राजावीरमणिस्तत्र श्रुतवत्या मनोज्ञया । लक्ष्मीनिधिः कोमलया रिपुतापोंगसेनया
There was King Vīramaṇi with the charming Śrutavatī; Lakṣmīnidhi with Komalā, and Riputāpā with Oṃgasenā.
विभीषणो महामूर्त्या प्रतापाग्र्यः प्रतीतया । उग्राश्वः कामगमया नीलरत्नोधिरम्यया
Vibhīṣaṇa, of great form, was with Pratītā, foremost in prowess; Ugrāśva with Kāmagamayā, and Nīlaratna with Udhiramyā.
सुरथः सुमनोहार्या तथा मोहनया कपिः । इत्यादीन्नृपतीन्विप्रो वसिष्ठः प्राहिणोन्मुनिः
Suratha was with Sumanohāryā, and likewise the monkey with Mohanayā; thus, the sage Vasiṣṭha sent forth these and other kings.
वसिष्ठः सरयूं गत्वा शिवपुण्यजलाप्लुताम् । उदकं मंत्रयामास वेदमंत्रेण मंत्रवित्
Vasiṣṭha, the knower of mantras, went to the Sarayū, bathed in its sacred, auspicious waters, and began to recite mantras over the water.
पयः पुनीह्यमुं वाहमुदकेन मनोहृता । यज्ञार्थं रामचंद्रस्य सर्वलोकैकरक्षितुः
Purify this milk, O carrier, with delightful water for the sake of the sacrifice of Rāmacandra, the sole protector of all the worlds.
उदकं तन्मुनिस्पृष्टं सर्वे रामादयो नृपाः । आजह्रुर्मंडपतले विप्रवर्यैरुपस्तुते
That water, touched by the sage, was brought by all the kings, beginning with Rāma, to the sacrificial pavilion, praised by the foremost Brāhmaṇas.
पयोभिर्निर्मलैः स्नाप्य वाजिनं क्षीरसन्निभम् । मंत्रेण मंत्रयामास राम हस्तेन कुंभजः
Bathing the horse, white as milk, with pure waters, the son of Kumbha, by mantra, recited the invocation with Rāma's hand.
पुनीहि मां महावाह अस्मिन्ब्रह्मसमाकुले । त्वन्मेधेनाखिला देवाः प्रीणंतु परितोषिताः
Purify me, O great steed, in this assembly filled with Brāhmaṇs; may all the gods be pleased everywhere by your sacrifice.
इत्युक्त्वा स नृपो रामः सीतया सममस्पृशत् । तदा सर्वे द्विजाश्चित्रममन्यंत कुतूहलात्
Having spoken thus, King Rāma, together with Sītā, touched the horse; then all the Brāhmaṇs, out of curiosity, found it marvelous.
परस्परमवोचंस्ते यन्नामस्मरणान्नराः । महापापात्प्रमुच्यंते स रामः किं वदत्यहो
They said to each other: 'By remembering his name, men are freed from great sin; what, then, does this Rāma say—how wonderful!'
इत्युक्तवति भूमीशे रामे कुंभोद्भवो मुनिः । करवालं चाभिमंत्र्य ददौ रामकरे मुनिः
When Rāma, lord of the earth, had spoken thus, the sage born from a pot, having sanctified the sword, placed it in Rāma's hand.
करवाले धृते स्पृष्टे रामेण स हयः क्रतौ । पशुत्वं तु विहायाशु दिव्यरूपमपद्यत
When Rāma held and touched the sword, the horse at the sacrifice immediately abandoned its animal form and attained a divine body.
विमानवरमारूढश्चाप्सरोभिः समंततः । चामरैर्वीज्यमानश्च वैजयंत्या विभूषितः
Mounted on a splendid celestial chariot, surrounded on all sides by Apsarases, fanned with chowries, and adorned with the Vaijayantī garland.
तदा तं वाजितां त्यक्त्वा दिव्यरूपधरं वरम् । वीक्ष्य लोकाः क्रतौ सर्वे विस्मयं प्राप्नुवंस्तदा
Then, seeing that best being, having abandoned the horse form and taken on a divine body, all the people at the sacrifice were filled with wonder.
तदा रामः स्वयं जानञ्ज्ञापयन्सर्वतो नरान् । पप्रच्छ दिव्यरूपं तं सुरं परमधार्मिकः
Then Rāma himself, knowing, informed all the people and questioned that divinely-formed being, the supremely righteous one.
कस्त्वं दिव्यवपुः प्राप्तः कस्मात्त्वं वाजितां गतः । कथं सुरस्त्रीसहितः किं चिकीर्षसि तद्वद
Who are you, having attained a divine form? Why did you become a horse? How are you here with celestial women? What do you intend to do? Tell me this.
रामस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा देवः प्रोवाच भूमिपम् । हसन्मेघरवां वाणीमवदत्सुमनोहराम्
Hearing Rāma’s words, the god spoke to the king, laughing, and uttered speech as deep as thunderclouds, delightful and charming.
तवाज्ञातं न सर्वत्र बाह्याभ्यंतरचारिणः । तथापि पृच्छते तुभ्यं कथयामि यथातथम्
Not everything is known to you, who move both within and without; yet, since you ask, I will tell you the truth as it is.
अहं पुराभवे राम द्विजः परमधार्मिकः । अचरं प्रतिकूलं वै वेदस्य रिपुतापन
Once, O Rāma, I was a twice-born, supremely righteous; yet, scorcher of foes, I acted contrary to the Veda.
कदाचिद्धुतपापायास्तीरेऽहं गतवान्पुरा । अनेकवृक्षललिते सर्वत्रसुमनोरमे
Once, I went to the bank of the sin-cleansing river, adorned with many lovely trees and delightful everywhere.
तत्र स्नात्वा पितॄंस्तृप्त्वा दानं दत्त्वा यथाविधि । ध्यानं तव महाबाहो कृतवान्वेदसंमितम्
There, after bathing, satisfying the ancestors, and giving gifts according to rule, mighty-armed one, I performed meditation on you, in accord with the Veda.
तदा जनाः समायाता बहवस्तत्र भूपते । तेषां प्रवंचनार्थाय दंभमेनमकारिषम्
Then, O king, many people gathered there; for the sake of deceiving them, I put on this display of hypocrisy.
अनेकक्रतुसंभारैः पूर्णमजिरमुत्तमम् । वासोभिश्छादितं रम्यं चषालादियुतं महत्
With the offerings of many sacrifices, the excellent courtyard was filled, covered with garments, beautiful, and equipped with all the proper implements.
अग्निहोत्रोद्भवोधूमः सर्वतो नभसोंगणम् । चकार रम्यमतुलं चित्रकारिवपुर्धरः
Smoke arising from the agnihotra fire filled the sky on all sides; the ground appeared lovely and incomparable, as if painted by an artist.
अनेकतिलकश्रीभिः शोभितांगो महत्तपाः । दर्भशोभः समित्पाणिर्दंभो मूर्तिधरः किमु
My body, adorned with many marks of auspiciousness, appeared radiant with great austerity; holding darbha grass and fuel sticks, hypocrisy itself seemed to have taken form.
दुर्वासास्तत्र स्वच्छंदं पर्यटञ्जगतीतलम् । प्राप तत्र महातेजा धूतपापसरित्तटे
There, the great sage Durvāsas wandered freely over the earth; he arrived at that sin-cleansing riverbank, full of great energy.
ददर्श मां दंभकरं मौनधारिणमग्रतः । अनर्घ्यकरमुन्मत्तमस्वागतवचः करम्
He saw me, the hypocrite, observing silence before him—one who performed worthless acts, mad, and not offering words of welcome.
दृष्ट्वातीव क्रुधाक्रांतः समुद्र इव पर्वणि । शशापासौ मुनिस्तीव्रो दंभिनं मां महामतिः
Seeing me, he was seized by intense anger, like the ocean at the full moon; that great sage, with fierce mind, cursed me, the hypocrite.
दंभं करोषि चेत्तीरे सरितस्त्वं सुदुर्मते । तस्मात्प्राप्नुहि निर्वाच्यं पशुत्वं तापसाधम
If you practice hypocrisy on the riverbank, O most wicked, then therefore, degraded ascetic, obtain the unspeakable state of an animal!
शापं प्रदत्तं संश्रुत्य दुःखितोऽहं तदाभवम् । अग्राहिषं पदे तस्य मुनेर्दुर्वाससः किल
Hearing that curse pronounced, I became distressed; I grasped the feet of that sage Durvāsas, it is said.