अवेह्यस्मान्मुनिश्रेष्ठ गोकर्णनिलयान्मुनीन्
Know us, O best of sages, as ascetics dwelling at Gokarṇa.
सतीर्थं तन्महाक्षेत्रं पतितं सागरांभसि
That great sacred place, with its holy waters, has sunk into the ocean.
उपलब्धुमभीप्सामो भवतस्तु न संशयः
We wish to recover it; of this, there is no doubt regarding you.
तस्मात्कर्तुमशक्यं ते त्रैलोक्ये ऽपि न किञ्चन
Therefore, for you, nothing is impossible to accomplish, not even in the three worlds.
वयं त्वामागताः सर्वे रामैतदभियाचितुम्
We have all come to you, O Rāma, to make this request.
दातुमर्हसि विप्रेन्द्र समुत्सार्यार्मवोदकम्
O foremost of Brāhmaṇas, you ought to grant it, having first cleared away the water of impurity.
करणीयं च वः कृत्यं मया नात्र विचारणा
The duty that you have is to be performed by me; there is no deliberation here.
शस्त्रसंग्रहणाच्छक्यं मयापि न तदन्यथा
Even I am not able to do otherwise, for the collection of weapons is ordained.
तपः समास्थितश्चर्तु प्रागेव पितृ शासनात्
I undertook austerity earlier, on the command of my father.
प्रतिश्रुत्य सतां मध्ये तपः कर्त्तुमिहानघाः
Having promised in the midst of the virtuous, I am here, O sinless ones, to perform austerity.
किङ्कर्त्तव्यं मयात्रेति मम डोलायते मनः
My mind wavers here, thinking, 'What should I do?'
तन्नच्यावयते सत्यद्यथोक्तं ब्रह्मणा पुरा
That does not cause me to deviate from truth, as was formerly declared by Brahmā.
धर्म एव महांस्तेन चरितस्ते भविष्यति
Therefore, by that great dharma, your conduct will be established.
तमनुद्रुत्य मेधावी धर्ममुद्दिश्य केवलम्
Pursuing that alone, the wise one, intent solely on dharma, set forth.
समुद्दिश्य चचौ राजन्द्रष्टुकामः सरित्पतिम्
Having set his mind, O king, he went desiring to see the lord of rivers.
तत्परं सरितां पत्युस्तीरं प्राप महामनाः
That great-souled one reached the supreme bank of the lord of rivers.
आकरं सर्वरत्नानां पूर्यमाणमनारतम्
It was a source of all gems, ever being filled without ceasing.
दुष्पारपारं सर्वस्य विविधग्रहसंहतिम्
Impassable to cross, the gathering of all kinds of mighty currents.
आत्मानमिव चात्मत्वे न्यक्कृताखिलमुद्धतम्
Like the self in its own nature, it belittled all else, turbulent and proud.
अत्यर्थचपलोत्तुगतरङ्गशतमालिनम्
Adorned with hundreds of exceedingly restless, surging waves.
विशीर्यमाणलहरीशतफेनौघसोभितम्
Made beautiful by heaps of foam from hundreds of breaking waves.
संसेव्यमानस्तरलैर्लहरीकणशीतलैः
Attended by cool droplets from the playful, flickering waves.
विशश्रमे महाबाहुर्द्रष्टुकामः प्रचेतसम्
The mighty-armed one became weary, desiring to see Pracetas.
मेघगंभिरया वाचा वरुणं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
With a voice deep as thunderclouds, he spoke these words to Varuṇa.
तस्मात्स्वरूपधृङ्मह्यं प्रचेतो देहि दर्शनम्
Therefore, O form-assuming one, grant me a vision of Pracetas.
न चचाल निजस्थानान्नृप धीरतरस्त्वयम्
But, O king, he did not move from his own place, being most steadfast.
न ददौ दर्शनं तस्मै प्रतिवाच्यं च नाभ्यधात्
He did not grant him a vision, nor did he utter any reply.
अत्यन्तमिति कार्यार्थी विदुषा समुपेक्षितम्
Thus, intent on his purpose, he was completely disregarded by the wise one.
चुकोप तमभिप्रेक्ष्य रामः शस्त्रभृतां वरः
Seeing this, Rāma, best of those who bear arms, became angry.
निस्तोयमर्णवं कर्तुमियेष रुषितो भृशम्
Enraged, he resolved to make the ocean waterless.