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.
लंकायां च प्रतिष्ठाप्य धर्मयुक्तं बिभीषणम् । सीतयासहितो रामः पुष्पकं समुपाश्रितः
Establishing Bibhishana, who was righteous, in Lanka, Rama, together with Sita, boarded the Pushpaka.
सुग्रीवहनुमत्सीतालक्ष्मणैः संयुतस्तदा । बिभीषणोऽपि सचिवैरन्वगाद्विरहोत्सुकः
Then, accompanied by Sugriva, Hanuman, Sita, and Lakshmana, Bibhishana, eager from separation, followed with his ministers.
लंकां स पश्यन्बहुधा भग्नप्राकारतोरणाम् । दृष्ट्वाऽशोकवनं तत्र सीतास्थानं मुमूर्च्छ ह
He beheld Lanka in many ways, with its ramparts and gateways shattered; seeing the Ashoka grove, the place of Sita, he fainted.
शिंशपांस्तत्र वृक्षांश्च पुष्पितान्कोरकैर्युतान् । राक्षसीभिः समाकीर्णान्मृताभिर्हनुमद्भयात्
There he saw the flowering shimshapa trees and others, laden with buds, surrounded by rakshasis who had died from fear of Hanuman.
इत्थं सर्वं विलोक्याशु रामः प्रायात्पुरीं प्रति । ब्रह्मादिदेवैः सहितः स्वीयस्वीयविमानकैः
Having swiftly observed all this, Rama proceeded towards the city, accompanied by Brahma and other gods in their respective aerial vehicles.
देवदुंदुभिनिर्घोषाञ्छृण्वञ्छ्रोत्रसुखावहान् । तथैवाप्सरसां नृत्यैः पूज्यमानो रघूत्तमः
Hearing the pleasing sounds of divine drums, and being honored by the dances of the apsaras, the best of the Raghu dynasty proceeded.
सीतायै दर्शयन्मार्गे तीर्थान्याश्रमवंति च । मुनींश्च मुनिपुत्रांश्च मुनिपत्नीः पतिव्रताः
Showing Sita along the way the holy places and hermitages, as well as sages, their sons, and the sage wives devoted to their husbands.
यत्रयत्र कृतावासाः पूर्वं रामेण धीमता । तान्सर्वान्दर्शयामास लक्ष्मणेन समन्वितः
Wherever dwellings had previously been established by the wise Rama, he showed them all, accompanied by Lakshmana.
इत्येवं दर्शयंस्तस्यै रामोऽद्राक्षीत्स्वकां पुरीम् । तस्याः पुनः समीपे तु नंदिग्रामं ददर्श ह
Thus showing her in this way, Rāma beheld his own city; and near to it, he saw the village of Nandigrāma.
यत्र वै भरतो राजा पालयन्धर्ममास्थितः । भ्रातुर्वियोगजनितं दुःखचिह्नं वहन्बहु
There, indeed, Bharata the king, established in righteousness, was ruling, bearing many marks of sorrow born from separation from his brother.
गर्तशायी ब्रह्मचारी जटावल्कलसंयुतः । कृशांगयष्टिर्दुःखार्तः कुर्वन्रामकथां मुहुः
Sleeping on the ground, observing celibacy, clad in matted hair and bark garments, emaciated and afflicted by grief, he repeatedly recited the stories of Rāma.
यवान्नमपि नो भुंक्ते जलं पिबति नो मुहुः । उद्यंतं सवितारं यो नमस्कृत्य ब्रवीति च
He does not eat even barley food, nor does he drink water often; saluting the rising sun, he says:
जगन्नेत्रसुरस्वामिन्हर मे दुष्कृतं महत् । मदर्थे रामचंद्रोऽपि जगत्पूज्यो वनं ययौ
O eye of the world, lord of the gods, remove my great sin; for my sake, even Rāmacandra, worshipped by the world, went to the forest.
सीतया सुकुमारांग्या सेव्यमानोऽटवीं गतः । या सीता पुष्पपर्यंके वृंतमासाद्य दुःखिता
Attended by Sītā, whose limbs are delicate, he entered the forest; Sītā, who, having reached a bed of flowers, became afflicted with sorrow.
या सीता रविसंतापं कदापि प्राप नो सती । मदर्थे जानकी सा च प्रत्यरण्यं भ्रमत्यहो
Sītā, who never before experienced the heat of the sun, now, for my sake, wanders through the wilds—alas, Jānakī herself!
या सीता राजवृंदैश्च न दृष्टा नयनैः कदा । सा सीता दृश्यते नूनं किरातैः कालरूपिभिः
Sītā, whom even the eyes of royal assemblies never beheld, now, surely, is seen by hunters, figures of death.
या सीता मधुरं त्वन्नं भोजिता न बुभुक्षति । सा सीताद्य वनस्थानि फलानि प्रार्थयत्यहो
Sītā, who, having eaten sweet food, never felt hunger, now, alas, desires the fruits found in the forest.
इत्येवमन्वहं सूर्यमुपस्थाय वदत्यदः । प्रातःप्रातर्महाराजो भरतो रामवल्लभः
Thus, every day, after approaching the sun, the great king Bharata, devoted to Rāma, speaks these words morning after morning.
यश्चोच्यमानः सचिवैः समदुःखसुखैर्बुधैः । नीतिज्ञैः शास्त्रनिपुणैरिति प्रोवाच तान्नृपः
And when addressed by ministers, wise in happiness and sorrow, skilled in policy and learned in the scriptures, the king replied to them thus:
अमात्या दुर्भगं मां किं प्रब्रूत पुरुषाधमम् । मदर्थे मेऽग्रजो रामो वनं प्राप्यावसीदति
O ministers, why do you speak to me, the most unfortunate and lowest of men? For my sake, my elder brother Rāma, having entered the forest, suffers.