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.'
पश्य ध्रुवं च प्रह्लादं बिभीषणमथाद्भुतम् । ये चान्ये रामभक्ता वै कदापि न पतंति ते
'Behold Dhruva, Prahlada, and the wondrous Vibhishana; and others who are devotees of Rama—they never fall at any time.'
ये रामनिंदका दुष्टास्तानि मे यमकिंकराः । ताडयिष्यंति लोहस्य मुद्गरैः पाशबन्धनैः
'Those wicked ones who revile Rama—my servants of Yama will strike them with iron clubs and bind them with fetters.'
ब्राह्मणत्वाद्देहदंडं न कुर्यां ते द्विजाधम । गच्छ गच्छ मदालोकात्ताडयिष्यामि चान्यथा
Because you are a Brahmin, I will not strike your body with a staff, O lowest of twice-born; go, go from my sight, or else I will beat you.
इत्थमुक्तवति श्रेष्ठे भूपे सुरथसंज्ञिते । सेवका बाहुना धृत्वा निष्कासयितुमुद्यताः
When the noble king named Suratha had spoken thus, his attendants seized him by the arm, preparing to throw him out.
तदा यमो निजं रूपं धृत्वा लोकैकवंदितम् । प्राह भूपं प्रतुष्टोऽस्मि याचस्व हरिसेवक
Then Yama, assuming his own revered form, honored by all the worlds, addressed the king: 'I am pleased with you, O servant of Hari; ask for a boon.'
मया प्रलोभितो वाग्भिर्बह्वीभिरपि सुव्रत । चलितोसि न रामस्य सेवायाः साधुसेवितः
'Though I tempted you with many persuasive words, O virtuous one, you were not swayed from the noble service of Rama.'
तदा प्रोवाच भूमीशो यमं दृष्ट्वा सुतोषितम् । उवाच यदि तुष्टोसि देहि मे वरमुत्तमम्
Then the lord of the earth, seeing Yama well pleased, spoke: 'If you are satisfied, grant me the highest boon.'
तावन्मम न वै मृत्युर्यावद्रामसमागमः । न भयं मे भवत्तो हि कदाचन हि धर्मराट्
'Let there be no death for me until I meet Rama; let there never be any fear from you, O King of Dharma.'
तदोवाच यमो भूपमिदं तव भविष्यति । सर्वं त्वदीप्सितं तथ्यं करिष्यति रघोःपतिः
Then Yama said to the king: 'So it shall be for you; all that you desire, the lord of Raghu will make true.'
इत्युक्त्वांतर्हितो धर्मो जगाम स्वपुरं प्रति । प्रशस्य तस्य चरितं हरिभक्तिपरात्मनः
Having spoken thus, Dharma vanished and went to his own city, praising the conduct of that king, whose heart was devoted to Hari.
स राजा धार्मिको रामसेवकः परया मुदा । गृहीत्वाश्वं प्रत्युवाच सेवकान्हरिसेवकान्
That righteous king, a servant of Rama, filled with great joy, took the horse and addressed his attendants, the servants of Hari.
मया गृहीतो वाहोऽसौ राघवस्य महीपतेः । सज्जी भवंतु सर्वत्र यूयं रणविशारदाः
'I have seized the steed of Raghava, the lord of kings; all of you, skilled in battle, be ready everywhere.'
इति प्रोक्तास्तु ते सर्वे भटा राज्ञो महाबलाः । सज्जीभूताः क्षणादेव सभायां जग्मुरुत्सुकाः
Thus addressed, all those mighty warriors of the king became ready at once and eagerly entered the assembly.
राज्ञो वीरा दशसुताश्चंपको मोहकस्तथा । रिपुंजयोऽतिदुर्वारः प्रतापीबलमोदकः
The king's heroes, his ten sons—Champaka, Mohaka, Ripunjaya, Atidurvara, Pratapi, Balamodaka,
हर्यक्षः सहदेवश्च भूरिदेवः सुतापनः । इति राज्ञो दश सुताः सज्जीभूता रणांगणे
Haryaksha, Sahadeva, Bhurideva, and Sutapana—these ten sons of the king became ready for the battlefield.
यातुमिच्छामकुर्वंस्ते महोत्साहसमन्विताः । राजापि स्वरथं चित्रं हेमशोभाविनिर्मितम्
They, filled with great enthusiasm, prepared to set out; and the king too summoned his splendid chariot, adorned with gold.
आह्वयामास सुजवैर्वाजिभिः समलंकृतम् । रणोत्साहेन संयुक्तः सर्वसैन्यपरीवृतः
He called for it to be yoked with excellent, well-ornamented horses, and, filled with the zeal for battle, surrounded himself with his entire army.
सभायां सेवकान्सर्वान्दिशन्नास्ते महीपतिः
In the assembly, the king gave orders to all his attendants.
शेष उवाच। अथ रामानुजो वेगात्समागत्य स्वसेवकान् । पप्रच्छ कुत्र वाहोऽसौ याज्ञिकः सुमनोहरः
Shesha said: Then Lakshmana, with speed, came and asked his attendants, 'Where is that sacrificial horse, so beautiful to behold?'
तदा ते वचनं प्रोचुः शत्रुघ्नं सुमहाबलाः । न जानीमो भटाः केचिद्धयं नीत्वा गताः पुरे
Then those mighty warriors replied to Shatrughna, 'We do not know, O hero; some soldiers took the horse and went into the city.'