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.
लंकां स पश्यन्बहुधा भग्नप्राकारतोरणाम् । दृष्ट्वाऽशोकवनं तत्र सीतास्थानं मुमूर्च्छ ह
As he gazed upon Laṅkā, with its many broken ramparts and gateways, seeing the Aśoka grove there, Sītā’s place, he fainted.
शिंशपांस्तत्र वृक्षांश्च पुष्पितान्कोरकैर्युतान् । राक्षसीभिः समाकीर्णान्मृताभिर्हनुमद्भयात्
There he saw the śiṃśapā trees and other trees, blooming and laden with buds, crowded with rākṣasīs who had died from fear of Hanumān.
इत्थं सर्वं विलोक्याशु रामः प्रायात्पुरीं प्रति । ब्रह्मादिदेवैः सहितः स्वीयस्वीयविमानकैः
Thus, having swiftly observed everything, Rāma set out for his city, accompanied by Brahmā and the other gods in their own aerial chariots.
देवदुंदुभिनिर्घोषाञ्छृण्वञ्छ्रोत्रसुखावहान् । तथैवाप्सरसां नृत्यैः पूज्यमानो रघूत्तमः
Hearing the auspicious sounds of divine drums, pleasing to the ear, and honored by the dances of the apsarās, Rāma, best of the Raghu line, proceeded.
सीतायै दर्शयन्मार्गे तीर्थान्याश्रमवंति च । मुनींश्च मुनिपुत्रांश्च मुनिपत्नीः पतिव्रताः
On the way, he showed Sītā the sacred fords and hermitages, as well as the sages, their sons, and the devoted wives of the sages.
यत्रयत्र कृतावासाः पूर्वं रामेण धीमता । तान्सर्वान्दर्शयामास लक्ष्मणेन समन्वितः
Wherever Rāma, the wise, had formerly stayed, he showed her all those places, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa.
इत्येवं दर्शयंस्तस्यै रामोऽद्राक्षीत्स्वकां पुरीम् । तस्याः पुनः समीपे तु नंदिग्रामं ददर्श ह
Thus, as he showed her these places, Rāma beheld his own city; and near it, he saw the village of Nandigrāma.
यत्र वै भरतो राजा पालयन्धर्ममास्थितः । भ्रातुर्वियोगजनितं दुःखचिह्नं वहन्बहु
There, indeed, Bharata ruled as king, established in righteousness, bearing many marks of sorrow caused by separation from his brother.
गर्तशायी ब्रह्मचारी जटावल्कलसंयुतः । कृशांगयष्टिर्दुःखार्तः कुर्वन्रामकथां मुहुः
Lying in a pit, practicing celibacy, adorned with matted hair and bark garments, his body thin and staff-like, afflicted by suffering, he repeatedly recites the story of Rama.
यवान्नमपि नो भुंक्ते जलं पिबति नो मुहुः । उद्यंतं सवितारं यो नमस्कृत्य ब्रवीति च
He does not eat even barley food, nor does he drink water often; after bowing to the rising sun, he speaks thus: