यो राजा जगतां नेत्रीं मातरं जगदंबिकाम् । प्रसाद्य चिरमायुष्यं लेभे राज्यमकंटकम्
That king, having pleased Jagadamba, the mother and leader of the world, obtained a long life and a kingdom free from troubles.
स एष त्वां प्रणमति सुमदः प्रभुसेवितम् । तं गृहाण कृपादृष्ट्या चिराद्दर्शनकांक्षकम्
This Sumada, devoted to you, bows before you; accept him with a compassionate gaze, for he has longed to see you.
ततः सुबाहुभूपस्य नगरे बलपूरिते । दमनस्तस्य वै पुत्रः प्रजग्राह हयोत्तमम्
Then, in the city of King Subahu, filled with strength, Daman, his son, seized the excellent horse.
तेन साकं महद्युद्धं बभूव दमनेन च । पुष्कलो जयमापेदे संमूर्छ्य सुभुजात्मजम्
A great battle arose between him and Daman; Pushkala achieved victory, having subdued Subahu's son.
ततः सुबाहुः संक्रुद्धो रणे पवनजं बलात् । युयुधे तव पादाब्जसेवकं बलिनां वरम्
Then Subahu, greatly enraged, forcefully fought in battle against the son of the Wind, your lotus-footed devotee and the best among the mighty.
तस्य पादाहतो ज्ञानं प्राप्य शापतिरस्कृतम् । तुभ्यं समर्प्य सकलं वाजिनः पालकोऽभवत्
Struck on the foot, he regained the knowledge that had been concealed by a curse, and, surrendering everything to you, became the guardian of the horse.
एष त्वां सुभुजो राजा प्रणमत्युन्नतांगकः । कृपादृष्ट्याभिषिंच त्वं सुबाहुं नयकोविदम्
Now this strong-armed king, with his limbs raised in reverence, bows to you; by your compassionate gaze, anoint Subahu, who is skilled in statecraft.
ततो मुक्तो हयो रेवाह्रदे स निममज्ज ह । तत्र प्राप्तं मोहनास्त्रं शत्रुघ्नेन बलीयसा
Then the freed horse plunged into the waters of the Revā river; there, the powerful Shatrughna obtained the bewildering missile.
ततो देवपुरे प्रागाच्छिववासविभूषिते । तत्रत्यं तु विजानासि यतस्त्वं तत्र चागतः
Afterwards, he went to the city of the gods, adorned with the dwellings of Shiva; you know what happened there, for you also arrived at that place.
विद्युन्माली हतो दैत्यः सत्यवान्संगतस्ततः । सुरथेन समं युद्धं जानासि त्वं महामते
The demon Vidyunmālī was slain, and Satyavān was joined; you, wise one, know of the battle that took place there together with Suratha.
ततः कुंडलकान्मुक्तो हयो बभ्राम सर्वतः । न कश्चित्तं निजग्राह स्ववीर्यबलदर्पितः
Then, freed from the earrings, the horse wandered everywhere; no one, proud of their own strength and power, was able to seize it.
वाल्मीकेराश्रमे रम्ये हयः प्राप्तो मनोरमः । तत्र यत्कुतुकं जातं तच्छृणुष्व नरोत्तम
The splendid horse reached the delightful hermitage of Vālmīki; listen, O best of men, to the wondrous events that took place there.
तत्रार्भस्तव सारूप्यं बिभ्रत्षोडशवार्षिकः । जग्राह वीक्ष्य पत्रांकं वाजिनं बलवत्तमः
There, a sixteen-year-old boy, bearing your likeness, saw the horse marked with a letter and seized that most powerful steed.
तत्र कालजिता युद्धं महज्जातं नरोत्तम । निहतस्तेन वीरेण शितधारेण हेतिना
There, O best of men, a great battle arose with Kālajit; by that heroic youth, wielding a sharp weapon, many were slain.
अनेके निहताः संख्ये पुष्कलाद्या महाबलाः । मूर्च्छितं चापि शत्रुघ्नं चक्रे वीरशिरोमणिः
Many mighty warriors, including Puṣkala and others, were slain in that conflict; and the foremost of heroes caused Shatrughna to fall unconscious.
तदा राजा महद्दुःखं विचार्य हृदिसंयुगे । कोपेन मूर्च्छितं चक्रे वीरो हि बलिनां वरः
Then the king, deeply pained in his heart, considered the matter; in his anger, the best among the strong made the hero fall unconscious.
स यावन्मूर्च्छितो राज्ञा तावदन्यः समागतः । तेनैतेन च संजीव्य नाशितं कटकं तव
While he was still unconscious from the king's blow, another arrived; by him, Shatrughna was revived, and your army was destroyed.
सर्वेषां मूर्च्छितानां तु शस्त्राण्याभरणानि च । गृहीत्वा वानरौ बद्धौ जग्मतुः स्वाश्रमं प्रति
Taking the weapons and ornaments from all those who had fallen unconscious, the two sons of the Wind bound the monkeys and went back to their hermitage.
कृपां कृत्वा पुनस्तेन दत्तोऽश्वो यज्ञियो महान् । जीवनं प्रापितं सर्वं कटकं नष्टजीवितम्
Out of compassion, that great sacrificial horse was returned by him; all your army, whose lives had been lost, was restored to life.
वयं गृहीत्वा तं वाहं प्राप्तास्तव समीपतः । एतदेव मया ज्ञातं तदुक्तं ते पुरोवचः
We, having taken that steed, have now arrived near you; this is all I have known, and I have told you exactly as it happened.
शेष उवाच। कथितौ वै सुमतिना वाल्मीकेराश्रमे शिशू । पुत्रौ स्वीयाविति ज्ञात्वा वाल्मीकिं प्रति संजगौ
Śeṣa said: Sumati told all this in Vālmīki's hermitage, knowing that the boys were his own sons, and he spoke to Vālmīki.
श्रीराम उवाच। कौ शिशू मम सारूप्यधारकौ बलिनां वरौ । किमर्थं तिष्ठतस्तत्र धनुर्विद्याविशारदौ
Śrī Rāma said: Who are these boys, bearing my likeness and the best among the strong? For what reason are they staying there, so skilled in the science of archery?
अमात्यकथितौ श्रुत्वा विस्मयो मम जायते । यौ शत्रुघ्नं हनूमंतं लीलयांग बबंधतुः
Hearing what the ministers said, I am filled with wonder—how those two, with ease, bound Śatrughna and Hanuman.
तस्माच्छंस मुने सर्वं बालयोश्च विचेष्टितम् । यथा मे परमा प्रीतिर्भवत्येवमभीप्सिता
Therefore, sage, tell me everything about the actions of those boys, so that I may feel the utmost joy, as I desire.
इति तत्कथितं श्रुत्वा राजराजस्य धीमतः । उवाच परमं वाक्यं स्पष्टाक्षरसमन्वितम्
Having heard this account, the wise king of kings spoke the highest words, clear and well-articulated.
वाल्मीकिरुवाच। तवांतर्यामिणो नॄणां कथं ज्ञानं च नो भवेत् । तथापि कथयाम्यत्र तव संतोषहेतवे
Vālmīki said: How could we know the inner knowledge of people such as you? Still, I will tell you here, for your satisfaction.
राजन्यौ बालकौ मह्यमाश्रमे बलिनां वरौ । त्वत्सारूप्यधरौ स्वांगमनोहरवपुर्धरौ
The two royal boys, foremost among the strong, were with me in the hermitage, bearing your likeness and possessing captivating forms.
त्वया यदा वने त्यक्ता जानकी वै निरागसी । अंतर्वत्नी वने घोरे विलपंती मुहुर्मुहुः
When you abandoned Sītā, free from blame, in the forest, she, your beloved wife, lamented again and again in that dreadful wood.
कुररीमिव दुःखार्तां वीक्ष्याहं तव वल्लभाम् । जनकस्य सुतां पुण्यामाश्रमे त्वानयं तदा
Seeing your virtuous beloved, daughter of Janaka, suffering like a distressed female curlew, I brought her to the hermitage at that time.
तस्याः पर्णकुटीरम्या रचिता मुनिपुत्रकैः । तस्यामसूत पुत्रौ द्वौ भासयंतौ दिशो दश
A pleasant leaf-hut was built for her by the sons of sages; there she gave birth to two sons who illuminated the ten directions.