सौमित्रिरप्यूर्मिलया मांडव्या भरतो नृपः । शत्रुघ्नः श्रुतकीर्त्या च कांतिमत्या च पुष्कलः
Saumitri, with Urmilā, King Māṇḍavya, Bharata, and Śatrughna with Śrutakīrti and Kāntimatī, and Puṣkala also went.
सुबाहुः सत्यवत्या च सत्यवान्वीरभूषया । सुमदस्तत्र सत्कीर्त्या राज्ञ्या च विमलो नृपः
Subāhu with Satyavatī, Satyavān with Vīrabhūṣā, Sumada with Satkīrti, and King Vimala with his queen were there.
राजावीरमणिस्तत्र श्रुतवत्या मनोज्ञया । लक्ष्मीनिधिः कोमलया रिपुतापोंगसेनया
King Vīramaṇi was there with the charming Śrutavatī, Lakṣmīnidhi with Komalā, and Riputāpa with Oṃgasenā.
विभीषणो महामूर्त्या प्रतापाग्र्यः प्रतीतया । उग्राश्वः कामगमया नीलरत्नोधिरम्यया
Vibhīṣaṇa, great in form and foremost in might, with Pratītā; Ugrāśva with Kāmagamā; Nīlaratnodhi with Ramyā.
सुरथः सुमनोहार्या तथा मोहनया कपिः । इत्यादीन्नृपतीन्विप्रो वसिष्ठः प्राहिणोन्मुनिः
Suratha with Sumanohāryā, and likewise the monkey Mohana; thus, the sage Vasiṣṭha sent these and other kings.
वसिष्ठः सरयूं गत्वा शिवपुण्यजलाप्लुताम् । उदकं मंत्रयामास वेदमंत्रेण मंत्रवित्
Vasiṣṭha, the knower of mantras, went to the Sarayū, sanctified by Śiva's holy waters, and consecrated the water with Vedic mantras.
पयः पुनीह्यमुं वाहमुदकेन मनोहृता । यज्ञार्थं रामचंद्रस्य सर्वलोकैकरक्षितुः
Purify this noble steed with water that delights the mind, for the sake of the sacrifice of Rāma, the sole protector of all worlds.
उदकं तन्मुनिस्पृष्टं सर्वे रामादयो नृपाः । आजह्रुर्मंडपतले विप्रवर्यैरुपस्तुते
All the kings, beginning with Rāma, brought water touched by the sage, upon the sacrificial platform, as the eminent Brāhmins praised.
पयोभिर्निर्मलैः स्नाप्य वाजिनं क्षीरसन्निभम् । मंत्रेण मंत्रयामास राम हस्तेन कुंभजः
Bathing the horse, white as milk, with pure waters, the son of Kumbha, with his own hand, recited the mantra over it.
पुनीहि मां महावाह अस्मिन्ब्रह्मसमाकुले । त्वन्मेधेनाखिला देवाः प्रीणंतु परितोषिताः
O mighty steed, purify me in this assembly filled with Brāhmins; by your sacrifice, may all the gods everywhere be fully satisfied.
इत्युक्त्वा स नृपो रामः सीतया सममस्पृशत् । तदा सर्वे द्विजाश्चित्रममन्यंत कुतूहलात्
Having spoken thus, King Rāma, together with Sītā, touched the horse; then all the Brāhmins, out of curiosity, found it wondrous.
परस्परमवोचंस्ते यन्नामस्मरणान्नराः । महापापात्प्रमुच्यंते स रामः किं वदत्यहो
They said to one another: 'By remembering his name, people are freed from great sin—what, then, will Rāma himself say, ah!'
इत्युक्तवति भूमीशे रामे कुंभोद्भवो मुनिः । करवालं चाभिमंत्र्य ददौ रामकरे मुनिः
As Rāma, lord of the earth, spoke thus, the sage born from the jar, having sanctified the sword, placed it in Rāma's hand.
करवाले धृते स्पृष्टे रामेण स हयः क्रतौ । पशुत्वं तु विहायाशु दिव्यरूपमपद्यत
When Rāma held and touched the sword, the horse at the sacrifice swiftly abandoned its animal form and attained a divine body.
विमानवरमारूढश्चाप्सरोभिः समंततः । चामरैर्वीज्यमानश्च वैजयंत्या विभूषितः
Mounted upon a splendid celestial chariot, surrounded by Apsarās on all sides, fanned with yak-tail whisks, and adorned with the Vaijayantī garland.
तदा तं वाजितां त्यक्त्वा दिव्यरूपधरं वरम् । वीक्ष्य लोकाः क्रतौ सर्वे विस्मयं प्राप्नुवंस्तदा
Then, seeing that the horse had been left behind and a being of divine form had appeared, all the people at the sacrifice were filled with amazement.
तदा रामः स्वयं जानञ्ज्ञापयन्सर्वतो नरान् । पप्रच्छ दिव्यरूपं तं सुरं परमधार्मिकः
Then Rāma himself, knowing all, informed everyone and questioned that divinely-formed being, who was supremely righteous.
कस्त्वं दिव्यवपुः प्राप्तः कस्मात्त्वं वाजितां गतः । कथं सुरस्त्रीसहितः किं चिकीर्षसि तद्वद
'Who are you, having attained a divine form? Why have you left the state of a horse? How are you together with celestial women? What do you intend to do? Tell me this.'
रामस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा देवः प्रोवाच भूमिपम् । हसन्मेघरवां वाणीमवदत्सुमनोहराम्
Hearing Rāma's words, the god addressed the king, smiling, and spoke with a voice deep as thunder, most pleasing.
तवाज्ञातं न सर्वत्र बाह्याभ्यंतरचारिणः । तथापि पृच्छते तुभ्यं कथयामि यथातथम्
'Nothing is unknown to you, who perceives all within and without; yet since you ask, I will tell you everything as it truly is.'
अहं पुराभवे राम द्विजः परमधार्मिकः । अचरं प्रतिकूलं वै वेदस्य रिपुतापन
'Formerly, O Rāma, I was a Brāhmin of supreme righteousness, but I acted contrary to the Veda, tormentor of enemies.'
कदाचिद्धुतपापायास्तीरेऽहं गतवान्पुरा । अनेकवृक्षललिते सर्वत्रसुमनोरमे
'Once, long ago, I went to the bank of the Hutapāpā, adorned with many trees and delightful everywhere with flowers.'
तत्र स्नात्वा पितॄंस्तृप्त्वा दानं दत्त्वा यथाविधि । ध्यानं तव महाबाहो कृतवान्वेदसंमितम्
'There, having bathed, satisfied the ancestors, and given gifts as prescribed, I meditated upon you, mighty-armed one, in accordance with the Veda.'
तदा जनाः समायाता बहवस्तत्र भूपते । तेषां प्रवंचनार्थाय दंभमेनमकारिषम्
'Then, O king, many people gathered there; in order to deceive them, I performed this act of hypocrisy.'
अनेकक्रतुसंभारैः पूर्णमजिरमुत्तमम् । वासोभिश्छादितं रम्यं चषालादियुतं महत्
A splendid, spacious hall, filled with the offerings of many sacrifices, was beautifully covered with garments and adorned with great kitchens and other features.
अग्निहोत्रोद्भवोधूमः सर्वतो नभसोंगणम् । चकार रम्यमतुलं चित्रकारिवपुर्धरः
Smoke arising from the agnihotra fire spread in all directions, reaching the sky, making the place appear wondrous and incomparable, like the work of a master artist.
अनेकतिलकश्रीभिः शोभितांगो महत्तपाः । दर्भशोभः समित्पाणिर्दंभो मूर्तिधरः किमु
A great ascetic, his body adorned with many auspicious marks, shone with the radiance of darbha grass, holding sacrificial sticks in his hand—was this not Dambha himself, embodied?
दुर्वासास्तत्र स्वच्छंदं पर्यटञ्जगतीतलम् । प्राप तत्र महातेजा धूतपापसरित्तटे
There, the powerful sage Durvasa, wandering freely across the earth, arrived on the banks of the sin-cleansing river.
ददर्श मां दंभकरं मौनधारिणमग्रतः । अनर्घ्यकरमुन्मत्तमस्वागतवचः करम्
He saw me, the hypocrite, standing before him in silence, acting madly, offering no words of welcome, and performing worthless deeds.
दृष्ट्वातीव क्रुधाक्रांतः समुद्र इव पर्वणि । शशापासौ मुनिस्तीव्रो दंभिनं मां महामतिः
Seeing this, the sage, seized by intense anger like the ocean at the full moon, cursed me, the deceitful ascetic, with his great wisdom.