यत्क्रौंचपक्षिणोरेकमवधीः काममोहितम् । तदा प्रबंधं श्लोकस्य जातं मत्वा ह्यनुद्विजाः
Because you killed one of the pair of Krauñca birds, driven by lust; then, realizing a metrical composition had arisen, the sages—free from agitation—
ऊचुर्मुनिं प्रहृष्टास्ते शंसंतः साधुसाध्विति । स्वामिञ्छापोदिते वाक्ये भारतीश्लोकमातनोत्
Joyfully addressed the sage, exclaiming, 'Well done! Well done!' And as the master uttered the curse, the goddess of speech took the form of a verse.
अत्यंतं मोहनो जातः श्लोकोऽयं मुनिसत्तम । तदा मुनिः प्रहृष्टात्मा बभूव वाडवर्षभ । तस्मिन्काले समागत्य ब्रह्मा पुत्रैः समन्वितः
This verse, O best of sages, became exceedingly enchanting; then the sage, with a delighted heart, shone like a blazing horse; at that moment, Brahmā arrived, accompanied by his sons.
वचो जगाद वाल्मीकिं धन्योसि त्वं मुनीश्वर । भारती त्वन्मुखे स्थित्वा श्लोकत्वं समपद्यत
He spoke to Vālmīki, 'Blessed are you, O lord of sages! The goddess of speech, abiding in your mouth, has taken the form of verse.'
तस्माद्रामायणं रम्यं कुरुष्व मधुराक्षरम् । येन ते विमला कीर्तिराकल्पांतं भविष्यति
Therefore, compose the delightful Rāmāyaṇa in sweet words, by which your spotless fame will endure until the end of the age.
धन्या सैव मुखे वाणी रामनाम्ना समन्विता । अन्या कामकथा नॄणां जनयत्येव पातकम्
Blessed indeed is that speech, joined with the name of Rāma; any other tale of desire among men only produces sin.
तस्मात्कुरुष्व रामस्य चरितं लोकविश्रुतम् । येन स्यात्पापिनां पापहानिरेव पदेपदे
Therefore, compose the renowned story of Rāma, by which, at every step, there will be the destruction of sin for the sinful.
इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे स्रष्टा सर्वदेवैः समन्वितः । ततः सचिंतयामास कथं रामायणं भवेत्
Having spoken thus, the Creator vanished, accompanied by all the gods; then he began to reflect, 'How shall the Rāmāyaṇa be?'
तदा ध्यानपरो जातो नदीतीरे मनोरमे । तस्य चेतस्यथो रामः प्रादुर्भूतो मनोहरः
Then, absorbed in meditation on the charming riverbank, Rāma, captivating to behold, appeared in his mind.
नीलोत्पलदलश्यामं रामं राजीवलोचनम् । निरीक्ष्य तस्य चरितं भूतंभाविभवच्च यत्
He saw Rāma, dark as a blue lotus petal, with lotus-like eyes, and beheld his deeds—past, present, and future.
तदात्यंतं मुदं प्राप्तो रामायणमथासृजत् । मनोरमपदैर्युक्तं वृत्तैर्बहुविधैरपि
Then, filled with supreme joy, he composed the Rāmāyaṇa, adorned with delightful words and many kinds of meters.
षट्कांडानि सुरम्याणि यत्र रामायणेऽनघ । बालमारण्यकं चान्यत्किष्किंधा सुंदरं तथा
In the Rāmāyaṇa, O sinless one, there are six most beautiful books: Bāla, Āraṇyaka, Kiṣkindhā, Sundara—
युद्धमुत्तरमन्यच्च षडेतानि महामते । शृणुयाद्यो नरः पुण्यात्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Yuddha, Uttara, and another—these six, O wise one; whoever hears them, being virtuous, is freed from all sins.
तत्र बाले तु संतुष्टः पुत्रेष्ट्या चतुरस्सुतान् । प्राप पंक्तिरथः साक्षाद्धरिं ब्रह्मसनातनम्
There, in the Bāla book, satisfied by the Putreṣṭi sacrifice and his four sons, the king, with his retinue, directly obtained Hari, the eternal Brahman.
स कौशिकमखं गत्वा सीतामुद्वाह्य भार्गवम् । आगत्य पुरमुत्कृष्टो यौवराज्यप्रकल्पनम्
He went to the Kauśika sacrifice, married Sītā, and returned, distinguished in the city, with preparations for the royal succession.
मातृवाक्याद्वनं प्रागाद्गंगामुत्तीर्य पर्वतम् । चित्रकूटं महिलया लक्ष्मणेन समन्वितः
At his mother's command, he departed for the forest, crossing the Gaṅgā and the mountain, arriving at Citrakūṭa with his wife and accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa.
भरतस्तं वने श्रुत्वा जगाम भ्रातरं नयी । तमप्राप्य स्वयं नंदिग्रामे वासमचीकरत्
Bharata, hearing of him in the forest, went to his brother with noble intent; not finding him, he himself stayed in Nandigrāma.
बालमेतच्छृणुष्वान्यदारण्यकसमुद्भवम् । मुनीनामाश्रमे वासस्तत्र तत्रोपवर्णनम्
Listen, child, to another account arising from the forest: residence in the hermitage of sages, and the description thereof.
नासाच्छेदः शूर्पणख्याः खरदूषणनाशनम् । मायामारीचहननं दैत्याद्रामापहारणम्
There was the mutilation of Śūrpaṇakhā, the destruction of Khara and Dūṣaṇa, the slaying of the illusory Mārīca, and the abduction of Sītā by the demon.
वने विरहिणा भ्रांतं मनुष्यचरितं भृतम् । कबंधप्रेक्षणं तत्र पम्पायां गमनं तथा
In the forest, wandering in separation, bearing the conduct of a man, there was the encounter with Kabandha, and then the journey to Pampā.
हनूमता संगमनमित्येतद्वनसंज्ञितम् । अपरं च शृणु मुने संक्षिप्य कथयाम्यहम्
There was the meeting with Hanumān; this is called the forest episode. Now listen, sage, I shall briefly recount another.
सप्ततालप्रभेदश्च वालेर्मारणमद्भुतम् । सुग्रीवे राज्यदानं च नगवर्णनमित्युत
There was the breaking of the seven tāla trees, the wondrous killing of Vāli, the granting of the kingdom to Sugrīva, and the description of the city.
लक्ष्मणात्कर्मसंदेशः सुग्रीवस्य विवासनम् । तथा सैन्यसमुद्देशः सीतान्वेषणमप्युत
From Lakṣmaṇa came the message of action, the exile of Sugrīva, the arrangement of the army, and also the search for Sītā.
संपातिप्रेक्षणं तत्र वारिधेर्लंघनं तथा । परतीरे कपिप्राप्तिः कैष्किंधं कांडमद्भुतम्
There was the sighting of Sampāti, the crossing of the ocean, the arrival of the monkeys on the far shore, and the wondrous Kāiṣkīndha episode.
सुंदरं शृणु कांडं वै यत्र रामकथाद्भुता । प्रतिगेहे प्रति भ्रांतिः कपेश्चित्रस्य दर्शनम्
Hear the beautiful episode, where the marvelous story of Rāma unfolds: wandering from house to house, the sight of the remarkable monkey.
सीतासंदर्शनं तत्र जानक्याभाषणं तथा । वनभंगः प्रकुपितैर्बंधनं वानरस्य च
There was the sighting of Sītā, the speech of Jānaki, the destruction of the grove by the enraged, and the binding of the monkey.
ततो लंकाप्रज्वलनं वानरैः संगतिस्ततः । रामाभिज्ञानदानं च सैन्यप्रस्थानमेव च
Then the burning of Laṅkā by the monkeys, their reunion, the giving of Rāma's token, and the departure of the army.
समुद्रे सेतुकरणं शुकसारणसंगतिः । इति सुंदरमाख्यातं युद्धे सीतासमागमः
There was the construction of the bridge over the ocean, the meeting with Śuka and Sāraṇa; thus the beautiful episode is told, and in battle, the reunion with Sītā.
उत्तरे ऋषिसंवादो यज्ञप्रारंभ एव च । तत्रानेका रामकथाः शृण्वतां पापनाशकाः
In the Uttara episode, there is the dialogue with the sages and the commencement of the sacrifice; there, many stories of Rāma are heard, which destroy sin.
इति षट्कांडमाख्यातं ब्रह्महत्यापनोदनम् । संक्षेपतो मया तुभ्यमाख्यातं सुमनोहरम्
Thus the six episodes are narrated, dispelling the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa; I have briefly recounted them to you, delightful in every way.