शृणु त्वं मम देवेश विज्ञाप्यं नरपुंगव। ममालयं पूर्वकृतं बाहुवीर्येण वै प्रभो
Hear, O lord of gods, what I wish to convey, O best of men; this dwelling was formerly mine, gained by the strength of my arms, O master.
उलूको हरते राजंस्त्वत्समीपे विशेषतः। ईदृशोयं दुराचारस्त्वदाज्ञा लंघको नृप
The owl has seized it, especially near you, O king; such is his wicked conduct, he transgresses your command.
प्राणांतिकेन दंडेन राम शासितुमर्हसि। एवमुक्ते तु गृध्रेण उलूको वाक्यमब्रवीत्
With the punishment that ends life, O Rāma, you should discipline him; when the vulture had spoken thus, the owl replied.
शृणु देव मम ज्ञाप्यमेकचित्तो नराधिप। सोमाच्छक्राच्च सूर्याच्च धनदाच्च यमात्तथा
Hear, O lord, what I wish to declare with single-mindedness, O king; from Soma, Indra, Sūrya, Kubera, and Yama,
जायते वै नृपो राम किंचिद्भवति मानुषः। त्वं तु सर्वमयो देवो नारायणपरायणः
A king is born, O Rāma, and becomes somewhat human; but you are the all-pervading god, devoted to Nārāyaṇa.
प्रोच्यते सोमता राजन्सम्यक्कार्ये विचारिते। सम्यग्रक्षसि तापेभ्यस्तमोघ्नो हि यतो भवान्
You are called Soma, O king, when proper action is considered; you rightly protect from afflictions, for you are the destroyer of darkness.
दोषे दंडात्प्रजानां त्वं यतः पापभयापहः। दाता प्रहर्ता गोप्ता च तेनेंद्र इव नो भवान्
In punishment for faults among the people, you remove the fear of sin; you are giver, striker, and protector, thus you are like Indra for us.
अधृष्यः सर्वभूतेषु तेजसा चानलो मतः। अभीक्ष्णं तपसे पापांस्तेन त्वं राम भास्करः
Unassailable among all beings, you are regarded as fire by your brilliance; by constant austerity you destroy sins, thus, O Rāma, you are like the sun.
साक्षाद्वित्तेशतुल्यस्त्वमथवा धनदाधिकः। चित्तायत्ता तु पत्नीश्रीर्नित्यं ते राजसत्तम
O best of kings, you are directly equal to Kubera, or even superior to the Lord of Wealth; yet the prosperity of a wife always depends upon the disposition of the mind.
धनदस्य तु कोशेन धनदस्तेन वैभवान्। समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु स्थावरेषु चरेषु च
By his treasury, Kubera is wealthy and thus, in splendor, he is equal among all beings, both stationary and moving.
शत्रौ मित्रे च ते दृष्टिः समंताद्याति राघव। धर्मेण शासनं नित्यं व्यवहारविधिक्रमैः
O Rāghava, your gaze remains impartial toward both enemy and friend; you always govern by righteousness, following the proper procedures of conduct.
यस्य रुष्यसि वै राम मृत्युस्तस्याभिधीयते। गीयसे तेन वै राजन्यम इत्यभिविश्रुतः
O Rāma, whoever incurs your wrath is said to meet death; thus, you are renowned as the king who restrains by punishment.
यश्चासौ मानुषो भावो भवतो नृपसत्तम। आनृशंस्यपरो राजा सर्वेषु कृपयान्वितः
And that human nature of yours, O best of kings, is ever inclined to compassion; as a king, you are filled with kindness toward all.
दुर्बलस्य त्वनाथस्य राजा भवति वै बलम्। अचक्षुषो भवेच्चक्षुरमतेषु मतिर्भवेत्
The king becomes the strength of the weak and the protector of the helpless; he is the eyes for the blind and the mind for those without discernment.
अस्माकमपि नाथस्त्वं श्रूयतां मम धार्मिक। भवता तत्र मंतव्यं यथैते किल पक्षिणः
You are also our protector, O righteous one; listen to me. You should consider us just as you consider these birds.
योस्मन्नाथः स पक्षींद्रो भवतो विनियोज्यकः। अस्वाम्यं देव नास्माकं सन्निधौ भवतः प्रभो
He who is our lord is the king of birds, appointed by you; O lord, in your presence, we have no independence.
भवतैव कृतं पूर्वं भूतग्रामं चतुर्विधम्। ममालयप्रविष्टस्तु गृध्रो मां बाधते नृप
By you alone, previously, the fourfold community of beings was established; but now, O king, a vulture who has entered my abode is troubling me.
भवान्देवमनुष्येषु शास्ता वै नरपुंगव। एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वै रामः सचिवानाह्वयत्स्वयम्
Among gods and men, you are the ruler, O foremost of men; hearing this, Rāma himself summoned his ministers.
विष्टिर्जयंतो विजयः सिद्धार्थो राष्ट्रवर्धनः। अशोको धर्मपालश्च सुमंत्रश्च महाबलः
Viṣṭi, Jayaṃta, Vijaya, Siddhārtha, Rāṣṭravardhana, Aśoka, Dharmapāla, and Sumaṃtra the mighty—
एते रामस्य सचिवा राज्ञो दशरथस्य च। नीतियुक्ता महात्मानः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदाः
These are the ministers of Rāma and King Daśaratha, great souls endowed with policy, and experts in all the scriptures.
सुशांताश्च कुलीनाश्च नये मंत्रे च कोविदाः। तानाहूय स धर्मात्मा पुष्पकादवरुह्य च
They are calm, noble by birth, skilled in counsel and policy; having summoned them, that righteous one descended from the Puṣpaka chariot.
गृध्रोलूकौ विवदंतौ पृच्छति स्म रघूत्तमः। कति वर्षाणि भो गृध्र तवेदं निलयं कृतं
The best of the Raghu lineage questioned the vulture and the owl, who were disputing: 'Tell me, O vulture, how many years have you made this your dwelling?'
एतन्मे कौतुकं ब्रूहि यदि जानासि तत्त्वतः। एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो गृध्रो बभाषे राघवं स्थितं
'Tell me this out of curiosity, if you know the truth.' Hearing these words, the vulture addressed Rāghava, who stood there.
इयं वसुमती राम मानुषैर्बहुबाहुभिः। उच्छ्रितैराचिता सर्वा तदाप्रभृति मद्गृहं
'O Rāma, this earth was amassed by men with strong arms; from that time onward, this has been my home.'
उलूकस्त्वब्रवीद्रामं पादपैरुपशोभिता। यदैव पृथिवी राजंस्तदाप्रभृति मे गृहं
But the owl said to Rāma, 'Adorned with trees, O king, from the very time the earth existed, this has been my home.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु रामो वै सभासद उवाचह। न सा सभा यत्र न संति वृद्धा वृद्धा न ते ये न वदंति धर्मं1.37.
Hearing this, Rāma spoke in the assembly: 'That is not an assembly where there are no elders, nor are they elders who do not speak of righteousness.'
नासौ धर्मो यत्र न चास्ति सत्यं न तत्सत्यं यच्छलमभ्युपैति। ये तु सभ्याः सभां गत्वा तूष्णीं ध्यायंत आसते
That is not righteousness where there is no truth, and that is not truth which accepts deceit; those who, having entered an assembly, sit silently and meditate—
यथाप्राप्तं न ब्रुवते सर्वे तेऽनृतवादिनः। न वक्ति च श्रुतं यश्च कामात्क्रोधात्तथा भयात्
—who do not speak as is appropriate—all of them are speakers of falsehood; and whoever does not speak what he has heard, whether from desire, anger, or fear—
सहस्रं वारुणाः पाशाः प्रतिमुंचंति तं नरं। तेषां संवत्सरे पूर्णे पाश एकः प्रमुच्यते
—for such a man, a thousand nooses of Varuṇa are fastened; when a year is completed, one noose is released from them.
तस्मात्सत्यं तु वक्तव्यं जानता सत्यमंजसा। एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु सचिवा राममेवाब्रुवंस्तदा
Therefore, one who knows the truth must speak it plainly; having heard this, the ministers then addressed only Rāma.