चंदनेन विलिप्याथ गां च प्रादात्पयस्विनीम् । उवाच च वचो रम्यं देवदेवेंद्र सेवितः
Then, anointing him with sandal paste and giving him a cow rich in milk, the Lord, worshipped by the king of the gods, spoke gentle words.
स्वामिन्मखो मया वाजिमेधसंज्ञः क्रियेत ह । सोयं त्वच्चरणा यातादद्यपूर्णो भविष्यति
'Master, the sacrifice called Ashvamedha has been performed by me; now, by your arrival at my feet, it will be fulfilled today.'
अद्य मे ब्रह्महत्योत्थ पापहानिं करिष्यति । अश्वमेधः क्रतुर्युष्मच्चरणेन पवित्रितः
'Today, the Ashvamedha sacrifice, purified by your feet, will remove the sin of brahmin-killing that has arisen in me.'
इति वाक्यं ब्रुवाणं तं राजराजेंद्रसेवितम् । आरण्यक उवाचेदं हसन्माध्व्या गिरा मुनिः
As he, served by the best of kings, spoke these words, Aranyaka the sage, smiling sweetly, replied:
स्वामिंस्तव तु युक्तं हि वचो ब्रह्मण्यभूमिप । त्वन्मूर्तयो महाराज ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः
'Lord, your words are fitting, O king devoted to Brahman, for the brahmins learned in the Vedas are your very forms, O great king.'
त्वं यदा ब्रह्मपूजादि शुभं कर्म करिष्यसि । ततोऽखिला नृपा विप्रं पूजयिष्यंति भूमिप
'Whenever you perform auspicious acts such as worship of Brahman, then all kings, O ruler of the earth, will honor the brahmin.'
त्वयोक्तं यन्महाराज विप्रहत्यापनुत्तये । यागं करोमि विमलं तत्तु हास्यकरं वचः
O great king, what you have said about performing a pure sacrifice to remove the sin of killing a Brahmin—those words are laughable.
त्वन्नामस्मरणान्मूढः सर्वशास्त्रविवर्जितः । सर्वपापाब्धिमुत्तीर्य स गच्छेत्परमं पदम्
A fool, devoid of all scriptures, by remembering your name, crosses the ocean of all sins and attains the supreme state.
सर्ववेदेतिहासानां सारार्थोऽयमिति स्फुटम् । यद्रामनामस्मरणं क्रियते पापतारकम्
This is clearly the essence and meaning of all the Vedas and histories: the remembrance of Rama's name destroys sin.
तावद्गर्जंति पापानि ब्रह्महत्यासमानि च । न यावत्प्रोच्यते नाम रामचंद्र तव स्फुटम्
Sins, even those equal to Brahmin-killing, roar until your name, O Ramachandra, is distinctly spoken.
त्वन्नामगर्जनं श्रुत्वा महापातककुंजराः । पलायंते महाराज कुत्रचित्स्थानलिप्सया
Hearing the thunder of your name, O great king, the elephants of great sins flee, seeking some place to hide.
तस्मात्तव कथं हत्या महापुण्यददर्शन । राम त्वत्सुकथां श्रुत्वा पूतः सद्यो भविष्यति
Therefore, how can there be sin for one who beholds great merit? O Rama, upon hearing your delightful story, one is immediately purified.
मया पूर्वं कृतयुगे गंगायास्तीरवासिनाम् । ऋषीणां मुखतो वाक्यं श्रुतमेतत्पुराविदाम्
Long ago, in the Krita age, I heard these words from the mouths of sages dwelling on the banks of the Ganga.
तावत्पापभियः पुंसां कातराणां सुपापिनाम् । यावन्न वदते वाचा रामनाममनोहरम्
So long as a person, fearful of sin and greatly sinful, does not utter the enchanting name of Rama, sins remain.
तस्माद्धन्योऽहमधुना मम संसृतिनाशनम् । सांप्रतं सुलभं रामचंद्र त्वद्दर्शनादभूत्
Therefore, I am blessed now, for the destruction of my worldly existence has become easy, O Ramachandra, through your vision.
इत्युक्तवंतं स मुनिं पूजयामास तत्र वै । सर्वे मुनिजनाः साधु साधु वाक्यमिति ब्रुवन्
Having spoken thus, all the sages there honored the sage, saying, 'Excellent, excellent words.'
शेष उवाच। अत्याश्चर्यमभूत्तत्र तन्मे निगदतः शृणु । वात्स्यायनमुनिश्रेष्ठ रामभक्तिपरायण
Śeṣa said: A most wondrous event occurred there; listen as I recount it, O Vātsyāyana, foremost among sages, devoted to Rama.
रामं दृष्ट्वा महाराजं यादृशं ध्यानगोचरम् । अत्यंतं हर्षमापन्नो जगाद स मुनीश्वरान्
Seeing Rama, the king, as he appeared in meditation, that sage was filled with intense joy and spoke to the lordly sages.
मुनीश्वराः संशृणुत मद्वाक्यं सुमनोहरम् । मादृशः को न भूलोके भविष्यति सुभाग्यवान्
O lordly sages, listen to my most delightful words: who in this world will ever be as fortunate as I?
नास्ति मत्सदृशः कोपि न जातो न भविष्यति । यद्रामभद्रो मां नत्वा स्वागतं परिपृष्टवान्
There is no one like me, nor has there been nor will there be, for Rama himself bowed to me and asked after my well-being.
यत्पादपंकजरजः श्रुतिमृग्यं सदैव हि । सोऽद्य मत्पादयोः पाथः पीत्वा पूतममन्यत
The dust of his lotus feet is always sought by the Vedas; today, having drunk the water from my own feet, he considered himself purified.
एवं प्रवदतस्तस्य ब्रह्मस्फोटोऽभवत्तदा । निर्गतं तद्भवं तेजो विवेश रघुनायके
As he spoke thus, a Brahmanic radiance arose; that essence departed and entered into Raghunāyaka.
पश्यतां सर्वलोकानां सरयूतीरमंडपे । सायुज्यमुक्तिं संप्राप दुर्ल्लभां योगिभिर्जनैः
In the pavilion on the banks of the Sarayu, before all the worlds, he attained union and liberation, rare even among yogis.
दिवि तूर्यनिनादोऽभूद्वीणानादोऽभवत्तदा । पुष्पवृष्टिः पपाताग्रे पश्यतां चित्रमद्भुतम्
At that moment, there was a sound of celestial drums and lutes in the sky; a shower of flowers fell in front, a marvelous and wondrous sight.
मुनयोऽप्येतदीक्षित्वा प्रशंसंतो मुनीश्वरम् । कृतार्थोयं मुनिश्रेष्ठो यद्रामवपुषीक्षितः
Even the sages, having witnessed this, praised the lord among ascetics, saying: 'This foremost sage has fulfilled his purpose, for he has beheld the form of Rama.'
सूत उवाच। एतदाख्यानकं श्रुत्वा वात्स्यायन उदारधीः । परमं हर्षमापेदे जगाद च फणीश्वरम्
Suta said: Upon hearing this tale, Vatsyayana, noble-minded, was filled with supreme joy and spoke to the lord of serpents.
वात्स्यायन उवाच। कथां संशृण्वते मह्यं तृप्तिर्नास्ति फणीश्वर । रघुनाथस्य भक्तार्तिहारिकीर्तिकरस्य वै
Vatsyayana said: O lord of serpents, as I listen to this story, I find no satisfaction; for it is about Raghunatha, whose fame removes the suffering of devotees.
धन्य आरण्यको नाम मुनिर्वेदधरः परः । रघुनाथं समालोक्य देहं तत्याज नश्वरम्
Blessed was the sage named Aranyaka, supreme knower of the Vedas; having beheld Raghunatha, he abandoned his perishable body.
ततो राज्ञो हयः कुत्र गतः केन नियंत्रितः । कथं तत्र रमानाथ कीर्तिर्जाता फणीश्वर
Then, where did the king's horse go, and by whom was it restrained? How did the fame of Ramānātha arise there, O lord of serpents?
सर्वं कथय मे तथ्यं सर्वज्ञोऽस्ति यतो भवान् । धराधरवपुर्धारी साक्षात्तस्य स्वरूपधृक्
Tell me everything truthfully, for you are all-knowing; you bear the form of the mountain and directly possess his true nature.