शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य सुमतिः प्राह तं नृपम् । विशद स्मेरया वाचा दर्शयन्नात्मसौहृदम्
Śeṣa said: Hearing these words, Sumati spoke to the king, with clear and smiling speech, showing his own friendliness.
सुमतिरुवाच। एनं दृष्ट्वा महाराज धूतपापा वयं खलु । भविष्यामो मुनिश्रेष्ठं सर्वशास्त्रपरायणम्
Sumati said: Having seen him, O great king, we are surely cleansed of sin; we shall become devoted to the foremost sage, who is dedicated to all scriptures.
तस्मान्नत्वा तमापृच्छ सर्वं ते कथयिष्यति । रघुनाथपदांभोजमकरंदाति लोलुपः
Therefore, bow to him and ask; he will tell you everything. He is deeply attached to the nectar of the lotus feet of Raghunātha.
नाम्ना त्वारण्यकं ख्यातं रघुनाथांघ्रिसेवकम् । अत्युग्रतपसा पूर्णं सर्वशास्त्रार्थकोविदम्
By name, he is known as Āraṇyaka, a servant at the feet of Raghunātha, filled with intense austerity, and expert in the meaning of all scriptures.
इति श्रुत्वा तु तद्वाक्यं धर्मार्थपरिबृंहितम् । जगाम तमथो द्रष्टुं स्वल्पसेवकसंयुतः
Hearing those words, imbued with righteousness and purpose, he went to see him, accompanied by a few attendants.
हनूमान्पुष्कलो वीरः सुमतिर्मंत्रिसत्तमः । लक्ष्मीनिधिः प्रतापाग्र्यः सुबाहुः सुमदस्तथा
Hanuman, Puṣkala the hero, Sumati the foremost minister, Lakṣmīnidhi, the eminent in glory, Subāhu, and Sumada likewise,
एतैः परिवृतो राजा शत्रुघ्नः प्रापदाश्रमम् । नमस्कर्तुं द्विजवरमारण्यकमुदारधीः
Surrounded by these, King Shatrughna reached the hermitage, to pay respects to the noble-minded Āraṇyaka, the best among twice-born.
गत्वा तं तापसश्रेष्ठं नमस्कारमथाकरोत् । सर्वैस्तैः सहितो वीरैर्विनयानतकंधरैः
Having gone to that foremost ascetic, he then offered salutations, together with all those heroes, their necks humbly bowed.
तान्दृष्ट्वा सन्नतान्सर्वाञ्छत्रुघ्नप्रमुखान्नृपान् । अर्घ्यपाद्यादिकं चक्रे फलमूलादिभिस्तदा
Seeing all those kings, headed by Shatrughna, humbly bowed, he then performed the welcoming rites with water for washing feet and hands, and with fruits and roots.
उवाच तान्नृपान्सर्वान्भवंतः कुत्र संगताः । कथमत्र समायातास्तत्सर्वं वदतानघाः
He spoke to all those kings: Where have you gathered from? How have you arrived here? Tell me everything, O sinless ones.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यमेतस्य मुनिवर्यस्य वाडव । सुमतिः कथयामास वाक्यं वादविचक्षणः
Hearing these words of the eminent sage, Sumati, skilled in discourse, began to speak.
सुमतिरुवाच। रघुवंशनृपस्यायमश्वो वै पाल्यतेऽखिलैः । यागं करिष्यते वीरः सर्वसंभारसंभृतम्
Sumati said: This horse of the king of the Raghu dynasty is being guarded by all; the hero will perform a sacrifice, fully supplied with all requisites.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तेषां जगाद मुनिसत्तमः । दंतकांत्याखिलं घोरं तमोनिर्वारयन्निव
Hearing their words, the foremost sage spoke, his radiance dispelling all darkness as if with the brilliance of his teeth.
आरण्यक उवाच। किं यागैर्विविधैरन्यैः सर्वसंभारसंभृतैः । स्वल्पपुण्यप्रदैर्नूनं क्षयिष्णुपददातृभिः
Āraṇyaka said: What is the use of various sacrifices, furnished with all requisites, which surely grant little merit and are given by those whose rewards are perishable?
मूढो लोको हरिं त्यक्त्वा करोत्यन्यसमर्चनम् । रघुवीरं रमानाथं स्थिरैश्वर्यपदप्रदम्
The foolish world, abandoning Hari, performs other worship; Raghu's hero, Lord of Lakṣmī, grants the stable abode of prosperity.
यो नरैः स्मृतमात्रोपि हरते पापपर्वतम् । तं मुक्त्वा क्लिश्यते मूढो यागयोगव्रतादिभिः
He who, even by mere remembrance by men, removes the mountain of sin—abandoning him, the fool suffers with sacrifices, yoga, vows, and the like.
अहो पश्यत मूढत्वं लोकानामतिवंचितम् । सुलभं रामभजनं मुक्त्वा दुर्ल्लभमाचरेत्
Behold, how astonishing is the folly of people, thoroughly deceived—forsaking the easy worship of Rama, they pursue what is difficult to attain.
सकामैर्योगिभिर्वापि चिंत्यते कामवर्जितैः । अपवर्गप्रदं नॄणां स्मृतमात्राखिलाघहम्
Even by yogis with desires, or by those free from desire, it is contemplated; it grants liberation to humans and destroys all sins by mere remembrance.
पुराहं तत्त्ववित्सायां ज्ञानिनं सुविचारयन् । अगमं बहुतीर्थानि तत्त्वं कोपि न मेऽदिशत्
Formerly, seeking truth, I carefully questioned the wise; I visited many holy places, yet no one revealed the essence to me.
तदैकं हि महद्भाग्यात्प्राप्तं वै लोमशं मुनिम् । स्वर्गलोकात्समायातं तीर्थयात्राचिकीर्षया
Then, by great fortune, I met the sage Lomasha, who had come from heaven, desiring to undertake a pilgrimage.
तमहं प्रणिपत्याथ पर्यपृच्छं महामुनिम् । महायुषं महायोगिसंसेवितपदद्वयम्
I approached him, bowed, and questioned that great sage, whose feet were served by long-lived, great yogis.
स्वामिन्मयाद्य मानुष्यं प्राप्तमद्भुतदुर्ल्लभम् । संसारघोरजलधिं किं कर्तव्यं तितीर्षुणा
Master, today I have attained this rare and wondrous human birth; what should one do who wishes to cross the dreadful ocean of worldly existence?
विचार्य कथय त्वं तद्व्रतं दानं जपो मखः । देवो वा विद्यते यो वै संसृत्यंभोधितारकः
Consider and tell me: what vow, charity, recitation, or sacrifice, or which god exists who can carry one across the ocean of transmigration?
यज्ज्ञात्वा संसृतिं घोरां तरामि त्वत्कृपाब्धितः । तन्मे कथय योगेश सर्वशास्त्रार्थपारग
By knowing which, through your ocean of compassion, I may cross the terrible cycle of birth—tell me that, O lord of yoga, knower of all the meanings of scripture.
इति मद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य जगाद मुनिसत्तमः । शृणुष्वैकमना विप्र श्रद्धया परया युतः
Hearing my words, the best of sages spoke: 'Listen with one-pointed mind, O Brahmin, endowed with supreme faith.'
संति दानानि तीर्थानि व्रतानि नियमा यमाः । योगा यज्ञास्तथानेके वर्तंते स्वर्गदायकाः
There are charities, holy places, vows, disciplines, restraints, yogas, and many sacrifices—these exist, bestowing heaven.
परं गुह्यं प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । तच्छृणुष्व महाभाग संसारांभोधितारकम्
But I shall declare the supreme secret, destroyer of all sins; listen to it, O highly fortunate one, which carries across the ocean of worldly existence.
नास्तिकाय न वक्तव्यं न चाऽश्रद्धालवे पुनः । निंदकाय शठायापि न देयं भक्तिवैरिणे
It must not be spoken to an atheist, nor again to one without faith; nor given to a blasphemer, a deceiver, or an enemy of devotion.
रामभक्ताय शांताय कामक्रोधवियोगिने । वक्तव्यं सर्वदुःखस्य नाशकारकमुत्तमम्
It should be spoken to a devotee of Rama, peaceful, free from desire and anger; it is the supreme destroyer of all suffering.
रामान्नास्ति परो देवो रामान्नास्ति परं व्रतम् । न हि रामात्परो योगो न हि रामात्परो मखः
There is no god higher than Rama, no vow greater than Rama; indeed, there is no yoga superior to Rama, nor any sacrifice greater than Rama.