Agni Restores Sita

Shloka 1 (yuddha.118.1)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभं वाक्यं पितामहसमीरितम् | अङ्केनादाय वैदेहीमुत्पपात विभावसुः ॥ 118.1 ॥

etacchrutvā śubhaṃ vākyaṃ pitāmahasamīritam | aṅkenādāya vaidehīmutpapāta vibhāvasuḥ || 118.1 ||

Hearing this auspicious word spoken by the grandsire Brahma, the fire-god rose up, taking Vaidehi into his arms.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.118.2)

विधूयाथ चितां तां तु वैदेहीं हव्यवाहनः | उत्तस्थौ मूर्तिमानाशु गृहीत्वा जनकात्मजाम् ॥ 118.2 ॥

vidhūyātha citāṃ tāṃ tu vaidehīṃ havyavāhanaḥ | uttasthau mūrtimānāśu gṛhītvā janakātmajām || 118.2 ||

Shaking off that pyre, the fire-god at once stood forth in visible, embodied form, holding Vaidehi, the daughter of Janaka.

Shloka 3 (yuddha.118.3)

तरुणादित्यसंकाशां तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणाम् | रक्ताम्बरधरां बालां नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजाम् ॥ 118.3 ॥

taruṇādityasaṃkāśāṃ taptakāñcanabhūṣaṇām | raktāmbaradharāṃ bālāṃ nīlakuñcitamūrdhajām || 118.3 ||

That youthful woman, radiant as the rising sun, adorned with ornaments of refined gold, clad in a red garment, with dark curling hair —

Shloka 4 (yuddha.118.4)

अक्लिष्टमाल्याभरणां तथारूपामनिन्दिताम् | ददौ रामाय वैदेहीमङ्के कृत्वा विभावसुः ॥ 118.4 ॥

akliṣṭamālyābharaṇāṃ tathārūpāmaninditām | dadau rāmāya vaidehīmaṅke kṛtvā vibhāvasuḥ || 118.4 ||

whose garlands and ornaments had remained undimmed even in the fire — that blameless Vaidehi, the fire-god, holding her in his arms, gave over to Rama.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.118.5)

अब्रवीत्तु तदा रामं साक्षी लोकस्य पावकः | एषा ते राम वैदेही पापमस्यां न विद्यते ॥ 118.5 ॥

abravīttu tadā rāmaṃ sākṣī lokasya pāvakaḥ | eṣā te rāma vaidehī pāpamasyāṃ na vidyate || 118.5 ||

Then the fire-god, witness of the world, said to Rama: "O Rama, here is your Vaidehi; no sin exists in her.

Shloka 6 (yuddha.118.6)

नैव वाचा न मनसा नैव बुद्ध्या न चक्षुषा | सुवृत्ता वृत्तशौण्डीर्यं न त्वामत्यचरच्छुभा ॥ 118.6 ॥

naiva vācā na manasā naiva buddhyā na cakṣuṣā | suvṛttā vṛttaśauṇḍīryaṃ na tvāmatyacaracchubhā || 118.6 ||

Neither in word, nor in mind, nor in intellect, nor even in glance has this auspicious lady of pure conduct ever been unfaithful to you, who are yourself endowed with strength of character.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.118.7)

रावणेनापनीतैषा वीर्योत्सिक्तेन रक्षसा | त्वया विरहिता दीना विवशा निर्जनाद्वनात् ॥ 118.7 ॥

rāvaṇenāpanītaiṣā vīryotsiktena rakṣasā | tvayā virahitā dīnā vivaśā nirjanādvanāt || 118.7 ||

This helpless, wretched lady, separated from you, was carried off from a lonely forest by that demon Ravana, arrogant in his valour.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.118.8)

रुद्ध चान्तःपुरे गुप्ता त्वच्चित्ता त्वत्परायणा | रक्षिता राक्षसीभिश्च घोराभिर्घोरबुद्धिभिः ॥ 118.8 ॥

ruddha cāntaḥpure guptā tvaccittā tvatparāyaṇā | rakṣitā rākṣasībhiśca ghorābhirghorabuddhibhiḥ || 118.8 ||

With her heart fixed on you and devoted to you alone, she was confined and hidden away in the inner apartments, guarded by terrible rakshasis of horrible intent.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.118.9)

प्रलोभ्यमाना विविधं तर्ज्यमाना च मैथिली | नाचिन्तयत तद्रक्षस्त्वद्गतेनान्तरात्मना ॥ 118.9 ॥

pralobhyamānā vividhaṃ tarjyamānā ca maithilī | nācintayata tadrakṣastvadgatenāntarātmanā || 118.9 ||

Though tempted in many ways and threatened, Maithili, her inmost soul fixed on you, gave no thought at all to that demon.

Shloka 10 (yuddha.118.10)

विशुद्धभावां निष्पापां प्रतिगृह्णीष्व मैथिलीम् | न किंचिरभिधातव्या अहमाज्ञापयामि ते ॥ 118.10 ॥

viśuddhabhāvāṃ niṣpāpāṃ pratigṛhṇīṣva maithilīm | na kiṃcirabhidhātavyā ahamājñāpayāmi te || 118.10 ||

Accept this Maithili, sinless and pure in heart; nothing harsh should be said to her — this I command you."

Shloka 11 (yuddha.118.11)

ततः प्रीतमना रामः श्रुत्वैवं वदतां वरः | दध्यौ मुहूर्तं धर्मात्मा बाष्पव्याकुललोचनः ॥ 118.11 ॥

tataḥ prītamanā rāmaḥ śrutvaivaṃ vadatāṃ varaḥ | dadhyau muhūrtaṃ dharmātmā bāṣpavyākulalocanaḥ || 118.11 ||

Hearing these words, Rama, the most eloquent, righteous-souled, his heart glad, reflected for a moment, his eyes filled with tears of joy.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.118.12)

एवमुक्तो महातेजा धृतिमानुरुविक्रमः | उवाच त्रिदशश्रेष्ठं रामो धर्मभृतां वरः ॥ 118.12 ॥

evamukto mahātejā dhṛtimānuruvikramaḥ | uvāca tridaśaśreṣṭhaṃ rāmo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ || 118.12 ||

Thus addressed, the greatly resplendent, resolute, mighty Rama, foremost among upholders of dharma, spoke to that foremost of gods —

Shloka 13 (yuddha.118.13)

अवश्यं चापि लोकेषु सीता पावनमर्हति | दीर्घकालोषिता हीयं रावणान्तःपुरे शुभा ॥ 118.13 ॥

avaśyaṃ cāpi lokeṣu sītā pāvanamarhati | dīrghakāloṣitā hīyaṃ rāvaṇāntaḥpure śubhā || 118.13 ||

"Certainly this purification was necessary in the eyes of the world, for this auspicious lady had dwelt long in Ravana's inner chambers.

Shloka 14 (yuddha.118.14)

बालिशो बत कामात्म रामो दशरथात्मजः | इति वक्ष्यति मां लोको जानकीमविशोध्य हि ॥ 118.14 ॥

bāliśo bata kāmātma rāmo daśarathātmajaḥ | iti vakṣyati māṃ loko jānakīmaviśodhya hi || 118.14 ||

Had I accepted Janaki without testing her, the world would say - alas, how foolish and lust-driven was Rama, the son of Dasharatha!

Shloka 15 (yuddha.118.15)

अनन्यहृदयां भक्तां मच्चित्तपरिवर्तिनीम् | अहमप्यवगच्छामि मैथिलीं जनकात्मजाम् ॥ 118.15 ॥

ananyahṛdayāṃ bhaktāṃ maccittaparivartinīm | ahamapyavagacchāmi maithilīṃ janakātmajām || 118.15 ||

I too know well that Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, has an undivided heart — she who dwells ever in my thoughts, devoted to me alone.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.118.16)

इमामपि विशालाक्षीं रक्षितां स्वेन तेजसा | रावणो नातिवर्तेत वेल मिव महोदधिः ॥ 118.16 ॥

imāmapi viśālākṣīṃ rakṣitāṃ svena tejasā | rāvaṇo nātivarteta vela miva mahodadhiḥ || 118.16 ||

Protected by her own splendour, Ravana could no more violate this wide-eyed lady than the great ocean could overstep its shore.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.118.17)

प्रत्ययार्थं तु लोकानां त्रयाणाम् सत्यसंश्रयः | उपेक्षे चापि वैदेहीं प्रविशन्तीं हुताशनम् ॥ 118.17 ॥

pratyayārthaṃ tu lokānāṃ trayāṇām satyasaṃśrayaḥ | upekṣe cāpi vaidehīṃ praviśantīṃ hutāśanam || 118.17 ||

I, whose refuge is truth alone, disregarded Vaidehi as she entered the fire only in order to convince the three worlds.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.118.18)

न च शक्तः सुदुष्टत्मा मनसापि हि मैथिलीम् | प्रधर्षयितुमप्राप्यां दीप्तामग्निशिखामिव ॥ 118.18 ॥

na ca śaktaḥ suduṣṭatmā manasāpi hi maithilīm | pradharṣayitumaprāpyāṃ dīptāmagniśikhāmiva || 118.18 ||

That evil-souled Ravana was not able even in thought to violate Maithili — unattainable as she was, like a blazing tongue of flame.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.118.19)

नेय मर्हति चैश्वर्यं रावणान्तःपुरे शुभा | अनन्या हि मया सीता भास्करेण प्रभा यथा ॥ 118.19 ॥

neya marhati caiśvaryaṃ rāvaṇāntaḥpure śubhā | ananyā hi mayā sītā bhāskareṇa prabhā yathā || 118.19 ||

This auspicious lady, though within Ravana's palace, was never fit to belong to his splendour, for Sita is as inseparable from me as light is from the sun.

Shloka 20 (yuddha.118.20)

विशुद्धा त्रिषु लोकेषु मैथिली जनकात्मजा | न विहातुं मया शक्या कीर्तिरात्मवता यथा ॥ 118.20 ॥

viśuddhā triṣu lokeṣu maithilī janakātmajā | na vihātuṃ mayā śakyā kīrtirātmavatā yathā || 118.20 ||

Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, is pure throughout the three worlds; she can no more be renounced by me than a wise man can cast aside his own good name.

Shloka 21 (yuddha.118.21)

अवश्यं च मया कार्यं सर्वेषां वो वचो हितम् | स्निग्धानां लोकनाथानामेवं च वदतां हितम् ॥ 118.21 ॥

avaśyaṃ ca mayā kāryaṃ sarveṣāṃ vo vaco hitam | snigdhānāṃ lokanāthānāmevaṃ ca vadatāṃ hitam || 118.21 ||

This salutary counsel of you all, the affectionate guardians of the world, must certainly be carried out by me, exactly as you have spoken it."

Shloka 22 (yuddha.118.22)

इत्येवमुक्त्वा विजयी महाबलः | प्रशस्यमानह् स्वकृतेन कर्मणा | समेत्य रामः प्रियया महायशाः | सुखं सुखार्होऽनुबभूव राघवः ॥ 118.22 ॥

ityevamuktvā vijayī mahābalaḥ | praśasyamānah svakṛtena karmaṇā | sametya rāmaḥ priyayā mahāyaśāḥ | sukhaṃ sukhārho'nubabhūva rāghavaḥ || 118.22 ||

Having spoken thus, the mighty, victorious, and highly renowned Raghava — praised for the deeds he himself had accomplished — was reunited with his beloved, and knew at last the joy he had long deserved.