जजाप परया भक्त्या नवरात्रमतन्द्रितः । नानाविधोपहारैश्च पूजयामास सादरम्
With supreme devotion, he recited the Navarātra without fatigue, and worshipped with various kinds of offerings, showing great respect.
नवसंवत्सरं चैव मायाबीजपरायणः । नवमे वत्सरान्ते तु महाष्टम्यां महेश्वरी
For nine years, he was devoted to the Māyābīja; at the end of the ninth year, on the great eighth day, the great Goddess—
अर्धरात्रे तु सञ्जाते प्रत्यक्षं दर्शनं ददौ । नानावरप्रदानैश्च कृतकृत्यञ्चकार तम्
At midnight, she appeared before him in person and, granting various boons, made him fulfilled.
रामचरित्रवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच कथं रामेण तच्चीर्णं व्रतं देव्याः सुखप्रदम् । राज्यभ्रष्टः कथं सोऽथ कथं सीता हृता पुनः
Description of Rāma's story. Janamejaya said: How did Rāma perform that vow of the Goddess which bestows happiness? How was he deprived of his kingdom, and how was Sītā taken and then restored?
व्यास उवाच राजा दशरथः श्रीमानयोध्याधिपतिः पुरा । सूर्यवंशधरश्चासीद्देवब्राह्मणपूजकः
Vyāsa said: Formerly, King Daśaratha, illustrious lord of Ayodhyā, belonged to the solar dynasty and was a worshipper of gods and brāhmaṇas.
चत्वारो जज्ञिरे तस्य पुत्रा लोकेषु विश्रुताः । रामलक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्ना भरतश्चेति नामतः
He had four sons, renowned in the world, named Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Śatrughna, and Bharata.
राज्ञः प्रियकराः सर्वे सदृशा गुणरूपतः । कौसल्यायाः सुतो रामः कैकेय्या भरतः स्मृतः
All were dear to the king, equal in virtue and appearance; Rama, son of Kausalya, and Bharata, remembered as Kaikeyi’s son.
सुमित्रातनयौ जातौ यमलौ द्वौ मनोहरौ । ते जाता वै किशोराश्च धनुर्बाणधराः किल
The two charming twins, sons of Sumitra, were born; they grew as youths, indeed, bearing bow and arrows.
सूनवः कृतसंस्कारा भूपतेः सुखवर्धकाः । कौशिकेन तदाऽऽगत्य प्रार्थितो रघुनन्दनः
The sons, well-trained, increased the happiness of the king; then, at that time, Raghunandana was requested by Kaushika, who had arrived.
राघवं मखरक्षार्थं सूनुं षोडशवार्षिकम् । तस्मै सोऽयं ददौ रामं कौशिकाय सलक्ष्मणम्
For the protection of the sacrifice, he gave his sixteen-year-old son, Raghava, along with Lakshmana, to Kaushika.
तौ समेत्य मुनिं मार्गे जग्मतुश्चारुदर्शनौ । ताटका निहता मार्गे राक्षसी घोरदर्शना
The two, meeting the sage on the way, proceeded, beautiful in appearance; on the path, the fierce-looking demoness Tataka was slain.
रामेणैकेन बाणेन मुनीनां दुःखदा सदा । यज्ञरक्षा कृता तत्र सुबाहुर्निहतः शठः
By Rama, with a single arrow, Tataka, who always brought sorrow to the sages, was killed; there, the wicked Subahu was slain, and the sacrifice protected.
मारीचोऽथ मृतप्रायो निक्षिप्तो बाणवेगतः । एवं कृत्वा महत्कर्म यज्ञस्य परिरक्षणम्
Maricha, nearly dead, was hurled away by the force of the arrow; thus, having accomplished the great deed of protecting the sacrifice.
गतास्ते मिथिलां सर्वे रामलक्ष्मणकौशिकाः । अहल्या मोचिता शापान्निष्पापा सा कृताऽबला
Then Rama, Lakshmana, and Kaushika all went to Mithila; Ahalya was freed from her curse and made pure, without fault.
विदेहनगरे तौ तु जग्मतुर्मुनिना सह । बभञ्ज शिवचापञ्च जनकेन पणीकृतम्
In the city of Videha, the two went together with the sage; they broke the bow of Shiva, which had been set as a challenge by Janaka.
उपयेमे ततः सीतां जानकीञ्च रमांशजाम् । लक्ष्मणाय ददौ राजा पुत्रीमेकां तथोर्मिलाम्
Then Rama married Sita, daughter of Janaka and born of the earth; the king gave his daughter Urmila to Lakshmana.
कुशध्वजसुते कन्ये प्रापतुर्भ्रातरावुभौ । तथा भरतशत्रुघ्नौ सुशिलौ शुभलक्षणौ
Both brothers received brides, daughters of Kushadhvaja; likewise, Bharata and Shatrughna, virtuous and auspicious, received theirs.
एवं दारक्रियास्तेषां भ्रातॄणां चाभवन्नृप । चतुर्णां मिथिलायां तु यथाविधि विधानतः
Thus, the marriage rites of the brothers were performed, O king, for all four in Mithila, according to proper custom and rule.
राज्ययोग्यं सुतं दृष्ट्वा राजा दशरथस्तदा । राघवाय धुरं दातुं मनश्चक्रे निजाय वै
Seeing his son fit for kingship, King Dasharatha then resolved in his mind to give the throne to Raghava, his own.
सम्भारं विहितं दृष्ट्वा कैकेयी पूर्वकल्पितौ । वरौ सम्प्रार्थयामास भर्तारं वशवर्तिनम्
When Kaikeyi saw the preparations made for the coronation, she requested her husband, who was bound by her will, for the two boons previously promised.
राज्यं सुताय चैकेन भरताय महात्मने । रामाय वनवासञ्च चतुर्दशसमास्तथा
She asked for the kingdom for her son, the noble Bharata, and for Rama, exile in the forest for fourteen years.
रामस्तु वचनात्तस्याः सीतालक्ष्मणसंयुतः । जगाम दण्डकारण्यं राक्षसैरुपसेवितम्
Rama, by her command, accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana, went to the Dandaka forest, inhabited by demons.
राजा दशरथः पुत्रविरहेण प्रपीडितः । जहौ प्राणानमेयात्मा पूर्वशापमनुस्मरन्
King Dasharatha, afflicted by separation from his son, abandoned his life, recalling the former curse.
भरतः पितरं दृष्ट्वा मृतं मातृकृतेन वै । राज्यमृद्धं न जग्राह भ्रातुः प्रियचिकीर्षया
Bharata, seeing his father dead by his mother’s deed, did not accept the prosperous kingdom, wishing to please his brother.
पञ्चवट्यां वसन् रामो रावणावरजां वने । शूर्पणखां विरूपां वै चकारातिस्मरातुराम्
While residing at Panchavati, Rama made Ravana’s sister, Shurpanakha, who was deformed, fall in love with him in the forest.
खरादयस्तु तां दृष्ट्वा छिन्ननासां निशाचराः । चक्रुः सङ्ग्राममतुलं रामेणामिततेजसा
When the night-dwelling demons Khar and others saw her with her nose cut off, they engaged in a fierce battle with Rama, whose power was immeasurable.
स जघान खरादींश्च दैत्यानतिबलान्वितान् । मुनीनां हितमन्विच्छन् रामः सत्यपराक्रमः
Rama, whose valor was true, slew Khar and the other mighty demons, seeking the welfare of the sages.
गत्वा शूर्पणखा लङ्कां खरदूषणघातनम् । दूषिता कथयामास रावणाय च राघवात्
Shurpanakha went to Lanka and told Ravana about the killing of Khar and Dushana, describing how she had been humiliated by Rama.
सोऽपि श्रुत्वा विनाशं तं जातः क्रोधवशः खलः । जगाम रथमारुह्य मारीचस्याश्रमं तदा
Hearing of their destruction, that wicked Ravana, overcome by anger, mounted his chariot and went to Maricha’s hermitage.
कृत्वा हेममृगं नेतुं प्रेषयामास रावणः । सीताप्रलोभनार्थाय मायाविनमसम्भवम्
Ravana, intending to entice Sita, ordered the magician Maricha to assume the form of a golden deer and lead her away.