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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 76: Return to Ayodhyā: The couples’ reception and married life

Summary. Rāma gives the bow to Varuṇa and comforts Daśaratha, Ayodhyā welcomes the couples and Rāma & Sītā grow in mutual affection

Sequence

  1. After Paraśurāma leaves, Rāma gives the bow and arrow to Varuṇa (1.76.1)
  2. he salutes the ṛṣis and reassures his distressed father that the danger has passed and they can resume their journey (1.76.2–3)
  3. Daśaratha embraces him, kisses his head, and joyfully urges the army toward Ayodhyā (1.76.4–5)
  4. they enter a city of banners, music, watered roads, scattered flowers, and citizens calling blessings (1.76.6–7)
  5. Kausalyā, Sumitrā, Kaikeyī, and the other palace women welcome Sītā, Ūrmilā, Māṇḍavī, and Śrutakīrti (1.76.8–9)
  6. the brides worship at the temples and salute their elders before retiring happily with their husbands. Married, trained in weapons, and surrounded by friends and prosperity, the princes continue serving their father (1.76.10–13)
  7. Rāma and Sītā spend many seasons together, each deeply present in the other's heart (1.76.14)
  8. his affection grows through her character, beauty, and their honored marriage → her love answers his, understood heart to heart (1.76.15–17)
  9. the Kāṇḍa closes with Rāma shining beside Sītā like Viṣṇu beside Śrī. (1.76.18)

Verses 1.76.1–18

1.76.1

gate rāme praśāntātmā rāmo dāśarathir dhanuḥ
varuṇāyāprameyāya dadau haste sasāyakam

When (Paraśu)rāma had gone, Rāma the son of Daśaratha, his mind grown calm, gave the bow, together with its arrow, into the hand of the immeasurable Varuṇa.

Words: gate — having gone (loc. abs.); rāme — Rāma (Paraśurāma) (loc. abs.); praśāntātmā — his mind grown calm; rāmo — Rāma; dāśarathir — son of Daśaratha; dhanuḥ — the bow; varuṇāyāprameyāya — to the immeasurable Varuṇa; dadau — gave; haste — into the hand; sasāyakam — together with its arrow

1.76.2

abhivādya tato rāmo vasiṣṭha pramukhān ṛṣīn
pitaraṃ vihvalaṃ dṛṣṭvā provāca raghunandanaḥ

Then Rāma, having saluted the seers led by Vasiṣṭha, and seeing his father distraught, spoke — that delight of the Raghus:

Words: abhivādya — having saluted; tato — then; rāmo — Rāma; vasiṣṭha — Vasiṣṭha-; pramukhān — led by, foremost; ṛṣīn — the seers; pitaraṃ — father; vihvalaṃ — distraught, agitated; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; provāca — spoke; raghunandanaḥ — the delight of the Raghus

1.76.3

jāmadagnyo gato rāmaḥ prayātu caturaṅgiṇī
ayodhyābhimukhī senā tvayā nāthena pālitā

“Rāma the son of Jamadagni has gone; let the fourfold army, guarded by you its protector, set out, facing toward Ayodhyā.”

Words: jāmadagnyo — the son of Jamadagni; gato — has gone; rāmaḥ — Rāma; prayātu — let (it) set out; caturaṅgiṇī — the fourfold army; ayodhyābhimukhī — facing toward Ayodhyā; senā — the army; tvayā — by you; nāthena — the protector, lord; pālitā — guarded, protected

1.76.4

rāmasya vacanaṃ śrutvā rājā daśarathaḥ sutam
bāhubhyāṃ saṃpariṣvajya mūrdhni cāghrāya rāghavam

Hearing Rāma's words, King Daśaratha embraced his son Rāghava with both arms and kissed him on the head.

Words: rāmasya — of Rāma; vacanaṃ — words; śrutvā — having heard; rājā — king; daśarathaḥ — Daśaratha; sutam — son; bāhubhyāṃ — with both arms; saṃpariṣvajya — having embraced; mūrdhni — on the head; cāghrāya — and having kissed (lit. smelled); rāghavam — Rāghava

1.76.5

gato rāma iti śrutvā hṛṣṭaḥ pramudito nṛpaḥ
codayām āsa tāṃ senāṃ jagāmāśu tataḥ purīm

Hearing that Rāma (Paraśurāma) had gone, the king, delighted and rejoicing, urged on the army and then swiftly proceeded to the city.

Words: gato — has gone; rāma — Rāma; iti — thus, (hearing) that; śrutvā — having heard; hṛṣṭaḥ — delighted; pramudito — rejoicing; nṛpaḥ — the king; codayām āsa — urged on, spurred; tāṃ senāṃ — that army; jagāmāśu — went swiftly; tataḥ — then; purīm — to the city

1.76.6

patākādhvajinīṃ ramyāṃ tūryodghuṣṭanināditām
siktarājapathāṃ ramyāṃ prakīrṇakusumotkarām

(He entered) the lovely city, decked with banners and flags, resounding with the blare of trumpets, its royal roads sprinkled with water, lovely, strewn with heaps of scattered flowers,

Words: patākādhvajinīṃ — decked with banners and flags; ramyāṃ — lovely; tūryodghuṣṭanināditām — resounding with the blare of trumpets; siktarājapathāṃ — with its royal roads sprinkled with water; ramyāṃ — lovely; prakīrṇakusumotkarām — strewn with heaps of scattered flowers

1.76.7

rājapraveśasumukhaiḥ paurair maṅgalavādibhiḥ
saṃpūrṇāṃ prāviśad rājā janaughaiḥ samalaṃkṛtām

the king entered (the city) thronged with townsfolk glad-faced at their king's entry and uttering auspicious words, filled and adorned with multitudes of people.

Words: rājapraveśasumukhaiḥ — glad-faced at the king's entry; paurair — by townsfolk; maṅgalavādibhiḥ — uttering auspicious words; saṃpūrṇāṃ — filled, full; prāviśad — entered; rājā — the king; janaughaiḥ — with multitudes of people; samalaṃkṛtām — well adorned

1.76.8

kausalyā ca sumitrā ca kaikeyī ca sumadhyamā
vadhūpratigrahe yuktā yāś cānyā rājayoṣitaḥ

Kausalyā, Sumitrā, and the fair-waisted Kaikeyī, and whatever other royal ladies there were, busied themselves with the reception of the brides.

Words: kausalyā — Kausalyā; ca — and; sumitrā — Sumitrā; ca — and; kaikeyī — Kaikeyī; ca — and; sumadhyamā — the fair-waisted; vadhūpratigrahe — in the reception of the brides; yuktā — engaged, intent; yāś — which; cānyā — and other; rājayoṣitaḥ — royal ladies

1.76.9

tataḥ sītāṃ mahābhāgām ūrmilāṃ ca yaśasvinīm
kuśadhvajasute cobhe jagṛhur nṛpapatnayaḥ

Then the king's wives received the illustrious Sītā, the glorious Ūrmilā, and both daughters of Kuśadhvaja.

Words: tataḥ — then; sītāṃ — Sītā; mahābhāgām — the illustrious, greatly blessed; ūrmilāṃ — Ūrmilā; ca — and; yaśasvinīm — the glorious; kuśadhvajasute — the two daughters of Kuśadhvaja; cobhe — and both; jagṛhur — received, took; nṛpapatnayaḥ — the king's wives

1.76.10

maṅgalālāpanaiś caiva śobhitāḥ kṣaumavāsasaḥ
devatāyatanāny āśu sarvās tāḥ pratyapūjayan

Resplendent in linen garments, amid auspicious utterances, all those (brides) at once paid worship at the temples of the gods.

Words: maṅgalālāpanaiś — with auspicious utterances; caiva — and; śobhitāḥ — adorned, resplendent; kṣaumavāsasaḥ — clad in linen garments; devatāyatanāny — the temples of the gods; āśu — at once, quickly; sarvās — all; tāḥ — those (women); pratyapūjayan — worshipped, paid homage

1.76.11

abhivādyābhivādyāṃś ca sarvā rājasutās tadā
remire muditāḥ sarvā bhartṛbhiḥ sahitā rahaḥ

And having saluted those worthy of salutation, all the princesses then, delighted, sported in private, united with their husbands.

Words: abhivādyābhivādyāṃś — having saluted those worthy of salutation; ca — and; sarvā — all; rājasutās — the princesses; tadā — then; remire — sported, took pleasure; muditāḥ — delighted; sarvā — all; bhartṛbhiḥ — with their husbands; sahitā — together, united; rahaḥ — in private, secretly

1.76.12

kṛtadārāḥ kṛtāstrāś ca sadhanāḥ sasuhṛjjanāḥ
śuśrūṣamāṇāḥ pitaraṃ vartayanti nararṣabhāḥ

Having taken wives and mastered weapons, possessed of wealth and of friends, those bulls among men lived on, attending upon their father.

Words: kṛtadārāḥ — having taken wives; kṛtāstrāś — having mastered weapons; ca — and; sadhanāḥ — possessed of wealth; sasuhṛjjanāḥ — with their friends and well-wishers; śuśrūṣamāṇāḥ — attending upon, serving; pitaraṃ — their father; vartayanti — lived, passed their time; nararṣabhāḥ — bulls among men

1.76.13

teṣām atiyaśā loke rāmaḥ satyaparākramaḥ
svayambhūr iva bhūtānāṃ babhūva guṇavattaraḥ

Among them, Rāma, of exceeding fame in the world and of true prowess, was the most richly endowed with virtues, as the Self-existent (Brahmā) is among all beings.

Words: teṣām — among them; atiyaśā — of exceeding fame; loke — in the world; rāmaḥ — Rāma; satyaparākramaḥ — of true prowess; svayambhūr — the Self-existent (Brahmā); iva — like, as; bhūtānāṃ — among beings; babhūva — was, became; guṇavattaraḥ — the more richly endowed with virtues

1.76.14

rāmas tu sītayā sārdhaṃ vijahāra bahūn ṛtūn
manasvī tadgatas tasyā nityaṃ hṛdi samarpitaḥ

And spirited Rāma sported with Sītā for many seasons, his heart set on her, ever enshrined in her heart.

Words: rāmas — Rāma; tu — and; sītayā — with Sītā; sārdhaṃ — together with; vijahāra — sported, disported; bahūn — many; ṛtūn — seasons; manasvī — spirited, high-minded; tadgatas — devoted to her, absorbed in her; tasyā — her; nityaṃ — ever, always; hṛdi — in the heart; samarpitaḥ — enshrined, placed

1.76.15

priyā tu sītā rāmasya dārāḥ pitṛkṛtā iti
guṇād rūpaguṇāc cāpi prītir bhūyo vyavardhata

Sītā was dear to Rāma, both because she was the wife given by his father and because of her virtue and the excellence of her beauty; and his love for her grew ever greater.

Words: priyā — dear; tu — and; sītā — Sītā; rāmasya — to Rāma; dārāḥ — the wife; pitṛkṛtā — given by his father; iti — (thinking) that, because; guṇād — because of her virtue; rūpaguṇāc — because of the excellence of her beauty; cāpi — and also; prītir — love, affection; bhūyo — ever more; vyavardhata — grew, increased

1.76.16

tasyāś ca bhartā dviguṇaṃ hṛdaye parivartate
antarjātam api vyaktam ākhyāti hṛdayaṃ hṛdā

And her husband dwelt doubly in her heart; and though her feeling arose within, her heart openly declared it, heart to heart.

Words: tasyāś — her; ca — and; bhartā — the husband; dviguṇaṃ — doubly, twofold; hṛdaye — in the heart; parivartate — dwells, moves about; antarjātam — born within, inward; api — even, though; vyaktam — openly, manifestly; ākhyāti — declares, tells forth; hṛdayaṃ — the heart; hṛdā — (to the other) heart, heart to heart

1.76.17

tasya bhūyo viśeṣeṇa maithilī janakātmajā
devatābhiḥ samā rūpe sītā śrīr iva rūpiṇī

To him, the Maithilī, Janaka's daughter Sītā — equal to the goddesses in beauty, like Śrī incarnate — was dear all the more, above all others.

Words: tasya — to him, his; bhūyo — all the more; viśeṣeṇa — especially, above all; maithilī — the Maithilī (princess of Mithilā); janakātmajā — Janaka's daughter; devatābhiḥ — to the goddesses; samā — equal; rūpe — in beauty, in form; sītā — Sītā; śrīr — Śrī (goddess of fortune and beauty); iva — like; rūpiṇī — incarnate, embodied

1.76.18

tayā sa rājarṣisuto 'bhirāmayā sameyivān uttamarājakanyayā
atīva rāmaḥ śuśubhe 'tikāmayā vibhuḥ śriyā viṣṇur ivāmareśvaraḥ

United with that delightful and exceedingly loving one, the most excellent of princesses, Rāma, the son of a royal seer, the mighty lord, shone forth surpassingly — as Viṣṇu, lord of the immortals, shines with Śrī.

Words: tayā — with her; sa — he; rājarṣisuto — the son of a royal seer; 'bhirāmayā — delightful; sameyivān — united, come together with; uttamarājakanyayā — the most excellent princess; atīva — surpassingly, exceedingly; rāmaḥ — Rāma; śuśubhe — shone forth; 'tikāmayā — exceedingly loving; vibhuḥ — the mighty lord; śriyā — with Śrī / with splendour; viṣṇur — Viṣṇu; ivāmareśvaraḥ — like the lord of the immortals

← 1.75 Paraśurāma: Defeat and the surrender of heavenly worlds · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 2.1 Daśaratha proposes Rāma as heir →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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