रामायणम् — उत्तरकाण्डम्

Summary AI Sages from the four cardinal directions arrive at Rāma’s palace following his victory over the rākṣasa host. Rāma welcomes Agastya, Vasiṣṭha, and the others with arghya offerings and golden seats. The sages congratulate him on the fall of Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa but express particular wonder at the death of Indrajit. Rāma asks why this warrior’s defeat deserves more praise than the king’s and requests the history of Indrajit’s power and his victory over Indra.

७.२

उत्तरकाण्डे द्वितीयः सर्गः

The birth of Viśravas and his ascetic life.

Summary AI The sage Pulastya settles near Mount Meru to perform austerities. When local girls disturb his meditation, he decrees that any woman who looks upon him will conceive. The daughter of King Tṛṇabindu enters the hermitage while the sage recites the Veda and immediately becomes pregnant. Her father offers her to Pulastya in marriage to serve him. Pleased by her devotion, the sage grants her a son named Viśravas, who inherits his father’s practice of penance and Vedic study.

७.३

उत्तरकाण्डे तृतीयः सर्गः

Vaiśravaṇa receives boons and settles in Laṅkā.

Summary AI Viśravas marries the daughter of Bharadvāja and fathers Vaiśravaṇa. The son performs penance, surviving on air and water for thousands of years. Brahmā grants him the status of a lokapāla and the lord of wealth, presenting him with the puṣpaka vimāna. Following his father's counsel, Vaiśravaṇa moves to the abandoned city of Laṅkā, once built by Viśvakarman and vacated by rākṣasas. He settles on the mountain peak, ruling the island city while visiting his parents in his vehicle.

७.४

उत्तरकाण्डे चतुर्थः सर्गः

Agastya explains the origin of the rākṣasas.

Summary AI Rāma questions Agastya regarding the origins of the first inhabitants of Laṅkā. Agastya describes how Prajāpati created water and appointed guardians; those who vowed to protect it became rākṣasas. From the lineage of Heti, the infant Sukeśa is born and abandoned on Mount Mandara. Śiva and Pārvatī discover the crying child, granting him immortality and an aerial city. Pārvatī further ordains that all rākṣasa offspring shall attain their mother’s age immediately upon birth, allowing Sukeśa to roam the worlds.

७.५

उत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चमः सर्गः

Three rākṣasa brothers receive boons and settle in Laṅkā.

Summary AI Sukeśa and Devavatī produce three sons: Mālyavān, Sumālī, and Mālī. After performing rigid penances on Mount Meru, the brothers receive boons of invincibility and long life from Brahmā. At their request, the architect Viśvakarman directs them to the island city of Laṅkā on Mount Trikūṭa. They marry the daughters of the gandharvī Narmadā and father many rākṣasa warriors. Emboldened by their power, they begin to disrupt sacred sacrifices and harass the gods and sages.

७.६

उत्तरकाण्डे षष्ठः सर्गः

The gods seek Viṣṇu's help against the rākṣasas.

Summary AI The deities and sages seek refuge with Maheśvara to escape the sons of Sukeśa. Because of a prior boon, Maheśvara directs the petitioners to Nārāyaṇa, who pledges to slay the rākṣasa brothers. Learning of this pact, Mālyavān, Māli, and Sumāli march their army out of Laṅkā on chariots and beasts. Despite omens of raining blood and shaking mountains, the host attacks. Viṣṇu mounts Garuḍa and enters the fray, where the rākṣasas surround him with weapons.

७.७

उत्तरकाण्डे सप्तमः सर्गः

Viṣṇu defeats the rākṣasa army and kills Māli.

Summary AI Nārāyaṇa stands firm against a storm of rākṣasa arrows, resembling a mountain pelted by rain. He sounds the Pāñcajanya conch, scattering horses and chariots with its roar. When Māli strikes Garuḍa with a mace, the deity hurls his flaming cakra, severing the demon's head. The broken army flees toward Laṅkā, pursued by the wind of Garuḍa’s wings and volleys from the Śārṅga bow. Severed bodies and jewelry fall into the ocean, filling the sky like dark clouds.

७.८

उत्तरकाण्डे अष्टमः सर्गः

The rākṣasas flee to the underworld after defeat.

Summary AI Mālyavān turns to confront Nārāyaṇa, accusing him of attacking retreating foes. The god replies that he must destroy them to protect the deities. Mālyavān hurls a bell-clad śakti at the god’s chest; Nārāyaṇa returns the blow. After the rākṣasa strikes with a thorned iron javelin, Garuḍa flaps his wings, scattering the army like withered leaves. Beaten and ashamed, the rākṣasa leaders abandon Laṅkā and flee to pātāla, seeking refuge in the netherworld with their families.

७.९

उत्तरकाण्डे नवमः सर्गः

Kaikasī marries Viśravas and gives birth to Rāvaṇa.

Summary AI Sumālī instructs his daughter Kaikasī to wed the sage Viśravas. She approaches the ascetic during his agnihotra ritual at an inauspicious hour. She bears the ten-necked Daśagrīva, the large Kumbhakarṇa, the misshapen Śūrpaṇakhā, and the virtuous Vibhīṣaṇa. After seeing the golden carriage and wealth of her stepson Vaiśravaṇa, Kaikasī urges Daśagrīva to obtain similar power. Daśagrīva vows to surpass his brother and travels to the hermitage at Gokarṇa with his siblings to begin a period of austerity.

७.१०

उत्तरकाण्डे दशमः सर्गः

Three brothers receive boons from Brahmā.

Summary AI The brothers undergo severe penances for ten thousand years. Kumbhakarṇa sits amidst fires and icy waters, while Vibhīṣaṇa stands on one leg to study the Veda. Daśagrīva sacrifices nine of his heads into the ritual flame. Appearing before them, Brahmā grants Daśagrīva protection from celestial beings and serpents. Vibhīṣaṇa chooses a mind fixed on dharma and receives immortality. Influenced by the goddess Sarasvatī, Kumbhakarṇa asks for long years of sleep. The brothers finally settle in the Śleṣmātaka woods.

७.११

उत्तरकाण्डे एकादशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa takes the city of Laṅkā from his brother.

Summary AI Sumālī and the rākṣasa leaders emerge from rasātala to meet Daśagrīva. They urge him to reclaim Laṅkā, their ancestral home now held by Vaiśravaṇa. Prahasta supports this, arguing that power overrides fraternal bonds. Following an embassy, Vaiśravaṇa consults his father, Viśravā, who describes Daśagrīva as cursed and commands his son to move to Kailāsa. Honoring his father, Vaiśravaṇa departs with his wealth and family. Daśagrīva then enters the empty city with his brothers and is installed as the new ruler.

७.१२

उत्तरकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa marries Mandodarī and Meghanāda is born.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa gives his sister Śūrpaṇakhā in marriage to the demon Vidyujjihva. While wandering the forest, he meets Maya, who offers his daughter Mandodarī to the rākṣasa king. Maya also presents him with a śakti weapon, the spear later used against Lakṣmaṇa. After the fire-lit ceremony, Rāvaṇa returns to Laṅkā and secures wives for his brothers Kumbhakarṇa and Vibhīṣaṇa. Soon, Mandodarī gives birth to a son. Because the infant’s first cry rumbles like a storm cloud, shaking the city, his father names him Meghanāda.

७.१३

उत्तरकाण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa kills an envoy and attacks his brother.

Summary AI Kumbhakarṇa withdraws into a spacious mansion to sleep for thousands of years. In his absence, Rāvaṇa devastates the gardens of the gods and attacks the sages. A messenger arrives from Vaiśravaṇa, advising the king to abandon his violent path and recounting his friendship with Maheśvara. Enraged by this counsel, Rāvaṇa executes the envoy with a sword and offers the body to the rākṣasas. He then boards his chariot, intending to defeat his brother and seize control of the three worlds.

७.१४

उत्तरकाण्डे चतुर्दशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa defeats the Yakṣa army on Mount Kailāsa.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa reaches Mount Kailāsa with his six ministers to confront the forces of his brother. The Yakṣa army mobilizes like a surging ocean, meeting the rākṣasa advance with clubs and swords. Holding a mace resembling the kāladaṇḍa, Rāvaṇa cuts through the ranks, scattering defenders like wind-blown clouds. After the Yakṣa Saṃyodhakaṇṭaka strikes Mārīca with a discus, the rākṣasa recovers to drive him back. Rāvaṇa uproots a golden toraṇa to crush the gatekeeper Sūryabhānu, forcing the remaining Yakṣas to flee.

७.१५

उत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चदशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa defeats Kubera and seizes the Puṣpaka vimāna.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa leads his army against the Yakṣas on Mount Kailāsa. The general Māṇibhadra strikes the rākṣasa Dhūmrākṣa, but Rāvaṇa retaliates with a blow that tilts the Yakṣa’s crown. Kubera eventually enters the fray, rebuking his brother for his conduct and the fruits of karma. They exchange celestial weapons, including the āgneyāstra and vāruṇāstra. Finally, Rāvaṇa uses deceptive māyā to strike Kubera down with a mace. The victorious Rāvaṇa seizes the puṣpaka vimāna and departs the mountain in triumph.

७.१६

उत्तरकाण्डे षोडशः सर्गः

Śiva names Rāvaṇa after pinning him under a mountain.

Summary AI The king of the rākṣasas encounters a mountain where his puṣpaka vimāna ceases to move. There, Nandiśvara warns him that Śaṅkara is at play. The king mocks Nandiśvara for his monkey-like face, prompting a curse that monkeys will eventually destroy the rākṣasa lineage. When the king attempts to uproot the mountain, Śaṅkara pins his arms beneath the rock with a big toe. His piercing cry earns him the name Rāvaṇa, and Śaṅkara eventually allows him to continue his journey.

७.१७

उत्तरकाण्डे सप्तदशः सर्गः

Vedavatī curses Rāvaṇa and vows to cause his death.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa wanders the slopes of Himavān and encounters Vedavatī, a young woman wearing a deer-skin and matted locks. She explains her devotion to Viṣṇu and her life of asceticism. Overcome by lust, Rāvaṇa mocks her and seizes her hair. Angered, Vedavatī cuts her hair and prepares a funeral pyre. She vows to return in a future birth to cause his death. She enters the flames, eventually returning to earth as Sītā, born from a furrow in Janaka’s field.

७.१८

उत्तरकाण्डे अष्टादशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa interrupts a sacrifice and gods take animal forms.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa ranges the earth on the puṣpaka vimāna and interrupts King Marutta’s sacrifice. Fearing the demon, the gods take animal forms: Indra becomes a peacock, Dharmarāja a crow, Varuṇa a swan, and Vaiśravaṇa a lizard. Although Marutta prepares for battle, the sage Saṃvarta forbids the fight to preserve the ritual. After Rāvaṇa departs, the gods reward these animals with permanent traits, such as the peacock’s many-eyed tail and the swan’s white feathers.

७.१९

उत्तरकाण्डे एकोनविंशः सर्गः

King Anaraṇya curses Rāvaṇa before dying in battle.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa travels the earth demanding submission from monarchs like Duṣyanta and Purūravas. In Ayodhyā, King Anaraṇya refuses to surrender and leads his elephants and horses into battle. When his army falls, Anaraṇya discharges eight hundred arrows at the rākṣasa’s head, but the shafts leave no wounds. Rāvaṇa strikes the king with his palm, casting him from his chariot. Before ascending to heaven, the dying Anaraṇya curses Rāvaṇa, prophesying that his descendant Rāma will eventually take the demon's life.

७.२०

उत्तरकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa travels south to challenge the god of death.

Summary AI Nārada descends upon a cloud to meet Rāvaṇa, who travels the earth in his puṣpaka vimāna. The sage observes that mortals already suffer from grief and attachment, making their slaughter unnecessary. Seeking a greater challenge, Rāvaṇa vows to conquer the lokapālas and destroy Yama, the god of death. He leads his ministers along the southern path toward the city of the dead. Nārada reflects on the power of time and follows the rākṣasa king to witness the coming battle.

७.२१

उत्तरकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa invades the realm of Yama and releases the dead.

Summary AI Nārada travels to the abode of Yama, where the god of death judges the souls of the dead. Rāvaṇa arrives in his puṣpaka vimāna, illuminating the darkness. Seeing creatures suffering for their past deeds, the rākṣasa king forcibly liberates them. Enraged guards swarm the chariot with spears and maces. Though bloodied and forced to the ground, Rāvaṇa remains defiant. He looses the Pāśupata weapon, unleashing a flame that incinerates Yama’s army like a forest fire, leaving the battlefield trembling.

७.२२

उत्तरकाण्डे द्वाविंशः सर्गः

Brahmā stops the battle between Rāvaṇa and Yama.

Summary AI Vaivasvata mounts his chariot preceded by mṛtyu and the flaming kāladaṇḍa. While his ministers flee, Rāvaṇa stands firm, meeting spears with a rain of arrows. After seven nights of combat, Yama lifts his lethal staff to end the struggle. Brahmā intervenes, forbidding the strike to preserve the integrity of a previous boon. To avoid making the creator’s words false, Yama withdraws from the field and vanishes. The victorious rākṣasa king proclaims his name and departs in the puṣpaka vimāna.

७.२३

उत्तरकाण्डे त्रयोविंशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa makes alliances and defeats Varuṇa's sons.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa enters rasātala and subjugates the serpents of Bhogavatī. After combat with the Nivātakavaca Daityas, Brahmā brokers a peace, and the parties form an alliance where Rāvaṇa learns illusions. He then invades Varuṇa’s realm, passing the cow Surabhi to reach the water god’s palace. Varuṇa’s sons counterattack from the sky, but Mahodara destroys their chariots. Rāvaṇa overwhelms the princes with weapons. Learning Varuṇa is away in the realm of Brahmā, Rāvaṇa proclaims victory and returns to Laṅkā.

७.२४

उत्तरकाण्डे चतुर्विंशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa abducts women and sends Śūrpaṇakhā to the forest.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa abducts the daughters of gods and sages, carrying them toward Laṅkā in the puṣpaka vimāna. These women weep for their slain families and curse him to meet his end through a woman. Upon entering the city, his sister Śūrpaṇakhā confronts him, lamenting the death of her husband at his hands. To appease her, Rāvaṇa sends her to the Daṇḍaka forest. He appoints Khara and an army to govern the region and protect her.

७.२५

उत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चविंशः सर्गः

Meghanāda performs sacrifices and Rāvaṇa spares Madhu.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa enters the Nikumbhilā grove to find his son, Meghanāda, completing seven Vedic sacrifices. The priest Uśanas lists the celestial chariot, tāmasī māyā, and inexhaustible quivers the youth received from Paśupati. Learning that the demon Madhu abducted his sister, Kumbhīnasī, Rāvaṇa leads an army to Madhupura. He spares Madhu after his sister begs for mercy. The two leaders then unite their forces, marching toward Mount Kailāsa to launch an assault against the celestial regions.

७.२६

उत्तरकाण्डे षड्विंशः सर्गः

Nalakūbara curses Rāvaṇa after he assaults Rambhā.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa camps his army amidst the fragrance of kadamba blossoms. He intercepts the apsarā Rambhā as she travels to meet her lover. Although she identifies as his snuṣā, the king ravishes her. Rambhā informs Nalakūbara of the assault, prompting him to curse Rāvaṇa: if he ever violates another unwilling woman, his head shall shatter into seven pieces. The gods rejoice at this news, and the king thereafter avoids forcing himself upon women.

७.२७

उत्तरकाण्डे सप्तविंशः सर्गः

The rākṣasa army invades heaven and Sumālī is killed.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa leads his army past Mount Kailāsa to invade the celestial realm. Indra seeks counsel from Viṣṇu, who promises to cause the demon's death in the future despite his invincibility. During the battle, Sumālī routs the gods until the Vasu Sāvitra destroys his serpent-drawn chariot. Sāvitra then strikes Sumālī with a flaming mace, turning the rākṣasa to ash. Following this defeat, the rākṣasa army flees in panic, leaving the battlefield to the gods.

७.२८

उत्तरकाण्डे अष्टाविंशः सर्गः

The gods and rākṣasas fight each other in battle.

Summary AI Meghanāda charges the divine army in a flaming chariot, scattering the gods with illusory darkness. Jayanta engages him until his grandfather, Pulomā, carries him to the safety of the ocean. Following his son’s disappearance, Indra enters the field on a chariot driven by Mātali, accompanied by the maruts and vasus. Rāvaṇa counters on a vehicle crafted by Viśvakarman. As Kumbhakarṇa strikes at the deities, a river of blood flows across the earth. Indra and Rāvaṇa exchange arrow volleys.

७.२९

उत्तरकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः

Meghanāda captures Indra in battle using illusory powers.

Summary AI Darkness descends as rākṣasas and celestials clash. Rāvaṇa drives his chariot through the divine ranks to slay the gods. Recognizing Rāvaṇa’s invulnerability due to a boon, Indra attempts to capture him alive. Amidst the chaos, Meghanāda uses māyā to vanish from sight. He strikes the charioteer Mātali, forcing Indra to mount the elephant Airāvata. Meghanāda binds Indra with illusory fetters and carries the captive to his city, while Rāvaṇa follows to celebrate his son's victory.

७.३०

उत्तरकाण्डे त्रिंशः सर्गः

Brahmā names Indrajit and Indra performs a sacrifice.

Summary AI Brahmā travels to Laṅkā to negotiate the release of Indra, whom Rāvaṇa’s son has captured. He names the prince Indrajit and grants a boon ensuring his victory if he finishes a fire sacrifice before fighting. Once freed, a dejected Indra learns that his defeat resulted from Gautama’s curse following the violation of Ahalyā. Following Brahmā’s counsel, Indra performs a vaiṣṇava sacrifice to cleanse himself of this sin. He then returns to his throne and resumes his reign.

७.३१

उत्तरकाण्डे एकत्रिंशः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa visits the Narmadā river and worships Śiva.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa arrives at Māhiṣmatī to challenge the Haihaya king, Arjuna, but finds him away at the Narmadā river. After traversing the Vindhya peaks, the rākṣasa leader reaches the riverbank. While his ministers gather blossoms, Rāvaṇa bathes and recites prayers. He establishes a golden liṅga on a sandy altar, offering flowers and incense. The ritual concludes as he dances with uplifted hands and sings in praise of Śiva.

७.३२

उत्तरकाण्डे द्वात्रिंशः सर्गः

Arjuna captures Rāvaṇa after blocking the Narmadā river.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa offers flowers on the banks of the Narmadā while Kārtavīryārjuna sports with his wives nearby. The king blocks the river’s flow with his thousand arms, causing the water to surge backward and sweep away the demon’s offerings. Enraged, Rāvaṇa initiates a battle. After Arjuna strikes down Prahasta with a club, he engages Rāvaṇa in a duel of maces. Arjuna overwhelms his opponent, binds the ten-headed king, and leads the captive into Māhiṣmatī.

७.३३

उत्तरकाण्डे त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Pulastya secures the release of Rāvaṇa from Arjuna.

Summary AI Pulastya travels through the air to Māhiṣmatī after hearing of Rāvaṇa’s capture. King Arjuna receives the sage with madhuparka and water, bowing low. When Pulastya requests his grandson’s freedom, Arjuna releases the rākṣasa and honors him with ornaments and robes. They establish friendship before an agni. Rāvaṇa departs while Pulastya returns to the heavens. Though once bound, the freed rākṣasa king soon resumes his conquest and continues to distress the inhabitants of the earth.

७.३४

उत्तरकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Vālī captures Rāvaṇa and the two become allies.

Summary AI Rāvaṇa arrives at Kiṣkindhā seeking battle but finds Vālī at the southern ocean performing sandhyā rites. As Rāvaṇa attempts a stealthy capture, Vālī seizes him and pinions the rākṣasa king under his arm. Vālī leaps through the sky, visiting the four great oceans to finish his prayers while his captive remains helpless. Upon returning to Kiṣkindhā, Vālī releases his prisoner. Struck by this display of power, Rāvaṇa requests an alliance, and the two monarchs swear friendship before a ritual fire.

७.३५

उत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चत्रिंशः सर्गः

Indra strikes Hanumān and Vāyu stops all breath.

Summary AI Agastya recounts Hanumān’s past strength to Rāma. Agastya describes the monkey’s childhood leap toward the sun, mistaken for a fruit. After chasing Rāhu and charging at the elephant Airāvata, Hanumān falls when Indra strikes him with a vajra. The blow breaks the child’s jaw, the hanu. In retaliation, Vāyu withdraws the breath of all living creatures, paralyzing the worlds. Gods and mortals follow Brahmā to appease the grieving wind deity as he cradles his injured son.

७.३६

उत्तरकाण्डे षट्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Hanumān receives divine boons and a sage's curse.

Summary AI Brahmā revives the infant Hanumān with a touch, prompting Vāyu to restore the vital breath of all creatures. To appease the wind god, the deities bestow boons that render the child invulnerable to divine weapons and grant him mastery over the śāstra. Growing unruly, Hanumān disturbs the forest hermitages until sages curse him to forget his own strength. He eventually becomes the inseparable companion of Sugrīva, living in ignorance of his power until the time comes to oppose Rāvaṇa.

७.३७

उत्तरकाण्डे सप्तत्रिंशः सर्गः

Rāma dismisses the allied kings after his coronation.

Summary AI Rāma embraces Pratardana, the king of Kāśī, and instructs him to return to Vārāṇasī. Turning to the three hundred assembled kings, Rāma attributes the destruction of Rāvaṇa to their collective power, describing himself as a mere instrument in the battle. He acknowledges their loyalty during the search for Sītā and grants them leave to return home. The kings celebrate his victory and stable reign before bidding him a respectful farewell.

७.३८

उत्तरकाण्डे अष्टात्रिंशः सर्गः

The kings depart and Rāma rewards his allies.

Summary AI Allied kings depart for their kingdoms, sending gifts of horses, elephants, and sandalwood to Ayodhyā. Rāma accepts these treasures only to distribute them among Sugrīva, Vibhīṣaṇa, and the vānara chiefs. The guests decorate themselves with jewels and feast on honey and meat. They remain in the city throughout the śaiśira season, where two months pass as they enjoy the company of Rāghava.

७.३९

उत्तरकाण्डे एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Rāma sends his allies home and embraces Hanumān.

Summary AI Rāma instructs Sugrīva to return to Kiṣkindhā and govern alongside his ministers. He then directs Vibhīṣaṇa to rule Laṅkā with righteousness, reminding him to avoid unpious thoughts. Hanumān vows to remain on earth as long as the rāmakathā is told. In response, Rāma embraces him and fastens a chain of vaidūrya stones around his neck. The assembled monkeys and rākṣasas touch Rāma’s feet and depart for their homes, weeping as they leave their leader.

७.४०

उत्तरकाण्डे चत्वारिंशः सर्गः

The puṣpaka vimāna returns and the kingdom prospers.

Summary AI Rāma resides with his brothers after his allies depart. The puṣpaka vimāna descends from the sky, explaining that Kubera has returned it to serve Rāma following the defeat of Rāvaṇa. Rāma honors the vehicle with flowers and incense, instructing it to return whenever summoned. Bharata reports the prosperity of the realm, noting that children are born healthy and rains fall in their proper season. The citizens celebrate this period of health and abundance.

७.४१

उत्तरकाण्डे एकचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Rāma promises Sītā a visit to the forest sages.

Summary AI Rāma enters the Aśokavanikā and sits with Sītā, offering her madhu-maireya wine as attendants serve meat and fruit. Following his royal duties, he observes signs of pregnancy in Sītā and offers to fulfill any desire. She requests to visit the tapovana along the Gaṅgā to spend a night among the sages. Rāma grants her wish, promising her departure for the following morning before he joins his companions.

७.४२

उत्तरकाण्डे द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Rāma hears the public's criticism regarding Sītā.

Summary AI Rāma sits with his councillors and listening to various tales. He asks his companion Bhadra to report the honest opinions of the citizens regarding his family and reign. Bhadra describes how the people praise the ocean bridge but question Rāma for welcoming Sītā home after her stay in the Aśokavanikā. The subjects fear they must now tolerate similar conduct from their own wives. Distressed, Rāma confirms the rumors with his friends and dismisses them.

७.४३

उत्तरकाण्डे त्रिचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Rāma summons his brothers to discuss the slander.

Summary AI Rāma dismisses his companions and sends a messenger to summon Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, and Śatrughna. The brothers arrive in white robes to find Rāma with a downcast face and eyes wet with tears like a moon eclipsed by Rāhu. They touch his feet in greeting. After wiping his eyes, Rāma embraces them and leads them to their seats. He explains that they are his very life and asks them to help him fulfill his royal duties.

७.४४

उत्तरकाण्डे चतुश्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Rāma orders Lakṣmaṇa to abandon Sītā in the forest.

Summary AI Rāma addresses his brothers, recounting the public slander regarding Sītā. Though he affirms her purity witnessed by the gods at Laṅkā, he prioritizes his family's reputation. He commands Lakṣmaṇa to take Sītā by chariot to the banks of the Gaṅgā. He orders that she be left near the hermitage of Vālmīki under the pretense of fulfilling her wish to visit the forest, then retreats to his quarters in tears.

७.४५

उत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Lakṣmaṇa leads Sītā toward the hermitage of Vālmīki.

Summary AI Lakṣmaṇa instructs Sumantra to prepare a horse-drawn chariot for a journey to the forest. Believing she is visiting sages, Sītā gathers costly robes and jewels as gifts. As they travel, she notices her right eye trembling and prays to the deities for the welfare of the royal family. They rest near the Gomatī river before reaching the banks of the Bhāgīrathī. Distressed, Lakṣmaṇa weeps, while Sītā encourages him to prepare a boat for their crossing.

७.४६

उत्तरकाण्डे षट्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Lakṣmaṇa leaves Sītā on the banks of the Jāhnavī.

Summary AI Lakṣmaṇa leads Sītā into a fisherman’s boat and crosses the Bhāgīrathī. On the far bank, he falls to the ground with folded palms and a voice choked by tears. He reveals that the king, fearing public censure, has ordered her abandonment despite her innocence. Lakṣmaṇa leaves her near the tapovana of the sage Vālmīki on the banks of the Jāhnavī. He instructs her to seek shelter with the forest-dwelling sage.

७.४७

उत्तरकाण्डे सप्तचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Sītā reacts to her exile and sends a message.

Summary AI Sītā collapses on the riverbank upon hearing Lakṣmaṇa announce her exile. She laments her fate but refuses to drown in the Jāhnavī to protect the royal lineage. She sends a final message to Rāma, urging him to rule his subjects like brothers. Lakṣmaṇa bows in silence, recrosses the river, and watches from his chariot. Left alone, Sītā cries out in the forest as the peacocks call around her, abandoned despite her purity.

७.४८

उत्तरकाण्डे अष्टचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Vālmīki discovered Sītā and offers her refuge.

Summary AI Young ascetics find a woman wailing by the Jāhnavī and alert Vālmīki. The sage approaches Sītā with an arghya and reveals that his spiritual vision has already confirmed her innocence and identity. He leads the daughter of Janaka to his forest home, presenting her to the resident female ascetics. Vālmīki commands them to protect her with maternal care. Sītā accepts this sanctuary, and the sage returns to his retreat while the women welcome her.

७.४९

उत्तरकाण्डे एकोनपञ्चाशः सर्गः

Sumantra consoles Lakṣmaṇa with a secret prophecy.

Summary AI Lakṣmaṇa expresses his grief to the charioteer Sumantra after leaving Sītā at the hermitage. He questions the injustice of the exile and attributes Rāma’s suffering to the power of daiva. Sumantra consoles him by revealing a secret prophecy spoken by the sage Durvāsas to King Daśaratha. He explains that Rāma is destined to endure separation and will eventually renounce his brothers and his wife. Lakṣmaṇa urges the charioteer to recount the full details.

७.५०

उत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चाशः सर्गः

Sumantra recounts Durvāsā’s prophecy regarding Rāma.

Summary AI Sumantra recounts to Lakṣmaṇa a meeting between King Daśaratha and the sage Durvāsā at Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage. Daśaratha questioned the sage about the fate of his lineage. Durvāsā foretold that Rāma would rule for eleven thousand years but would endure a separation from Sītā. He predicted Rāma’s performance of multiple aśvamedha sacrifices and his final departure to the realm of Brahmā. Sumantra shares this prophecy to steady Lakṣmaṇa as they rest on the banks of the Gomatī.

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