वदन्न् इति सुतौ सोष्णं निश्वसन् ग्लपिताधरः पुत्रौ समर्पयाम् आस विश्वामित्रस्य शास्त्रकृत्
Saying thus, sighing hotly with trembling lips, he entrusted his two sons to Viśvāmitra, the knower of the scriptures.
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा दशरथं नमस्य च पुनः पुनः जग्मतू रक्षणार्थाय विश्वामित्रेण तौ मुदा
Having said, 'So be it,' and bowing again and again to Daśaratha, the two joyfully went with Viśvāmitra for the purpose of protection.
ततः प्रहृष्टः स मुनिर् मुदा प्रादात् तदोभयोः माहेश्वरीं महाविद्यां धनुर्विद्यापुरःसराम्
Then that delighted sage gladly gave to both of them the great knowledge of Maheśvara, with the science of archery at its forefront.
शास्त्रीम् आस्त्रीं लौकिकीं च रथविद्यां गजोद्भवाम् अश्वविद्यां गदाविद्यां मन्त्राह्वानविसर्जने
He gave them the knowledge of weapons, missiles, worldly arts, chariot warfare, the science born of elephants, the science of horses, the science of clubs, and the invocation and dismissal of mantras.
सर्वविद्याम् अथावाप्य उभौ तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ वनौकसां हितार्थाय जघ्नतुस् ताटकां वने
Having acquired all knowledge, both Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, for the welfare of the forest-dwellers, slew Tāṭakā in the forest.
अहल्यां शापनिर्मुक्तां पादस्पर्शाच् च चक्रतुः यज्ञविध्वंसनायाताञ् जघ्नतुस् तत्र राक्षसान्
They freed Ahalyā from her curse by the touch of their feet, and there they slew the rākṣasas who had come to destroy the sacrifice.
कृतविद्यौ धनुष्पाणी चक्रतुर् यज्ञरक्षणम् ततो महामखे वृत्ते विश्वामित्रो मुनीश्वरः
Having mastered the sciences and bearing bows in hand, they protected the sacrifice; then, when the great sacrifice was completed, Viśvāmitra, the lord of sages—
पुत्राभ्यां सहितो राज्ञो जनकं द्रष्टुम् अभ्यगात् चित्राम् अदर्शयत् तत्र राजमध्ये नृपात्मजः
Together with the king's sons, went to see Janaka; there, in the midst of the kings, he showed the wondrous bow.
रामः सौमित्रिसहितो धनुर्विद्यां गुरोर् मताम् तत्प्रीतो जनकः प्रादात् सीतां लक्ष्मीम् अयोनिजाम्
Rāma, accompanied by Saumitri, displayed his mastery of archery as taught by his guru; pleased, Janaka gave Sītā, the goddess of fortune, not born from a womb.
तथैव लक्ष्मणस्यापि भरतस्यानुजस्य च शत्रुघ्नभरतादीनां वसिष्ठादिमते स्थितः
Likewise, for Lakṣmaṇa and also for Bharata's younger brother, for Śatrughna, Bharata, and the others, the arrangements were made according to the wisdom of Vasiṣṭha.
राजा दशरथः श्रीमान् विवाहम् अकरोन् मुने ततो बहुतिथे काले राज्यं तस्य प्रयच्छति
The illustrious king Daśaratha performed the marriages; then, after much time had passed, he bestowed the kingdom upon him.
नृपतौ सर्वलोकानाम् अनुमत्या गुरोर् अपि मन्थरात्मकदुर्दैवप्रेरिता मत्सराकुला
With the consent of all people and even the guru, but driven by Mantharā and the misfortune born of her, filled with jealousy—
कैकेयी विघ्नम् आतस्थे वनप्रव्राजनं तथा भरतस्य च तद् राज्यं राजा नैव च दत्तवान्
Kaikeyī created an obstacle, thus sending him to the forest; and the kingdom was not given to Bharata by the king.
पितरं सत्यवाक्यं तं कुर्वन् रामो महावनम् विवेश सीतया सार्धं तथा सौमित्रिणा सह
Rāma, upholding his father's truthful word, entered the great forest together with Sītā and also with Saumitri.
सतां च मानसं शुद्धं स विवेश स्वकैर् गुणैः तस्मिन् विनिर्गते रामे वनवासाय दीक्षिते
He, with his own virtues, entered the pure mind of the virtuous; when Rāma had departed, consecrated for forest-dwelling—
समं लक्ष्मणसीताभ्यां राज्यतृष्णाविवर्जिते तं रामं चापि सौमित्रिं सीतां च गुणशालिनीम्
Along with Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā, free from desire for the kingdom, that Rāma, and also Saumitri, and Sītā endowed with virtues—
दुःखेन महताविष्टो ब्रह्मशापं च संस्मरन् तदा दशरथो राजा प्राणांस् तत्याज दुःखितः
Overwhelmed by great sorrow and recalling the curse of Brahma, at that time King Dasharatha, afflicted, gave up his life.
कृतकर्मविपाकेन राजा नीतो यमानुगैः तस्मै राज्ञे महाप्राज्ञ यावत् स्थावरजङ्गमे
By the result of his past deeds, the king was led away by Yama’s attendants, O wise one, to that realm where all beings, moving and unmoving, must go.
यमसद्मन्य् अनेकानि तामिस्रादीनि नारद नरकाण्य् अथ घोराणि भीषणानि बहूनि च
In Yama’s abode, O Nārada, there are many dreadful and terrifying hells, such as Tāmisra and others.
तत्र क्षिप्तस् तदा राजा नरकेषु पृथक् पृथक् पच्यते छिद्यते राजा पिष्यते चूर्ण्यते तथा
There, the king was cast into the various hells, and separately he was cooked, cut, crushed, and ground to powder.
शोष्यते दश्यते भूयो दह्यते च निमज्ज्यते एवमादिषु घोरेषु नरकेषु स पच्यते
He was dried, torn apart, burned again, and submerged; in such terrible hells, he was tormented.
रामो ऽपि गच्छन्न् अध्वानं चित्रकूटम् अथागमत् तत्रैव त्रीणि वर्षाणि व्यतीतानि महामते
Rāma, journeying onward, then reached Citrakūṭa; there, O wise one, three years passed.
पुनः स दक्षिणाम् आशाम् आक्रामद् दण्डकं वनम् विख्यातं त्रिषु लोकेषु देशानां तद् धि पुण्यदम्
Again he turned to the southern direction and entered the Daṇḍaka forest, renowned in the three worlds as a land that bestows merit.
प्राविशत् तन् महारण्यं भीषणं दैत्यसेवितम् तद्भयाद् ऋषिभिस् त्यक्तं हत्वा दैत्यांस् तु राक्षसान्
He entered that great and fearsome forest, haunted by demons, abandoned by sages out of fear, but after slaying the demons and Rākṣasas—
विचरन् दण्डकारण्ये ऋषिसेव्यम् अथाकरोत् तत्रेदं वृत्तम् आख्यास्ये शृणु नारद यत्नतः
Wandering in the Daṇḍaka forest, he made it a place frequented by sages; there, this event occurred, which I shall recount to you carefully, O Nārada.
तावच् छनैस् त्व् अगाद् रामो यावद् योजनपञ्चकम् गौतमीं समनुप्राप्तो राजापि नरके स्थितः
Meanwhile, Rāma slowly advanced until he had covered five yojanas and reached the Gautamī river, while the king remained in hell.
यमः स्वकिंकरान् आह रामो दशरथात्मजः गौतमीम् अभितो याति पितरं तस्य धीमतः
Yama said to his attendants: 'Rāma, son of Dasharatha, is approaching the Gautamī river, near to his wise father.'
आकर्षन्त्व् अथ राजानं नरकान् नात्र संशयः उत्तीर्य गौतमीं याति यावद् योजनपञ्चकम्
'Now draw the king out from the hells—there is no doubt; after crossing the Gautamī, he will have covered five yojanas.'
रामस् तावत् तस्य पिता नरके नैव पच्यताम् यद् एतन् मद्वचः पुण्यं न कुर्युर् यदि दूतकाः
'As long as Rāma has not crossed, let his father not be tormented in hell; if my messengers do not carry out this meritorious command of mine—'
ततश् च नरके घोरे यूयं सर्वे निमज्जथ या काप्य् उक्ता परा शक्तिः शिवस्य समवायिनी
'Then you all will be plunged into the dreadful hell; whatever other supreme power is associated with Śiva—'