तस्य गात्रसमुत्पन्नः कैटभो मधुना सह। दानवौ तौ महावीर्यौ घोरौ लब्धवरौ तदा
From his body arose Kaitabha together with Madhu; those two Dānavas, of great might and terrible, having obtained boons at that time—
दृष्ट्वा प्रजापतिं तत्र क्रोधाविष्टावुभौ नृप। वेगेन महता भोक्तुं स्वयंभुवमधावतां
—seeing the Lord of creatures there, both, seized by anger, rushed with great force to devour the self-born one.
दृष्ट्वा सत्वानि सर्वाणि निस्सरन्ति पृथक्पृथक्। ब्रह्मणा संस्तुतो विष्णुर्हत्वा तौ मधुकैटभौ
Seeing all beings emerging separately, Viṣṇu, praised by Brahmā, slew those two, Madhu and Kaitabha.
पृथिवीं वर्धयामास स्थित्यर्थं मेदसा तयोः। मेदोगंधा तु धरणी मेदिनीत्यभिधां गता
For the sake of stability, he caused the earth to grow with the fat of those two; because the earth had the smell of fat, she came to be called Medinī.
तस्माद्गृध्रस्त्वसत्यो वै पापकर्मापरालयम्। स्वीयं करोति पापात्मा दण्डनीयो न संशयः
Therefore, this vulture is indeed untruthful, devoted to wicked deeds, and a refuge of evil; he acts according to his sinful nature and is certainly deserving of punishment.
ततोऽशरीरिणीवाणी अंतरिक्षात्प्रभाषते। मा वधी राम गृध्रं त्वं पूर्वंदग्धं तपोबलात्
Then, a bodiless voice spoke from the sky: 'Do not kill the vulture, O Rāma; he was previously burned by the power of asceticism.'
पुरा गौतम दग्धोऽयं प्रजानाथो जनेश्वर। ब्रह्मदत्तस्तु नामैष शूरः सत्यव्रतः शुचिः
Long ago, this one was burned by Gautama, the lord of creatures, O king of men; his name is Brahmadatta, a valiant, truthful, and pure man.
गृहमागत्य विप्रर्षेर्भोजनं प्रत्ययाचत। साग्रं वर्षशतं चैव भुक्तवान्नृपसत्तम
Having come to the house of the sage, this Brahmadatta asked for food; and for a full hundred years, O best of kings, he ate there.
ब्रह्मदत्तस्य वै तस्य पाद्यमर्घ्यं स्वयं ततः। आत्मनैवाकरोत्सम्यग्भोजनार्थं महाद्युते
For Brahmadatta, that noble one, personally offered water for washing the feet and for hospitality, properly, in preparation for the meal.
समाविश्य गृहं तस्य आहारे तु महात्मनः। नारीं पूर्णस्तनीं दृष्ट्वा हस्तेनाथ परामृशत्
Entering his house, when the great-souled one was about to eat, he saw a woman with full breasts and then touched her with his hand.
अथ क्रुद्धेन मुनिना शापो दत्तः सुदारुणः। गृध्रत्वं गच्छ वै मूढ राजा मुनिमथाब्रवीत्
Then, the enraged sage pronounced a terrible curse: 'Fool, become a vulture!' The king then spoke to the sage.
कृपां कुरु महाभाग शापोद्धारो भविष्यति। दयालुस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा पुनराह नराधिप
'Show mercy, O greatly fortunate one; let there be a release from the curse.' Hearing these words, the compassionate king spoke again.
उत्पत्स्यते रघुकुले रामो नाम महायशाः। इक्ष्वाकूणां महाभागो राजा राजीवलोचनः
'A Rāma of great fame will be born in the lineage of Raghu, a most illustrious king of the Ikṣvāku line, with eyes like lotus petals.'
तेन दृष्टो विपापस्त्वं भविता नरपुंगव। दृष्टो रामेण तच्छ्रुत्वा बभूव पृथिवीपतिः
'When you are seen by that best of men, Rāma, you will be freed from your sin.' Hearing this from Rāma, the king rejoiced.
गृध्रत्वं त्यज्य वै शीघ्रं दिव्यगंधानुलेपनः। पुरुषो दिव्यरूपोऽसौ बभाषे तं नराधिपं
Abandoning the form of a vulture at once, anointed with divine fragrances, that man of celestial appearance spoke to the king.
साधु राघव धर्मज्ञ त्वत्प्रसादादहं विभो। विमुक्तो नरकाद्घोरादपापस्तु त्वया कृतः
'Well done, Rāghava, knower of righteousness! By your grace, O lord, I am freed from dreadful hell and made sinless by you.'
विसर्जितं मया गार्ध्यं नररूपी महीपतिः। उलूकं प्राह धर्मज्ञ स्वगृहं विश कौशिक
'I have cast off my vulture form, O king, and regained human shape.' The knower of righteousness then said to the owl, 'Return to your own home, Kauśika.'
अहं संध्यामुपासित्वा गमिष्ये यत्र वै मुनिः। अथोदकमुपस्पृश्य संध्यामन्वास्य पश्चिमां
'Having performed the evening worship, I will go where the sage is.' Then, after touching water and completing the evening rites,
आश्रमं प्राविशद्रामः कुंभयोनेर्महात्मनः। तस्यागस्त्यो बहुगुणं फलमूलं च सादरं
Rāma entered the hermitage of the great-souled son of Kumbha; Agastya, with great respect, offered him abundant fruits and roots.
रसवंति च शाकानि भोजनार्थमुपाहरत्। सभुक्तवान्नरव्याघ्रस्तदन्नममृतोपमम्
He brought flavorful vegetables for the meal; the tiger among men ate that food, which was like nectar.
प्रीतश्च परितुष्टश्च तां रात्रिं समुपावसत्। प्रभाते काल्यमुत्थाय कृत्वाह्निकमरिंदम
Pleased and fully satisfied, he spent that night there; at dawn, the destroyer of enemies rose and performed his morning duties.
ॠषिं समभिचक्राम गमनाय रघूत्तमः। अभिवाद्याब्रवीद्रामो महर्षिं कुंभसंभवम्
The best of the Raghus then approached the sage to take his leave; after bowing, Rāma spoke to the great sage born from a jar.
आपृच्छे साधये ब्रह्मन्ननुज्ञातुं त्वमर्हसि। धन्योस्म्यनुगृहीतोस्मि दर्शनेन महामुने
O Brahman, I take my leave and seek your permission to depart; I am blessed and favored by your sight, great sage.
दिष्ट्या चाहं भविष्यामि पावनात्मा महात्मनः। एवं ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे वाक्यमद्भुतदर्शनं
By fortune, I shall become purified in soul by the great one; as Kakutstha spoke thus, a wondrous speech was heard.
उवाच परमप्रीतो बाष्पनेत्रस्तपोधनः। अत्यद्भुतमिदं वाक्यं तव राम शुभाक्षरं
The ascetic, his eyes filled with tears, supremely pleased, said: 'O Rama, your words are most marvelous and auspicious.'
पावनं सर्वभूतानां त्वयोक्तं रघुनंदन। मुहूर्तमपि राम त्वां मैत्रेणेक्षंति ये नराः
O descendant of Raghu, what you have spoken is purifying for all beings; even those who behold you with friendship, O Rama, for a moment—
पावितास्सर्वसूक्तैस्ते कथ्यंते त्रिदिवौकसः। ये च त्वां घोरचक्षुर्भिरीक्षंते प्राणिनो भुवि
—are sanctified by all sacred utterances, as declared by the dwellers of heaven; and those creatures on earth who look upon you with hostile eyes—
ते हता ब्रह्मदंडेन सद्यो नरकगामिनः। ईदृशस्त्वं रघुश्रेष्ठ पावनः सर्वदेहिनां
—are struck down at once by the rod of Brahma and go to hell; such are you, O best of Raghu's line, purifier of all embodied beings.
कथयंतश्च लोकास्त्वां सिद्धिमेष्यंति राघव। गच्छस्वानातुरोऽविघ्नं पंथानमकुतोभयः
Those who speak of you in the worlds, O Raghava, attain success; go now, free from distress, on your path, unobstructed and fearless.
प्रशाधि राज्यं धर्मेण गतिस्तु जगतां भवान्। एवमुक्तस्तु मुनिना प्राञ्जलि प्रग्रहो नृपः
Rule the kingdom with righteousness; you are the refuge of all worlds. Thus addressed by the sage, the king, with joined palms—