यत्त्वं कथयसि भ्रातस्तत्सर्वं धर्मसंयुतम् । परं यद्वच्म्यहं वाक्यं तत्कुरुष्व ममाज्ञया
'Brother, all that you say is in accord with dharma. But now do what I command, for I will speak something further.'
जानाम्येनां वह्निशुद्धां पवित्रां लोकपूजिताम् । लोकापवादाद्भीतोऽहं त्यजामि स्वां तु जानकीम्
'I know her to be purified by fire, pure, and honored by the world. Yet, out of fear of public reproach, I must abandon my own Sita.'
तस्मात्करे शितं धृत्वा करवालं सुदारुणम् । शिरश्छिंध्यथवा जायां जानकीं मुंच वै वने
'Therefore, take a sharp, terrible sword in your hand and either cut off my head, or else abandon Sita in the forest.'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य रामस्य भरतोऽपतत् । मूर्च्छितः सन्क्षितौ देहे कंपयुक्तः सबाष्पकः
Hearing these words of Rama, Bharata fell to the ground, unconscious, his body trembling and filled with tears.
वात्स्यायन उवाच। जगत्पवित्रसत्कीर्ति जानक्या वाच्यवाचनम् । कथं समकरोत्स्वामी तन्मे कथय सुव्रत
Vatsyayana said: O virtuous one, tell me how the Lord performed the pure and renowned act of Janaki's questioning and answering.
यथा मे मनसः सौख्यं भविष्यति सुशोभनम् । तथा कुरुष्व शेषाद्य त्वन्मुखान्निःसृतामृतम् । पिबतस्तृप्तिरेव स्याद्यया संसृतिकृं तनम्
So that my mind may attain excellent happiness, do now relate the remainder—let me drink the nectar issuing from your lips, by which one is satisfied and freed from the bonds of worldly existence.
शेष उवाच। मिथिलायां महापुर्यां जनको नाम भूपतिः । तस्यां करोति सद्राज्यं धर्मेणाराधयन्प्रजाः
Shesha said: In the great city of Mithila, there was a king named Janaka, who ruled his kingdom righteously, pleasing his subjects through dharma.
तस्य संकर्षतो भूमिं सीतया दीर्घमुख्यया । सीरध्वजस्य निरगात्कुमारी ह्यतिसुंदरी
While he was ploughing the earth, from the furrow emerged a maiden of surpassing beauty, Sita, the foremost among women.
तदात्यंतं मुदं प्राप्तः सीरकेतुर्महीपतिः । सीता नामाकरोत्तस्या मोहिन्या जगतः श्रियः
The king, radiant as a banner, attained supreme joy at that time; he named her Sita, the very embodiment of the world's fortune and enchantment.
सैकदोद्यानविपिने खेलंती सुमनोहरा । अपश्यत्स्वमनःकांतं शुकशुक्योर्युगं वदत्
Once, as she played in a delightful garden grove, she saw before her a pair of parrots, charming to her heart.
अत्यंतं हर्षमापन्नमत्यंतं कामलोलुपम् । परस्परं भाषमाणं स्नेहेन शुभया गिरा
They were filled with utmost joy and intense longing, speaking to each other with affection and sweet words.
रममाणं तदा युग्मं नभसि क्षिप्रवेगतः । समुत्पतन्नगोपस्थे स्थितं शब्दं चकार तत्
As the pair delighted together, swiftly flying through the sky, they landed upon a tree branch and made a sound there.
रामो महीपतिर्भूमौ भविष्यति मनोहरः । तस्य सीतेति नाम्ना तु भविष्यति महेलिका
A king named Rama will be born on earth, captivating in form, and his queen will be known as Sita.
स तया सह वर्षाणां सहस्राण्येकयुग्दश । राज्यं करिष्यते धीमान्कर्षन्भूमिपतीन्बली
With her, that wise and powerful king will rule for eleven thousand years, subduing other rulers.
धन्या सा जानकी देवी धन्योऽसौ रामसंज्ञितः । यौ परस्परमापन्नौ पृथिव्यां रंस्यतो मुदा
Blessed is that goddess Janaki, and blessed is he called Rama; the two, having attained each other, will rejoice together on earth.
इति संभाष्यमाणं तु शुकयुग्मं तु मैथिली । ज्ञात्वेदं देवतायुग्मं वाणीं तस्य विलोक्य च
Hearing this conversation, Maithili realized that the parrot pair were divine beings, observing their speech and manner.
मदीयास्तु कथा रम्याः कुरुते शुकयोर्युगम् । एतद्गृहीत्वा पृच्छामि सर्वं वाक्यं गतार्थकम्
My stories are delightful—this pair of parrots is repeating them; having understood this, I wish to question them fully.
एवं विचार्य सा स्वीयाः सखीः प्रतिजगाद ह । गृह्णंतु शनकैरेतत्पक्षियुग्मं मनोहरम्
Thinking thus, she spoke to her companions: 'Slowly capture this charming pair of birds.'
सख्यस्तास्तद्गिरिं गत्वा गृह्णन्पक्षियुगं वरम् । निवेदयामासुरिदं स्वसख्याः प्रियकाम्यया
Her friends went to that tree, caught the excellent pair of birds, and brought them to their beloved companion out of affection.
बहुधा विविधाञ्छब्दान्कुर्वद्वीक्ष्य मनोहरम् । आश्वासयामास तदा पप्रच्छ तदिदं वचः
Seeing them making many delightful sounds, she comforted them and then asked these words:
सीतोवाच। मा भैषातां युवां रम्यौ कौ वां कुत्र समागतौ । को रामः का च सा सीता तज्ज्ञानं तु कुतः स्मृतम्
Sita said: 'Do not be afraid, you lovely pair. Who are you, and where have you come together? Who is Rama, and who is Sita? How do you know of this? From where is this knowledge recalled?'
तत्सर्वं शंसतं क्षिप्रं मत्तो वां व्येतु यद्भयम् । इति पृष्टं तया पक्षियुगं सर्वमशंसत
Tell me all of this quickly, so that your fear of me may be dispelled.' Thus questioned by her, the pair of birds related everything.
पक्षियुग्ममुवाच। वाल्मीकिरास्ते सुमहानृषिर्धर्मविदुत्तमः । आवां तदाश्रमस्थाने सर्वदा सुमनोहरे
The great sage Vālmīki, foremost knower of righteousness, resided with us always in that most delightful hermitage.
सशिष्यान्गापयामास भावि रामायणं मुनिः । प्रत्यहं तत्पदस्मारी सर्वभूतहिते रतः
With his disciples, the sage caused the future Rāmāyaṇa to be sung; every day he recalled its verses, devoted to the welfare of all beings.
तदावाभ्यां श्रुतं सर्वं भावि रामायणं महत् । मुहुर्मुहुर्गीयमानमायातं परिपाठतः
At that time, we both heard the entire great future Rāmāyaṇa, repeatedly sung and recited in proper order.
शृण्वावां तेऽभिधास्यावो यो रामो या च जानकी । यद्यद्भविष्यते तस्या रामेण क्रीडितात्मना
Let us tell you now whatever we heard there—who Rāma is, who Jānakī is, and whatever will happen between them as Rāma delights in play.
ऋष्यशृंगकृतेष्ट्यां च चतुर्धा त्वंगतो हरिः । प्रादुर्भविष्यति श्रीमान्सुरस्त्रीगीतसत्कथः
At the sacrifice performed by Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, Hari will manifest in fourfold form, glorious and praised in noble tales sung by celestial women.
स कौशिकेन मिथिलां प्राप्स्यते भ्रातृसंयुतः । धनुष्पाणिस्तदा दृष्ट्वा दुर्ग्राह्यमन्यभूभुजाम्
With Viśvāmitra, he will reach Mithilā, accompanied by his brothers; there, seeing the bow, which is unattainable for other kings,
धनुर्भंक्त्वा जनकजां प्राप्स्यते सुमनोहराम् । तया सह महद्राज्यं करिष्यति श्रुतं वरे
He will break the bow and win Janaka’s daughter, supremely beautiful; with her, he will rule a great kingdom, as has been heard, O noble one.
एतदन्यच्च तत्रस्थैः श्रुतमस्माभिरुद्गतैः । कथितं तव चार्वंगि मुंचावां गंतुकामुकौ
All this and more, sung there by those present, we have heard; O lovely one, we have told you—now let us go, for we wish to depart.