आगत्य च करे धृत्वा नभस्युत्पतितः कपिः । तावद्ययौ नेत्रपथादुपरि क्षिप्रवेगवान्
Coming forward, Hanuman seized a rock in his hand and leapt into the sky, moving swiftly out of sight.
चंपकस्तं हनूमंतं युयुधे नभसि स्थितः । बाहुयुद्धेन महता ताडितः कपिपुंगवः
Campaka fought Hanuman, who stood in the sky; the mighty monkey-chief was struck in a great hand-to-hand battle.
चुकोप मानसे वीरो गर्वपर्वतदारुणः । पदा धृत्वा चंपकं तं ताडयामास भूतले
The hero, fierce as a mountain of pride, grew angry in his mind, seized Campaka with his foot, and struck him to the ground.
ताडितोऽसौ कपींद्रेण क्षणादुत्थाय वेगवान् । हनूमंतं तु लांगूले धृत्वा बभ्राम सर्वतः
Struck by the monkey-lord, Campaka quickly rose with speed, seized Hanuman by the tail, and whirled him all around.
कपींद्रस्तद्बलं वीक्ष्य हसन्पादेऽग्रहीत्पुनः । भ्रामयित्वा शतगुणं गजोपस्थे ह्यपातयत्
Seeing that strength, the monkey-lord laughed, seized him by the foot again, spun him a hundred times, and hurled him onto the elephant's back.
पपात भूमौ सुबलो राजसूनुः स चंपकः । मूर्च्छितो वीरभूषाढ्यमलंकुर्वन्रणांगणम्
The powerful prince Campaka fell to the ground, unconscious, adorning the battlefield with his heroic ornaments.
तदा हाहेति वै लोकाश्चुक्रुशुश्चंपकानुगाः । पुष्कलं मोचयामास बद्धं चंपकपाशतः
Then Campaka's followers cried out 'Alas! Alas!' Hanuman released Puṣkala, who had been bound by Campaka's noose.
वात्स्यायन उवाच। जगत्पवित्रसत्कीर्ति जानक्या वाच्यवाचनम् । कथं समकरोत्स्वामी तन्मे कथय सुव्रत
Vātsyāyana said: O virtuous one, tell me how Janaki, whose fame purifies the world, spoke and was spoken to. How did the Lord accomplish this? Tell me.
यथा मे मनसः सौख्यं भविष्यति सुशोभनम् । तथा कुरुष्व शेषाद्य त्वन्मुखान्निःसृतामृतम् । पिबतस्तृप्तिरेव स्याद्यया संसृतिकृं तनम्
As my mind will attain excellent happiness, so now grant that the nectar flowing from your mouth may fully satisfy me, who thirsts for it, and by which the body, bound to the cycle of rebirth, finds contentment.
शेष उवाच। मिथिलायां महापुर्यां जनको नाम भूपतिः । तस्यां करोति सद्राज्यं धर्मेणाराधयन्प्रजाः
Śeṣa said: In the great city of Mithilā, there was a king named Janaka; he ruled there with righteousness, delighting his subjects through dharma.
तस्य संकर्षतो भूमिं सीतया दीर्घमुख्यया । सीरध्वजस्य निरगात्कुमारी ह्यतिसुंदरी
As he was ploughing the earth with Sītā, the chief among long-faced women, there emerged from the furrow a maiden of surpassing beauty, the daughter of Sīradhvaja.
तदात्यंतं मुदं प्राप्तः सीरकेतुर्महीपतिः । सीता नामाकरोत्तस्या मोहिन्या जगतः श्रियः
The king Sīraketu then experienced the utmost joy; he named her Sītā, the very embodiment of the world's enchanting fortune.
सैकदोद्यानविपिने खेलंती सुमनोहरा । अपश्यत्स्वमनःकांतं शुकशुक्योर्युगं वदत्
Once, while she was playing in a delightful garden grove, she saw a pair of parrots, a male and female, speaking sweetly to each other, charming to her heart.
अत्यंतं हर्षमापन्नमत्यंतं कामलोलुपम् । परस्परं भाषमाणं स्नेहेन शुभया गिरा
They were filled with great joy and intense longing, conversing with each other in loving and auspicious words.
रममाणं तदा युग्मं नभसि क्षिप्रवेगतः । समुत्पतन्नगोपस्थे स्थितं शब्दं चकार तत्
At that moment, the pair, delighting together, swiftly rose into the sky and, perched on the branch of a tree, made a sound.
रामो महीपतिर्भूमौ भविष्यति मनोहरः । तस्य सीतेति नाम्ना तु भविष्यति महेलिका
A king named Rāma will be born on earth, wondrous to behold; and his queen will be known by the name Sītā.
स तया सह वर्षाणां सहस्राण्येकयुग्दश । राज्यं करिष्यते धीमान्कर्षन्भूमिपतीन्बली
With her, that wise and mighty king will rule for eleven thousand years, subduing other rulers of the earth.
धन्या सा जानकी देवी धन्योऽसौ रामसंज्ञितः । यौ परस्परमापन्नौ पृथिव्यां रंस्यतो मुदा
Blessed is that goddess Jānakī, and blessed is he called Rāma; the two, united with each other, will rejoice together on earth.
इति संभाष्यमाणं तु शुकयुग्मं तु मैथिली । ज्ञात्वेदं देवतायुग्मं वाणीं तस्य विलोक्य च
Hearing the pair of parrots speaking thus, Maithilī realized they were a divine couple, observing their speech and manner.
मदीयास्तु कथा रम्याः कुरुते शुकयोर्युगम् । एतद्गृहीत्वा पृच्छामि सर्वं वाक्यं गतार्थकम्
She thought, 'Their stories are delightful; I will question this pair of parrots, taking in all their meaningful words.'
एवं विचार्य सा स्वीयाः सखीः प्रतिजगाद ह । गृह्णंतु शनकैरेतत्पक्षियुग्मं मनोहरम्
Having considered thus, she spoke to her companions: 'Let this charming pair of birds be gently caught.'
सख्यस्तास्तद्गिरिं गत्वा गृह्णन्पक्षियुगं वरम् । निवेदयामासुरिदं स्वसख्याः प्रियकाम्यया
Her friends, going to that tree, captured the excellent pair of birds and, out of affection, brought them to their dear companion.
बहुधा विविधाञ्छब्दान्कुर्वद्वीक्ष्य मनोहरम् । आश्वासयामास तदा पप्रच्छ तदिदं वचः
Seeing the pair making many varied and delightful sounds, she comforted them and then asked these words:
सीतोवाच। मा भैषातां युवां रम्यौ कौ वां कुत्र समागतौ । को रामः का च सा सीता तज्ज्ञानं तु कुतः स्मृतम्
Sītā said: 'Do not be afraid, you lovely pair. Who are you, and where have you come together? Who is Rāma, and who is this Sītā? From where did you gain this knowledge?'
तत्सर्वं शंसतं क्षिप्रं मत्तो वां व्येतु यद्भयम् । इति पृष्टं तया पक्षियुगं सर्वमशंसत
'Tell me all this quickly, so that your fear of me may be dispelled.' Thus questioned by her, the pair of birds told everything.
पक्षियुग्ममुवाच। वाल्मीकिरास्ते सुमहानृषिर्धर्मविदुत्तमः । आवां तदाश्रमस्थाने सर्वदा सुमनोहरे
The pair of birds said: 'There dwells Vālmīki, a great sage, foremost knower of dharma; we always lived in his delightful hermitage.'
सशिष्यान्गापयामास भावि रामायणं मुनिः । प्रत्यहं तत्पदस्मारी सर्वभूतहिते रतः
The sage, together with his disciples, began to recite the future Rāmāyaṇa, intent each day on remembering its words, devoted to the welfare of all beings.
तदावाभ्यां श्रुतं सर्वं भावि रामायणं महत् । मुहुर्मुहुर्गीयमानमायातं परिपाठतः
At that time, we both heard in full the great future Rāmāyaṇa, repeatedly sung and recited in proper order.
शृण्वावां तेऽभिधास्यावो यो रामो या च जानकी । यद्यद्भविष्यते तस्या रामेण क्रीडितात्मना
Let us listen and speak of who Rāma is, and who Jānakī is, and whatever will happen to her through the playful deeds of Rāma.
ऋष्यशृंगकृतेष्ट्यां च चतुर्धा त्वंगतो हरिः । प्रादुर्भविष्यति श्रीमान्सुरस्त्रीगीतसत्कथः
Through the sacrifice performed by Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, Hari will manifest in fourfold form, glorious and praised in noble stories sung by the divine women.