नारायण उवाच ब्रह्मणा प्रार्थितो विष्णुर्जातो दशरथात्स्वयम् । कौसल्यायां च भगवांस्त्रेतायां च मृदाऽन्वितः
Narayana said: At Brahma's request, Vishnu was born from Dasharatha himself, in Kausalya, the blessed one, in the Treta age, endowed with clay.
कैकेय्यां भरतश्चैव रामतुल्यो गुणेन च । लक्ष्मणश्चापि शत्रुघ्नः सुमित्रायां गुणार्णवः
In Kaikeyi, Bharata was born, equal to Rama in virtue; and Lakshmana and Shatrughna, oceans of qualities, were born in Sumitra.
पिश्वामित्रप्रेषितश्च श्रीरामश्च सलक्ष्मणः । प्रययौ मिथिलां रम्यां सीताग्रहणहेतवे
Sent by Vishvamitra, Rama along with Lakshmana went to the charming Mithila for the purpose of winning Sita.
दृष्ट्वा पाषाणारूपा च रामो वर्त्मनि कामिनीम् । विश्वामित्रं च पप्रच्छ कारणं जगदीश्वरः
Seeing the woman turned to stone on the path, Rama, Lord of the world, questioned Vishvamitra about the cause.
रामस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महातपाः । उवाच तत्र धर्मिष्ठो रहस्यं सर्वमेव च
Hearing Rama's words, Vishvamitra, the great ascetic, righteous in conduct, revealed the entire secret there.
कारणं तन्मुखाच्छ्रृत्वा रामो भुवनपावनः । पस्पर्श पादाङ्गुलिना सा बभूव च पद्मिनी
Hearing the cause from his mouth, Rama, purifier of the worlds, touched her with his toe, and she became a lotus-like woman.
सा राममाशिषं कृत्वा प्रययौ भर्तृ मन्दिरम् । शुभाशिषं ददौ तस्मै भार्या संप्राप्य गौतमः
She offered her blessings to Rama and went to her husband's house; Gautama, having obtained a wife, gave him auspicious blessings.
रामश्च मिथिलां गत्वा धनुर्भङ्गं शिवस्या च । चकार पाणिग्रहणं सीतायाश्चैव नारद
And Rama, having gone to Mithila, broke Shiva's bow and performed the wedding ceremony with Sita, O Narada.
कृत्वा विवाहं राजेन्द्रो भृगुदर्प निहत्य च । णयोध्यां प्रययौ रम्यां क्रीडाकौतुकमङ्गलैः
Having celebrated the marriage and subdued the pride of Bhrigu's descendants, the king went to beautiful Ayodhya amidst festivities and auspicious celebrations.
राजा पुत्रं नृपं कर्तुमिषेय कृतसादरम् । सप्ततीर्थोदकं तूर्णमानीय मुनिपुंगवान्
The king, wishing to install his son as king, respectfully summoned the foremost sages and quickly brought water from the seven sacred rivers.
कृताधिवासं श्रीरामं सर्व मङ्गलसंयुतम् । दृष्ट्वा भरतमाता च कैकेयी शोकविह्वला
Having performed the consecration of Shri Rama, endowed with all auspicious qualities, Bharata's mother Kaikeyi, overcome with grief, looked on.
वरयामास राजानं पूर्वमङ्गीकृतं वरम् । रामस्य वनवासं च राजत्वं भरतस्य च
She requested the king for the previously granted boons: Rama's exile to the forest and the kingship for Bharata.
वरं दातुं महाराजो नेयेष प्रेममोहितः । धर्मसत्यभयेनैवोवाच रामो नृपं सुधी
The great king, overcome by love and affection, was unwilling to grant the boon; but Rama, out of fear of righteousness and truth, spoke to the king, wise as he was.
श्रीराम उवाच तडागशतदानेन यत्पुण्यं लभते नरः । ततोऽधिकं च लभते वापीदानेन निश्चितम्
Shri Rama said: The merit a man gains by giving a hundred ponds is certainly surpassed by the merit gained from donating a single well.
दशवापीप्रदानेन यत्पुण्यं लभते नरः । ततोऽधिकं च लभते पुण्यं कन्याप्रदानतः
The merit a man gains by giving ten wells is certainly surpassed by the merit gained from giving away a maiden in marriage.
दशकन्याप्रदानेन यत्पुण्यं लभते नरः । ततोऽधिकं च लभते यज्ञैकेन नराधिप
The merit a man gains by giving away ten maidens is certainly surpassed by the merit gained from performing a single sacrifice, O king.
शतयज्ञेन यत्पुण्यं लभते पुण्यकृज्जनः । ततोऽधिकं च लभते पुत्रास्यदर्शनेन च
The merit a virtuous person gains by performing a hundred sacrifices is certainly surpassed by the merit gained from seeing one's own son.
दर्शने शतपुत्राणां यत्पुण्यं लभते नरः । तत्पुण्यं लभते नूनं पुण्यवान्सत्यबालनात्
The merit a man gains by seeing a hundred sons is surely gained by a virtuous person from a single truthful child.
न हि सत्यात्परो धर्मो नानृतात्पातकं परम् । न हि गह्घासमं तीर्यं म देवः केशवात्परः
There is no righteousness greater than truth, nor any sin greater than falsehood; there is no holy place equal to the Ganges, nor any god greater than Keshava.
नास्ति धर्मात्परो बन्धुर्नास्ति धर्मात्परं धनम् । धर्मात्प्रियः परः को वा स्पधर्मं रक्ष यत्नतः
There is no relative greater than righteousness, nor any wealth greater than righteousness; who is dearer than righteousness? Therefore, protect your own righteousness with great care.
स्वधर्मे रक्षिते तात शश्वत्सर्वत्र मङ्गलम् । यशस्यं सुप्रतिष्ठा च प्रतापः पूजनं परम्
When one protects one's own righteousness, O dear one, there is always auspiciousness everywhere, lasting fame, firm reputation, great glory, and supreme honor.
यतुर्दशाब्दं धर्मेण त्यक्त्वा गृहसुखं म्रमन् । वनवासं करिष्यामि सत्यस्य पालनाय ते
For ten years, I will abandon the comforts of home and dwell in the forest, upholding your truth.
कृत्वा सत्यं च शपथमिच्छयाऽनिच्छयाऽथवा । न कृर्यात्पालनं यो हि भस्मान्तं तस्य सूतकम्
Having taken a vow of truth, whether willingly or unwillingly, if one does not uphold it, his impurity lasts until he is reduced to ashes.
कुम्भीपाके स पचति यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरौ । ततो मूको भवेत्कुषठी मानवः सप्तजन्मसु
He cooks in the hell called Kumbhipaka as long as the moon and sun endure; then, for seven births, the man becomes mute and diseased.
इत्योवमुक्त्वा श्रीरामो विधाय कल्कलं जटाम् । प्रययौ च महारण्ये सीतया लक्ष्मणेन च
Having thus spoken, Lord Rāma arranged his matted locks and departed into the great forest, accompanied by Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa.
पुत्रशोकान्महाराजास्तत्याज स्वतनुं मुने । पालनाय पितुः सत्यं रामो बभ्रामकानन
Afflicted by grief for his son, the great king abandoned his body, O sage; and Rāma, upholding his father's word, wandered in the forest.
कालान्तरे महारण्ये भगिनी रावणस्य च । भ्रमन्ती कानने घोरे भर्त्रा सार्धं सुगौतुकात्
After some time, in the great forest, Rāvaṇa’s sister, roaming with her husband in the dreadful woods, encountered them during an auspicious rite.
ददर्श रामं कुलटा कामार्ता राक्षसी तदा । पुलकाञ्चितसर्वाङ्गी सूर्च्छमाप स्मरेण च
Then that lustful demoness, overwhelmed by desire, saw Rāma; her whole body bristling with excitement, she fainted from love’s fever.
श्रीरामनिकटं गत्वा सस्मितोवाच कामुकी । शस्वधौवनसंयुक्ताऽतिप्रौढा कामदुर्मदा
Approaching Lord Rāma, the passionate woman, bold and intoxicated with desire, smiled and spoke these words, her mind fixed on union.
शूर्पणखोवाच हेराम हे धनश्याम रूपधाम सुणान्वित । मायानुरक्तां वनितां मां गृहाण सुनिर्जने
Śūrpaṇakhā said: 'O Rāma, O dark-hued treasure, embodiment of beauty, listen! Take me, a woman enchanted by your charm, here in this lonely place.'