Sources

The whisper; Sita sent away

Valmiki · Uttara Kanda
7.42.1–7.46.10 (CrEd 7.41.1–7.45.9)

In the Ashoka garden Rama learns that Sita is with child and asks her wish: she longs to see the sages’ hermitages by the Ganga, if only for one night, and he promises she will go tomorrow. That evening the jester Bhadra, pressed to speak, tells him the townsfolk question his taking back Sita, who lived in Ravana’s power; Rama calls his brothers, declares her pure, yet for fear of ill fame orders Lakshmana to leave her by Valmiki’s hermitage across the Ganga. At dawn Lakshmana tells Sita he is to take her to the hermitages, and she, full of joy, gathers gifts and makes ready to go.

Sanskrit · English·Translation: Raam Leela

Show

Part 1

What the city says

Valmiki 7.42.1–7.43.23 (CrEd 7.41.1–7.42.23)

॥ 7.42.23–24 ॥

CrEd 7.41.16–17

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एवं रामो मुदा युक्तः सीतां सुरुचिराननाम् ।
रमयाम् आस वैदेहीम् अहन्य् अहनि देववत् ।
तथा तु रममाणस्य तस्यैवं शिशिरः शुभः ।
अत्यक्रामन् नरेन्द्रस्य राघवस्य महात्मनः ॥

evaṃ rāmo mudā yuktaḥ sītāṃ surucirānanām
ramayām āsa vaidehīm ahany ahani devavat
tathā tu ramamāṇasya tasyaivaṃ śiśiraḥ śubhaḥ
atyakrāman narendrasya rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ

English

So Rama, filled with gladness,
with Sita of the lovely face,
delighted Vaidehi
day after day, as a god would.
And as he took his joy,
the bright cool season
passed by for the king,
for Raghava, the great-souled.

॥ 7.42.26–27 ॥

CrEd 7.41.18–19

silent moment

॥ 7.42.28–29ab ॥

CrEd 7.41.20–21ab

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

ततो रामम् उपागच्छद् विचित्रबहुभूषणा ।
त्रिविष्टपे सहस्राक्षम् उपविष्टं यथा शची ।
दृष्ट्वा तु राघवः पत्नीं कल्याणेन समन्विताम् ।
प्रहर्षम् अतुलं लेभे … ॥

tato rāmam upāgacchad vicitrabahubhūṣaṇā
triviṣṭape sahasrākṣam upaviṣṭaṃ yathā śacī
dṛṣṭvā tu rāghavaḥ patnīṃ kalyāṇena samanvitām
praharṣam atulaṃ lebhe …

English

Then to Rama she came,
in many bright ornaments,
as to thousand-eyed Indra, seated in heaven,
comes Shachi;
and seeing his wife
blessed with good fortune,
Raghava felt a joy beyond measure.

॥ 7.42.29cd–31 ॥

CrEd 7.41.21cd–22

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

साधु साध्व् इति चाब्रवीत् ।
अपत्यलाभो वैदेहि ममायं समुपस्थितः ।
किम् इच्छसि हि तद् ब्रूहि कः कामः क्रियतां तव ॥

sādhu sādhv iti cābravīt
apatyalābho vaidehi mamāyaṃ samupasthitaḥ
kim icchasi hi tad brūhi kaḥ kāmaḥ kriyatāṃ tava

English

“Well done, well done!” he said;
“Vaidehi, the gain of a child
has come to me at last.
What is it you wish? Tell me:
what desire shall be done for you?”

॥ 7.42.32–33 ॥

CrEd 7.41.23–24

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

तपोवनानि पुण्यानि द्रष्टुम् इच्छामि राघव ।
गङ्गातीरे निविष्टानि ऋषीणां पुण्यकर्मणाम् ।
फलमूलाशिनां वीर पादमूलेषु वर्तितुम् ॥

tapovanāni puṇyāni draṣṭum icchāmi rāghava
gaṅgātīre niviṣṭāni ṛṣīṇāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām
phalamūlāśināṃ vīra pādamūleṣu vartitum

English

“The holy groves of penance
I long to see, Raghava,
set on the Ganga’s bank,
the groves of sages of holy deeds;
and at the feet, O hero,
of those who live on fruit and roots, to sit.”

॥ 7.42.34 ॥

CrEd 7.41.25

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

एष मे परमः कामो यन् मूलफलभोजिषु ।
अप्य् एकरात्रं काकुत्स्थ वसेयं पुण्यशालिषु ॥

eṣa me paramaḥ kāmo yan mūlaphalabhojiṣu
apy ekarātraṃ kākutstha vaseyaṃ puṇyaśāliṣu

English

“This is my dearest wish:
among those who feed on roots and fruit,
if only for one night, Kakutstha,
to dwell among the holy.”

॥ 7.42.35 ॥

CrEd 7.41.26

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

तथेति च प्रतिज्ञातं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा ।
विस्रब्धा भव वैदेहि श्वो गमिष्यस्य् असंशयम् ॥

tatheti ca pratijñātaṃ rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā
visrabdhā bhava vaidehi śvo gamiṣyasy asaṃśayam

English

“So be it,” promised Rama,
tireless in his deeds;
“Rest easy, Vaidehi:
tomorrow you will go, beyond all doubt.”

॥ 7.42.36 ॥

CrEd 7.41.27

silent moment

॥ 7.43.1–3 ॥

CrEd 7.42.1–3

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

तत्रोपविष्टं राजानम् उपासन्ते विचक्षणाः ।
कथानां बहुरूपाणां हास्यकाराः समन्ततः ।
विजयो मधुमत्तश् च काश्यपः पिङ्गलः कुशः ।
सुराजिः कालियो भद्रो दन्तवक्रः समागधः ।
एते कथा बहुविधा परिहाससमन्विताः ।
कथयन्ति स्म संहृष्टा राघवस्य महात्मनः ॥

tatropaviṣṭaṃ rājānam upāsante vicakṣaṇāḥ
kathānāṃ bahurūpāṇāṃ hāsyakārāḥ samantataḥ
vijayo madhumattaś ca kāśyapaḥ piṅgalaḥ kuśaḥ
surājiḥ kāliyo bhadro dantavakraḥ samāgadhaḥ
ete kathā bahuvidhā parihāsasamanvitāḥ
kathayanti sma saṃhṛṣṭā rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ

English

There, as the king sat, clever men
attended him on every side,
makers of laughter
with tales of every kind:
Vijaya, Madhumatta,
Kashyapa, Pingala, Kusha,
Suraji, Kaliya, Bhadra,
Dantavakra and Sumagadha.
These, with tales of many kinds,
all laced with jest,
in high spirits entertained
Raghava, the great-souled.

॥ 7.43.4–5 ॥

CrEd 7.42.4–5

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

काः कथा नगरे भद्र वर्तन्ते विषयेषु च ।
माम् आश्रितानि कान्य् आहुः पौरजानपदा जनाः ।
किं च सीतां समाश्रित्य भरतं किं नु लक्ष्मणम् ॥

kāḥ kathā nagare bhadra vartante viṣayeṣu ca
mām āśritāni kāny āhuḥ paurajānapadā janāḥ
kiṃ ca sītāṃ samāśritya bharataṃ kiṃ nu lakṣmaṇam

English

“What talk, Bhadra, goes round the city,
what talk goes round the land?
What do they say of me,
the people of town and country?
And of Sita what,
of Bharata, of Lakshmana?”

॥ 7.43.7–8 ॥

CrEd 7.42.7–8

Uttara · later layer

Bhadra

Sanskrit

स्थिताः कथाः शुभा राजन् वर्तन्ते पुरवासिनाम् ।
अयं तु विजयः सौम्य दशग्रीववधाश्रितः ।
भूयिष्ठं स्वपुरे पौरैः कथ्यते पुरुषर्षभ ॥

sthitāḥ kathāḥ śubhā rājan vartante puravāsinām
ayaṃ tu vijayaḥ saumya daśagrīvavadhāśritaḥ
bhūyiṣṭhaṃ svapure pauraiḥ kathyate puruṣarṣabha

English

“Good is the talk, O king,
that goes among the townsfolk.
But this victory, gentle lord,
the slaying of the ten-necked one,
is what the citizens most tell
in your own city, bull among men.”

॥ 7.43.9–11 ॥

CrEd 7.42.9–11

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

कथयस्व यथातथ्यं सर्वं निरवशेषतः ।
शुभाशुभानि वाक्यानि यान्य् आहुः पुरवासिनः ।
श्रुत्वेदानीं शुभं कुर्यां न कुर्याम् अशुभानि च ।
कथयस्व च विस्रब्धो निर्भयो विगतज्वरः ॥

kathayasva yathātathyaṃ sarvaṃ niravaśeṣataḥ
śubhāśubhāni vākyāni yāny āhuḥ puravāsinaḥ
śrutvedānīṃ śubhaṃ kuryāṃ na kuryām aśubhāni ca
kathayasva ca visrabdho nirbhayo vigatajvaraḥ

English

“Tell me as it truly is,
all of it, leaving nothing out,
the words both good and bad
that the townsfolk speak.
Hearing them, I will now do the good,
and the bad I will not do.
Speak with trust, and speak without fear,
with all your worry gone.”

॥ 7.43.12 ॥

CrEd 7.42.12

silent moment

॥ 7.43.13–15 ॥

CrEd 7.42.13–15ab

Uttara · later layercondensed from 7.43.13–15

Bhadra

Sanskrit

शृणु राजन् यथा पौराः कथयन्ति शुभाशुभम् ।
चत्वरापणरथ्यासु वनेषूपवनेषु च ।
दुष्करं कृतवान् रामः समुद्रे सेतुबन्धनम् … रावणश् च दुराधर्षो हतः सबलवाहनः ॥

śṛṇu rājan yathā paurāḥ kathayanti śubhāśubham
catvarāpaṇarathyāsu vaneṣūpavaneṣu ca
duṣkaraṃ kṛtavān rāmaḥ samudre setubandhanam … rāvaṇaś ca durādharṣo hataḥ sabalavāhanaḥ

English

“Hear, king, how the townsfolk
tell of good and bad,
in squares and markets and streets,
in woods and in groves:
‘A hard thing Rama did,
bridging the sea…
and Ravana, hard to assail,
was slain with his army and his mounts.’”

॥ 7.43.16, 18 ॥

CrEd 7.42.16, 18

Uttara · later layercondensed from 7.43.16, 18

Bhadra

Sanskrit

हत्वा च रावणं युद्धे सीताम् आहृत्य राघवः ।
अमर्षं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा स्ववेश्म पुनर् आनयत् … लङ्काम् अपि पुनर् नीताम् अशोकवनिकां गताम् ।
रक्षसां वशम् आपन्नां कथं रामो न कुत्सते ॥

hatvā ca rāvaṇaṃ yuddhe sītām āhṛtya rāghavaḥ
amarṣaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā svaveśma punar ānayat … laṅkām api punar nītām aśokavanikāṃ gatām
rakṣasāṃ vaśam āpannāṃ kathaṃ rāmo na kutsate

English

“‘Slaying Ravana in battle,
winning Sita back, Raghava
put his anger behind him
and brought her home again…
She was carried off to Lanka,
she went into the Ashoka grove,
she fell into the rakshasas’ power:
how is it Rama finds no fault?’”

॥ 7.43.19–20 ॥

CrEd 7.42.19–20

Uttara · later layer

Bhadra

Sanskrit

अस्माकम् अपि दारेषु सहनीयं भविष्यति ।
यथा हि कुरुते राजा प्रजा तम् अनुवर्तते ।
एवं बहुविधा वाचो वदन्ति पुरवासिनः ।
नगरेषु च सर्वेषु राजञ् जनपदेषु च ॥

asmākam api dāreṣu sahanīyaṃ bhaviṣyati
yathā hi kurute rājā prajā tam anuvartate
evaṃ bahuvidhā vāco vadanti puravāsinaḥ
nagareṣu ca sarveṣu rājañ janapadeṣu ca

English

“‘In our wives too, now,
this we shall have to bear;
for as the king does,
so the people follow.’
Such are the many words
the townsfolk speak, O king,
in all the towns,
and in the countryside.”

॥ 7.43.21 ॥

CrEd 7.42.21

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

उवाच सर्वान् सुहृदः कथम् एतन् निवेद्यताम् ॥

uvāca sarvān suhṛdaḥ katham etan nivedyatām

English

He spoke to all his friends:
“How is this? Let it be told.”

॥ 7.43.22 ॥

CrEd 7.42.22

Uttara · later layer

RajaCompanions

Sanskrit

एवम् एतन् न संशयः ॥

evam etan na saṃśayaḥ

English

“It is so; there is no doubt.”

॥ 7.43.23 ॥

CrEd 7.42.23

silent moment

Part 2

Tomorrow at dawn

Valmiki 7.44.1–7.45.24 (CrEd 7.43.1–7.44.22)

॥ 7.44.1–3 ॥

CrEd 7.43.1–3

silent moment

॥ 7.44.5, 7–8, 10–11 ॥

CrEd 7.43.5, 7, 10

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

बाढम् इत्य् एव सौमित्रिः श्रुत्वा राघवशासनम् ।
प्राद्रवद् रथम् आरुह्य राघवस्य निवेशनम् ।
भरतस् तु वचः श्रुत्वा द्वाःस्थाद् रामसमीरितम् ।
उत्पपातासनात् तूर्णं पद्भ्याम् एव ततोऽगमत् ।
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्य शत्रुघ्नो रामशासनम् ।
शिरसा वन्द्य धरणीं प्रययौ यत्र राघवः ॥

bāḍham ity eva saumitriḥ śrutvā rāghavaśāsanam
prādravad ratham āruhya rāghavasya niveśanam
bharatas tu vacaḥ śrutvā dvāḥsthād rāmasamīritam
utpapātāsanāt tūrṇaṃ padbhyām eva tato 'gamat
śrutvā tu vacanaṃ tasya śatrughno rāmaśāsanam
śirasā vandya dharaṇīṃ prayayau yatra rāghavaḥ

English

“So be it,” said Saumitri,
hearing Raghava’s command;
he mounted his chariot and sped
to Raghava’s dwelling.
Bharata, hearing from the doorkeeper
the words that Rama sent,
sprang swiftly from his seat
and went from there on foot.
Shatrughna, hearing his words,
the command of Rama,
bowed his head to the earth
and went where Raghava was.

॥ 7.44.13 ॥

CrEd 7.43.12

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

प्रवेशय कुमारांस् त्वं मत्समीपं त्वरान्वितः ।
एतेषु जीवितं मह्यम् एते प्राणा बहिश्चराः ॥

praveśaya kumārāṃs tvaṃ matsamīpaṃ tvarānvitaḥ
eteṣu jīvitaṃ mahyam ete prāṇā bahiścarāḥ

English

“Bring in the princes to me,
and bring them in haste;
in them my life is lodged:
they are my breaths, walking outside me.”

॥ 7.44.14–16 ॥

CrEd 7.43.13–15

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

आज्ञप्तास् तु नरेन्द्रेण कुमाराः शुक्लवाससः ।
प्रह्वाः प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा विविशुस् ते समाहिताः ।
ते तु दृष्ट्वा मुखं तस्य सग्रहं शशिनं यथा ।
संध्यागतम् इवादित्यं प्रभया परिवर्जितम् ।
बाष्पपूर्णे च नयने दृष्ट्वा रामस्य धीमतः ।
हतशोभं यथा पद्मं मुखं वीक्ष्य च तस्य ते ॥

ājñaptās tu narendreṇa kumārāḥ śuklavāsasaḥ
prahvāḥ prāñjalayo bhūtvā viviśus te samāhitāḥ
te tu dṛṣṭvā mukhaṃ tasya sagrahaṃ śaśinaṃ yathā
saṃdhyāgatam ivādityaṃ prabhayā parivarjitam
bāṣpapūrṇe ca nayane dṛṣṭvā rāmasya dhīmataḥ
hataśobhaṃ yathā padmaṃ mukhaṃ vīkṣya ca tasya te

English

Bidden by the lord of men, the princes,
clad in white,
bowing, their palms joined,
entered, composed;
and they saw his face, like the moon
in the grip of Rahu,
like the sun at twilight,
stripped of all its light;
they saw the eyes of wise Rama
brimming with tears,
and looked upon his face,
a lotus with its beauty struck away.

॥ 7.44.17–18 ॥

CrEd 7.43.16–17

silent moment

॥ 7.44.19 ॥

CrEd 7.43.18

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

भवन्तो मम सर्वस्वं भवन्तो मम जीवितम् ।
भवद्भिश् च कृतं राज्यं पालयामि नरेश्वराः ॥

bhavanto mama sarvasvaṃ bhavanto mama jīvitam
bhavadbhiś ca kṛtaṃ rājyaṃ pālayāmi nareśvarāḥ

English

“You are my all;
you are my very life;
the kingdom was made by you;
I only guard it, lords of men.”

॥ 7.45.1–3 ॥

CrEd 7.44.1–3

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

सर्वे शृणुत भद्रं वो मा कुरुध्वं मनोऽन्यथा ।
पौराणां मम सीतायां यादृशी वर्तते कथा ।
पौरापवादः सुमहांस् तथा जनपदस्य च ।
वर्तते मयि बीभत्सः स मे मर्माणि कृन्तति ॥

sarve śṛṇuta bhadraṃ vo mā kurudhvaṃ mano 'nyathā
paurāṇāṃ mama sītāyāṃ yādṛśī vartate kathā
paurāpavādaḥ sumahāṃs tathā janapadasya ca
vartate mayi bībhatsaḥ sa me marmāṇi kṛntati

English

“Hear, all of you, and blessings on you;
let your minds not turn awry.
Among the townsfolk, of me and of Sita,
hear what talk goes round.
Great is the townsfolk’s reproach,
and the country’s too;
it is of me, and it is foul,
and it cuts me to the quick.”

॥ 7.45.5, 7 ॥

CrEd 7.44.5–6

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

जानासि हि यथा सौम्य दण्डके विजने वने ।
रावणेन हृता सीता स च विध्वंसितो मया ।
प्रत्यक्षं तव सौमित्रे देवानां हव्यवाहनः ।
अपापां मैथिलीम् आह वायुश् चाकाशगोचरः ॥

jānāsi hi yathā saumya daṇḍake vijane vane
rāvaṇena hṛtā sītā sa ca vidhvaṃsito mayā
pratyakṣaṃ tava saumitre devānāṃ havyavāhanaḥ
apāpāṃ maithilīm āha vāyuś cākāśagocaraḥ

English

“You know, gentle one, how in the Dandaka,
in the lonely forest,
Sita was carried off by Ravana,
and how I destroyed him.
Before your eyes, Saumitri,
the bearer of the gods’ oblations
declared Maithili sinless,
and the Wind that roams the sky.”

॥ 7.45.10 ॥

CrEd 7.44.9

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

अन्तरात्मा च मे वेत्ति सीतां शुद्धां यशस्विनीम् ।
ततो गृहीत्वा वैदेहीम् अयोध्याम् अहम् आगतः ॥

antarātmā ca me vetti sītāṃ śuddhāṃ yaśasvinīm
tato gṛhītvā vaidehīm ayodhyām aham āgataḥ

English

“And my inmost self knows
Sita pure and glorious;
so I took Vaidehi
and came home to Ayodhya.”

॥ 7.45.11–12 ॥

CrEd 7.44.10–11

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

अयं तु मे महान् वादः शोकश् च हृदि वर्तते ।
पौरापवादः सुमहांस् तथा जनपदस्य च ।
अकीर्तिर् यस्य गीयेत लोके भूतस्य कस्य चित् ।
पतत्य् एवाधमांल् लोकान् यावच् छब्दः स कीर्त्यते ॥

ayaṃ tu me mahān vādaḥ śokaś ca hṛdi vartate
paurāpavādaḥ sumahāṃs tathā janapadasya ca
akīrtir yasya gīyeta loke bhūtasya kasya cit
pataty evādhamāṃl lokān yāvac chabdaḥ sa kīrtyate

English

“But this is the great talk,
the grief that dwells in my heart:
the townsfolk’s great reproach,
and the country’s too.
Whoever has his ill fame sung
in the world, whoever he be,
falls to the lowest worlds
as long as that word is told.”

॥ 7.45.14 ॥

CrEd 7.44.13

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

अप्य् अहं जीवितं जह्यां युष्मान् वा पुरुषर्षभाः ।
अपवादभयाद् भीतः किं पुनर् जनकात्मजाम् ॥

apy ahaṃ jīvitaṃ jahyāṃ yuṣmān vā puruṣarṣabhāḥ
apavādabhayād bhītaḥ kiṃ punar janakātmajām

English

“My very life I would give up,
or you, bulls among men,
in dread of ill fame;
how much more, then, Janaka’s daughter.”

॥ 7.45.15 ॥

CrEd 7.44.14

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

तस्माद् भवन्तः पश्यन्तु पतितं शोकसागरे ।
न हि पश्याम्य् अहं भूयः किं चिद् दुःखम् अतोऽधिकम् ॥

tasmād bhavantaḥ paśyantu patitaṃ śokasāgare
na hi paśyāmy ahaṃ bhūyaḥ kiṃ cid duḥkham ato 'dhikam

English

“So look on me,
fallen in a sea of grief;
for I see no sorrow
greater than this.”

॥ 7.45.15 ॥

CrEd 7.44.14

silent moment

॥ 7.45.16 ॥

CrEd 7.44.15

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

श्वस् त्वं प्रभाते सौमित्रे सुमन्त्राधिष्ठितं रथम् ।
आरुह्य सीताम् आरोप्य विषयान्ते समुत्सृज ॥

śvas tvaṃ prabhāte saumitre sumantrādhiṣṭhitaṃ ratham
āruhya sītām āropya viṣayānte samutsṛja

English

“Tomorrow at dawn, Saumitri,
mount the chariot Sumantra drives;
set Sita in it,
and leave her at the kingdom’s edge.”

॥ 7.45.17–18 ॥

CrEd 7.44.16–17

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

गङ्गायास् तु परे पारे वाल्मीकेः सुमहात्मनः ।
आश्रमो दिव्यसंकाशस् तमसातीरम् आश्रितः ।
तत्रैनां विजने कक्षे विसृज्य रघुनन्दन ।
शीघ्रम् आगच्छ सौमित्रे कुरुष्व वचनं मम ॥

gaṅgāyās tu pare pāre vālmīkeḥ sumahātmanaḥ
āśramo divyasaṃkāśas tamasātīram āśritaḥ
tatraināṃ vijane kakṣe visṛjya raghunandana
śīghram āgaccha saumitre kuruṣva vacanaṃ mama

English

“On the far bank of the Ganga,
of Valmiki, the great-souled,
is a hermitage like a place of the gods,
lying on the Tamasa’s bank.
Leave her there in a lonely thicket,
joy of the Raghus,
and come back quickly, Saumitri:
do as I say.”

॥ 7.45.19ab, 20–21ab ॥

CrEd 7.44.18–19

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

न चास्मि प्रतिवक्तव्यः सीतां प्रति कथं चन ।
अप्रीतिः परमा मह्यं भवेत् तु प्रतिवारिते ।
शापिताश् च मया यूयं भुजाभ्यां जीवितेन च ।
ये मां वाक्यान्तरे ब्रूयुर् अनुनेतुं कथं चन ॥

na cāsmi prativaktavyaḥ sītāṃ prati kathaṃ cana
aprītiḥ paramā mahyaṃ bhavet tu prativārite
śāpitāś ca mayā yūyaṃ bhujābhyāṃ jīvitena ca
ye māṃ vākyāntare brūyur anunetuṃ kathaṃ cana

English

“Let none answer me back
about Sita, in any way;
it would grieve me past all bounds
if I were stopped.
I bind you all by oath,
by my arms and by my life:
let none speak between my words
to win me round in any way.”

॥ 7.45.23 ॥

CrEd 7.44.21

Uttara · later layer

Rama

Sanskrit

पूर्वम् उक्तोऽहम् अनया गङ्गातीरे महाश्रमान् ।
पश्येयम् इति तस्याश् च कामः संवर्त्यताम् अयम् ॥

pūrvam ukto 'ham anayā gaṅgātīre mahāśramān
paśyeyam iti tasyāś ca kāmaḥ saṃvartyatām ayam

English

“She told me before:
‘The great hermitages on the Ganga’s bank
let me see.’ So let this wish
of hers be brought to pass.”

॥ 7.45.24 ॥

CrEd 7.44.22

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एवम् उक्त्वा तु काकुत्स्थो बाष्पेण पिहितेक्षणः ।
प्रविवेश स धर्मात्मा भ्रातृभिः परिवारितः ॥

evam uktvā tu kākutstho bāṣpeṇa pihitekṣaṇaḥ
praviveśa sa dharmātmā bhrātṛbhiḥ parivāritaḥ

English

Having spoken so, Kakutstha,
his eyes veiled with tears,
went in, the dharma-souled,
his brothers around him.

॥ 7.42.11 ॥

CrEd 7.41.8

silent moment

Part 3

A joy beyond measure

Valmiki 7.46.1–10 (CrEd 7.45.1–9)

॥ 7.46.1 ॥

CrEd 7.45.1a

silent moment

॥ 7.46.1 ॥

CrEd 7.45.1

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

ततो रजन्यां व्युष्टायां लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः ।
सुमन्त्रम् अब्रवीद् वाक्यं मुखेन परिशुष्यता ॥

tato rajanyāṃ vyuṣṭāyāṃ lakṣmaṇo dīnacetanaḥ
sumantram abravīd vākyaṃ mukhena pariśuṣyatā

English

Then, when the night had broken,
Lakshmana, sick at heart,
spoke to Sumantra
with a mouth gone dry.

॥ 7.46.2–3 ॥

CrEd 7.45.2–3

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

सारथे तुरगाञ् शीघ्रं योजयस्व रथोत्तमे ।
स्वास्तीर्णं राजभवनात् सीतायाश् चासनं शुभम् ।
सीता हि राजभवनाद् आश्रमं पुण्यकर्मणाम् ।
मया नेया महर्षीणां शीघ्रम् आनीयतां रथः ॥

sārathe turagāñ śīghraṃ yojayasva rathottame
svāstīrṇaṃ rājabhavanāt sītāyāś cāsanaṃ śubham
sītā hi rājabhavanād āśramaṃ puṇyakarmaṇām
mayā neyā maharṣīṇāṃ śīghram ānīyatāṃ rathaḥ

English

“Charioteer, yoke the horses quickly
to the finest chariot,
and from the palace, for Sita,
spread a fair seat, well laid.
For Sita, from the palace,
to the hermitage of holy deeds,
is to be taken by me, to the great sages:
bring the chariot quickly.”

॥ 7.46.4–5 ॥

CrEd 7.45.4–5

silent moment

॥ 7.46.6 ॥

CrEd 7.45.6

silent moment

॥ 7.46.8 ॥

CrEd 7.45.7

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

गङ्गातीरे मया देवि मुनीनाम् आश्रमे शुभे ।
शीघ्रं गत्वोपनेयासि शासनात् पार्थिवस्य नः ॥

gaṅgātīre mayā devi munīnām āśrame śubhe
śīghraṃ gatvopaneyāsi śāsanāt pārthivasya naḥ

English

“On the Ganga’s bank, Devi, by me,
to the sages’ fair hermitage,
quickly you are to be taken,
at the command of our king.”

॥ 7.46.9 ॥

CrEd 7.45.8

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एवम् उक्ता तु वैदेही लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना ।
प्रहर्षम् अतुलं लेभे गमनं चाभ्यरोचयत् ॥

evam uktā tu vaidehī lakṣmaṇena mahātmanā
praharṣam atulaṃ lebhe gamanaṃ cābhyarocayat

English

Told so, Vaidehi,
by Lakshmana, the great-souled,
felt a joy beyond measure,
and longed to go.

॥ 7.46.10 ॥

CrEd 7.45.9

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

वासांसि च महार्हाणि रत्नानि विविधानि च ।
गृहीत्वा तानि वैदेही गमनायोपचक्रमे ॥

vāsāṃsi ca mahārhāṇi ratnāni vividhāni ca
gṛhītvā tāni vaidehī gamanāyopacakrame

English

Garments of great price
and jewels of every kind
Vaidehi gathered up,
and made ready to go.

॥ 7.46.10 ॥

CrEd 7.45.9cd

silent moment

In other Hindu scriptures

The washerman who condemns her by name

Ananda Ramayana, Janma 3.28–30 · not in Valmiki

Valmiki: Bhadra reports what the townsfolk say (CrEd 7.42.4–8)