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.
अथ चतुराननः स्वयमुपेत्य जातकर्मादिकाः क्रियाश्चक्रे
Then the four-faced one himself came and performed the birth-rites and other ceremonies.
त्रिभुवनाभिरामतया राम इति नाम चक्रे रूपशौर्य्यादिलक्ष्मीयोग्यतया लक्ष्मण इत्यपरस्य भुवं भारात्तारयतीति भरतः शत्रून्हंतीति शत्रुघ्न इति नामानि कृत्वा ब्रह्मा स्वभवनं जगाम शिशवश्च वृद्धिमीयुः
Because he delighted the three worlds, he gave him the name Rāma; because of his form, valor, and other auspicious qualities, he named the second Lakṣmaṇa; because he would relieve the earth of its burden, he named him Bharata; because he would slay enemies, he named him Śatrughna. Having given these names, Brahmā returned to his own abode, and the children grew.
अथ पादसंचारिणं बालचंद्र संकाशदर्शनं बिंबाधरमुन्नततिलप्रसूननासं पुरश्चूलिकालंबमान-रत्नपत्रकं श्रवणलोललंबमानकुंडलं वक्षःस्थलविचलित स्थूलमुक्ताहारं विलसत्कार्तस्वरो ब-ह्वलयं सिंजन्मणिकंकणरत्नांगुलीयकं हेममणिरचितश्रोणिसूत्रं सिंजन्ननूपुरोपशोभितपादमंगुलीयोपशोभितपादमध्यांगुलीयकं वज्रांकुशसरोजलांछनशोभितोरुपादतलं तूणीरसदृश जंघं करिकरसदृशोरुं विस्तृतजघनं सूक्ष्ममध्यंवर्तुलावर्तकं गंभीरनाभिमिंद्रनीलशिलाविशा-ल वक्षःस्थलं कंबुग्रीवंचंद्रबिंबसदृशवदनमर्द्धचंद्र सदृशललाटं नीलकुटिलकुंतलं क्रोडासक्तंधूलिभिरापांडुरं फुल्लपद्मदलारक्तविलोललोचनं महेश्वरमिवोद्धूलितभूतिं महेश्वरमिव दिगंबरं रामं कुमारं राजा दशरथो दृष्ट्वा हर्षपरिपूर्णहृदयः पुत्रमालिंग्य चुंबित्वा वक्षस्यालिलिंग दृढम्
Then, seeing the boy whose feet had begun to walk, whose face was like the young moon, whose lips were red as bimba fruit, whose nose was high and like a sesame flower, whose forehead was adorned with a jewel band, whose ears were adorned with dangling earrings, whose chest was decorated with a thick pearl necklace and shining gold, whose arms were adorned with bracelets, tinkling jeweled bangles, rings, and a golden jeweled waist-band, whose feet were beautified by tinkling anklets and toe-rings, whose soles bore the marks of the thunderbolt, goad, and lotus, whose thighs were like plantain trunks, whose hips were broad, whose waist was slender, whose navel was deep, whose chest was broad as a sapphire slab, whose neck was like a conch, whose face was like the moon, whose forehead was like a half-moon, whose hair was dark and curling, whose body was dusted pale by the lap, whose eyes were red and moving like blossoming lotus petals, who resembled Maheśvara covered in ashes, who was like Maheśvara clad in the directions alone—King Daśaratha, seeing Rāma as a boy, his heart filled with joy, embraced and kissed his son, holding him tightly to his chest.
अथ कुमारोपि पार्श्वेनास्यांकमारोप्य कलकलितलोचनो यत्किंचिदुवाच
Then the boy, too, with playful eyes, climbed onto his father's lap at his side and spoke a few words.
याचमानमितस्ततो वीक्षमाणः तात गच्छेशये तात क्रीडामि तातेत्यादिपुत्रसुखमनुभूयानुभूय निर्वृतिं ययौ
Looking here and there, asking for things, he said, 'Father, shall I go? Father, shall I sleep? Father, shall I play?'—thus enjoying the happiness of his son, the king attained contentment.
अथ कदाचिद्भोक्तुमागते राजनि रामचंद्रो बालक्रीडासक्तहृदयो बहुक्रीडनकरकमल उत्प्लुत्य धावमानो नरपतिपुरःस्थितमणिखचितसुवर्णभाजनस्थमन्नं वामकरेण गृहीत्वा राजनि चिक्षेप इदमपि राजा सुखाय मेने । एतादृशान्यन्यानि चकार रामचंद्रः
Once, when the king had come to eat, Rāmacandra, his heart absorbed in childish play, with his many playful hands, leapt up and, running, took the food placed in a jewel-encrusted golden dish before the king with his left hand and threw it at the king. The king also considered this a delight. Rāmacandra performed many such acts.
अथ कदाचित्क्रीडमाने रामे वात्या राममपातयद्रामश्च रुदन्नपतत्
Once, while Rāma was playing, a gust of wind knocked him down, and Rāma fell, weeping.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे ब्रह्मराक्षसो राममगृह्णाद्रामश्च मूर्च्छामाप
At that moment, a brahmarākṣasa seized Rāma, and Rāma fainted.
अथ सहचरो बाल इतस्ततो रोरूयमाणो रामं तथाविधं राज्ञे व्यज्ञापयत्
Then his companion, the boy, crying here and there, informed the king about Rāma in that condition.
अथ राजा राममादाय वसिष्ठमाह किमिदं रामस्येति पप्रच्छ
Then the king, taking Rāma, asked Vasiṣṭha, 'What is this that has happened to Rāma?'