प्रसादाद् देवदेवस्य महादेवस्य धीमतः
By the grace of the wise Lord of gods, the great god—
बभार शिरसा गङ्गां सोमान्ते सोमभूषणः
He bore Gaṅgā upon his head, adorned with the crescent moon.
नाभागस्तस्य दायादः सिन्धुद्वीपस्ततो ऽभवत्
Nābhāga's heir was Sindhudvīpa.
सौदासस्तस्य तनयः ख्यातः कल्माषपादकः
His son was Saudāsa, renowned as Kalmāṣapāda.
अश्मकं जनयामसा तमिक्ष्वाकुकुलध्वजम्
He begot Aśmaka, the banner of the Ikṣvāku line.
स हि रामभयाद् राजा वनं प्राप सुदुः खितः
That king, greatly distressed, entered the forest out of fear of Rāma.
तस्माद् बिलिबिलिः श्रीमान्वृद्धशर्माचतत्सुतः
From him was born the illustrious Bilibili, whose son was Vṛddhaśarmā.
दीर्घबाहुः सुतस्तस्य रघुस्तस्मादजायत
His son was Dīrghabāhu; from him was born Raghu.
रामो दाशरथिर्वोरो धर्मज्ञो लोकविश्रुतः
Rāma, son of Daśaratha, famed in the world, knower of righteousness, was born.
जज्ञे रावणनाशार्थं विष्णुरंशेन विश्वकृत्
Viṣṇu, the creator of the universe, was born in part for the destruction of Rāvaṇa.
सीता त्रिलोकविख्याता शीलौदार्यगुणान्विता
Sītā, renowned throughout the three worlds, was endowed with virtue and generosity.
प्रायच्छज्जानकीं सीतां राममेवाश्रिता पतिम्
Janaka gave Sītā, who had taken Rāma as her husband, to him.
प्रददौ शत्रुनाशार्थं जनकायाद्भुतं धनुः
For the destruction of enemies, Janaka gave the wondrous bow.
अघोषयदमित्रघ्नो लोके ऽस्मिन् द्विजपुङ्गवाः
O best of twice-born, the destroyer of foes proclaimed in this world:
देवो वा दानवो वापि स सीतां लब्धुमर्हति
Whether god or demon, he who wins Sītā is worthy.
भञ्जयामास चादाय गत्वासौ लीलयैव हि
He went and, with ease, broke it and took it up.
रामः परमधर्मात्मा सेनामिव च षण्मुखः
Rāma, supremely righteous, was like Kārttikeya with his army.
रामं ज्येष्ठं सुतं वीरं राजानं कर्तुमारभत्
He began to install Rāma, his eldest heroic son, as king.
निवारयामास पतिं प्राह संभ्रान्तमानसा
She restrained her husband and, her mind agitated, spoke.
पूर्वमेव वरो यस्माद् दत्तो मे भवता यतः
Because you had previously granted me a boon—
बाढमित्यब्रवीद् वाक्यं तथा रामो ऽपि धर्मवित्
Rama, knower of righteousness, replied, 'So be it,' to those words.
ययौ वनं सपत्नीकः कृत्वा समयमात्मवान्
Self-controlled, he went to the forest with his wife, having made an agreement.
उवास तत्र मतिमान् लक्ष्मणेन सह प्रभुः
The wise lord stayed there together with Lakshmana.
परिव्राजकवेषेण सीतां हृत्वा ययौ पुरीम्
In the guise of an ascetic, he carried off Sita and went to his city.
दुः खशोकाभिसंतप्तौ बभूवतुररिन्दमौ
The two enemy-slayers became tormented by grief and sorrow.
वानराणामभूत् सख्यं रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः
A friendship arose between Rama, whose deeds were pure, and the monkeys.
वायुपुत्रौ महातेजा रामस्यासीत् प्रियः सदा
The mighty Hanuman, son of the wind, was always dear to Rama.
आनयिष्यामि तां सीतामित्युक्त्वा विचचार ह
Saying, 'I will bring Sita back,' he set out searching.
जगाम रावणपुरीं लङ्कां सागरसंस्थिताम्
He went to Ravana's city, Lanka, situated in the ocean.
अपश्यदमलां सीतां राक्षसीभिः समावृताम्
He saw spotless Sita, surrounded by demonesses.