त्वं हि नित्यं बहुमतो गुणैर्बहुभिरुत्तमैः। अतस्त्वं पूजनीयो वै मम नित्यं हृदिस्थितः
You are always highly esteemed for your many excellent virtues; therefore, you are worthy of honor and ever reside in my heart.
सुरा हि कथयंति त्वां शूद्रघातिनमागतं। ब्राह्मणस्य च धर्मेण त्वया वै जीवितः सुतः
The gods speak of you as the one who has come after slaying the Shudra; and by your righteous conduct, the Brahmin's son has been restored to life.
उष्यतां चेह भगवः सकाशे मम राघव। प्रभाते पुष्पकेणासि गंतायोध्यां महामते
Remain here, O blessed one, with me, O Raghava; in the morning, you will go to Ayodhya by the Pushpaka, O wise one.
इदं चाभरणं सौम्य सुकृतं विश्वकर्मणा। दिव्यं दिव्येनवपुषा दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा
And this ornament, gentle one, was skillfully made by Vishvakarma; divine, with a celestial form, shining with its own brilliance.
प्रतिगृह्णीष्व राजेन्द्र मत्प्रियं कुरु राघव। लब्धस्य हि पुनर्द्दाने सुमहत्फलमुच्यते
Accept it, O king, and do what pleases me, O Raghava; for giving back what has been received is said to yield great reward.
त्वं हि शक्तः परित्रातुं सेंद्रानपि सुरोत्तमान्। तस्मात्प्रदास्ये विधिवत्प्रतीच्छस्व नरर्षभ
You are capable of protecting even the best of gods along with Indra; therefore, I will give it to you properly, accept it, O foremost of men.
अथोवाच महाबाहुरिक्ष्वाकूणां महारथः। कृतांजलिर्मुनिश्रेष्ठं स्वं च धर्ममनुस्मरन्
Then the mighty-armed, great chariot-warrior of the Ikshvakus spoke, with hands joined, to the foremost sage, recalling his own duty.
प्रतिग्रहो वै भगवंस्तव मेऽत्र विगर्हितः। क्षत्रियेण कथं विप्र प्रतिग्राह्यं विजानता
O revered one, accepting gifts from you is improper for me here; how can a Kshatriya, knowing this, accept gifts from a Brahmin?
ब्राह्मणेन तु यद्दत्तं तन्मे त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि। सपुत्रो गृहवानस्मि समर्थोस्मि महामुने
But what has been given by a brāhmaṇa, you ought to tell me; I have a son, a household, and I am capable, O great sage.
आपदा चन चाक्रांतः कथं ग्राह्यः प्रतिग्रहः। भार्या मे सुचिरं नष्टा न चान्या मम विद्यते
Even when beset by calamity, how could I accept a gift? My wife has long been lost, and I have no other.
केवलं दोषभागी च भवामीह न संशयः। कष्टां चैव दशां प्राप्य क्षत्रियोपि प्रतिग्रही
Here, I alone would bear the fault, there is no doubt; even a kṣatriya, having reached a dire situation, becomes a recipient.
कुर्वन्न दोषमाप्नोति मनुरेवात्र कारणम्। वृद्धौ च मातापितरौ साध्वी भार्या शिशुः सुतः
By doing so, he incurs no fault—Manu is the authority here; for the sake of aged parents, a virtuous wife, and a young son.
अप्यकार्यशतं कृत्वा भर्तव्या मनुरब्रवीत्। नाहं प्रतीच्छे विप्रर्षे त्वया दत्तं प्रतिग्रहं
Even after committing a hundred improper acts, they must be supported—so Manu has said; but I will not accept the gift you have offered, O sage among brāhmaṇas.
न च मे भवता कोपः कार्यो वै सुरपूजित
Nor should you be angry with me, revered by the gods.
अगस्त्य उवाच। न च प्रतिग्रहे दोषो गृहीते पार्थिवैर्नृप। भवान्वै तारणे शक्तस्त्रैलोक्यस्यापि राघव
Agastya said: There is no fault in accepting a gift when it is received by kings, O ruler; indeed, you are capable of rescuing even the three worlds, O Rāghava.
तारय ब्राह्मणं राम विशेषेण तपस्विनं। तस्मात्प्रदास्ये विधिवत्प्रतीच्छस्व नराघिप
Rescue the brāhmaṇa, O Rāma, especially the ascetic; therefore, I will duly give—accept, O lord of men.
राम उवाच। क्षत्रियेण कथं विप्र प्रतिग्राह्यं विजानता। ब्राह्मणेन तु यद्दत्तं तन्मे त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि
Rāma said: How can a kṣatriya, knowing this, accept a gift, O brāhmaṇa? But what has been given by a brāhmaṇa, you ought to tell me.
अगस्त्य उवाच। आसीत्कृतयुगे राम ब्रह्मपूते पुरातने। अपार्थिवाः प्रजाः सर्वाः सुराणां च शतक्रतुः
Agastya said: In the Kṛta Yuga, O Rāma, in the ancient, pure age of Brahmā, all beings were not ruled by kings, and Indra was the lord of the gods.
ताः प्रजा देवदेवेशं राजार्थं समुपागमन्। सुराणां विद्यते राजा देवदेवः शतक्रतुः
Those beings approached the lord of gods for the sake of a king; among the gods, the king is the lord of gods, Indra.
श्रेयसेस्मासु लोकेश पार्थिवं कुरु सांप्रतं। यस्मिन्पूजां प्रयुंजानाः पुरुषा भुंजते महीम्
For our greater good, O lord of the world, now appoint a king, whom, when honored, people may enjoy the earth.
ततो ब्रह्मा सुरश्रेष्ठो लोकपालान्सवासवान्। समाहूयाब्रवीत्सर्वांस्तेजोभागोऽत्र युज्यताम्
Then Brahmā, best of gods, summoned all the guardians of the worlds along with Indra, and said to them all: 'Let a share of your splendor be joined here.'
ततो ददुर्लोकपालाश्चतुर्भागं स्वतेजसा। अक्षयश्च ततो ब्रह्मा यतो जातोऽक्षयो नृपः
Then the guardians of the worlds gave a fourth part of their own splendor; and from that, Brahmā created the inexhaustible king, for he was born from the inexhaustible.
तं ब्रह्मा लोकपालानामंशं पुंसामयोजयत्। ततो नृपस्तदा तासां प्रजानां क्षेमपंडितः
Brahmā then united that portion of the guardians of the worlds into a man; thus, the king became the protector and guide of those beings.
तत्रैंद्रेण तु भागेन सर्वानाज्ञापयेन्नृपः। वारुणेन च भागेन सर्वान्पुष्णाति देहिनः
By the portion of Indra, the king commands all; by the portion of Varuṇa, he nourishes all living beings.
कौबेरेण तथांशेन त्वर्थान्दिशति पार्थिवः। यश्च याम्यो नृपे भागस्तेन शास्ति च वै प्रजाः
By the portion of Kubera, the king dispenses wealth; and by the portion of Yama, he rules over the people.
तत्र चैंद्रेण भागेन नरेन्द्रोसि रघूत्तम। प्रतिगृह्णीष्वाभरणं तारणार्थे मम प्रभो
There, by the portion of Indra, you are king, O best of the Raghus; accept the ornament for the sake of my deliverance, O lord.
ततो रामः प्रजग्राह मुनेर्हस्तान्महात्मनः। दिव्यमाभरणं चित्रं प्रदीप्तमिव भास्करं
Then Rama received from the hands of the great sage a divine ornament, splendid and radiant like the sun.
प्रतिगृह्य ततोगस्त्याद्राघवः परवीरहा। निरीक्ष्य सुचिरं कालं विचार्य च पुनः पुनः1.36.
Having accepted it from Agastya, Raghava, the slayer of mighty foes, gazed upon it for a long time, reflecting again and again.
मौक्तिकानि विचित्राणि धात्रीफलसमानि च। जांबूनदनिबद्धानि वज्रविद्रुमनीलकैः
It was adorned with pearls of various kinds, resembling amla fruits, bound with gold and set with diamonds, coral, and sapphires.
पद्मरागैः सगोमेधैर्वैडूर्यैः पुष्परागकैः। सुनिबद्धं सुविभक्तं सुकृतं विश्वकर्मणा
With rubies, garnets, cat's-eye gems, and flower-like stones, skillfully arranged and beautifully crafted by Vishvakarma.