शेष उवाच-। इति संदेशमादाय सीतां प्रति जगत्पतेः । आह लक्ष्मण आत्मेशमानतः प्रणयाद्धरौ
Shesha said: Having received this message from the Lord of the world for Sita, Lakshmana, bowing with affection, spoke to the Lord of his soul.
सीतानयनमुद्दिश्य प्रसन्नस्त्वं यदूचिवान् । कथयिष्यामि तद्वाक्यं विनयेन समन्वितम्
With a clear mind, you spoke about bringing Sita; I will relate those words, imbued with humility.
इत्युक्त्वा पादयोर्नत्वा रघुनाथस्य लक्ष्मणः । जगाम त्वरितः सीतां रथे तिष्ठन्महाजवे
Having said this and bowed at the feet of Raghunatha, Lakshmana quickly departed for Sita, standing on a swift chariot.
वाल्मीकिः श्रीयुतौ वीक्ष्य रामपुत्रौ महौजसौ । उवाच स्मितमाधाय मुखं कृत्वा मनोहरम्
Valmiki, seeing the two sons of Rama, radiant with splendor, spoke with a charming smile upon his delightful face.
युवां प्रगायतां पुत्रौ रामचारित्रमद्भुतम् । वीणां प्रवादयंतौ च कलगानेन शोभितम्
You two, O sons, sing the wondrous deeds of Rama, playing the vina and adorned by sweet, melodious song.
इत्यक्तौ तौ सुतौ रामचारित्रं बहुपुण्यदम् । अगायतां महाभागौ सुवाक्यपदचित्रितम्
Thus, those two illustrious sons sang the story of Rama, bestowing great merit, adorned with beautiful and well-chosen words.
यस्मिन्धर्मविधिः साक्षात्पातिव्रत्यं तु यत्स्थितम् । भ्रातृस्नेहो महान्यत्र गुरुभक्तिस्तथैव च
In which the law of righteousness is manifest, in which chastity is established, in which brotherly love is great, and devotion to elders likewise.
स्वामिसेवकयोर्यत्र नीतिर्मूर्तिमती किल । अधर्मकरशास्तिं वै यत्र साक्षाद्रघूद्वहात्
Where, between master and servant, right conduct is embodied, and where the punishment of the wicked is directly from the illustrious descendant of Raghu.
तद्गानेन जगद्व्याप्तं दिवि देवा अपि स्थिताः । किन्नरा अपि यद्गानं श्रुत्वा मूर्च्छामिताः क्षणात्
With that song, the world was filled; even the gods in heaven stood still, and the Kinnaras, upon hearing that music, were instantly overcome with swooning.
वीणायारणितं श्रुत्वा तालमानेन शोभितम् । निखिला परिषत्तत्र शालभं जीवचित्रिता
Hearing the melodious sound of the lute, adorned with measured rhythm, the entire assembly there was captivated, as if painted alive.
हर्षादश्रूणिमुंचंतो रामाद्या भूमिपास्तथा । तद्गानपंचमालापमोहिताश्चित्रितोपमाः
Rama and the other kings, shedding tears of joy, were enchanted by that song and its fivefold melodies, their minds filled with wondrous comparisons.
तत्र रामः सुतौ दृष्ट्वा महागानविमोहकौ । अदात्ताभ्यां सुवर्णस्य लक्षं लक्षं पृथक्पृथक्
There, Rama, seeing his two sons so deeply enchanted by the great song, gave each of them a hundred thousand gold coins separately.
तदा दानपरं दृष्ट्वा वाल्मीकिं मुनिसत्तमम् । अब्रूतां प्रहसंतौ तौ किंचिद्वक्रभ्रुवौ ततः
Then, seeing the two intent on giving gifts, the eminent sage Valmiki, smiling and with slightly arched brows, spoke to them.
मुने महानयोनेन क्रियते भूमिपेन वै । यदावाभ्यां सुवर्णानि दातुमिच्छति लोभयन्
O sage, what great benefit is accomplished by the king, if he seeks to entice us by wishing to give us gold?
प्रतिग्रहो ब्राह्मणानां शस्यते नेतरेषु वै । प्रतिग्रहपरो राजा नरकायैव कल्पते
Receiving gifts is praised for Brahmins, but not for others; a king devoted to accepting gifts is surely destined for hell.
आवयोः कृपया मुक्तं राज्यं भुंक्ते महीपतिः । कथं दातुं सुवर्णानि वांछति श्रेयसांचितः
By our compassion, the king enjoys his kingdom; how then, being filled with merit, does he desire to give us gold?
इत्युक्तवंतौ तौ दृष्ट्वा वाल्मीकिः कृपयायुतः । अशंसद्युष्मत्पितरं जानीथां नीतिवित्तमौ
Seeing the two speak thus, Valmiki, full of compassion, praised their father, saying, 'You should know your father is wise in righteousness.'
इति श्रुत्वा मुनेर्वाक्यं बालकौ नृपपादयोः । लग्नौ विनयसंयुक्तौ मातृभक्त्यातिनिर्मलौ
Hearing the sage's words, the two boys, pure in their devotion to their mother, humbly bowed at the king's feet.
रामो बालौ दृढं स्वांगे परिरभ्य मुदान्वितः । मेने स्त्रियास्तदा धर्मौ मूर्तिमंतावुपस्थितौ
Rama, filled with joy, embraced the two boys firmly, considering them, at that moment, to be the very embodiment of Dharma in female form.
सभापि रामसुतयोर्वीक्ष्य वक्त्रे मनोरमे । जानकीपतिभक्तित्वं सत्यं मेने मुनीश्वर
Even the assembly, seeing the charming faces of Rama's sons, recognized the truth of their devotion to Janaki's lord, as did the great sage.
इति शेषमुखप्रोक्तं श्रुत्वा वात्स्यायनोऽब्रवीत् । रामायणं श्रोतुमनाः सर्वधर्मसमन्वितम्
Hearing what Shesha had spoken, Vatsyayana, desiring to hear the Ramayana, which is endowed with all dharmas, addressed him.
वात्स्यायन उवाच। कस्मिन्काले कृतं स्वामिन्रामायणमिदं महत् । कस्माच्चकार किन्तत्र वर्णनं तद्वदस्व मे
Vatsyayana said: 'At what time, O master, was this great Ramayana composed? By whom was it made, and what is its subject? Tell me of that.'
शेष उवाच-। एकदा गतवान्विप्रो वाल्मीकिर्विपिनं महत् । यत्र तालास्तमालाश्च किंशुका यत्र पुष्पिताः
Shesha said: 'Once, the sage Valmiki went into a great forest, where there were palmyra and tamala trees, and blossoming kimshuka trees.'
केतकी यत्र रजसा कुर्वती सौरभं वनम् । शशिप्रभेव महती दृश्यते शुभ्रकर्णभृत् । चंपकोबकुलश्चापि कोविदारः कुरंटकः
There, the ketaki flowers, with their pollen, filled the forest with fragrance; great white-blossomed trees shone like the moon, and there were champaka, bakula, kovidara, and kurantaka trees.
अनेके पुष्पिता यत्र पादपाः शोभने वने । कोकिलानां विरावेण षट्पदानां च शब्दितैः
In that beautiful forest, many flowering trees stood, resounding with the calls of cuckoos and the buzzing of bees.
संघुष्टं सर्वतो रम्यं मनोहरवयोन्वितम् । तत्र क्रौंचयुगं रम्यं कामबाणप्रपीडितम्
Everywhere, the delightful forest echoed with enchanting sounds; there, a pair of krauncha birds, tormented by the arrows of desire, dwelled.
परस्परं प्रहृषितं रेमे स्निग्धतया स्थितम् । तदा व्याधः समागत्य तयोरेकं मनोहरम्
The two, delighted with each other, enjoyed themselves, remaining together in affection; then a hunter approached and, seeing one of them, beautiful to behold—
अवधीन्निर्दयः कश्चिन्मांसास्वादनलोलुपः । तदा क्रौंची व्याधहतं स्वपतिं वीक्ष्य दुःखिता
Some cruel hunter, greedy for the taste of flesh, mercilessly killed one; then the female Krauñcī, seeing her mate struck down by the hunter, was filled with sorrow.
विललाप भृशं दुःखान्मुंचंती रावमुच्चकैः । तदा मुनिः प्रकुपितो निषादं क्रौंचघातकम्
She wailed intensely in her grief, letting out loud cries; then the sage, enraged, seeing the slayer of the Krauñca bird—
शशाप वार्युपस्पृश्य सरितः पावनं शुभम् । मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः
Having touched pure water from the sacred river, the sage cursed the hunter: 'May you, Nishāda, never attain lasting establishment for countless ages—'