--- title: "Uttara Kanda, Sarga 46" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/uttara-kanda/sarga-46" lang: "en" --- # Uttara Kanda, Sarga 46 > ततो रजन्यां व्युष्टायां लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः। > सुमन्त्रमब्रवीद् वाक्यं मुखेन परिशुष्यता॥ १॥ Then as the night passed away, Lakṣmaṇa agitated in mind and bearing an emaciated face spoke thus to Sumantra: (1) > सारथे तुरगान् शीघ्रान् योजयस्व रथोत्तमे। > स्वास्तीर्णं राजवचनात् सीतायाश्चासनं शुभम्॥ २॥ ‘O Charioteer, yoke the speedy horses to the best chariot and equip it with the splendid seat for Sītā, as ordered by the King. (2) > सीता हि राजवचनादाश्रमं पुण्यकर्मणाम्। > मया नेया महर्षीणां शीघ्रमानीयतां रथः॥ ३॥ ‘Sītā has to be taken to the hermitage of the pious sages at the command of the king; please do not delay in bringing the chariot.’ (3) > सुमन्त्रस्तु तथेत्युक्त्वा युक्तं परमवाजिभिः। > रथं सुरुचिरप्रख्यं स्वास्तीर्णं सुखशय्यया॥ ४॥ > आनीयोवाच सौमित्रिं मित्राणां मानवर्धनम्। > रथोऽयं समनुप्राप्तो यत्कार्यं क्रियतां प्रभो॥ ५॥ “It shall be as you say !”, replying thus Sumantra, after having brought the chariot yoked with the best horses, beautifully shaped and well-equipped with comfortable seats, spoke thus again to lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā), the giver of greater honour to his friends: ‘The chariot is ready, O Lord, kindly do the needful.’ (4-5) > एवमुक्तः सुमन्त्रेण राजवेश्मनि लक्ष्मणः। > प्रविश्य सीतामासाद्य व्याजहार नरर्षभः॥ ६॥ > त्वया किलैष नृपतिर्वरं वै याचितः प्रभुः। > नृपेण च प्रतिज्ञातमाज्ञप्तश्चाश्रमं प्रति॥ ७॥ Thus spoken to by Sumantra, Lakṣmaṇa, the foremost of men, after having entered in the palace approached Sītā and said to her: “By you, O lady, the king (our Lord Śrī Rāma) was enquired with regard to seeing the hermitages. The king has approved and ordered me to take you to the hermitages. (6-7) > गङ्गातीरे मया देवि ऋषीणामाश्रमान् शुभान्। > शीघ्रं गत्वा तु वैदेहि शासनात् पार्थिवस्य नः॥ ८॥ > अरण्ये मुनिभिर्जुष्टे अपनेया भविष्यसि। > एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना॥ ९॥ > प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे गमनं चाप्यरोचयत्। > वासांसि च महार्हाणि रत्नानि विविधानि च॥ १०॥ > गृहीत्वा तानि वैदेही गमनायोपचक्रमे। > इमानि मुनिपत्नीनां दास्याम्याभरणान्यहम्॥ ११॥ > वस्त्राणि च महार्हाणि धनानि विविधानि च। > सौमित्रिस्तु तथेत्युक्त्वा रथमारोप्य मैथिलीम्॥ १२॥ > प्रययौ शीघ्रतुरगं रामस्याज्ञामनुस्मरन्। > अब्रवीच्च तदा सीता लक्ष्मणं लक्ष्मिवर्धनम्॥ १३॥ > अशुभानि बहून्येव पश्यामि रघुनन्दन। > नयनं मे स्फुरत्यद्य गात्रोत्कम्पश्च जायते॥ १४॥ > हृदयं चैव सौमित्रे अस्वस्थमिव लक्षये। > औत्सुक्यं परमं चापि अधृतिश्च परा मम॥ १५॥ “O Lady, Sītā, the daughter of the king of Videha, you shall be taken to the holy hermitages of the Ṛṣis and placed in the forest inhabited by the ascetics, in all haste at the bidding of our Lord.” Thus addressed by the noble Lakṣmaṇa, Sītā (the daughter of the king of Videha) was highly pleased and agreed to depart, Sītā (the daughter of the king of Videha) taking with her those costly garments and gems, said “I shall distribute these garments and costly gems of various types to the spouses of the ascetics.” Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā) fully approved of her desire and having seated Sītā (the daughter of the king of Mithilā) in the chariot, keeping in mind the order of Śrī Rāma drove on with speedy horses. Then Sītā addressed to Lakṣmaṇa, the enhancer of prosperity thus : “O Lakṣmaṇa (the descendant of Raghu). I see ill-omens in abundance, my right eye throbs and my limbs shiver: O Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā), my heart seems to be distressed, great anxiety (regarding the city or Śrī Rāma) ails me and my forbearance fails completely. (8—15). > शून्यामेव च पश्यामि पृथिवीं पृथुलोचन। > अपि स्वस्ति भवेत् तस्य भ्रातुस्ते भ्रातृवत्सल॥ १६॥ > श्वश्रूणां चैव मे वीर सर्वासामविशेषतः। > पुरे जनपदे चैव कुशलं प्राणिनामपि॥ १७॥ “O the big-eyed and lover of brothers Lakṣmaṇa, the earth seems a void (deprived of all happiness), may all be well with your brother; and welfare be with all my mothers-in-law too in equal measure and so be it with all beings in the town and country.” (16-17) > इत्यञ्जलिकृता सीता देवता अभ्ययाचत। > लक्ष्मणोऽर्थं ततः श्रुत्वा शिरसा वन्द्य मैथिलीम्॥ १८॥ > शिवमित्यब्रवीद्हृष्टो हृदयेन विशुष्यता। > ततो वासमुपागम्य गोमतीतीर आश्रमे॥ १९॥ > प्रभाते पुनरुत्थाय सौमित्रिः सूतमब्रवीत्। > योजयस्व रथं शीघ्रमद्य भागीरथीजलम्॥ २०॥ > शिरसा धारयिष्यामि त्रियम्बक इवौजसा। > सोऽश्वान् विचारयित्वा तु रथे युक्तान् मनोजवान्॥ २१॥ > आरोहस्वेति वैदेहीं सूतः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत्। > सा तु सूतस्य वचनादारुरोह रथोत्तमम्॥ २२॥ > सीता सौमित्रिणा सार्धं सुमन्त्रेण च धीमता। > आससाद विशालाक्षी गङ्गां पापविनाशिनीम्॥ २३॥ Thus Sītā prayed to the gods with folded hands; Lakṣmaṇa then hearing this and paying homage to Sītā (the daughter of the Lord of the Mithilā), with his head bending and with a langering heart said: “All is well” as if he was pleased (to say so), Having approached the residence in the Āśrama on the banks of the Gomatī, he slept and at the break of dawn, Lakṣmaṇa (the son of Sumitrā), waking up again addressed the Charioteer thus: “You yoke the chariot soon, I shall bear the waters of Gaṅgā on my head as the Lord Śiva (the three-eyed god) with prowess.” The Charioteer having made the horses yoked to the chariot who had a speed equal to that of the mind, with folded hands asked Sītā (the daughter of the Lord of Mithilā) to ascend the chariot and she ascended the beautiful chariot as requested. Sītā of larger eyes together with Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā) and the wise Sumantra reached the Gaṅgā, the dispeller of all sins. (18—23) > अथार्धदिवसे गत्वा भागीरथ्या जलाशयम्। > निरीक्ष्य लक्ष्मणो दीनः प्ररुरोद महास्वनः॥ २४॥ After spending half a day (on reaching Gaṅgā) and looking at the streams of Bhāgīrathī the agitated Lakṣmaṇa cried making a loud noise. (24) > सीता तु परमायत्ता दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणमातुरम्। > उवाच वाक्यं धर्मज्ञा किमिदं रुद्यते त्वया॥ २५॥ > जाह्नवीतीरमासाद्य चिराभिलषितं मम। > हर्षकाले किमर्थं मां विषादयसि लक्ष्मण॥ २६॥ The well composed Sītā knower of good conduct seeing Lakṣmaṇa so agitated uttered thus: “Why do you cry, having come to the banks of Gaṅgā (the daughter of Jahnu) where to come was only desire felt since long, (surely) at this hour of joy; O Lakṣmaṇa, do not make me depressed. (25-26) > नित्यं त्वं रामपार्श्वेषु वर्तसे पुरुषर्षभ। > कच्चिद् विनाकृतस्तेन द्विरात्रं शोकमागतः॥ २७॥ “You remain always at the side of Rāma, O best of men; is it that separated as you are from him for just two nights, you are grieved. (27) > ममापि दयितो रामो जीवितादपि लक्ष्मण। > न चाहमेवं शोचामि मैवं त्वं बालिशो भव॥ २८॥ “Śrī Rāma for me too, is dearer even than my life, but no sorrow comes to me, so please act not as a foolish one. (28) > तारयस्व च मां गङ्गां दर्शयस्व च तापसान्। > ततो मुनिभ्यो वासांसि दास्याम्याभरणानि च॥ २९॥ > ततः कृत्वा महर्षीणां यथार्हमभिवादनम्। > तत्र चैकां निशामुष्य यास्यामस्तां पुरीं पुनः॥ ३०॥ “Take me across the Gaṅgā, and show me the ascetics. I shall give to the ascetics the garments and the ornaments and then having thus done homage to the great Ṛṣis according to their position, and spending only a night there, we shall again return to Ayodhyā. (29-30), > ममापि पद्मपत्राक्षं सिंहोरस्कं कृशोदरम्। > त्वरते हि मनो द्रष्टुं रामं रमयतां वरम्॥ ३१॥ “My heart too, urges me on to see that one of lotus-eyed, the lion breasted one, with a slender waist, the best of those that please all”. (31) > तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रमृज्य नयने शुभे। > नाविकानाह्वयामास लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा। > इयं स सज्जा नौश्चेति दाशाः प्राञ्जलयोऽब्रुवन्॥ ३२॥ Lakṣmaṇa, the destroyer of the heroes among foes, hearing these words of her, he wiped his eyes dry summoned the boatmen. The ferry-men with folded hands replied thus: “This boat is already made to depart” (32). > तितीर्षुर्लक्ष्मणो गङ्गां शुभां नावमुपारुहत्। > गङ्गां संतारयामास लक्ष्मणस्तां समाहितः॥ ३३॥ Desiring to cross the holy Gaṅgā, Lakṣmaṇa ascended the boat, and fully composed, he made her cross the Gaṅgā. (33) Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana --- Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. 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