वाल्मीकिं मां विजानीहि पितुस्तव गुरुं मुनिम् । दुःखं मा कुरु वैदेहि ह्यागच्छ मम चाश्रमम्
'Know me, O Jānakī, as Vālmīki, the sage and preceptor of your father. Do not grieve, O Vaidehī; come now to my hermitage.'
भिन्नस्थाने पितुर्गेहं जानीहि पतिदेवते । ईदृशे कर्मणि मम रोषोस्त्वेव महीपतेः
'Know, O devoted wife, that your father’s house is in a different place. In this matter, the king alone is angry with me.'
एवं वचः समाकर्ण्य जानकी पतिदेवता । दुःखपूर्णाश्रुवदना किंचित्सुखमवाप सा
Hearing these words, Jānakī, devoted to her husband, her face full of tears and sorrow, found a little comfort.
शेष उवाच। वाल्मीकिः सांत्वयित्वैनां दुःखपूराकुलेक्षणाम् । निनाय स्वाश्रमं पुण्यं तापसीवृन्दपूरितम्
Śeṣa said: Vālmīki, having consoled her, whose eyes were filled with sorrow, led her to his own sacred hermitage, filled with ascetics.
सा गच्छंती पृष्ठतोऽस्य वाल्मीकेस्तपसां निधेः । रराजेंदोः पृष्ठतो वै तारकेव मनोहरा
As she walked behind him, Vālmīki, the treasure of austerity, she shone beautifully like a star following the moon.
वाल्मीकिः प्राप्य च स्वीयमाश्रमं मुनिपूरितम् । तापसीः प्रतिसंचख्यौ जानकीं स्वाश्रमं गताम्
Vālmīki, having reached his own hermitage, filled with sages, informed the ascetic women that Jānakī had come to his hermitage.
वैदेही तापसीः सर्वा नमश्चक्रे महामनाः । परस्परं प्रहृषिताः परिरंभं समाचरन्
Vaidehī, with great respect, bowed to all the ascetic women; delighted, they embraced each other.
वाल्मीकिर्निजशिष्यान्स प्रत्युवाच तपोनिधिः । रच्यतां बत जानक्याः पर्णशाला मनोरमा
Vālmīki, the treasure of austerity, then addressed his own disciples: 'Let a lovely leaf-hut be built for Jānakī.'
इत्युक्तं वाक्यमाकर्ण्य वाल्मीकेः सुमनोरमम् । व्यरचन्पत्रकैः शालां दारुभिः सुमनोहराम्
Hearing these pleasing words of Vālmīki, they constructed a charming hut with leaves and wood.
तत्रावसद्धि वैदेही पतिव्रतपरायणा । वाल्मीकेः परिचर्यां च कुर्वंती फलभक्षिका
There Vaidehī, devoted to her husband, dwelt, serving Vālmīki and subsisting on fruits.
जपंती रामरामेति मनसा वचसा स्वयम् । निनाय दिवसांस्तत्र जानकी पतिदेवता
Jānakī, devoted to her husband, spent her days there, reciting 'Rāma Rāma' in her mind and aloud.
काले सासूत पूत्रौ द्वौ मनोहरवपुर्धरौ । रामचंद्र प्रतिनिधी ह्यश्विनाविव जानकी
In due time, Jānakī gave birth to two sons, possessing charming forms, who were representatives of Rāma, like the Ashvins.
तच्छ्रुत्वा तु मुनिर्हृष्टो जानक्याः पुत्रसंभवम् । चकार जातकर्मादि संस्कारान्मंत्रवित्तमः
Hearing of Jānakī's sons, the sage, expert in mantras, rejoiced and performed the birth rites and other ceremonies.
कुशैर्लवैश्च वाल्मीकिर्मुनिः कर्माणि चाचरत् । तन्नाम्ना पुत्रयोराख्या कुशो लव इति स्फुटा
The sage Vālmīki carried out the rituals for the boys, Kuśa and Lava, and their names were clearly given as Kuśa and Lava.
वाल्मीकिर्यत्र विरजा मंगलं तद्यथाचरत् । अत्यंतं हृष्टचित्ता सा बभूव कमलेक्षणा
Wherever Vālmīki performed auspicious rites, there the lotus-eyed lady became exceedingly joyful.
तद्दिने लवणं हत्वा शत्रुघ्नः स्वल्पसैनिकः । आगमच्चाश्रमे चास्य वाल्मीकेर्निशि शोभने
On that day, having slain Lavaṇa with a small force, Śatrughna arrived at Vālmīki's beautiful hermitage at night.
तदा वाल्मीकिना शिष्टः शत्रुघ्नो रघुनायकम् । मा शंस जानकीपुत्रौ कथयिष्याम्यहं पुरः
Then, instructed by Vālmīki, Śatrughna, the leader of the Raghus, was told: 'Do not reveal the sons of Jānakī; I will tell the story myself.'
जानकीपुत्रकौ तत्र ववृधाते मनोरमौ । कंदमूलफलैः पुष्टौ व्यदधादुन्मदौ वरौ
There, the delightful sons of Jānakī grew, nourished by roots, fruits, and tubers, becoming strong and excellent, even somewhat wild.
शुक्लप्रतिपदायाश्च शशीव सुमनोहरौ । कालेन संस्कृतौ जातावुपनीतौ मनोहरौ
On the bright first day of the lunar month, the two charming boys were, in time, consecrated and initiated, radiant like the moon.
उपनीयमुनिर्वेदं सांगमध्यापयत्सुतौ । सरहस्यं धनुर्वेदं रामायणमपाठयत्
The sage initiated the boys, taught them the Veda with its branches, and also instructed them in the secret science of archery and the Rāmāyaṇa.
वाल्मीकिना च धनुषी दत्ते स्वर्णसुभूषिते । अभेद्ये सगुणे श्रेष्ठे वैरिवृंदविदारणे
Vālmīki gave them bows adorned with gold, unbreakable, excellent, equipped with all qualities, capable of destroying hosts of enemies.
इषुधी बाणसंपूर्णौ अक्षये करवालके । चर्माण्यभेद्यानि ददौ जानक्यात्मजयोस्तदा
He gave them quivers filled with inexhaustible arrows, armlets, and impenetrable shields to the sons of Jānakī.
धनुर्धरौ धनुर्वेदपारगावाश्रमे मुदा । चरंतौ तत्र रेजाते अश्विनाविव शोभनौ
Bearing bows and skilled in archery, the two shone with joy in the hermitage, like the radiant Ashvins.
जानकी वीक्ष्य पुत्रौ द्वौ खड्गचर्मधरौ वरौ । परमं हर्षमापन्ना विरहोद्भवमत्यजत्
Jānakī, seeing her two sons, splendid with swords and shields, attained supreme joy and abandoned the sorrow born of separation.
एष ते कथितो विप्र जानक्याः पुत्रसंभवः । अतः शृणुष्व यद्वृत्तं वीरबाहुविकृंतनम्
O brāhmaṇa, thus has the birth of Jānakī's sons been told to you; now listen to the deeds performed by Vīrabāhu.
शेष उवाच। शत्रुघ्नो निजवीराणां छिन्नान्बाहून्निरीक्षयन् । उवाच तान्सुकुपितो रोषसंदंशिताधरः
Śeṣa said: Śatrughna, seeing the severed arms of his own warriors, spoke to them, greatly enraged, his lips quivering with anger.
केन वीरेण वो बाहुकृंतनं समकारि भोः । तस्याहं बाहू कृंतामि देवगुप्तस्य वै भटाः
'By which hero were your arms cut off, O soldiers? I will cut off the arms of that one, who is protected by the gods.'
न जानाति महामूढो रामचंद्र बलं महत् । इदानीं दर्शयिष्यामि पराक्रांत्या बलं स्वकम्
'That fool does not know the great strength of Rāma; now I will show my own power through valor.'
स कुत्र वर्तते वीरो हयः कुत्र मनोरमः । को वाऽगृह्णात्सुप्तसर्पान्मूढो ज्ञात्वा पराक्रमम्
Where is that hero now, where is the splendid horse? Who, knowing its power, would foolishly seize sleeping serpents?
इति ते कथिता वीरा विस्मिता दुःखिता भृशम् । रामचंद्र प्रतिनिधिं बालकं समशंसत
Thus the heroes, astonished and deeply distressed, spoke of the boy as Rama's representative.