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.
दंभं करोषि चेत्तीरे सरितस्त्वं सुदुर्मते । तस्मात्प्राप्नुहि निर्वाच्यं पशुत्वं तापसाधम
"If you, wicked-minded one, perform hypocrisy on the riverbank, then receive an unspeakable fate—become an animal, O lowest of ascetics!"
शापं प्रदत्तं संश्रुत्य दुःखितोऽहं तदाभवम् । अग्राहिषं पदे तस्य मुनेर्दुर्वाससः किल
Hearing that curse pronounced, I became deeply distressed and fell at the feet of the sage Durvasa.
तदा मे कृतवान्राम द्विजोऽनुग्रहमुत्तमम् । वाजितां प्राप्नुहि मखे राजराजस्य तापस
Then, O Rama, that brahmin bestowed his supreme grace upon me: "Ascetic, you shall attain the reward of the royal sacrifice of the king of kings."
पश्चात्तद्धस्तसंपर्काद्याहि तत्परमं पदम् । दिव्यं वपुर्मनोहारि धृत्वा दंभविवर्जितम्
"Afterwards, by the touch of his hand, go to that supreme state, assuming a divine and enchanting form, free from hypocrisy."
तेन शापोपिसंदिष्टो ममानुग्रहतां गतः । यदहं तव हस्तस्य स्पर्शं प्राप्तो मनोरमम्
Thus, even though cursed, I received his favor, for I attained the delightful touch of your hand.
यदेव राम देवादिदुर्लभं बहुजन्मभिः । तत्तेऽहं करजस्पर्शं प्राप्तवानिह दुर्लभम्
"O Rama, that which is difficult to obtain even by the gods through countless births—that rare touch of your hand—I have now attained here."
आज्ञापय महाराज त्वत्प्रसादादहं महत् । गच्छामि शाश्वतं स्थानं तव दुःखादिवर्जितम्
"Command me, great king. By your grace, I now go to the eternal abode, free from sorrow and other afflictions."
न यत्र शोको न जरा न मृत्युः कालविभ्रमः । तत्स्थानं देव गच्छामि त्वत्प्रसादान्नराधिप
"Where there is no grief, no old age, no death, nor the confusion of time—to that place, O king, I go by your favor."
इत्युक्त्वा तं परिक्रम्य विमानवरमारुहत् । अनेकरत्नखचितं सर्वदेवाधिवंदितम्
Having spoken thus, he circumambulated Rama and ascended a splendid celestial chariot, adorned with many jewels and revered by all the gods.
गतोऽसौ शाश्वतस्थानं रामपादप्रसादतः । पुनरावृत्तिरहितं शोकमोहविवर्जितम्
By the grace of Rama's feet, he went to the eternal abode, free from return, devoid of sorrow and delusion.
तेन तत्कथितं श्रुत्वा रामं ज्ञात्वेतरे जनाः । विस्मयं प्रापिरे सर्वे परस्परमुदुन्मदाः
Hearing this account, all the people, having understood Rama, were filled with wonder and joy, delighting with one another.
शृणु द्विजमहाबुद्धे दंभेनापि स्मृतो हरिः । ददाति मोक्षं सुतरां किं पुनर्दंभवर्जनात्
"Hear, O wise brahmin: even by hypocrisy, if one remembers Hari, he grants liberation—how much more so when hypocrisy is abandoned!"
यथाकथंचिद्रामस्य कर्तव्यं स्मरणं परम् । येन प्राप्नोति परमं पदं देवादिदुर्लभम्
However one may remember Rāma, that remembrance is the highest duty, by which one attains the supreme state, difficult even for the gods and others to obtain.
तच्चित्रं वीक्ष्य मुनयः कृतार्थं मेनिरे निजम् । यद्रामचरणप्रेक्षा करस्पर्शपवित्रितम्
Seeing this marvelous event, the sages considered themselves fulfilled, for their hands had been purified by the touch of Rāma's feet.
गते तस्मिन्सुरे स्वर्गं हयरूपधरे पुरा । उवाच रामस्तपसां निधीन्वेदविदुत्तमान्
When that god, who had taken the form of a horse, had gone to heaven, Rāma spoke to the foremost knowers of the Veda, the treasures of austerity.
किं कर्तव्यं मयाब्रह्मन्हयो नष्टो गतः सुखम् । होमः कथं पुरोभावी सर्वदैवततर्पकः
"What should I do, O Brāhmaṇa? The horse is lost and has gone happily. How can the sacrifice, which satisfies all the gods, be completed now?"
यथा स्यात्सुरसंतृप्तिर्यथा मे मख उत्तमः । तथा कुर्वंतु मुनयो यथा मे स्याद्विधिश्रुतम्
"Let the sages act so that the gods are satisfied and my sacrifice becomes excellent, just as prescribed in the injunctions of the Veda."
इति वाक्यं समाश्रुत्य जगाद मुनिसत्तमः । वसिष्ठः सर्वदेवानां चित्ताभिज्ञानकोविदः
Hearing these words, the best of sages, Vasiṣṭha—who knows the minds of all the gods—spoke.
कर्पूरमाहर क्षिप्रं येन देवाः स्वयं पुरा । प्राप्य हव्यं ग्रहीष्यंति मद्वाक्यप्रेरिताधुना
"Quickly bring camphor, by which the gods themselves once received the oblation; now, prompted by my words, they will accept it."
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य रामः क्षिप्रमुपाहरत् । कर्पूरं बहुदेवानां प्रीत्यर्थं बहुशोभनम्
Hearing these words, Rāma quickly brought much camphor, splendid and pleasing to the many gods.