तस्मै स भगवांस्तुष्टो भ्राता भ्रात्रे धनेश्वरः। सैनापत्यं ददौ धीमान्यक्षराक्षससेनयोः
To him, his brother, the wise Lord of Wealth, pleased, granted the command of the armies of Yakshas and Rakshasas.
राक्षसाः पुरुषादाश्च पिशाचाश्च महाबलाः। सर्वे समेत्य राजानमभ्यषिञ्चन्दशाननम्
All the Rakshasas, man-eaters, and mighty Pisachas assembled and anointed the ten-headed one as king.
दशग्रीवश्चदैत्यानां दानवानां बलोत्कटः। आक्रम्य रत्नान्यहरत्कामरूपी विहंगम
Rāvaṇa, the ten-headed one, mighty among the Daityas and Dānavas, seized treasures by force, assuming any form at will, and moving like a bird.
रावयामास लोकान्यत्तस्माद्रावण उच्यते। दशग्रीवः कामबलो देवानां भयमादधत्
He caused the worlds to tremble; thus he is called Rāvaṇa. The ten-headed one, empowered by desire, brought fear to the gods.
ततो ब्रह्मर्षयः सर्वे सिद्धा देवर्षयस्तथा। हव्यवाहं पुरस्कृत्य ब्रह्माणं शरणं गताः
Then all the Brahmarṣis, Siddhas, and Devarṣis, led by the fire-god, sought refuge in Brahmā.
योसौ विश्रवसः पुत्रो दशग्रीवो महाबलः। अवध्यो वरदानेन कृतो भगवता पुरा
That son of Viśravas, the ten-headed one of great strength, was made invincible by a boon granted long ago by the Blessed One.
स बाधते प्रजाः सर्वा विप्रकारैर्महाबलः। ततो नस्त्रातु भगवान्नान्यस्त्राता हि विद्यते
He oppresses all creatures with his acts of violence, O mighty one; therefore, O Blessed One, protect us, for no other protector is known.
न स देवासुरैः शक्यो युद्धे जेतुं विभावसो। विहितं तत्रयत्कार्यमभितस्तस्य निग्रहः
He cannot be defeated in battle by gods or asuras, O Fire-god; whatever must be done for his restraint has been ordained.
तदर्थमवतीर्णोऽसौ मन्नियोगाच्चतुर्भुजः। विष्णुः प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठः स तत्कर्म करिष्यति
For that purpose, by my command, the four-armed Viṣṇu, foremost among warriors, has descended; he will accomplish that task.
पितामहस्ततस्तेषां संनिधौ शक्रमब्रवीत्। सर्वैर्देवगणैः सार्धं संभव त्वं महीतले
In their presence, the Grandfather spoke to Indra: 'With all the hosts of gods, you must be born upon the earth.'
विष्णोः सहायानृक्षीषु वानरीषु च सर्वशः। जनयध्वं सुतान्वीरान्कामरूपबलान्वितान्
As helpers of Viṣṇu, among the bears and monkeys, you must beget sons, O heroes, endowed with strength and the power to assume any form.
ते यथोक्ता भगवता तत्प्रतिश्रुत्य शासनम्। ससृजुर्देवगन्धर्वाः पुत्रान्वानररूपिणः
Having promised to obey the command of the Blessed One, the gods and Gandharvas produced sons in the form of monkeys.
ततो भागानुभागेन देवगन्धर्वदानवाः। अवतर्तुं महीं सर्वे मन्त्रयामासुरञ्जसा
Then, by their respective shares, the gods, Gandharvas, and Dānavas all deliberated together to descend to earth.
अवतेरुर्महीं स्वर्गादंशैश्च सहिताः सुराः। ऋषयश्च महात्मानः सिद्धाश्च सह किन्नरैः। चारणाश्चासृजन्घोरान्वानरान्वनचारिणः
They descended from heaven to earth, accompanied by their portions; the great-souled sages, Siddhas, Kinnaras, and Cāraṇas also produced fierce monkeys dwelling in the forest.
यस्य देवस्य यद्रूपं वेषस्तेजश्च यद्विधम्। अजायन्त समास्तेन तस्य तस्य सुतास्तदा
According to the form, attire, and brilliance of each god, sons were born resembling them in every way.
तेषां समक्षं गन्धर्वी दुन्दुभीं नाम नामतः। शशास वरदो देवो गच्छ कार्यार्थसिद्धये
In their presence, the Gandharvī named Dundubhī was instructed by the boon-giving god: 'Go, for the accomplishment of the task.'
पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा गन्धर्वी दुन्दुभी ततः। मन्थरा मानुषे लोके कुब्जा समभवत्तदा
Hearing the words of the Grandfather, Gandharvī Dundubhī then became Mantharā, hunchbacked, in the world of men.
शक्रप्रभृतयश्चैव सर्वे ते सुरसत्तमाः। वानरर्क्षवरस्त्रीषु जनयामासुरात्मजान्
And all the foremost gods, beginning with Indra, begot sons among the women of bears and monkeys.
तेऽन्ववर्तन्पितॄन्सर्वे यशसा च बलेन च। भेत्तारो गिरिशृङ्गाणां सालतालशिलायुधाः
All of them followed their fathers in fame and strength; breakers of mountain peaks, wielders of sāla, tāla, and stone as weapons.
वज्चसंहननाः सर्वेसर्वेऽमोघवलास्तथा। कामवीर्यबलाश्चैवसर्वे बुद्धिविशारदाः
All were endowed with bodies like thunderbolts, all possessed unfailing strength, endowed with the power of desire, heroism, and intelligence.
नागायुतसमप्राणा वायुवेगसमा जवे। यथेच्छविनिपाताश्च केचिदत्र वनौकसः
Some of the forest-dwellers here have life-force equal to tens of thousands of serpents, are as swift as the wind, and can descend wherever they wish.
एवं विधाय तत्सर्वं भगवाँल्लोकभावनः। मन्थरां बोधयामास यद्यत्कार्यं त्वया तथा
Having arranged all this, the blessed Lord, the protector of the worlds, awakened Manthara and instructed her in whatever task she was to do.
सा तद्वच समाज्ञाय तथा चक्रे मनोजवा। इतश्चेतश्च गच्छन्ती वैरसंधुक्षणे रता
She, swift as thought, having understood those words, acted accordingly, moving here and there, delighting in stirring up conflict.
उक्तं भगवता जन्म रामादीनां पृथक्पृथक्। प्रस्थानकारणं ब्रह्मञ्श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथ्यताम्
The blessed one has spoken of the separate births of Rama and the others; O Brahman, I wish to hear the reason for their departure—please tell it.
कथं दाशरथी वीरौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। प्रस्तापितौ वने ब्रह्मन्मैथिली च यशस्विनी
How were the two heroic sons of Dasaratha, Rama and Lakshmana, sent into the forest, O Brahman, along with the illustrious Maithili?
जातपुत्रो दशरथः प्रीतिमानभवन्नृप। क्रियारतिर्धर्मरतः सततं वृद्धसेविता
When a son was born, King Dasaratha became joyful, devoted to rites and righteousness, always attended by elders.
क्रमेण चास्य ते पुत्रा व्यवर्धन्त महौजसः। वेदेषु सरहस्येषु धनुर्वेदेषु पारगाः
In due course, his sons, mighty in energy, grew up, accomplished in the Vedas, in all secrets, and in the science of archery.
चरितब्रह्मचर्यास्ते कृतदाराश्च पार्तिव। दृष्ट्वा रामं दशरथः प्रीतिमानभवत्सुखी
Having completed their student vows and taken wives, those princes delighted King Dasaratha when he saw Rama.
ज्येष्ठो रामोऽभवत्तेषां रमयामास हि प्रजाः। मनोहरतया धीमान्पितुर्हृदयनन्दनः
Among them, Rama was the eldest, delighting the people with his charm and intelligence, a joy to his father's heart.
ततः स राजा मतिमान्मत्वाऽऽत्मानं वयोधिकम्। मन्त्रयामास सचिवैर्मन्त्रज्ञैश्च पुरोहितैः
Then that wise king, realizing his own advanced age, consulted with his ministers and priests skilled in counsel.