हसि ।। ७.९६.१७ ।।

lokāpavādabhītasya tava rāma mahāvrata | pratyayaṃ dāsyate sītā tad anujñātum arhasi || 7.96.17 ||

"To you, O Rama of great vows, who fear the censure of the world, Sita will now give proof of her purity; you should grant her your leave."

Shloka 18 (uttara.96.18)

इमौ तु जानकीपुत्रावुभौ च यमजातकौ । सुतौ तवैव दुर्धर्षौ सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ।। ७.९६.१८ ।।

imau tu jānakīputrāv ubhau ca yamajātakau | sutau tavaiva durdharṣau satyam etad bravīmi te || 7.96.18 ||

"These two, both sons of Janaki, twin-born, are indeed your own unassailable sons -- this truth I speak to you."

Shloka 19 (uttara.96.19)

प्रचेतसो ऽहं दशमः पुत्रो राघवनन्दन । न स्मराम्यनृतं वाक्यमिमौ तु तव पुत्रकौ ।। ७.९६.१९ ।।

pracetaso 'haṃ daśamaḥ putro rāghavanandana | na smarāmy anṛtaṃ vākyam imau tu tava putrakau || 7.96.19 ||

"O delight of the Raghus, I am the tenth son of Prachetas; I do not remember ever having spoken a false word -- these two are indeed your own sons."

Shloka 20 (uttara.96.20)

बहुवर्षसहस्राणि तपश्चर्या मया कृता । नोपाश्नीयां फलं तस्या दुष्टेयं यदि मैथिली ।। ७.९६.२० ।।

bahuvarṣasahasrāṇi tapaścaryā mayā kṛtā | nopāśnīyāṃ phalaṃ tasyā duṣṭeyaṃ yadi maithilī || 7.96.20 ||

"For many thousand years I have performed austerities; may I not obtain their fruit, if this Maithili is at fault."

Shloka 21 (uttara.96.21)

मनसा कर्मणा वाचा भूतपूर्वं न किल्बिषम् । तस्याः फलमुपाश्नीयामपापा मैथिली यदि ।। ७.९६.२१ ।।

manasā karmaṇā vācā bhūtapūrvaṃ na kilbiṣam | tasyāḥ phalam upāśnīyām apāpā maithilī yadi || 7.96.21 ||

"By mind, by deed, and by word, no fault has ever before existed in her; may I obtain the fruit of that austerity, if Maithili is without sin."

Shloka 22 (uttara.96.22)

अहं पञ्चसु भूतेषु मनष्षष्ठेषु राघव । विचिन्त्य सीतां शुद्धेति जग्राह वननिर्झरे ।। ७.९६.२२ ।।

ahaṃ pañcasu bhūteṣu manaḥṣaṣṭheṣu rāghava | vicintya sītāṃ śuddheti jagrāha vananirjhare || 7.96.22 ||

"O Raghava, having reflected, in the presence of the five elements with the mind as sixth, that Sita was pure, I received her at the forest stream."

Shloka 23 (uttara.96.23)

इयं शुद्धसमाचारा अपापा पतिदेवता । लोकापवादभीतस्य प्रत्ययं तव दास्यति ।। ७.९६.२३ ।।

iyaṃ śuddhasamācārā apāpā patidevatā | lokāpavādabhītasya pratyayaṃ tava dāsyati || 7.96.23 ||

"This one, of pure conduct, sinless, holding her husband as her deity, will give proof to you, who fear the censure of the world."

Shloka 24 (uttara.96.24)

तस्मादियं नरवरात्मज शुद्धभावा दिव्येन दृष्टिविषयेण तदा प्रविष्टा । लोकापवादकलुषीकृतचेतसा या त्यक्ता त्वया प्रियतमा विदिता ऽपि शुद्धा ।। ७.९६.२४ ।।

tasmād iyaṃ naravarātmaja śuddhabhāvā divyena dṛṣṭiviṣayeṇa tadā praviṣṭā | lokāpavādakaluṣīkṛtacetasā yā tyaktā tvayā priyatamā viditā 'pi śuddhā || 7.96.24 ||

"Therefore, O son of the noblest of men, this pure-hearted one then entered the range of my divine sight -- she who, though known to be pure, was abandoned by you, your most beloved, your mind sullied by the world's slander."