अन्नदानं पयोदानमभयं दानमुत्तमम् । रत्नदानानि सर्वाणि विप्रेभ्यश्चादिशन्महान्
The giving of food, milk, fearlessness, the highest gifts, and all kinds of jewels, he instructed to be given to the Brāhmins.
देहि देहि धनं देहि मानेति ब्रूहि कस्यचित् । ददात्वन्नं ददात्वन्नं सर्वभोगसमन्वितम्
Give, give, give wealth, honor—say this to anyone; let him give food, let him give food, with all enjoyments included.
इत्थं प्रावर्तत मखो रघुनाथस्य धीमतः । सदक्षिणो द्विजवरैः पूर्णः सर्वशुभक्रियः
Thus the sacrifice of the wise Raghunātha commenced, complete with proper offerings, performed by excellent Brāhmins, fulfilling all auspicious rites.
अथ रामानुजो गत्वा मातरं प्रणनाम ह । आज्ञापयाश्वरक्षार्थमेष गच्छामि शोभने
Then Rāma's younger brother went and bowed to his mother, saying: 'O beautiful one, I go now for the protection of the horse, by your command.'
त्वत्कृपातो रिपुकुलं जित्वा शोभासमन्वितः । आयास्यामि महाराजैर्हयवर्यसमन्वितः
By your grace, having conquered the enemy clans, adorned with glory, I shall return, accompanied by great kings and noble horses.
मातोवाच । पुत्र गच्छ महावीर शिवाः पंथान एव ते । सर्वान्रिपुगणाञ्जित्वा पुनरागच्छ सन्मते
Mother spoke: 'Go, my son, mighty hero, your paths are auspicious; having conquered all groups of enemies, return again, O wise one.'
पुष्कलं पालय निजभ्रातृजं धर्मवित्तमम् । महाबलिनमद्यापि बालकं लीलयायुतम्
Protect Puṣkala, your own brother's son, who knows dharma, is very strong, still a child, full of playfulness.
पुत्रागच्छसि चेद्युक्तः पुष्कलेन शुभान्वितः । तदा मम प्रमोदः स्यादन्यथा शोकभागहम्
If you return, accompanied by Puṣkala and blessed, then my joy will be; otherwise, I shall be afflicted by sorrow.
इति संभाष्यमाणां स्वां मातरं प्रत्युवाच सः । त्वदीयचरणद्वंद्वं स्मरन्प्राप्स्यामि शोभनम्
Thus addressed, he replied to his mother: 'Remembering your pair of feet, I shall attain auspiciousness.'
पुष्कलं पालयित्वाहं निजांगमिव शोभने । स्वनामसदृशं कृत्वा पुनरेष्यामि मोदवान्
Having protected Puṣkala as my own limb, O beautiful one, making him worthy of my name, I shall return again, full of joy.
इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ वीरो रामं स मखमंडपे । आसीनं मुनिवर्याग्र्यैर्यज्ञवेषधरं वरम्
Having spoken thus, the hero went to Rāma in the sacrificial pavilion, seated among foremost sages, wearing the attire of sacrifice, the excellent one.
उवाच मतिमान्वीरः सर्वशोभासमन्वितः । रामाज्ञापय रक्षार्थं हयस्यानुज्ञया तव
The wise hero, adorned with all glory, spoke: 'Rāma, command me for the protection of the horse, with your permission.'
रघुनाथोऽपि तच्छ्रुत्वा भद्रमस्त्विति चाब्रवीत् । बालं स्त्रियं प्रमत्तं त्वं मा हन्याः शस्त्रवर्जितम्
Raghunatha, having heard this, replied, 'Let there be well-being.' And he said, 'Do not kill a child, a woman, or one who is intoxicated, nor anyone unarmed.'
तदा लक्ष्मीनिधिर्भ्राता जानक्या जनकात्मजः । प्रहस्य किंचिन्नयने नर्तयन्राममब्रवीत्
Then Lakshminidhi, the brother of Janaki's son, smiled and, with a slight movement of his eyes, spoke to Rama.
लक्ष्मीनिधिरुवाच। रामचंद्र महाबाहो सर्वधर्मपरायण । शत्रुघ्नं शिक्षय तथा यथा लोकोत्तरो भवेत्
Lakshminidhi said: 'Rama, mighty-armed, devoted to all righteousness, instruct Shatrughna in such a way that he may become extraordinary among men.'
कुलोचितं कर्म कुर्वन्नग्रजाचरितं तथा । गच्छेत्स परमं धाम तेजोबलसमन्वितम्
By performing deeds appropriate to his lineage, and following the conduct of his elder brother, he will attain the supreme abode, endowed with brilliance and strength.
त्वया प्रोक्तं महाराज ब्राह्मणं नावमानयेत् । पित्रा तव हतो विप्रः पितृभक्तिपरायणः
O great king, as you have said, a Brahmin must not be disrespected; your father, devoted to filial piety, killed a Brahmin.
त्वयापि सुमहत्कर्म कृतं लोकविगर्हितम् । अवध्यां महिलां यस्त्वं हतवान्नियतं ततः
You too have performed a great act, though condemned by the world, for you certainly killed a woman who was not to be slain.
अग्रजोऽस्य महाराज कृतवान्यं पराक्रमम् । सनकेन कृतः पूर्वं राक्षस्याः कर्णकर्तनम्
O great king, your elder brother also performed another heroic deed: by Sanaka's command, he cut off the ear of a demoness.
एवं करिष्यति नृपः शत्रुघ्नः शिक्षया तव । यदि नायं तथा कुर्यात्कुलस्यासदृशं भवेत्
Thus, with your instruction, King Shatrughna will act; if he does not act in this way, he would be unworthy of the lineage.
इत्युक्तवंतं तं रामः प्रत्युवाच हसन्निव । मेघगंभीरया वाचा सर्ववाक्यविशारदः
When he had spoken thus, Rama, expert in all speech, replied with a voice deep as a cloud, as if smiling.
शृण्वंतु योगिनः शांताः समदुःखसुखाः पुनः । जानंत्यपारसंसारनिस्तारतरणादिकम्
Let the peaceful yogis, equal in pleasure and pain, listen again; they know the means to cross the boundless ocean of worldly existence.
ये शूराः समहेष्वासाः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदाः । ते च जानंति युद्धस्य वार्त्तां न तु भवादृशाः
Those who are heroes, skilled archers, and masters of all weapons and missiles—they alone know the realities of battle, not people like you.
परोपतापिनो ये वै ये चोत्पथविसारिणः । ते हंतव्या नृपैः सर्वैः सर्वलोकहितैषिभिः
Those who harm others and those who stray from the right path—they must be slain by all kings and by all who seek the welfare of the world.
इत्युक्तमाकर्ण्य सभासदस्ते सर्वे स्मितं चक्रुररिंदमस्य । कुंभोद्भवः पूजितमेनमश्वं विमोचयामास सुशोभितं हि
Hearing these words, all the assembly members smiled at the enemy-subduer; the ocean-born one, having honored the horse, released it, for it was indeed splendid.
इमं मंत्रं समुच्चार्य वसिष्ठः कलशोद्भवः । कराग्रेण स्पृशन्नश्वं मुमोच जयकांक्षया
Reciting this mantra, Vasistha, born from a pot, touched the horse with his hand and released it, desiring victory.
वाजिन्गच्छ यथालीलं सर्वत्र धरणीतले । यागार्थे मोचितो येन पुनरागच्छ सत्वरः
'Go, horse, as you please, everywhere upon the earth; you are released for the sake of the sacrifice—return quickly to the one who set you free.'
अश्वस्तु मोचितः सर्वैर्भटैः शस्त्रास्त्रकोविदैः । परीतः प्रययौ प्राचीं दिशं वायुजवान्वितः
The horse, released by all the warriors skilled in weapons and missiles, surrounded, set out toward the eastern direction, swift as the wind.
प्रचचार बलं सर्वं कंपयद्धरणीतलम् । शेषोऽपि किंचिन्न तया फणया धृतवान्भुवम्
The entire army marched, shaking the earth; even Shesha did not hold the ground with his hood at that time.
दिशः प्रसेदुः परितः क्ष्मातलं शोभयान्वितम् । वायवस्तं तु शत्रुघ्नं पृष्ठतो मंदगामिनः
The directions all around became clear, and the earth's surface was adorned; the winds followed behind Shatrughna, who moved slowly.