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—'
ताम् एव गौतमीं सन्तो वदन्त्य् अम्भःस्वरूपिणीम् हरिब्रह्ममहेशानां मान्या वन्द्या च सैव यत्
'That very Gautamī, whom the virtuous call the embodiment of water, is honored and worshipped by Hari, Brahmā, and Maheśa.'
निस्तीर्यते न केनापि तद् अतिक्रमजं त्व् अघम् पापिनो ऽप्य् आत्मजः कश्चिद् यश् च गङ्गाम् अनुस्मरेत्
'No one can cross over the sin born of transgression, but even a sinner, if he remembers Gaṅgā, or if his son does so—'
सो ऽनेकदुर्गनिरयान् निर्गतो मुक्ततां व्रजेत् किं पुनस् तादृशः पुत्रो गौतमीनिकटे स्थितः
'He is freed from many terrible hells and attains liberation; what then of a son like this, standing near the Gautamī?'
यस्यासौ नरके पक्तुं न कैरपि हि शक्यते दक्षिणाशापतेर् वाक्यं निशम्य यमकिंकराः
'No one can make him suffer in hell, hearing the command of the lord of the southern direction, O attendants of Yama.'
नरके पच्यमानं तम् अयोध्याधिपतिं नृपम् उत्तार्य घोरनरकाद् वचनं चेदम् अब्रुवन्
Having rescued that king, the lord of Ayodhya, who was being tormented in hell, they spoke these words to him from the dreadful hell.
धन्यो ऽसि नृपशार्दूल यस्य पुत्रः स तादृशः इह चामुत्र विश्रान्तिः सुपुत्रः केन लभ्यते
Blessed are you, O best of kings, who has such a son; in this world and the next, who obtains rest through a worthy son?
स विश्रान्तः शनै राजा किंकरान् वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
Then, as the king found repose, he slowly addressed the attendants with these words.
नरकेष्व् अथ घोरेषु पच्यमानः पुनः पुनः कथं त्व् आकर्षितः शीघ्रं तन् मे वक्तुम् इहार्हथ
While I was being tormented again and again in these terrible hells, how was I swiftly drawn out? You ought to tell me this here.
तत्र कश्चिच् छान्तमना राजानम् इदम् अब्रवीत्
There, one with a tranquil mind spoke these words to the king.
वेदशास्त्रपुराणादाव् एतद् गोप्यं प्रयत्नतः प्रकाश्यते तद् अपि ते सामर्थ्यं पुत्रतीर्थयोः
This is to be carefully kept secret in the Vedas, scriptures, and Purāṇas; yet it is revealed to you because of the power of your son and the sanctity of the pilgrimage.