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—
अभिवादयितुं चक्रे सोऽगस्त्यमृषिसत्तमम्। अभिवाद्य मुनिश्रेष्ठंस्तांश्च सर्वांस्तपोधिकान्
—prepared to offer obeisance to Agastya, the foremost of seers; having saluted the best of sages and all the ascetics—
अथारोहत्तदाव्यग्रः पुष्पकं हेमभूषितम्। तं प्रयांतं मुनिगणा आशीर्वादैस्समंततः
—then, without delay, he ascended the Pushpaka, adorned with gold; as he departed, the hosts of sages blessed him on all sides.
अपूपुजन्नरेंद्रं तं सहस्राक्षमिवामराः। ततोऽर्धदिवसे प्राप्ते रामः सर्वार्थकोविदः
They honored that king as the immortals honor Indra with a thousand eyes; then, when half the day had passed, Rama, wise in all matters—
अयोध्यां प्राप्य काकुत्स्थः पद्भ्यां कक्षामवातरत्। ततो विसृज्य रुचिरं पुष्पकं कामवाहितं
—reached Ayodhya, O Kakutstha, and descended on foot into the park; then, dismissing the splendid Pushpaka, which moved at will—
कक्षांतराद्विनिष्क्रम्य द्वास्थान्राजाऽब्रवीदिदं। लक्ष्मणं भरतं चैव गच्छध्वं लघुविक्रमाः
—he left the park and spoke these words to the doorkeepers: 'Let Lakshmana and Bharata, swift of stride, come here.'
ममागमनमाख्याय समानयत मा चिरम्। श्रुत्वाथ भाषितं द्वास्था रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः1.37.
'Announce my arrival and bring them to me without delay.' Hearing the words of Rama, whose deeds are flawless—
गत्वा कुमारावाहूय राघवाय न्यवदेयन्। द्वास्थैः कुमारावानीतौ राघवस्य निदेशतः
—the doorkeepers went, summoned the princes, and reported to Raghava; by the command of Raghava, the princes were brought by the doorkeepers.
दृष्ट्वा तु राघवः प्राप्तौ प्रियौ भरतलक्ष्मणौ। समालिंग्य तु रामस्तौ वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह
When Raghava saw his beloved Bharata and Lakshmana had arrived, Rama embraced them and spoke these words:
कृतं मया यथातथ्यं द्विजकार्यमनुत्तमं। धर्महेतुमतो भूयः कर्तुमिच्छामि राघवौ
'I have accomplished the supreme duty to the twice-born as it should be; for the sake of righteousness, O Raghavas, I wish to do more.'
भवद्भ्यामात्मभूताभ्यां राजसूयं क्रतूत्तमं। सहितो यष्टुमिच्छामि यत्र धर्मश्च शाश्वतः
'With you both, who are as my own selves, I desire to perform the Rajasuya, the foremost of sacrifices, wherein eternal righteousness abides.'