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.
तयोरकरवं नाम कुशो लव इति स्फुटम् । ववृधातेऽनिशं तत्र शुक्लपक्षे यथा शशी
I gave them the names Kuśa and Lava, clearly; they grew there constantly, like the moon waxing in the bright fortnight.
कालेनोपनयाद्यानि सर्वाणि कृतवानहम् । वेदान्सांगानहं सर्वान्ग्राहयामास भूपते
In time, I performed all the initiatory rites for them; I taught them all the Vedas with their branches, O king.
सर्वाणि सरहस्यानि शृणुष्व मुखतो मम । आयुर्वेदं धनुर्विद्यां शस्त्रविद्यां तथैव च
Listen from my own mouth to all the secret sciences: Ayurveda, the science of archery, the knowledge of weapons, and so forth.
विद्यां जालंधरीं चाथ संगीतकुशलौ कृतौ । गंगाकूले गायमानौ लताकुंजवनेषु च
I also taught them the magical science of Jālandhara, and made them skilled in music, singing on the banks of the Ganges and in groves of vines.
चंचलौ चलचित्तौ तौ सर्वविद्याविशारदौ । तदाहमतिसंतोषं प्राप्तश्चाहं रघूत्तम
Those two, lively and restless in mind, were accomplished in all branches of knowledge; at that time, O best of Raghus, I felt great satisfaction.
दत्त्वा सर्वाणि चास्त्राणि मस्तके निहितः करः । अतीवगानकुशलौ दृष्ट्वा लोका विसिष्मिरे । षड्जमध्यमगांधारस्वरभेदविशारदौ
Having given them all the weapons, placing my hand on their heads, I saw that they were extremely skilled in melody; the worlds marveled at them, experts in the notes Ṣaḍja, Madhyama, and Gāndhāra.
तथाविधौ विलोक्याहं गापयामि मनोहरम् । भविष्यज्ञानयोगाच्च कृतं रामायणं शुभम्
Seeing them thus, I had them sing enchanting songs; and through the power of foreknowledge, I composed the auspicious Rāmāyaṇa.
मृदंगपणवाद्यादि यंत्रवीणाविशारदौ । वनेवने च गायंतौ मृगपक्षिविमोहकौ
Skilled in playing the mṛdaṅga, paṇava, and other instruments, as well as the lute, they sang in forest after forest, enchanting beasts and birds.
अद्भुतं गीतमाधुर्यं तव रामकुमारयोः । श्रोतुं तौ वरुणो बाला वा निनाय विभावरीम्
The wondrous sweetness of song in your sons, O Rāma, was such that even Varuṇa spent the night listening to those boys.
मनोहरवयोरूपौ गानविद्याब्धिपारगौ । कुमारौ जगदुस्तत्र लोकेशादेशतः कलम्
Those boys, with charming youth and form, having crossed the ocean of musical knowledge, sang there at the command of the lords of the world.
परमं मधुरं रम्यं पवित्रं चरितं तव । शुश्राव वरुणः सार्द्धं कुटुंबेन च गायकैः
Varuṇa, together with his family and singers, listened to your supremely sweet, delightful, and pure deeds.
शृण्वन्नैव गतस्तृप्तिं मित्रेण वरुणः सह । सुधातोऽपि परं स्वादुचरितं रघुनंदन
Even as he listened with his friend, Varuṇa did not become satisfied, O descendant of Raghu, for your deeds are sweeter than nectar.
गानानंदमहालोभ हृतप्राणेंद्रियक्रियः । प्रत्यागंतुं दिदेशासौ कुमारौ न हि तावकौ
Overwhelmed by immense joy in the music, losing all bodily and sensory functions, he did not order your two sons to return.
रमणीय महाभोगैर्लोभितावपि बालकौ । चलितौ न गुरोश्चात्ममातुः पादांबुजस्मृतेः
Even though the boys were enticed by great and delightful enjoyments, they did not leave, remembering the lotus feet of their teacher and their own mother.
अहं चापि गतः पश्चाद्वरुणालयमुत्तमम् । वरुणः प्रेमसहितः पूजां चक्रे मम प्रभो
I too then went afterwards to the excellent abode of Varuṇa, and Varuṇa, filled with affection, performed worship for me, O Lord.
पृच्छते जन्मकर्मादि सर्वज्ञायापि बालयोः । वरुणायाब्रुवं सर्वं जन्मविद्याद्युपागमम्
When Varuṇa asked about the birth, deeds, and other matters of the boys, even though he was all-knowing, I told him everything about their birth, knowledge, and practices.
श्रुत्वा सीतासुतौ देवः स चक्रेंबरभूषणैः । देवदत्तमिति ग्राह्यमिति मद्वाक्यगौरवात्
Hearing this, the god adorned the sons of Sītā with heavenly garments and ornaments, declaring them worthy to receive gifts from the gods, out of respect for my words.
आहृतं राजपुत्राभ्यां यद्दत्तं वरुणेन तत् । प्रसन्नेन तयोर्वाद्यगानविद्यावयोगुणैः । ततो मामब्रवीत्सीतामुद्दिश्य वरुणः कृती
Whatever was brought by the royal sons and given by Varuṇa, pleased by their skill in music, song, knowledge, and qualities—then Varuṇa, accomplished, spoke to me regarding Sītā.
सीतापति व्रताधुर्या रूपशीलवयोन्विता । वीरपुत्रा महाभागा त्यागं नार्हति कर्हिचित्
Sītā, the wife of the lord, steadfast in vows, endowed with beauty, character, and lineage, and blessed with heroic sons, should never be abandoned.
महती हानिरेतस्यास्त्यागे हि रघुनंदन । सिद्धीनां परमासिद्धिरेषा ते ह्यनपायिनी
Great loss would arise from abandoning her, O descendant of Raghu; she is the supreme, unfailing accomplishment among all attainments for you.