धन्यं कर्म्म च ते जन्म त्रैलोक्ये नैव विद्यते । एवं ते कर्मणा साधो चोद्धारं कुरुषे कुलम्
Blessed is your deed and your birth; such is not found in all three worlds. Thus, by your action, O virtuous one, you uplift your lineage.
सूत उवाच। एवं ब्रुवति श्रीकृष्णे विमानं स्वर्णनिर्मितम् । आगतं हरिगणैर्युक्तं सर्वत्र गरुडध्वजम्
Sūta said: As Śrī Kṛṣṇa spoke thus, a celestial chariot made of gold arrived, adorned everywhere with Garuḍa banners and attended by the hosts of Hari.
सर्वं तस्य कुलं ब्रह्मन्स श्वपाकपुरोहितम् । रथे चारोपयामास शंखपद्मधरः स्वयं
O Brahman, the entire family of that person, even with a dog-eater as their priest, was placed upon a chariot by the one who holds the conch and lotus, himself.
गृहीत्वा तान्हरिः सर्वान्गतो वैकुंठमंदिरम् । तत्र तस्थौ चिरं ते च कृत्वा भोगं सुदुर्ल्लभम्
Hari gathered them all and went to the abode of Vaikuntha; there they remained for a long time, enjoying pleasures that are exceedingly rare.
वचनं लंघयेद्यस्तु यस्तु वा दक्षिणं करम् । सकुलो निरयं याति सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम्
Whoever transgresses this command, or gives the right hand, along with their family, goes to hell; I speak the truth, the truth, I declare.
तस्यान्नं तु जलं ब्रह्मन्न ग्राह्यं पितृदैवतैः । त्यक्त्वा धर्मो गृहं तस्य भीत्या याति द्विजोत्तम
O Brahman, neither food nor water from such a person should be accepted by ancestors or gods; abandoning their duty, the best of twice-born leaves that house out of fear.
दत्वाशां यो जनः कुर्यान्नैराश्यं चैव मूढधीः । स स्वकान्कोटिपुरुषान्गृहीत्वा नरकं व्रजेत्
If a person gives hope and then acts with hopelessness, being of foolish mind, he takes his own countless people and goes to hell.
वचनं लंघयेद्यस्तु धर्मस्तस्य विलंघति । नृपाग्नितस्करैर्विप्र सत्यं सत्यं सुनिश्चितम्
Whoever transgresses this command, his righteousness is violated; by kings, fire, or thieves, O Brahman, this is certainly the truth, the truth.
स्वर्गोत्तरमिमं सम्यक्श्रुत्वा स्वर्गोत्तरं व्रजेत् । जीवन्मुक्तस्त्विहामुत्र कृष्णाख्यं धाम चोत्तमम्
Having properly heard this supreme teaching about heaven, one attains the highest heaven; liberated in life, here and hereafter, one reaches the supreme abode called Krishna.
श्रीगणेशाय नमः। श्रीकुलदेवतायै नमः। श्रीगुरुचरणारविंदाभ्यां नमः । नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवींसरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्
Salutations to Shri Ganesha; salutations to the family deity; salutations to the lotus feet of the revered guru; having bowed to Narayana, and also to the best of men, to Devi Sarasvati and Vyasa, then let victory be proclaimed.
ऋषय ऊचुः। श्रुतं सर्वं महाभाग स्वर्गखंडं मनोहरम् । त्वत्तोऽधुना वदायुष्मञ्छ्रीरामचरितं हि नः
The sages said: We have heard everything, O highly fortunate one, the enchanting section about heaven; now, please tell us the story of Shri Rama.
सूत उवाच। अथैकदा धराधारं पृष्टवान्भुजगेश्वरम् । वात्स्यायनो मुनिवरः कथामेतां सुनिर्मलाम्
Suta said: Then, once, Vatsyayana, the eminent sage, asked the lord of serpents about this pure narrative.
श्रीवात्स्यायन उवाच। शेषाशेष कथास्त्वत्तो जगत्सर्गलयादिकाः । भूगोलश्च खगोलश्च ज्योतिश्चक्रविनिर्णयः
Shri Vatsyayana said: From you, I have heard all the stories about creation, dissolution, and so forth; the earth-globe, the sky-globe, and the determination of the circle of stars.
महत्तत्त्वादिसृष्टीनां पृथक्तत्त्वविनिर्णयः । नानाराजचरित्राणि कथितानि त्वयानघ
The distinct determination of the great principles and their creation, and the various royal histories, have been narrated by you, O sinless one.
सूर्यवंशभवानां च राज्ञां चारित्रमद्भुतम् । तत्रानेकमहापापहरा रामकृता कथा
And the marvelous deeds of the kings born in the solar dynasty; among them, the story performed by Rama removes many great sins.
तस्य वीरस्य रामस्य हयमेधकथा श्रुता । संक्षेपतो मया त्वत्तस्तामिच्छामि सविस्तराम्
I have heard the story of the horse sacrifice of that heroic Rama from you in brief; I wish to hear it in detail.
या श्रुता संस्मृता चोक्ता महापातकहारिणी । चिंतितार्थप्रदात्री च भक्तचित्तप्रतोषदा
That story, which is heard, remembered, and spoken, destroys great sins, grants the desired meaning, and brings satisfaction to the minds of devotees.
शेष उवाच। धन्योसि द्विजवर्य त्वं यस्य ते मतिरीदृशी । रघुवीरपदद्वंद्व मकरंद स्पृहावती
Shesha said: Blessed are you, O best of twice-born, whose mind is thus, longing for the nectar of the twin feet of the hero of the Raghu line.
वदंति मुनयः सर्वे साधूनां संगमं वरम् । यस्मात्पापक्षयकरी रघुनाथकथा भवेत्
All the sages say that the company of the virtuous is best, for the story of Raghunatha brings the destruction of sin.
त्वया मेऽनुग्रहः सृष्टो यद्रामः स्मारितः पुनः । सुरासुरकिरीटौघ मणिनीराजितांघ्रिकः
By you, favor has been bestowed upon me, since Rama has been recalled again; whose feet are adorned by the multitude of jeweled crowns of gods and demons.
रावणारिकथा वार्द्धौ मशको मादृशः कियान् । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा मोहिता न विदंत्यपि
In the vast ocean of tales about Rāvaṇa’s enemy, what is someone like me but a mere mosquito? Even Brahmā and the other gods are bewildered there and do not comprehend.
तथापि भो मया तुभ्यं वक्तव्यं स्वीयशक्तितः । पक्षिणः स्वगतिं श्रित्वा खे गच्छंति सुविस्तरे
Yet, O noble one, I must speak to you according to my own ability; just as birds travel through the sky by their own flight.
चरितं रघुनाथस्य शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम् । येषां वै यादृशी बुद्धिस्ते वदंत्येव तादृशम्
The deeds of Rāghunātha are spread over hundreds of millions; each recounts them according to the measure of their own understanding.
रघुनाथसतीकीर्तिर्मद्बुद्धिं निर्मलीमसाम् । करिष्यति स्वसंपर्कात्कनकं त्वनलो यथा
The pure and flawless glory of Rāghunātha, by its very contact, will refine my mind, just as fire purifies gold.
सूत उवाच। इत्युक्त्वा तं मुनिवरं ध्यानस्तिमितलोचनः । ज्ञानेनालोकयांचक्रे कथां लोकोत्तरां शुभाम्
Sūta said: Having spoken thus to that great sage, with eyes absorbed in meditation, he perceived by knowledge the auspicious, transcendent tale.
गद्गदस्वरसंयुक्तो महाहर्षांकितांगकः । कथयामास विशदां कथां दाशरथेः पुनः
His voice choked with emotion, his body marked by great joy, he began again to narrate clearly the story of the son of Daśaratha.
शेष उवाच। लंकेश्वरे विनिहते देवदानवदुःखदे । अप्सरोगणवक्त्राब्जचंद्रमः कांतिहर्तरि
Śeṣa said: When the lord of Laṅkā was slain, bringing grief to gods and demons, the moon-like radiance of the apsarās’ lotus faces was taken away.
सुराः सर्वे सुखं प्रापुरिंद्र प्रभृतयस्तदा । सुखं प्राप्ताः स्तुतिं चक्रुर्दासवत्प्रणतिं गताः
Then all the gods, beginning with Indra, attained happiness; having found joy, they offered praise and bowed down like servants.
लंकायां च प्रतिष्ठाप्य धर्मयुक्तं बिभीषणम् । सीतयासहितो रामः पुष्पकं समुपाश्रितः
Establishing Bibhīṣaṇa, righteous in conduct, in Laṅkā, Rāma, together with Sītā, ascended the Puṣpaka chariot.
सुग्रीवहनुमत्सीतालक्ष्मणैः संयुतस्तदा । बिभीषणोऽपि सचिवैरन्वगाद्विरहोत्सुकः
Then, accompanied by Sugrīva, Hanumān, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa, and with Bibhīṣaṇa following with his ministers, eager from separation.