अनेन सुमहाँल्लाभो भविष्यति तु मे मतम् । यद्रामचरणौ प्रेक्षे ब्रह्मशक्रादिदुर्ल्लभौ
By this, I believe, there will be a great gain for me: that I may behold the feet of Rāma, which are difficult to see even for Brahmā and Indra.
स एव धन्यः स्वजनः पुत्रो वा बांधवोऽथवा । पशुर्वा वाहनं वापि रामाप्तिर्येन संभवेत्
He alone is blessed—whether kinsman, son, relative, beast, or mount—by whom Rāma’s favor is attained.
तस्माद्गृहीत्वा क्रत्वश्वं स्वर्णपत्रेण शोभितम् । बध्नंतु वाजिशालायां कामवेगं मनोरमम्
Therefore, seize the sacrificial horse, adorned with a golden plate, and bind the swift and splendid steed in the horse-stable.
इत्युक्तास्ते ततो गत्वा वाहं रामस्य शोभितम् । गृहीत्वा तरसा राज्ञे ददुः सर्वं शुभांगिनम्
Thus instructed, they went and swiftly seized Rāma’s splendid horse, and brought it, with all auspicious marks, to the king.
राजा प्राप्य मुदा चाश्वं रामस्य दनुजार्दनः । सेवकान्प्राह बलिनो धर्मकृत्यविचक्षणः
The king, having joyfully obtained Rāma’s horse—the destroyer of demons—spoke to his mighty attendants, discerning in matters of righteousness.
वात्स्यायन महाबुद्धे शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसः । न तस्य विषये कश्चित्परदाररतो नरः
O Vātsyāyana, great in wisdom, listen with focused mind: In his realm, there is no man who delights in another’s wife.
न परद्रव्यनिरतो न च कामेषु लंपटः । न जिह्वाभिरतोन्मार्गे कीर्त्तयेद्रामकीर्तनात्
No one is intent on another’s wealth, nor addicted to sensual pleasures; none, deviating from the path, speaks ill, for the fame of Rāma is proclaimed.
यः सेवकान्नृपो वक्ति यूयं सेवार्थमागताः । कथयंतु भवच्चेष्टां धर्मकर्मविशारदाः
The king says to his attendants: 'You have come for service; let those skilled in righteous acts declare your conduct.'
एकपत्नीव्रतधरा न परद्रव्यलोलुपाः । परापवादानिरता न च वेदोत्पथं गताः
They are devoted to one wife, not greedy for others’ wealth, not engaged in slandering others, nor have they strayed from the path of the Veda.
श्रीरामस्मरणादीनि कुर्वंति प्रत्यहं भटाः । तानहं रामसेवार्थं रक्षाम्यंतक कोपवान्
The warriors daily perform remembrance of Śrī Rāma and related acts; these I protect for the service of Rāma, even if Yama himself is enraged.
एतद्विरुद्धधर्माणो ये नराः पापसंयुताः । तानहं विषये मह्यं वासयामि न दुर्मतीन्
Those men, joined with sin, whose conduct is opposed to this dharma, I do not allow to dwell in my realm—those of evil mind.
तस्य देशे न पापिष्ठाः पापं कुर्वंति मानसे । हरिध्यानहताशेष पातकामोदसंयुताः
In his land, the most sinful do not commit evil even in thought; all their sins are destroyed by meditation on Hari, and they are filled with joy.
यदैवमभवद्देशो राजा धर्मेण संयुतः । तदा तत्स्था नराः सर्वे मृता गच्छंति निर्वृतिम्
When the land was thus, and the king was endowed with righteousness, then all the people dwelling there, upon death, attained liberation.
यमानुचरनिर्वेशो नाभवत्सौरथे पुरे । तदा यमो मुनेरूपं धृत्वा प्रागान्महीश्वरम्
In Suratha’s city, there was no investigation by Yama’s attendants; then Yama, taking the form of a sage, went to the lord of the earth.
वल्कलांबरधारी च जटाशोभितशीर्षकः । सुरथं तु सभामध्ये ददर्श हरिसेवकम्
Wearing garments of bark and adorned with matted hair, he saw Suratha, the servant of Hari, in the midst of the assembly.
तुलसीमस्तके यस्य वाचि नाम हरेः परम् । धर्मकर्मरतां वार्त्तां श्रावयंतं निजाञ्जनान्
On whose head was tulasi, on whose lips the supreme name of Hari, who spoke to his own people about engaging in righteous deeds.
तदा मुनिं नृपो दृष्ट्वा तपोमूर्तिमिव स्थितम् । ववंदे चरणौ तस्य पाद्यादिकमथाकरोत्
Then, seeing the sage standing there like an embodiment of austerity, the king bowed at his feet and performed the customary offerings of water and the like.
सुखोपविष्टं विश्रांतं मुनिं प्राह नृपाग्रणीः । धन्यमद्य जनुर्मह्यं धन्यमद्य गृहं मम
When the sage was comfortably seated and rested, the foremost of kings spoke: 'Today my life is blessed, today my house is blessed.'
कथाः कथयतान्मह्यं रामस्य विविधा वराः । याः शृण्वतां पापहानिर्भविष्यति पदे पदे
'Please tell me the various excellent stories of Rama, by hearing which, at every step, the destruction of sin will occur.'
इत्थमुक्तं समाकर्ण्य जहास स मुनिर्भृशम् । दंतान्प्रदर्शयन्सर्वांस्तालास्फालितपाणिकः
Hearing this request, the sage laughed heartily, showing all his teeth and clapping his hands together.
हसंतं तं मुनिं प्राह हसने कारणं किमु । कथयस्व प्रसादेन यथा स्यान्मनसः सुखम्
The king said to the laughing sage: 'What is the reason for your laughter? Please tell me graciously, so that my mind may be at ease.'
ततो मुनिर्नृपं प्राह शृणु राजन्धियायुतः । यदहं तेऽभिधास्यामि स्मिते कारणमुत्तमम्
Then the sage said to the king: 'Listen, O king endowed with great intellect, to what I shall tell you—the true reason for my smile.'
त्वया प्रोक्तं हरेः कीर्तिं कथयस्व ममाग्रतः । को हरिः कस्य वा कीर्तिः सर्वे कर्मवशा नराः
'You said: “Tell me the glory of Hari in my presence.” Who is Hari? Whose glory? All people are subject to karma.'
कर्मणा प्राप्यते स्वर्गः कर्मणा नरकं व्रजेत् । कर्मणैव भवेत्सर्वं पुत्रपौत्रादिकं बहु
'By action one attains heaven, by action one goes to hell; by action alone all things come—many sons, grandsons, and so on.'
शक्रः शतं क्रतूनां तु कृत्वागात्परमं पदम् । ब्रह्मापि कर्मणा लोकं प्राप्य सत्याख्यमद्भुतम्
'Indra, having performed a hundred sacrifices, attained the supreme state; even Brahma, by action, attained the wondrous world called Satya.'
अनेके कर्मणा सिद्धा मरुदादय ईशिनः । कुर्वन्ति भोगसौख्यं च अप्सरोगणसेविताः
'Many, by action, have become perfected—Maruts and other lords—enjoying pleasures, served by hosts of apsaras.'
तस्मात्कुरुष्व यज्ञादीन्यजस्व किल देवताः । यथा ते विमलाकीर्तिर्भविष्यति महीतले
'Therefore, perform sacrifices and the like—indeed, worship the gods—so that your fame may become spotless on earth.'
इति श्रुत्वा तु तद्वाक्यं कोपक्षुभितमानसः । उवाच रामैकमना विप्रं कर्मविशारदम्
Hearing these words, his mind agitated with anger, the king, intent only on Rama, spoke to the learned brahmin.
मा ब्रूहि कर्मणो वार्तां क्षयिष्णुफलदायिनीम् । गच्छ मन्नगरोपांताद्बहिर्लोकविगर्हितः
'Do not speak to me of action, which gives perishable results. Go outside the outskirts of my city, you who are despised by the world.'
इंद्रः पतिष्यति क्षिप्रं पतिष्यत्यपि पद्मजः । न पतिष्यंति मनुजा रामस्य भजनोत्सुकाः
'Indra will soon fall, and even the lotus-born will fall; but those men who are eager to worship Rama never fall.'