जगन्नेत्रसुरस्वामिन्हर मे दुष्कृतं महत् । मदर्थे रामचंद्रोऽपि जगत्पूज्यो वनं ययौ
O Lord of gods, eye of the world, remove my great misdeed; for my sake, even Rama, worshipped by the world, went to the forest.
सीतया सुकुमारांग्या सेव्यमानोऽटवीं गतः । या सीता पुष्पपर्यंके वृंतमासाद्य दुःखिता
Attended by Sita, whose limbs are delicate, he entered the forest; that Sita, once resting on a flower couch, now, having encountered adversity, is distressed.
या सीता रविसंतापं कदापि प्राप नो सती । मदर्थे जानकी सा च प्रत्यरण्यं भ्रमत्यहो
That Sita, who never experienced the torment of the sun, now, for my sake, Janaki, wanders through the wilds—alas!
या सीता राजवृंदैश्च न दृष्टा नयनैः कदा । सा सीता दृश्यते नूनं किरातैः कालरूपिभिः
That Sita, whom royal assemblies never beheld with their eyes, is now surely seen by hunters, grim in appearance.
या सीता मधुरं त्वन्नं भोजिता न बुभुक्षति । सा सीताद्य वनस्थानि फलानि प्रार्थयत्यहो
That Sita, who ate sweet food and never felt hunger, now, dwelling in the forest, longs for fruits—alas!
इत्येवमन्वहं सूर्यमुपस्थाय वदत्यदः । प्रातःप्रातर्महाराजो भरतो रामवल्लभः
Thus, every morning, after approaching the sun, he speaks these words; day after day, the great king Bharata, beloved of Rama.
यश्चोच्यमानः सचिवैः समदुःखसुखैर्बुधैः । नीतिज्ञैः शास्त्रनिपुणैरिति प्रोवाच तान्नृपः
When addressed by ministers, wise in both sorrow and joy, skilled in policy and scripture, the king spoke to them thus:
अमात्या दुर्भगं मां किं प्रब्रूत पुरुषाधमम् । मदर्थे मेऽग्रजो रामो वनं प्राप्यावसीदति
O ministers, why do you call me unfortunate, the lowest of men? For my sake, my elder brother Rama, having reached the forest, is suffering.
दुर्भगस्य मम प्रस्वाः पापमार्जनमादरात् । करोमि रामचंद्रांघ्रिं स्मारं स्मारं सुमंत्रिणः
I, unfortunate, perform the expiation of my sin with devotion, repeatedly remembering the feet of Rama, O Sumant.
धन्या सुमित्रा सुतरां वीरसूः स्वपतिप्रिया । यस्यास्तनूजो रामस्य चरणौ सेवतेऽन्वहम्
Blessed indeed is Sumitra, mother of a hero and devoted to her husband, whose son daily serves the feet of Rama.
यत्र ग्रामे स्थितो नूनं भरतो भ्रातृवत्सलः । विलापं प्रकरोत्युच्चैस्तं ग्रामं स ददर्श ह
Wherever Bharata, loving his brother, resides in a village, he loudly laments; that village he saw.
अगस्त्य उवाच। अथोग्रं स तपो दैत्यो दशवर्षसहस्रकम् । चकार भानुमक्ष्णा च पश्यन्नूर्ध्वपदे स्थितः
Agastya said: Then that demon performed fierce austerity for ten thousand years, standing with his gaze fixed on the sun and his feet raised upward.
कुंभकर्णोऽपि कृतवांस्तपः परमदुश्चरम् । विभीषणस्तु धर्मात्मा चचार परमं तपः
Kumbhakarna also undertook austerity, extremely difficult; and Vibhishana, righteous in nature, performed supreme penance.
तदा प्रसन्नो भगवान्देवदेवः प्रजापतिः । देवदानवयक्षादि मुकुटैः परिसेवितः
Then the blessed Lord, God of gods, Prajapati, became pleased, attended by gods, demons, yakshas, and others, all crowned.
ददौ राज्यं च सुमहद्भुवनत्रयभास्वरम् । वपुश्च कृतवान्रम्यं देवदानवसेवितम्
He granted a vast kingdom, shining across the three worlds, and bestowed a splendid form, served by gods and demons.
तदा संतापितो भ्राता धनदो धर्मबुद्धिमान् । विमानं तु ततो नीतं लंका च नगरी हठात्
Then the brother, Kubera, afflicted and wise in righteousness, was forcibly removed from his palace, and Lanka, the city, was taken.
भुवनं तापितं सर्वं देवाश्चैव दिवो गताः । हतवान्ब्राह्मणकुलं मुनीनां मूलकृंतनः
The whole world was tormented, and the gods had gone to heaven; he had destroyed the families of Brahmins, cutting them off at the root.
तदातिदुःखिता देवाः सेंद्रा ब्रह्माणमाययुः । स्तुतिं चक्रुर्महात्मानो दंडवत्प्रणतिं गताः
Then the gods, greatly distressed, together with Indra, approached Brahma; those great souls offered praise, bowing down in reverence.
ते तुष्टुवुः सुराः सर्वे वाग्भिरर्थ्याभिरादृताः । ततः प्रसन्नो भगवान्किंकरोमीति चाब्रवीत्
All the gods praised him with earnest and respectful words; then the Blessed Lord, pleased, said, 'What shall I do?'
ततो निवेदयांचक्रुर्ब्रह्मणे विबुधाः पुरः । दशग्रीवाच्च संकष्टं तथा निजपराभवम्
Thereupon, the gods presented before Brahma both the distress caused by the ten-headed one and their own defeat.
क्षणं ध्यात्वा ययौ ब्रह्मा कैलासं त्रिदशैः सह । तस्य शैलस्य पार्श्वे तु वैचित्र्येण समाकुलाः
After meditating for a moment, Brahma went to Kailasa with the gods; at the side of that mountain, they were struck with wonder at its marvels.
स्थिताः संतुष्टुवुर्देवाः शंभुं शक्रपुरोगमाः । नमो भवाय शर्वाय नीलग्रीवाय ते नमः
Standing there, the gods, led by Indra, praised Shambhu: 'Homage to Bhava, to Sharva, to you with the blue throat.'
नमः स्थूलाय सूक्ष्माय बहुरूपाय ते नमः । इति सर्वमुखेनोक्तां वाणीमाकर्ण्य शंकरः
'Homage to you who are gross and subtle, who have many forms.' Hearing these words spoken by all, Shankara—
प्रोवाच नंदिनं देवा नानयेति ममांतिकम् । एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवा आहूता नंदिना च ते
—said to Nandi, 'Let the gods come before me, without exception.' Meanwhile, the gods were summoned by Nandi.
प्रविश्यांतःपुरे देवा ददृशुर्विस्मितेक्षणाः । ब्रह्मागत्य ददर्शाथ शंकरं लोकशंकरम्
Entering the inner palace, the gods beheld with astonished eyes; Brahma, having arrived, saw Shankara, the benefactor of the worlds.
गणकोटिसहस्रैस्तु सेवितं मोदशालिभिः । नग्नैर्विरूपैः कुटिलैर्धूसरैर्विकटैस्तथा
He was attended by countless hosts of ganas, rejoicing; some were naked, deformed, crooked, ashen, and grotesque.
प्रणिपत्याग्रतः स्थित्वा सह देवैः पितामहः । उवाच देवदेवेशं पश्यावस्थां दिवौकसाम्
Having bowed and stood before him with the gods, the Grandfather spoke to the Lord of gods: 'Behold the condition of the dwellers in heaven.'
कृपां कुरु महादेव शरणागतवत्सल । दुष्टदैत्यवधार्थं त्वं समुद्योगं विधेहि भोः
'Show compassion, O Great God, you who cherish those who seek refuge; undertake action for the destruction of the wicked demon, O Lord.'
सोऽपि तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दैन्यशोकसमन्वितम् । त्रिदशैः सहितैः सर्वैराजगाम हरेः पदम्
He too, hearing those words filled with humility and sorrow, went with all the gods to the abode of Hari.
तुष्टुवुर्मुनयः सर्वे ससुरोरगकिन्नराः । जय माधव देवेश जय भक्तजनार्तिहन्
All the sages, along with gods, serpents, and kinnaras, praised him: 'Victory to you, Madhava, Lord of gods, destroyer of the suffering of devotees!'