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?
अमुष्य हि देहे समालिंगनचुंबनपरिवर्तन नवीनतरदलारविंदपदानि कुसुमानीव दृश्यंते
For on his body are seen marks, fresh as tender lotus petals, from embraces, kisses, and playful turns.
एतत्समानवर्णवया एतादृशः सुभगः परमप्रीतिवर्द्धनोनाम पुत्रो भल्लूकभक्षितोमृतःस्मृतिपथं प्राप्यापि मां रक्षयितुमिच्छतीव मम हृदयमन्यथा करोति इति मनसा वितर्क्यातिबालकं ग्रहीतुमारभत्
Of the same complexion and age, such a charming son, named Paramaprītivardhana, was eaten by a bear and died; even recalling him, he seems to wish to protect me—my heart is moved otherwise.' Thus thinking in his mind, he began to seize the very young boy.
स च साध्योपि पराधीनो बभूव
And even that Sādhyā became subject to another's will.
स च कुमारेण सह पराजय खेदमपि मत्वा सुखमध्युवास च
He, together with the prince, considering also the distress of defeat, lived there happily.
दशरथोऽपि तत्र मासं स्थित्वा तत्पुत्रसंदर्शनसुखमवलोक्याचिंतयत्
And Daśaratha, having stayed there for a month, seeing the joy of beholding his son, reflected.
अहो सर्वदुःखापनोदनक्षममेतन्मुखावलोकनं पुत्रसंवर्द्धनंनाम सर्वराष्ट्रिको मम जयः पुत्रवियोगमनुस्मरतो दुःखाय केवलं भवति
Ah! The sight of a son's face, called the nurturing of a son, is capable of dispelling all sorrow; all my victories over kingdoms are only a source of grief when I recall separation from my son.
तदस्य पृच्छां करोमि कथमीदृशो जायते पुत्र इति वितर्क्य तमपृच्छत्
Therefore, I will ask him, 'How does such a son come to be?'—thinking thus, he questioned him.
साध्योऽपि सकलमोक्षमार्गं क्षितीशायादिशत्
Even Sādhyā instructed the king in the entire path of liberation.
हरीशानौ सहाराध्य सर्वैकादशीरुपोष्य द्वादशीषु ब्राह्मणानाराध्य तत्तत्कालभवं फलपूर्वमन्नाद्यं व्यंजनं पुष्पं च न्यायेन संपाद्य कपिलाघृतेन केशवं स्नापयित्वा मुद्गचूर्णेन संलिप्य स्वादूदकेन स्नापयित्वा सुरभिपाटीरं स्वयमुद्घृष्टं मृगनाभ्यागुरुसारेण वासमेतं देवांगं सर्वमुपलिप्य तुलसीदलैर्यूथिकाकरवीरनीलोत्पलकमल कोकनदद्रो णकुसुम मरुवदमनक गिरिकर्णिकाकेतकीदलपूर्वैर्यथासंभवमभ्यर्च्य द्वादशाक्षरेण पुरुषसूक्तेन वा नाम्ना षोडशोपचारेण वाराध्य प्रणम्य नृत्यं कृत्वा देवं क्षमापयेत्
Having worshipped Hari and Īśāna together, observing all the Ekādaśī fasts, and on Dvādaśī days properly honoring brāhmaṇas with food, delicacies, and flowers as appropriate for the time, bathing Keśava with cow ghee, anointing with mung flour, bathing again with sweet water, and adorning the divine form with garments perfumed by musk, aguru, and deer-musk, and with leaves of tulasī, yūthikā, karavīra, blue lotus, red lotus, kokanada, droṇa flowers, maruvā, madanaka, mountain karṇikā, ketakī leaves as available, worshipping with the twelve-syllable mantra or the Puruṣa Sūkta, or by name, with sixteen forms of service, bowing, dancing, and then seeking forgiveness from the Lord—
तथा व्रतानि विचित्राणि नारायणप्रीणनाय कुर्य्यात्
In this way, one should perform various vows to please Nārāyaṇa.
प्रसन्नो भगवान्मुनिरीप्सितं पुत्रं यच्छति तदमुमाराधयस्वेति दशरथमुक्तवान्
When the Lord is pleased, he grants the desired son to the sage; thus, worship him—so Sādhyā spoke to Daśaratha.
स चापि साध्यं तत्र स्थाप्य गत्वायोध्यां तथा सर्वं कृतवान्
And he, having established Sādhyā there, went to Ayodhyā and did all accordingly.
अथ पुत्रकामेष्टौ समाप्तायामाहवनीयाद्यज्ञमूर्तिः शंखचक्रगदापाणिरुदतिष्ठत् । राजानं च वरं वृणीष्वेत्युक्तवान्
Then, when the Putrakāmeṣṭi sacrifice was completed, the sacrificial form, bearing conch, discus, and mace in hand, appeared from the fire and said to the king, 'Choose a boon.'
स च राजा वव्रे पुत्रानतिधार्म्मिकान्दीर्घायुषश्चतुरोलोकोपकारकान्देहीति
And the king asked for sons—most righteous, long-lived, wise, and benefactors of the world—to be born to him.
अथ राजमहिष्यश्चतस्रः कौशल्या सुमित्रा सुरूपा सुवेषा चेति
Then the four royal queens—Kauśalyā, Sumitrā, Surūpā, and Suveṣā—
राजानमब्रुवन्देव प्रतियोषमेकेन पुत्रेण भवितव्यम्
Spoke to the king: 'Let each of us have one son.'
अथ कौशल्योवाच एष यदि प्रसन्नो देवस्तदायमुत्पद्यतां मम
Then Kauśalyā said, 'If the Lord is pleased, let this one be born to me.'
राजोवाच- मम यदिष्टं तदयं प्रार्थ्यते हरिः । विष्णोप्रसीददेवेश कमलापते शंखचक्रगदाधरविभीषणसृष्टिसमस्तलोकपालादिपूजित पादयुगलशाश्वतहरे नमस्ते नमस्ते एवं स्तुतो भगवानथ राजानमाह
The king said: 'If this is my wish, then this is what I desire—O Hari, Lord of gods, Lotus-eyed, bearer of conch, discus, and mace, whose feet are worshipped by all the guardians of the worlds created by Vibhīṣaṇa—eternal Hari, I bow to you, I bow to you.' Thus praised, the Lord then spoke to the king.
माधव उवाच- तव पुत्रो भविष्यामि कौशल्यायाम् । अथ चरुं प्राविशद्धरिः । तं चरुं हि चतुर्धा विभज्य भार्य्याभ्यो दत्तवान्
Mādhava said: 'I shall be your son, born to Kauśalyā.' Then Hari entered the sacrificial offering; dividing that offering into four parts, he gave them to his wives.
अथ कौशल्यायां रामो लक्ष्मणः सुमित्रायां सुरूपायां भरतः सुवेषायां शत्रुघ्नो जज्ञे खात्पुष्पवृष्टिश्च पपात
Then, in Kauśalyā was born Rāma, in Lakṣmaṇa to Sumitrā, in Surūpā was born Bharata, and in Suveṣā was born Śatrughna; and a shower of flowers fell from the sky.