कस्येदं कर्मणस् तात फलं नृपतिसत्तम
O father, best of kings, whose deed's fruit is this?
स च प्राह यथावृत्तं ब्रह्महत्यात्रयं तथा
He then narrated, as it happened, the three acts of brahma-hatya.
निष्कृतिर् ब्रह्महन्तॄणां पुत्रौ क्वापि न विद्यते
There is nowhere any expiation for those who slay a brahmin, my sons.
ततो दुःखेन महतावृताः सर्वे भुवं गताः राजानं वनवासं च मातरं पितरं तथा
Then, overwhelmed with great sorrow, all went to the earth—the king, the exile to the forest, the mother, and the father likewise.
दुःखागमं कर्मगतिं नरके पातनं तथा एवमाद्य् अथ संस्मृत्य मुमोह नृपतेः सुतः विसंज्ञं नृपतिं दृष्ट्वा सीता वाक्यम् अथाब्रवीत्
Recalling the arrival of sorrow, the course of karma, and the fall into hell, the king's son fainted; seeing the king unconscious, Sita spoke.
न शोचन्ति महात्मानस् त्वादृशा व्यसनागमे चिन्तयन्ति प्रतीकारं दैव्यम् अप्य् अथ मानुषम्
The great-souled do not grieve at the onset of misfortune; they consider remedies, both divine and human.
शोचद्भिर् युगसाहस्रं विपत्तिर् नैव तीर्यते व्यामोहम् आप्नुवन्तीह न कदाचिद् विचक्षणाः
Even grieving for a thousand ages, calamity is never overcome; those lacking discernment here fall into confusion, never are they wise.
किम् अनेनात्र दुःखेन निष्फलेन जनेश्वर देहि हत्यां प्रथमतो या जाता ह्य् अतिभीषणा
What use is this fruitless sorrow, O lord of men? Tell us first of the murder that occurred, which was exceedingly dreadful.
पितृभक्तः पुण्यशीलो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः अनागा यो हतो विप्रस् तत्पापस्यात्र निष्कृतिम्
A brahmin, devoted to his father, virtuous, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, innocent, who was slain—what is the expiation for that sin here?
आचरामि यथाशास्त्रं मा शोकं कुरुतं युवाम् द्वितीयां लक्ष्मणो हत्यां गृह्णातु त्व् अपरां भवान्
I shall act according to scripture; do not grieve, you two. Let Lakshmana take the second murder, and you, the other.
एतद् धर्मयुतं वाक्यं सीतया भाषितं दृढम् तथेति चाहतुर् उभौ ततो दशरथो ऽब्रवीत्
This statement, filled with righteousness, was firmly spoken by Sita. Both agreed, saying 'So be it.' Then Dasharatha spoke.
त्वं हि ब्रह्मविदः कन्या जनकस्य त्व् अयोनिजा भार्या रामस्य किं चित्रं यद् युक्तम् अनुभाषसे
You are indeed the daughter of Janaka, knowledgeable in Brahman, not born from a womb, and the wife of Rama. What is surprising if you speak what is appropriate?
न कोपि भवतां किंतु श्रमः स्वल्पो ऽपि विद्यते गौतम्यां स्नानदानेन पिण्डनिर्वपणेन च
No one among you has any hardship, but there is a slight effort in bathing Gautami, giving offerings, and performing the ritual of offering balls of food.
तिसृभिर् ब्रह्महत्याभिर् मुक्तो यामि त्रिविष्टपम् त्वया जनकसंभूते स्वकुलोचितम् ईरितम्
Freed from three Brahmin-murders, I go to heaven; what you have spoken, born of Janaka, is fitting for your family.
प्रापयन्ति परं पारं भवाब्धेः कुलयोषितः गोदावर्याः प्रसादेन किं नामास्त्य् अत्र दुर्लभम्
The women of noble families bring others to the far shore of the ocean of existence by the grace of the Godavari. What indeed is difficult to obtain here?
तथेति क्रियमाणे तु पिण्डदानाय शत्रुहा नैवापश्यद् भक्ष्यभोज्यं ततो लक्ष्मणम् अब्रवीत्
When the ritual of offering balls of food was being performed, Shatrughna did not see any food or provisions. Then he spoke to Lakshmana.
लक्ष्मणः प्राह विनयाद् इङ्गुद्याश् च फलानि च सन्ति तेषां च पिण्याकम् आनीतं तत्क्षणाद् इव
Lakshmana respectfully said, 'There are fruits of the Ingudi tree, and their flour has been brought, almost instantly.'
पिण्याकेनाथ गङ्गायां पिण्डं दातुं तथा पितुः मनः कुर्वंस् ततो रामो मन्दो ऽभूद् दुःखितस् तदा
Then, with the flour, Rama prepared to offer the ball of food to his father on the banks of the Ganga, but he became slow and sorrowful.
दैवी वाग् अभवत् तत्र दुःखं त्यज नृपात्मज राज्यभ्रष्टो वनं प्राप्तः किं वै निष्किंचनो भवान्
There, a divine voice arose: 'Abandon sorrow, prince! You have lost the kingdom and reached the forest; what is there for you to lack?'
अशठो धर्मनिरतो न शोचितुम् इहार्हसि वित्तशाठ्येन यो धर्मं करोति स तु पातकी
You are not deceitful, devoted to righteousness; you should not grieve here. One who acts righteously with deceit regarding wealth is indeed sinful.
श्रूयते सर्वशास्त्रेषु यद् राम शृणु यत्नतः यदन्नः पुरुषो राजंस् तदन्नास् तस्य देवताः
It is heard in all scriptures, O Rama, listen carefully: whatever food a person eats, O king, the deities of his ancestors eat that same food.
पिण्डे निपतिते भूमौ नापश्यत् पितरं तदा शवं च पतितं यत्र शवतीर्थम् अनुत्तमम्
When the ball of food fell to the ground, he did not see his father, nor the corpse where the supreme funeral site was.
महापातकसंघातविघातकृद् अनुस्मृतिः तत्रागच्छंल् लोकपाला रुद्रादित्यास् तथाश्विनौ
Remembrance that destroys the mass of great sins occurred there; the guardians of the worlds, Rudras, Adityas, and the Ashvins, arrived.
स्वं स्वं विमानम् आरूढास् तेषां मध्ये ऽतिदीप्तिमान् विमानवरम् आरूढः स्तूयमानश् च किंनरैः
Each mounted their own celestial vehicle; among them, one exceedingly radiant, mounted the best vehicle, praised by the Kinnaras.
आदित्यसदृशाकारस् तेषां मध्ये बभौ पिता तम् अदृष्ट्वा स्वपितरं देवान् दृष्ट्वा विमानिनः
His father shone among them, resembling the sun; not seeing his own father, but seeing the gods in their vehicles.
कृताञ्जलिपुटो रामः पिता मे क्वेत्य् अभाषत इति दिव्याभवद् वाणी रामं संबोध्य सीतया
Rama, with hands joined in reverence, spoke: 'Where is my father?' Then a divine voice addressed Rama through Sita.
तिसृभिर् ब्रह्महत्याभिर् मुक्तो दशरथो नृपः वृतं पश्य सुरैस् तात देवा अप्य् ऊचिरे च तम्
Freed from three Brahmin-murders, King Dasharatha is surrounded by the gods. 'See, son,' the gods also spoke to him.
धन्यो ऽसि कृतकृत्यो ऽसि राम स्वर्गं गतः पिता नानानिरयसंघातात् पूर्वजान् उद्धरेत् तु यः
You are blessed, accomplished, Rama; your father has gone to heaven. Whoever lifts his ancestors from the multitude of various hells is praised.
स धन्यो ऽलंकृतं तेन कृतिना भुवनत्रयम् एनं पश्य महाबाहो मुक्तपापं रविप्रभम्
He is blessed, adorned by that meritorious act, O mighty-armed one; see him, shining like the sun, freed from sin, in all three worlds.
सर्वसंपत्तियुक्तो ऽपि पापी दग्धद्रुमोपमः निष्किंचनो ऽपि सुकृती दृश्यते चन्द्रमौलिवत्
Even if endowed with all wealth, a sinner is like a burnt tree; but even without possessions, a virtuous man is seen as radiant as the moon-crested one.