स्वागतेन सुसंभाव्य पप्रच्छ तमनामयम् । सुखोपविष्टं विश्रांतं बभाषे रघुनंदनः
Having honored him with a warm welcome, he inquired about his welfare; as the sage sat comfortably and rested, Raghunandana spoke.
शेष उवाच। इत्थं स्वागतसंतुष्टं ब्रह्मचर्यतपोनिधिम् । उवाच मतिमान्वीरः सर्वलोकगुरुर्मुनिम्
Shesha said: Thus, to the sage, satisfied with the welcome, a treasure of celibacy and austerity, the wise hero, teacher of all worlds, spoke.
स्वागतं ते महाभाग कुंभयोने तपोनिधे । त्वद्दर्शनेन सर्वे वै पाविताः सकुटुंबकाः
Welcome to you, O great one, O Kumbhayoni, treasure of austerity; by your sight, all, together with their families, are purified.
कच्चिन्मतिस्ते वेदेषु शास्त्रेषु परिवर्तते । त्वत्तपोविघ्नकर्ता वै नास्ति भूमंडले क्वचित्
Is your mind engaged in the Vedas and scriptures? Nowhere on earth is there anyone who hinders your austerity.
लोपामुद्रा महाभाग या च ते धर्मचारिणी । यस्याः पतिव्रता धर्मात्सर्वं भवति शोभनम्
O greatly fortunate Lopamudra, your righteous wife, by whose chastity everything becomes auspicious through righteousness.
अपि शंस महाभाग धर्ममूर्ते कृपानिधे । अलोलुपस्य किं कार्यं करवाणि मुनीश्वर
Tell me, O great one, embodiment of righteousness, ocean of compassion, what should I do for the desireless one, O lord of sages?
त्वत्तपोयोगतः सर्वं भवति स्वेच्छया बहु । तथापि मयि कृत्वैव कृपां शंश मुनीश्वरः
By your ascetic power and yoga, everything occurs according to your own will; yet, O best of sages, kindly show compassion to me.
शेष उवाच। इत्युक्तो लोकगुरुणा राजराजेन धीमता । उवाच रामं लोकेशं विनीततरभाषया
Śeṣa spoke: Thus addressed by the wise king of kings, the teacher of the world replied to Rāma, lord of the world, with words marked by deep humility.
अगस्त्य उवाच। स्वामिंस्तव सुदुर्दर्शं दर्शनं दैवतैरपि । मत्वा समागतं विद्धि राजराज कृपानिधे
Agastya spoke: O master, your presence is exceedingly rare, even for the gods to behold; know that I have come here, O king of kings, because of your boundless compassion.
हतस्त्वया रावणाख्यस्त्वसुरो लोककंटकः । दिष्ट्याद्य देवाः सुखिनो दिष्ट्या राजा बिभीषणः
The one named Rāvaṇa, the demon and scourge of the world, has been slain by you; by this fortune, the gods are now happy, and by this fortune, Bibhīṣaṇa is king.
राम त्वद्दर्शनान्मेऽद्य गतं वै दुष्कृतं किल । संपूर्णो मे मनःकोश आनंदेन सुरोत्तम
Rāma, by seeing you today, all my sins have truly departed; my mind's treasury is filled with joy, O best among gods.
इत्युक्त्वा स बभूवाशु तूष्णीं कुंभसमुद्भवः । रामसंदर्शनाह्लादविह्वलीकृतमानसः
Having spoken thus, the one born from the pot became silent at once, his mind overwhelmed with delight from seeing Rāma.
रामः पप्रच्छ तं भूयो मुनिं ज्ञानविशारदम् । लोकातीतं भवद्भावि सर्वं जानासि सर्वतः
Rāma again questioned that sage, expert in knowledge, saying: You know all that transcends the world, all that is, and all that will be.
मुने कथय मे सर्वं पृच्छतो हि सुविस्तरम् । कोऽसौ मया हतो यो हि रावणो विबुधार्दनः
O sage, tell me everything in detail as I ask: Who is this Rāvaṇa whom I have slain, the destroyer of the gods?
कुंभकर्णोऽपि कस्त्वेष का जातिर्वै दुरात्मनः । देवो दैत्यः पिशाचो वा राक्षसो वा महामुने
And who is this Kumbhakarṇa? What is the lineage of this evil-minded one? Is he a god, a demon, a spirit, or a rākṣasa, O great sage?
सर्वमाख्याहि सर्वज्ञ सर्वं जानासि विस्तरात् । अतः कथय मे सर्वं कृपां कृत्वा ममोपरि
Tell me everything, O all-knowing one; you know all in detail. Therefore, kindly show compassion to me and narrate everything.
इति श्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं कुंभजन्मा तपोनिधिः । यत्पृष्टं रघुराजेन प्रवक्तुं तत्प्रचक्रमे
Having heard these words, the sage born from the pot, a treasury of asceticism, began to speak what was asked by the king of the Raghu dynasty.
राजन्सृष्टिकरो ब्रह्मा पुलस्त्यस्तत्सुतोऽभवत् । ततस्तु विश्रवा जज्ञे वेदविद्याविशारदः
O king, Brahmā, the creator of beings, had a son named Pulastya; then Viśravā was born, skilled in Vedic knowledge.
तस्य पत्नीद्वयं जातं पातिव्रत्यचरित्रभृत् । एका मंदाकिनी नाम्नी द्वितीया कैकसी स्मृता
He had two wives, both upholding the conduct of devoted wives; one was named Mandākinī, the other was known as Kaikasī.
पूर्वस्यां धनदो जज्ञे लोकपालविलासभृत् । योऽसौ शिवप्रसादेन लंकावासमचीकरत्
From the first was born Kubera, the lord of wealth, who delights in protecting the worlds; by Śiva's grace, he made Lanka his abode.
विद्युन्मालिसुतायां तु पुत्रत्रयमभून्महत् । रावणः कुंभकर्णश्च तथा पुण्यो बिभीषणः
From Vidyunmālī, three great sons were born: Rāvaṇa, Kumbhakarṇa, and the virtuous Bibhīṣaṇa.
राक्षस्युदरजन्मत्वात्संध्यासमयसंभवात् । द्वयोरधर्मनिपुणा मतिरासीन्महामते
Because they were born from a rākṣasa mother at twilight, the minds of two were skilled in unrighteousness, O wise one.
एकदा तु विमानेन पुष्पकेण सुशोभिना । कांचनीयोपकल्पेन किंकिणीजालमालिना
Once, in the splendid aerial chariot Puṣpaka, adorned with gold and hung with garlands of bells,
आरुह्य पितरौ द्रष्टुं प्रायाच्छोभासमन्वितः । स्वगणैः संस्तुतो भूत्वा नानारत्नविभूषणैः
He ascended to visit his parents, radiant in appearance, praised by his attendants, and adorned with various precious jewels.
आगत्य पित्रोश्चरणे पतित्वा चिरमात्मजः । हर्षविह्वलितात्मा च रोमांचिततनूरुहः
Having arrived, the son fell at his parents' feet and remained there for a long time, his heart overwhelmed with joy, his body hair standing on end.
उवाच मेऽद्य सुदिनं महाभाग्यफलोदयः । यन्मे युष्मत्पदौ दृष्टौ महापुण्यददर्शनौ
He said: 'Today is truly an auspicious day for me, the fruit of great fortune, for I have seen your feet, a vision of supreme merit.'
इत्यादिभिः स्तुतिपदैः स्तुत्वागान्मंदिरं स्वकम् । पितरावपि संहृष्टौ पुत्रस्नेहाद्बभूवतुः
Having praised them with such words of adoration, he went to his own abode; and the parents, too, became delighted out of affection for their son.
तं दृष्ट्वा रावणो धीमाञ्जगाद निजमातरम् । कोऽयं पुमान्सुरो वाथ यक्षो वाथ नरोत्तमः
Seeing him, the wise Rāvaṇa spoke to his own mother: 'Who is this man—god, yakṣa, or best of men—'
योऽसौ मम पितुःपादौ सन्निषेव्य गतः पुनः । महाभाग्यनिधिः स्वीयैर्गणैः सुपरिवारितः
'—who, having reverently served my father's feet, departed again, a treasure of great fortune, well attended by his own followers?'
केनेदं तपसा लब्धं विमानं वायुवेगधृक् । उद्यानारामलीलादि विलासस्थानमुत्तमम्
'By what austerity was this flying palace, swift as the wind, obtained—this supreme place for gardens, groves, and delights?'