त्वया यज्ञाः करिष्यंते त्वया धर्मो विवर्धते । इतिपौरवचःश्रुत्वारामो राजीवलोचनः
Sacrifices will be performed by you; dharma increases through you. Hearing these words of the citizens, Rama, lotus-eyed, ...
वस्त्रादिभिरथोसर्वान्नागरान्समपूजयत् । मुनीनुवाचधर्म्मात्मापूजयित्वाखिलैर्जनैः
Then, with garments and other gifts, he honored all the citizens; having honored the sages, the righteous-souled one addressed all the people.
कच्चित्तपःसमृद्धंवःकच्चिद्यज्ञःस्वनुष्ठितः । कच्चित्स्वदारनिरताःकच्चिदीशोभिपूज्यते
Is your austerity flourishing? Is the sacrifice properly performed? Are you devoted to your own wives? Is the lord being duly honored?
कच्चित्सुप्रजसोभार्याःकच्चित्सर्वंसुखोत्तरम्
Are your wives blessed with good children? Is everything ultimately bringing happiness?
मुनय ऊचुः - त्वयि राजनि काकुत्स्थ सर्वं स्वस्थं तपस्विनाम् । गच्छामहे पदमितः किं वा त्वं मन्यसे नृप
The sages said: O Kakutstha, king, all is well with the ascetics under your rule. We are ready to depart from here—what do you think, O king?
राम उवाच- यस्य विप्राः प्रसीदंति तस्य शंभुः प्रसीदति । यस्य प्रसीदतीशानस्तस्य भद्रं भविष्यति
Rama said: He with whom the brahmins are pleased, with him Shambhu is pleased; and he with whom the Lord is pleased, for him all will be well.
तत्कृत्वा भोजनमिह गंतुमर्हा अनंतरम् । अथेत्युक्त्वा मुनिगणाः कृत्वा भोजनमुत्तमम्
Therefore, after taking food here, you ought to depart. Having said this, the groups of sages, after partaking of excellent food—
अभिवर्ध्यतमाशीर्भिर्हृष्टाः स्वं स्वं पदं ययुः । रामोऽपि परमप्रीतः सभार्यश्च सहानुजः
—departed to their own abodes, delighted, after bestowing blessings. Rama too, supremely pleased, remained with his wife and brother.
अकंटकं स कृतवान्राज्यं सर्वजनप्रियः । शृणोत्येतदुपाख्यानं यः कश्चिदपि पातकी
He ruled the kingdom without thorns, beloved by all people. Whoever, even if sinful, hears this story—
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति । न दुर्गतिर्भवेत्तस्य यश्चेदं स्मरते नरः
—becomes freed from all sins and attains the supreme Brahman. Misfortune does not befall the man who remembers this.
यश्चापि कीर्तयेत्तस्य एवमेतदुदीरितम्
And whoever recites this as it has been spoken—
श्रीगणेशाय नमः। श्रीकुलदेवतायै नमः। श्रीगुरुचरणारविंदाभ्यां नमः । नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवींसरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्
Salutations to Shri Ganesha! Salutations to the family deity! Salutations to the lotus feet of the revered teacher! Having bowed to Narayana, and also to the best of men, to the goddess, to Sarasvati, and to Vyasa, then let victory be proclaimed.
ऋषय ऊचुः। श्रुतं सर्वं महाभाग स्वर्गखंडं मनोहरम् । त्वत्तोऽधुना वदायुष्मञ्छ्रीरामचरितं हि नः
The sages said: All has been heard, O highly fortunate one, the delightful Svarga-khanda, from you. Now, O long-lived one, tell us the story of Shri Rama.
सूत उवाच। अथैकदा धराधारं पृष्टवान्भुजगेश्वरम् । वात्स्यायनो मुनिवरः कथामेतां सुनिर्मलाम्
Suta said: Once, Vatsyayana, the best of sages, asked the lord of serpents about this most pure story.
श्रीवात्स्यायन उवाच। शेषाशेष कथास्त्वत्तो जगत्सर्गलयादिकाः । भूगोलश्च खगोलश्च ज्योतिश्चक्रविनिर्णयः
Shri Vatsyayana said: From you, all stories have been heard—about the creation and dissolution of the world, about the earth and the sky, and the determination of the circle of the stars.
महत्तत्त्वादिसृष्टीनां पृथक्तत्त्वविनिर्णयः । नानाराजचरित्राणि कथितानि त्वयानघ
You have explained separately the principles of the creation of the great elements and others, and have narrated the stories of various kings, O sinless one.
सूर्यवंशभवानां च राज्ञां चारित्रमद्भुतम् । तत्रानेकमहापापहरा रामकृता कथा
You have told the wondrous deeds of the kings born in the Solar dynasty; among them, the stories of Rama remove many great sins.
तस्य वीरस्य रामस्य हयमेधकथा श्रुता । संक्षेपतो मया त्वत्तस्तामिच्छामि सविस्तराम्
I have heard from you the story of the horse sacrifice of that heroic Rama in brief; I wish to hear it from you in detail.
या श्रुता संस्मृता चोक्ता महापातकहारिणी । चिंतितार्थप्रदात्री च भक्तचित्तप्रतोषदा
That which is heard, remembered, or spoken destroys great sins, grants the desired object, and brings satisfaction to the hearts of devotees.
शेष उवाच। धन्योसि द्विजवर्य त्वं यस्य ते मतिरीदृशी । रघुवीरपदद्वंद्व मकरंद स्पृहावती
Shesha said: Blessed are you, O best of twice-born, whose mind is thus inclined, longing for the nectar of the twin feet of the hero of the Raghu line.
वदंति मुनयः सर्वे साधूनां संगमं वरम् । यस्मात्पापक्षयकरी रघुनाथकथा भवेत्
All the sages declare that association with the virtuous is best, for it brings about the destruction of sin through the stories of Raghunatha.
त्वया मेऽनुग्रहः सृष्टो यद्रामः स्मारितः पुनः । सुरासुरकिरीटौघ मणिनीराजितांघ्रिकः
You have bestowed your grace upon me by reminding me again of Rama, whose feet are adorned by the crowns of hosts of gods and demons.
रावणारिकथा वार्द्धौ मशको मादृशः कियान् । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा मोहिता न विदंत्यपि
How insignificant am I, like a mosquito, before the vast ocean of the tales of Ravana's enemy, where even gods beginning with Brahma are bewildered and do not comprehend.
तथापि भो मया तुभ्यं वक्तव्यं स्वीयशक्तितः । पक्षिणः स्वगतिं श्रित्वा खे गच्छंति सुविस्तरे
Nevertheless, O dear one, I must speak to you according to my own ability; just as birds travel through the sky according to their own capacity.
चरितं रघुनाथस्य शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम् । येषां वै यादृशी बुद्धिस्ते वदंत्येव तादृशम्
The deeds of Raghunatha extend to hundreds of millions; each recounts them according to the measure of their own understanding.
रघुनाथसतीकीर्तिर्मद्बुद्धिं निर्मलीमसाम् । करिष्यति स्वसंपर्कात्कनकं त्वनलो यथा
The pure fame of Raghunatha will cleanse my mind through its contact, just as fire purifies gold.
सूत उवाच। इत्युक्त्वा तं मुनिवरं ध्यानस्तिमितलोचनः । ज्ञानेनालोकयांचक्रे कथां लोकोत्तरां शुभाम्
Suta said: Having spoken thus to the eminent sage, with eyes absorbed in meditation, he perceived by knowledge the auspicious, transcendent tale.
गद्गदस्वरसंयुक्तो महाहर्षांकितांगकः । कथयामास विशदां कथां दाशरथेः पुनः
With a voice trembling with emotion and limbs marked by great joy, he began to narrate again the clear story of Dasharatha's son.
शेष उवाच। लंकेश्वरे विनिहते देवदानवदुःखदे । अप्सरोगणवक्त्राब्जचंद्रमः कांतिहर्तरि
Shesha said: When the lord of Lanka was slain, causing grief to gods and demons, the moon-like radiance of the faces of the apsaras was restored.
सुराः सर्वे सुखं प्रापुरिंद्र प्रभृतयस्तदा । सुखं प्राप्ताः स्तुतिं चक्रुर्दासवत्प्रणतिं गताः
Then all the gods, beginning with Indra, attained happiness; they offered praise and bowed like servants.