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.
रामस् तव सुतः श्रीमान् गौतमीतीरम् आगतः तस्मात् त्वं नरकाद् घोराद् आकृष्टो ऽसि नरोत्तम
Your illustrious son Rāma has come to the bank of the Gautamī; therefore, O best of men, you have been drawn out from the dreadful hell.
यदि त्वां तत्र गौतम्यां स्मरेद् रामः सलक्ष्मणः स्नानं कृत्वाथ पिण्डादि ते दद्यात् स नृपोत्तम ततस् त्वं सर्वपापेभ्यो मुक्तो यासि त्रिविष्टपम्
If Rāma, along with Lakṣmaṇa, remembers you there at the Gautamī, performs bathing, and offers you piṇḍa and other rites, then, O best of kings, you will be freed from all sins and ascend to heaven.
तत्र गत्वा भवद्वाक्यम् आख्यास्ये स्वसुतौ प्रति भवन्त एव शरणम् अनुज्ञां दातुम् अर्हथ
Going there, I shall convey your words to your sons; you alone are our refuge, and you ought to grant permission.
तद् राजवचनं श्रुत्वा कृपया यमकिंकराः आज्ञां च प्रददुस् तस्मै राजा प्रागात् सुतौ प्रति
Hearing the king’s words, out of compassion, the attendants of Yama granted him leave, and the king went towards his sons.
भीषणं यातनादेहम् आपन्नो निःश्वसन् मुहुः निरीक्ष्य स्वं लज्जमानः कृतं कर्म च संस्मरन्
Having assumed a terrifying body of torment, he sighed repeatedly, looked at himself in shame, and remembered the deeds he had done.
स्वेच्छया विहरन् गङ्गाम् आससाद च राघवः गौतम्यास् तटम् आश्रित्य रामो लक्ष्मण एव च
Rāghava, wandering as he wished, reached the Gaṅgā, and Rāma, along with Lakṣmaṇa, took refuge on the bank of the Gautamī.
सीतया सह वैदेह्या सस्नौ चैव यथाविधि नैव तत्राभवद् भोज्यं भक्ष्यं वा गौतमीतटे
There, together with Sītā, the daughter of Videha, he bathed according to the prescribed rite; but on the bank of the Gautamī, there was neither food nor anything to eat.
तद्दिने तत्र वसतां गौतमीतीरवासिनाम् तद् दृष्ट्वा दुःखितो भ्राता लक्ष्मणो रामम् अब्रवीत्
On that day, as they stayed there among the dwellers on the bank of the Gautamī, seeing this, Lakṣmaṇa, distressed, spoke to Rāma.
पुत्रौ दशरथस्यावां तवापि बलम् ईदृशम् नास्ति भोज्यम् अथास्माकं गङ्गातीरनिवासिनाम्
We are the sons of Daśaratha, and your strength is such; yet there is no food for us or for the dwellers on the bank of the Gaṅgā.
भ्रातर् यद् विहितं कर्म नैव तच् चान्यथा भवेत् पृथिव्याम् अन्नपूर्णायां वयम् अन्नाभिलाषिणः
Brother, whatever deed is ordained cannot be otherwise; though the earth is full of food, we are desirous of food.