कृपां कुरु महादेव शरणागतवत्सल । दुष्टदैत्यवधार्थं त्वं समुद्योगं विधेहि भोः
Show mercy, O Mahadeva, lover of those who seek refuge; arise and make effort for the destruction of the wicked demon.
सोऽपि तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दैन्यशोकसमन्वितम् । त्रिदशैः सहितैः सर्वैराजगाम हरेः पदम्
He too, hearing those words filled with distress and sorrow, came together with all the gods to the abode of Hari.
तुष्टुवुर्मुनयः सर्वे ससुरोरगकिन्नराः । जय माधव देवेश जय भक्तजनार्तिहन्
All the sages, along with gods, serpents, and kinnaras, praised him: 'Victory to Madhava, Lord of gods, victory to the remover of devotees' suffering.'
विलोकय महादेव लोकयस्व स्वसेवकान् । इत्युच्चैर्जगदुः सर्वे देवाः शर्वपुरोगमाः
Look, O Mahadeva, behold your servants; thus, loudly spoke all the gods, led by Shiva.
इत्युक्तमाकर्ण्य सुराधिनाथो दृष्ट्वा सुरार्तिं परिचिंत्य विष्णुः । जगाद देवाञ्जलदोच्चया गिरा दुःखं तु तेषां प्रशमं नयन्निव
Hearing this, the lord of the gods, Vishnu, seeing the gods' distress and reflecting upon it, spoke to the gods with a voice like thunderclouds, as if bringing relief to their sorrow.
भो ब्रह्मशर्वेंद्र पुरोगमामराः शृण्वंतु वाचं भवतां हितेरताम् । जाने दशग्रीवकृतं भयं वस्तन्नाशयाम्यद्य कृतावतारः
O Brahma, Shiva, Indra, and other gods, listen to my words, spoken for your welfare. I know the fear caused by Dashagriva; I will destroy it today, having descended for this purpose.
पुरी त्वयोध्या रविवंशजातैर्नृपैर्महादानमखादिसत्क्रियैः । प्रपालिता भूतलमंडनीया विराजते राजतभूमिभागैः
The city of Ayodhya, ruled by kings born of the solar dynasty, has been protected with great gifts, sacrifices, and noble deeds; it shines, adorned with splendid lands.
तस्यां दशरथो राजा निरपत्यः श्रियान्वितः । पालयत्यधुना राज्यं दिक्चक्रजयवान्विभुः
There, King Dasharatha, childless but endowed with prosperity, now rules the kingdom, victorious in all directions, a mighty sovereign.
स तु वंद्यादृष्यशृंगात्प्रार्थितात्पुत्रकाम्यया । पुत्रेष्ट्यां विधिना यज्वा महाबलसमन्वितः
He, desiring a son, was urged by the sage Rishyasringa; performing the son-giving sacrifice according to the rite, he was endowed with great strength.
ततोऽहं प्रार्थितः पूर्वं तपसा तेन भोः सुराः । पत्नीषु तिसृषु प्रीत्या चतुर्धापि भवत्कृते
Then, O gods, I was previously invoked by his austerity; out of affection for his three wives, I will divide myself into four for your sake.
राम लक्ष्मण शत्रुघ्न भरताख्या समन्वितः । कर्तास्मि रावणोद्धारं समूल बलवाहनम्
With Rama, Lakshmana, Shatrughna, and Bharata, I will accomplish the uprooting and destruction of Ravana and his forces.
भवंतोऽपि स्वकैरंशैरवतीर्य चरंत्विह । ऋक्षवानररूपेण सर्वत्र पृथिवीतले
You too, descending with your own portions, should act here in the forms of bears and monkeys throughout the earth.
इत्युक्त्वा विररामाशु नभसीरितवाङ्मुने । देवाः श्रुत्वा महद्वाक्यं सर्वे संहृष्टमानसाः
Having spoken thus, he ceased, his words carried into the sky; all the gods, hearing this great statement, became filled with joy.
ते चक्रुर्गदितं यादृग्देवदेवेन धीमता । स्वैःस्वैरंशैर्मही पूर्णा ऋक्षवानररूपिभिः
They did as spoken by the wise Lord of gods; the earth was filled with their own portions, taking the forms of bears and monkeys.
योऽसौ विष्णुर्महादेवो देवानां दुःखनाशकः । सत्वमेव महाराज भगवान्कृतविग्रहः
That Vishnu, Mahadeva, destroyer of the gods' suffering, is indeed the glorious Lord, having assumed a form.
भरतोऽयं लक्ष्मणश्च शत्रुघ्नश्च महामते । तावकांशाद्दशग्रीवो जनितश्च सुरार्द्दनः
This is Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna, O wise one; Ravana, the tormentor of gods, was born from your own portion.
पूर्ववैरानुबंधेन जानकीं हृतवान्पुनः । स त्वया निहतो दैत्यो ब्रह्मराक्षसजातिमान्
Due to ancient enmity, he again abducted Janaki; that demon, of the Brahmarakshasa lineage, was slain by you.
पुलस्त्यपुत्रो दैत्येंद्र सर्वलोकैककंटकः । पातितः पृथिवी सर्वा सुखमापमहेश्वर
Pulastya's son, the demon king, the sole thorn of all worlds, has been struck down; the whole earth, O great lord, has attained happiness.
ब्राह्मणानां सुखं त्वद्य मुनीनां तापसं बलम् । शिवानि सर्वतीर्थानि सर्वे यज्ञाः सुसंहिताः
Today, the happiness of the Brahmins, the strength of the sages' austerity, the auspiciousness of all sacred waters, and all well-established sacrifices are present.
त्वयि राज्ञि जगत्सर्वं सदेवासुरमानुषम् । सुखं प्रपेदे विश्वात्मञ्जगद्योने नरोत्तम
Under your rule, O noble king, the entire world—gods, demons, and humans—has attained happiness, O soul of the universe, origin of all creation.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयानघ । उत्पत्तिश्च विपत्तिश्च मया मत्यनुसारतः
All that you asked, O blameless one, I have told you: the origin and destruction, as they follow the course of mortal existence.
इत्थं निशम्य दितिजेंद्र कुलानुकारिवार्तां महापुरुष ईश्वरईशिता च । संरुद्धबाष्पगलदश्रुमुखारविंदो भूमौ पपात सदसि प्रथितप्रभावः
Hearing the account of the lineage of the demon king and the deeds of the great lord, whose power is supreme, he, renowned for his glory, with tears streaming from his restrained eyes, fell to the ground in the assembly.
शेष उवाच। वात्स्यायनमुनिश्रेष्ठ कथा पापप्रणाशिनी । ब्रह्मण्यदेवदेवस्य सर्वधर्मैकरक्षितुः
Śeṣa said: O illustrious sage Vātsyāyana, the story that destroys sin concerns the god of gods, protector of all dharma.
राजानं मूर्च्छितं दृष्ट्वा कुंभजन्मा तपोनिधिः । शनैःशनैः करेणाशु पस्पर्शाश्रु जगाद च
Seeing the king unconscious, the sage born from the pot, rich in austerity, gently touched him with his hand and spoke, weeping.
भो रामाश्वसिहि क्षिप्रं किमर्थमवसीदसि । भवान्दैत्यकुलच्छेत्ता महाविष्णुः सनातनः
O Rāma, quickly take heart! Why are you despondent? You are the destroyer of the demon lineage, the eternal great Viṣṇu.
भूतं भव्यं भवच्चैव जगत्स्थास्नु चरिष्णु च । त्वदृते नास्ति संचारी किमर्थमिह मूर्च्छितः
Past, present, and future, the world that is stable and moving—apart from you, there is no one who acts. Why have you fainted here?
श्रुत्वा वाक्यं महाराजः कुंभजन्मसमीरितम् । उत्तस्थौ विगलन्नेत्र बाष्पपूरितसन्मुखः
Hearing the words spoken by the pot-born sage, the great king rose, his eyes overflowing, his face filled with tears.
उवाच दीनदीनं च विस्पष्टाक्षरविस्तरम् । त्रपाभर नमन्मूर्तिर्ब्रह्मद्रोहपराङ्मुखः
He spoke in a voice faint and weak, with clear and extended words, his form bowed in shame, turning away from the sin of offending Brahmins.
श्रीराम उवाच। अहो मे पश्यता ज्ञानं विमूढस्य दुरात्मनः । यद्ब्राह्मणकुले रूढं हतवान्कामलोलुपः
Śrī Rāma said: Alas, see my knowledge—how deluded and wicked I am! Though born in a Brahmin family, I killed, driven by desire.
महिलार्थे त्वहं विप्रं वेदशास्त्रविवेकवान् । हतवान्वाडवकुलं बुद्धिहीनोति दुर्मतिः
For the sake of a woman, I killed a learned Brahmin, skilled in Vedic scripture; I destroyed the horse-breeder's lineage, lacking wisdom and acting foolishly.