स कौशिकेन मिथिलां प्राप्स्यते भ्रातृसंयुतः । धनुष्पाणिस्तदा दृष्ट्वा दुर्ग्राह्यमन्यभूभुजाम्
He, accompanied by his brothers, will reach Mithilā with Viśvāmitra; seeing the bow in his hand, which is unattainable for other kings.
धनुर्भंक्त्वा जनकजां प्राप्स्यते सुमनोहराम् । तया सह महद्राज्यं करिष्यति श्रुतं वरे
Breaking the bow, he will win Janaka’s daughter, supremely enchanting; with her, he will rule a great kingdom, as has been heard, O noble one.
एतदन्यच्च तत्रस्थैः श्रुतमस्माभिरुद्गतैः । कथितं तव चार्वंगि मुंचावां गंतुकामुकौ
This and other things, sung there, we have heard; all has been told to you, O beautiful one—let us go, for we wish to depart.
इति वाक्यं तयोर्धृत्वा श्रोत्रयोः सुमनोहरम् । पुनरेवजगादेदं वाक्यं पक्षियुगं प्रति
Having held these charming words in their ears, once again she spoke these words to the pair of birds.
स रामः कुत्र वर्तेत कस्य पुत्रः कथं तु ताम् । परिग्रहीष्यति वरः कीदृग्रूपधरो नरः
Where does that Rāma dwell, whose son is he, and how will he take her as his bride? What form will that excellent man assume?
मया पृष्टमिदं सर्वं कथयंतु यथातथम् । पश्चात्सर्वं करिष्यामि प्रियं युष्मन्मनोहरम्
All this I have asked—tell me everything as it truly is; afterwards, I will do all that is pleasing to you both.
तच्छ्रुत्वा तां तु कामेन पीडितां वीक्ष्य सा शुकी । जानकीं हृदये ज्ञात्वा पपाठ पुरतस्ततः
Hearing this, and seeing her tormented by desire, that female parrot, knowing Jānakī in her heart, recited before her.
सूर्यवंशध्वजो धीमान्राजा पंक्तिरथो बली । यं देवाः श्रित्य सर्वारीन्विजेष्यंति च सर्वशः
There will be a wise and mighty king, banner of the Solar dynasty, named Paṅktiratha, whom the gods will rely upon to conquer all their enemies completely.
तस्य भार्यात्रयं भावि शक्रमोहनरूपधृक् । तस्मिन्नपत्य चातुष्कं भविष्यति बलोन्नतम्
He will have three wives, possessing beauty that bewilders even Indra; in him, four sons of great strength will be born.
सर्वेषामग्रजो रामो भरतस्तदनुस्मृतः । लक्ष्मणस्तदनु श्रीमाञ्छत्रुघ्नः सर्वतो बली
Of them, Rāma will be the eldest, followed by Bharata; then Lakṣmaṇa, glorious, and Śatrughna, mighty in every way.
रघुनाथ इति ख्यातिं गमिष्यति महामनाः । तेषामनंतनामानि रामस्य बलिनः सखि
He, great of mind, will become renowned as Raghunātha; these are the countless names of Rāma, the powerful one, O friend.
पद्मकोश इव शोभनं मुखं । पंकजाभनयने सुदीर्घके । उन्नता पृथुमनोहरा नसा । वल्गुसंगत मनोहरे भ्रुवौ
His face is beautiful like a lotus bud; his eyes are long, resembling lotuses; his nose is high, broad, and charming; his brows are lovely, gracefully joined and captivating.
जानुलंबित मनोहरौ भुजौ । कंबुशोभिगलकोऽतिह्रस्वकः । सत्कपाटतलविस्तृतश्रिकं । वक्ष एतदमलं सलक्ष्मकम्
His arms are long and delightful, reaching to his knees; his neck shines like a conch, and is very short; his chest is broad, splendid, and marked with auspicious signs, pure and radiant.
शोभनोरुकटिशोभया युतं । जानुयुग्मममलं स्वसेवितम् । पादपद्ममखिलैर्निजैः सदा । सेवितं रघुपतिं सुशोभनम्
He is endowed with the beauty of shapely thighs and hips; his pair of knees is spotless and well-formed; his lotus-like feet are always served by his own attendants—such is the splendid Raghupati.
एतद्रूपधरो रामो मया किं तु स वर्ण्यते । शताननोपि नो याति पक्षिणः किमु मादृशाः
Rāma assumes such a form—how can I possibly describe him? Even the thousand-headed one cannot reach it; how then could birds like us?
यद्रूपं वीक्ष्य ललिता मनोहरवपुर्धरा । लक्ष्मीर्मुमोह भुविका वर्तते या न मोहति
Seeing that form, adorned with beauty and captivating charm, even Lakṣmī was bewildered—she who is never deluded upon earth.
महाबलो महावीर्यो महामोहनरूपधृक् । किं वर्णयामि श्रीरामं सर्वैश्वर्यगुणान्वितम्
He is of great strength, great valor, and bears a supremely enchanting form—how can I describe Śrī Rāma, endowed with all lordly qualities?
धन्या सा जानकीदेवी महामोहनरूपधृक् । रंस्यते येन सहिता वर्षाणामयुतं मुदा
Blessed indeed is Lady Jānakī, who will delight together with him, the bearer of the supremely enchanting form, for ten thousand years in joy.
त्वं कासि किं तु नामासि बत सुंदरि यत्तु माम् । परिपृच्छसि वैदग्ध्याद्रामकीर्तनमादरात्
Who are you, and what is your name, O beautiful one, that you ask me so skillfully, with such eagerness, about the praise of Rāma?
एतद्वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य जानकी पक्षिणोर्युगम् । उवाच जन्मललितं शंसंती स्वस्य मोहनम्
Hearing these words, Jānakī spoke to the pair of birds, recounting her noble birth and the cause of her own enchantment.
या त्वया जानकी प्रोक्ता साहं जनकपुत्रिका । स रामो मां यदाभ्येत्य प्राप्स्यते सुमनोहरः
I am she whom you called Jānakī, the daughter of Janaka; that supremely charming Rāma will come and obtain me.
तदा वां मोचयाम्यद्धानान्यथा वाक्यलोभिता । लालयामि सुखेनास्तां मद्गेहे मधुराक्षरौ
Then I will surely release you both, or else, enticed by your words, I will fondly keep her in my house with happiness, O sweet-voiced ones.
इत्युक्तं तत्समाकर्ण्य वेपतुर्भयतां गतौ । परस्परं प्रक्षुभितौ जानकीमित्यवोचताम्
When she had spoken thus and they heard it, the birds trembled in fear; agitated, they addressed Jānakī together.
वयं वै पक्षिणः साध्वि वनस्था वृक्षगोचराः । परिभ्रमाम सर्वत्र नो सुखं नो भवेद्गृहे
We are but birds, O virtuous lady, dwelling in the forest among the trees; we wander everywhere—there is no happiness for us in a house.
अंतर्वत्नी स्वके स्थाने गत्वा संसूय पुत्रकान् । त्वत्स्थानमागमिष्यामि सत्यं मे ह्युदितं वचः
Let my mate remain in her own place and hatch the young; after that, I will come to your abode—my words are truly spoken.
एवं प्रोक्ता तया सा तु न मुमोच शुकीं स्वयम् । तदापतिस्तां प्रोवाच विनीतवदनुत्सुकः
Though thus addressed by him, she did not release the female parrot; then her mate, eager yet humble, spoke to her.
सीते मुंच कथं भार्यां रक्षसे मे मनोहरीम् । आवां गच्छाव विपिने विचरावः सुखं वने
O Sītā, release my beloved wife—how can you keep her captive? Let us both go into the forest and wander happily there.
अंतर्वत्नी तु वर्तेत भार्या मम मनोरमा । तस्याः प्रसूतिं कृत्वा त्वामागमिष्यामि शोभने
Let my mate, my lovely wife, remain there; after she has given birth, O beautiful one, I will come to you.
इत्युक्ता निजगादेमं सुखं गच्छ महामते । एतां रक्षामि सुखिनीं मत्पार्श्वे प्रियकारिणीम्
Thus addressed, she replied: 'Go happily, O wise one; I will keep her safe and content, performing loving acts at my side.'
इत्युक्तो दुःखितः पक्षी तामूचे करुणान्वितः । योगिभिः प्रोच्यते यद्वै तद्वचस्तथ्यमेव हि
Thus spoken to, the sorrowful bird said to her with compassion: 'What is spoken by yogis is indeed true.'