प्राप्तास्ते तु महात्मानो राघवस्य निवेशनम्। प्रतीहारस्ततो राममगस्त्यवचनाद्द्रुतम्
Those great souls arrived at the residence of Rāghava. Then, at Agastya's command, the doorkeeper quickly informed Rāma.
आवेदयामास ऋषीन्प्राप्तास्तांश्च त्वरान्वितः। दृष्ट्वा रामं द्वारपालः पूर्णचंद्रमिवोदितम्
He announced the arrival of the sages, hastening to do so. Seeing Rāma, the doorkeeper beheld him like the full moon risen.
कौसल्यासुत भद्रं ते सुप्रभाताद्य शर्वरी। द्रष्टुमभ्युदयं तेद्य सम्प्राप्तो रघुनंदन
Son of Kausalyā, may auspiciousness be yours; today is a bright morning. The Raghunandana has come to see your rising.
अगस्त्यो मुनिभिः सार्धं द्वारि तिष्ठति ते नृप। श्रुत्वा प्राप्तान्मुनीन्रामस्तान्भास्करसमद्युतीन्
Agastya, together with the sages, stands at your door, O king. Hearing of the arrival of the sages, Rāma, radiant like the sun, received them.
प्राह वाक्यं तदा द्वास्थं प्रवेशय त्वरान्वितः। किमर्थं तु त्वया द्वारि निरुद्धा मुनिसत्तमाः
Then he spoke to the doorkeeper: Admit them quickly. Why have you kept the eminent sages waiting at the door?
रामवाक्यान्मुनींस्तांस्तु प्रावेशयद्यथासुखम्। दृष्ट्वा तु तान्मुनींन्प्राप्तान्प्रत्युवाच कृतांजलि
At Rāma's command, the doorkeeper admitted those sages comfortably. Seeing the sages arrived, he addressed them with joined palms.
रामोऽभिवाद्य प्रणत आसनेषु न्यवेशयत्। ते तु कांचनचित्रेषु स्वास्तीर्णेषु सुखेषु च
Rāma, having bowed respectfully, seated them on chairs. They sat on golden, beautifully spread, comfortable seats.
कुशोत्तरेषु चासीनाः समंतान्मुनिपुंगवाः। पाद्यमाचमनीयं च ददौ चार्घ्यं पुरोहितः
The foremost sages sat on seats covered with kusha grass all around. The priest gave them water for washing feet, for sipping, and the arghya offering.
रामेण कुशलं पृष्टा ऋषयः सर्व एव ते। महर्षयो वेदविद इदं वचनमब्रुवन्
Rāma inquired about their well-being, and all those sages, great seers and knowers of the Vedas, spoke these words.
कुशलं ते महाबाहो सर्वत्र रघुनंदन। त्वां तु दिष्ट्या कुशलिनं पश्यामो हतविद्विषम्
All is well with you, mighty-armed Raghunandana. By good fortune, we see you safe, having vanquished your enemies.
हृता सीतातिपापेन रावणेन दुरात्मना। पत्नी ते रघुशार्दूल तस्या एवौजसा हतः
Sita was carried off by the exceedingly sinful Ravana, that wicked soul; O tiger among the Raghus, your wife—by her very power, he was slain.
असहायेन चैकेन त्वया राम रणे हतः। यादृशं ते कृतं कर्म तस्य कर्ता न विद्यते
Alone and unaided, you killed him in battle, O Rama; the deed you accomplished—there is no one else who could have done it.
इह संभाषितुं प्राप्ता दृष्ट्वा पूताः स्म सांप्रतम्। दर्शनात्तव राजेंद्र सर्वे जातास्तपस्विनः
Having come here to speak with you, and seeing you, we are now purified; by beholding you, O king, we have all become ascetics.
रावणस्य वधात्तेद्य कृतमश्रुप्रमार्जनम्। दत्वा पुण्यामिमां वीर जगत्यभयदक्षिणाम्
By the slaying of Ravana today, the wiping of tears has been accomplished; O hero, you have given this blessed earth the gift of fearlessness.
दिष्ट्या वर्धसि काकुत्स्थ जयेनामितविक्रम। दृष्टस्संभाषितश्चासि यास्यामश्चाश्रमान्स्वकान्
By good fortune you thrive, O Kakutstha, with victory and boundless valor; we have seen you, spoken with you, and now we shall return to our hermitages.
अरण्यं ते प्रविष्टस्य मया चेंद्रशरासनम्। अर्पितं चाक्षयौ तूणौ कवचं च परंतप
When you entered the forest, I entrusted to you, O subduer of foes, the Indra bow, two inexhaustible quivers, and a great armor.
भूयोप्यागमनं कार्यमाश्रमे मे रघूद्वह। एवमुक्त्वा तु ते सर्वे मुनयोंतर्हिताऽभवन्
You must come again to my hermitage, O best of the Raghus; having spoken thus, all those sages vanished from sight.
गतेषु मुनिमुख्येषु रामो धर्मभृतां वरः। चिंतयामास तत्कार्यं किं स्यान्मे मुनिनोदितम्
When the foremost sages had departed, Rama, the best among the righteous, began to ponder what task the sage had indicated for him.
भूयोप्यागमनं कार्यमाश्रमे रघुनंदन। अवश्यमेव गंतव्यं मयाऽगस्त्यस्य सन्निधौ
You must certainly come again to the hermitage, O descendant of Raghu; I must without fail go into the presence of Agastya.
श्रोतव्यं देवगुह्यं तु कार्यमन्यच्च यद्वदेत्। एवं चिंतयतस्तस्य रामस्यामिततेजसः
I must hear the divine secrets and whatever other duty he may declare; as Rama of immeasurable splendor was thus reflecting—
करिष्ये नियतं धर्मं धर्मो हि परमा गतिः। सुतवर्षसहस्राणि दश राज्यमकारयत्
I will surely perform righteousness, for righteousness is the highest goal; for ten thousand excellent years he ruled the kingdom.
ददतो जुह्वतश्चैव जग्मुस्तान्येकवर्षवत्। प्रजाः पालयतस्तस्य राघवस्य महात्मनः
As he gave and offered oblations, those years passed as if a single year; while he, the great-souled Raghava, protected his people.
एतस्मिन्नेव दिवसे वृद्धो जानपदो द्विजः। मृतं पुत्रमुपादाय रामद्वारमुपागतः
On that very day, an aged Brahmin from the countryside, bringing his dead son, came to Rama's gate.
उवाच विविधं वाक्यं स्नेहाक्षरसमन्वितम्। दुष्कृतं किंतु मे पुत्र पूर्वदेहांतरे कृतम्
He spoke various words, filled with affection: 'What evil did my son commit in a previous body?'
त्वामेकपुत्रं यदहं पश्यामि निधनं गतम्। अप्राप्तयौवनं बालं पंचवर्षं गतायुषम्
'Why do I, who have only one son, see him gone to death—still a child, not having reached youth, his life ended at five years?'
अकाले कालमापन्नं दुःखाय मम पुत्रक। अकृत्वा पितृकार्याणि गतो वैवस्वतक्षयम्
'My little son met his end before his time, to my sorrow; without performing the rites for his father, he has gone to the realm of Yama.'
रामस्य दुष्कृतं व्यक्तं येन ते मृत्युरागतः। बालवध्या ब्रह्मवध्या स्त्रीवध्या चैव राघवम्
'It is surely due to Rama's misdeed that death has come to you; the slaying of a child, a Brahmin, or a woman brings ruin to Raghava.'
प्रवेक्ष्यति न सन्देहः सभार्ये तु मृते मयि। शुश्राव राघवः सर्वं दुःखशोकसमन्वितम्
'There is no doubt that, if I die, Rama with his wife will enter destruction.' Raghava heard all this, filled with grief and sorrow.
निवार्य तं द्विजं रामो वसिष्ठं वाक्यमब्रवीत्। किं मयाद्य च कर्तव्यं कार्यमेवं विधे स्थिते
Having restrained that Brahmin, Rāma spoke to Vasiṣṭha: 'What should I do now, with matters standing thus?'
प्राणानहं जुहोम्यग्नौ पर्वताद्वा पतेह्यहम्। कथं शुद्धिमहं यामि श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणभाषितम्
'I will offer my life into the fire, or throw myself from a mountain; how can I attain purity, having heard the words spoken by the Brahmin?'