लैंगं च वामनं चैव स्कांदं मात्स्यमथैव च । कौर्मं वाराहमुदितं गारुडं वाथ कीर्तितम्
The Laiṅga and Vāmana, as well as the Skānda and Matsya, then the Kūrma, Vārāha, and the Gāruḍa are also mentioned.
ब्रह्मांडमित्यष्टादशपुराणानि विदुर्बुधाः । तथा चोपपुराणानि कथयिष्याम्यतः परम्
The Brahmāṇḍa is thus known; the wise recognize these as the eighteen Purāṇas. Now I will recount the Upapurāṇas.
आद्यं सनत्कुमाराख्यं नारसिंहमतः परम् । तृतीयमांडमुद्दिष्टं दौर्वाससमथैव च
The first is called Sanatkumāra, then comes the Nārasiṃha; the third is named Āṇḍa, and next is the Daurvāsasa.
नारदीयमथान्यं च कापिलं मानवं तथा । तद्वदौशनस प्रोक्तं ब्रह्मांडं च ततः परम्
Then there is another Nārada, as well as the Kāpila and Mānava; the Vaiṣṇava and the Brahmāṇḍa are also mentioned thereafter.
वारुणं कालिकाह्वानं माहेशं सांबमेव च । सौरं पाराशरं चैव मारीचं भार्गवाह्वयम्
The Vāruṇa, Kālikā, Māheśa, Sāmba, Saura, Pārāśara, Mārīca, and Bhārgava are also named.
कौमारं च पुराणानि कीर्तितान्यष्ट वै दश । अष्टादशपुराणानां व्याकर्ता तु भवेन्मनुः
The Kaumāra and other Purāṇas are thus recounted, making eighteen in number; Manu is said to be the expounder of the eighteen Purāṇas.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे शिवराघवसंवादे पुराणमाहात्म्यकथनंनाम पंचदशोत्तरशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred fifteenth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of the Purāṇas,' in the dialogue between Śiva and Rāghava, in the Pātāla section of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
सूत उवाच- संध्यावंदनकर्मक्रियतामिति रामो मुनिमाचष्टायम् । उष्णद्युतिरप्यस्तमुपैति द्विजकुलमेतन्नीडमुपैति
Sūta said: Rāma told the sage that the duties of the twilight worship should be performed; the sun, though still warm, was setting, and the twice-born were returning to their dwellings.
स्वयमपि संध्यावंदनकामोऽव्रजदुत्तरदिशमुज्झितयानः । हाहाहूहूकृतसंगीतिर्बंदीप्रमुखप्रस्तुतकीर्तिः
Desiring to perform the twilight worship himself, he went northward, leaving his vehicle behind; the bards, led by the heralds, sang his praises with shouts of 'Hā Hā' and 'Hū Hū.'
गौतमीतटमुपेत्य राघवो वायुनंदनसुधौतपद्युगः । जांबवत्कृतकरावलंबनः प्रापदुत्तमनदीं तु गौतमीम्
Reaching the bank of the Gautamī, Rāghava, whose feet were washed by the wind-born Hanumān, and supported by Jāmbavat, approached the excellent river Gautamī.
करद्वये धृतकुशः स राघवः प्रागमद्वरुणदिशामथोत्तमाम् । दत्वा ततोऽर्घत्रितयं यथाविधि प्रहृष्टरोमाथ जजाप सोंऽतरे
Holding kuśa grass in both hands, Rāghava went eastward to the best direction, that of Varuṇa; then, after offering three libations of water according to the rite, his hair bristling with joy, he recited mantras inwardly.
संप्रार्थयित्वा वरुणं यथाक्रमं शंभुं वसिष्ठं प्रणनाम राघवः । ताभ्यां कृताशीरगमन्मनःपदं हनूमता क्षालित पादपंकजः । जुहाव वह्नीनथ बंदिमागधैः संस्तूयमानोऽथ विनिर्ययौ बहिः
Having duly invoked Varuṇa, Rāghava bowed to Śambhu and Vasiṣṭha; with his mind set on the path made auspicious by their blessings, and his feet cleansed by Hanumān, he offered oblations into the fire, and, praised by the bards and minstrels, he then went outside.
प्रहसच्चंद्र किरणैः सुधालिप्तमिवांबरम् । प्रसन्नताराकुसुमं वितानमिव सर्वतः
The sky shone, as if smeared with nectar by the rays of the moon, and everywhere it appeared like a canopy adorned with the blossoms of bright stars.
अथागच्छत्सौधतलं वृद्धामात्येन कल्पितम् । नानासनसमोपेतं सभास्थानं ययौ नृपः
Then he went to the upper hall, prepared by the aged minister; the king entered the assembly hall, furnished with various seats.
अथ मुनिं ह्युपवेश्य स राघवः स्वयमपि प्रथमासनमाभजत् । कपिगणाः परितः पृथुविग्रहा रचनयास्थितिमाप्रतिपेदिरे
Then Rāghava seated the sage, and himself took the foremost seat; the hosts of monkeys, broad-bodied, arranged themselves in order all around.
सुखस्थितं नृपमभिवीक्ष्य स द्विजो वचस्तदा समुचितमाह शंभुः । इहस्थितो भवति समस्तपूजितः कथं कथा नृपवर वर्तते गुहायाम्
Seeing the king comfortably seated, that twice-born Śambhu appropriately spoke these words: 'Here you are, honored by all—how does the tale unfold, O best of kings, within the cave?'
आकर्ण्याथ रघूद्वहो द्विजवचः शुश्रूषुरासीत्कथां । तत्रस्थो निपुणं निवार्यवचनं सर्वैः श्रुतं तत्क्षणात् । शुश्रूषामि कथं महाद्भुततया स्वात्माश्रयामन्यथा । रक्षोबाधनवादिनीमथनृपः किंत्वेतदित्याह च
Hearing the words of the brāhmaṇa, Rāghava became eager to listen to the tale; present there, he skillfully restrained others from speaking, and all listened at that very moment. 'I wish to hear this, for it is most wondrous and concerns my own self—yet, what is this talk of demon-slaying, O king?' he asked.
कुंभश्रोत्रवधः पुरा समजनि प्राप्तो दशास्यो वधं । पश्चादित्ययमन्यथा विरचितं रामायणं भाषते । कोऽयं विप्रवरः समस्तजनता नास्तिक्य संपादको । राज्ञांस्थानमुपेत्य वक्ति समया दंड्योऽथ पूज्योऽथवा
Long ago, the slaying of Kumbhakarṇa occurred, and the ten-headed one met his end; afterwards, this Rāmāyaṇa has been composed differently. Who is this eminent brāhmaṇa, who promotes disbelief among all people? Having come to the assembly of kings, does he deserve punishment or honor according to the law?
अथाह जांबवानमुं रघूत्तमं कथां प्रति । रामायणं न तावकं त्विदं हि कल्पितं मतम् । समस्तमत्र विस्तराद्वदामि देव तच्छृणु । पंकेरुहस्यसूनुतो मया श्रुतं पुराह्यभूत्
Then Jāmbavān spoke to the best of Raghus regarding the tale: 'This Rāmāyaṇa is not yours, but rather a fabricated account, so it is believed. I shall tell everything here in detail, O Lord—listen to what I once heard from the son of the Lotus-born.'
जांबवंतं विज्ञाप्य रामचंद्रो वचनमाह
Having informed Jāmbavān, Rāmacandra spoke these words:
श्रीराम उवाच- कीर्तय पुराणं मे शुश्रूषुः कुतूहलादहं प्रणीतं तत्केन च विज्ञातम्
Śrī Rāma said: 'Recite the ancient tale for me—I am eager to hear, out of curiosity, who composed it and how it became known.'
जांबवानथ बभाषे हि विधात्रे नमो नमस्तथैव विधुभूषणकेशवाभ्याम्
Then Jāmbavān spoke, offering repeated salutations to the Creator, and likewise to Keśava adorned with the crescent moon.
अथ पुरातनं रामायणं कथयामि
Now I shall narrate the ancient Rāmāyaṇa.
यस्य श्रवणेनाखिलजन्मसंपादित पापक्षयो जायते
By hearing which, the destruction of all sins accumulated over countless births arises.
अथ तथापि दशरथो दशरथसमानरथी महीयसा बलेन सुमानसनामनगरजिगीषया पंकेरुहसुतसुतं वसिष्ठमाहूय नमस्कृत्वा मुनिदत्तानुज्ञः शताक्षौहिणीसेनया सहारुह्य तुरंगमं चंद्र समानशरीरमतिरोषसमाविष्टो विष्टरश्रवसमाराध्य दंडयात्रां चकार
Then, even so, Daśaratha—equal to Daśaratha in chariot-fighting, possessing great strength, with a noble mind and the desire to conquer cities—summoned Vasiṣṭha, son of the Lotus-born, offered obeisance, and with the sage’s permission, mounted his horse with a hundred akṣauhiṇī army, his body like the moon, filled with intense wrath, worshipped Viṣṭaraśravas, and set out on a punitive expedition.
साध्यो नाम स्वीयया सेनयावृतो दशरथाभिमुखमाययौ योद्धुं युद्धं चान्योन्यमभूत्
A being named Sādhya, surrounded by his own army, came to face Daśaratha for battle, and there was mutual combat.
मासमेकं युद्धं कृत्वा दशरथस्तं साध्यं जग्राह
After fighting for one month, Daśaratha captured Sādhya.
अथ साध्यसूनुर्भूषणोनामाल्पपरिवारो युयुधे दशरथेन
Then Sādhya’s son, named Bhūṣaṇa, with a small retinue, fought with Daśaratha.
दशरथोऽपि साध्यसूनुं भुवोभूषणमवलोक्य योद्धुमेव नैच्छत्
But Daśaratha, seeing Sādhya’s son Bhūṣaṇa—an ornament of the earth—did not wish to fight him.
कथमेतादृशं हन्मि चास्मिन्हतेऽस्य कथं पिता भविष्यति कथं तन्माता कथमप्रौढयौवनाप्रियार्या
How can I kill one such as this? If he is slain, what will become of his father? What of his mother, and his beloved, youthful wife?