तदा मे कृतवान्राम द्विजोऽनुग्रहमुत्तमम् । वाजितां प्राप्नुहि मखे राजराजस्य तापस
Then, O Rāma, that twice-born showed me supreme favor: 'Ascetic, you shall attain the horse-sacrifice of the king of kings.'
पश्चात्तद्धस्तसंपर्काद्याहि तत्परमं पदम् । दिव्यं वपुर्मनोहारि धृत्वा दंभविवर्जितम्
Afterwards, by the touch of his hand, go to that supreme state, assuming a divine, enchanting form, free from hypocrisy.
तेन शापोपिसंदिष्टो ममानुग्रहतां गतः । यदहं तव हस्तस्य स्पर्शं प्राप्तो मनोरमम्
Thus, even the curse became a blessing for me, because I attained the delightful touch of your hand.
यदेव राम देवादिदुर्लभं बहुजन्मभिः । तत्तेऽहं करजस्पर्शं प्राप्तवानिह दुर्लभम्
That which, O Rāma, is difficult for even gods to attain in many births—I have now obtained, that rare touch of your hand.
आज्ञापय महाराज त्वत्प्रसादादहं महत् । गच्छामि शाश्वतं स्थानं तव दुःखादिवर्जितम्
Command me, O great king! By your grace, I now go to the eternal realm, free from sorrow and the like.
न यत्र शोको न जरा न मृत्युः कालविभ्रमः । तत्स्थानं देव गच्छामि त्वत्प्रसादान्नराधिप
To that place, O lord, I go by your favor, O king of men, where there is no grief, no old age, no death, nor confusion of time.
इत्युक्त्वा तं परिक्रम्य विमानवरमारुहत् । अनेकरत्नखचितं सर्वदेवाधिवंदितम्
Having spoken thus, he circumambulated him and ascended the excellent celestial chariot, adorned with many jewels and revered by all the gods.
गतोऽसौ शाश्वतस्थानं रामपादप्रसादतः । पुनरावृत्तिरहितं शोकमोहविवर्जितम्
He went to the eternal abode by the grace of Rama's feet, a place without return, free from sorrow and delusion.
तेन तत्कथितं श्रुत्वा रामं ज्ञात्वेतरे जनाः । विस्मयं प्रापिरे सर्वे परस्परमुदुन्मदाः
Hearing what had been said by him, and recognizing Rama, all the other people were filled with wonder, rejoicing together.
शृणु द्विजमहाबुद्धे दंभेनापि स्मृतो हरिः । ददाति मोक्षं सुतरां किं पुनर्दंभवर्जनात्
Hear, O wise and noble Brahmin: even if remembered with hypocrisy, Hari grants liberation—how much more so when hypocrisy is abandoned!
यथाकथंचिद्रामस्य कर्तव्यं स्मरणं परम् । येन प्राप्नोति परमं पदं देवादिदुर्लभम्
In whatever way one remembers Rama, that supreme remembrance must be performed, by which one attains the highest state, difficult even for the gods to obtain.
तच्चित्रं वीक्ष्य मुनयः कृतार्थं मेनिरे निजम् । यद्रामचरणप्रेक्षा करस्पर्शपवित्रितम्
Seeing this marvelous event, the sages considered themselves fulfilled, for they had beheld Rama's feet and been purified by the touch of his hand.
गते तस्मिन्सुरे स्वर्गं हयरूपधरे पुरा । उवाच रामस्तपसां निधीन्वेदविदुत्तमान्
When that god, who had taken the form of a horse, went to heaven, Rama spoke to the foremost of ascetics, the best among those learned in the Vedas.
किं कर्तव्यं मयाब्रह्मन्हयो नष्टो गतः सुखम् । होमः कथं पुरोभावी सर्वदैवततर्पकः
"What should I do, O Brahmin? The horse is lost and has gone to bliss. How can the sacrifice, which satisfies all the gods, be completed now?"
यथा स्यात्सुरसंतृप्तिर्यथा मे मख उत्तमः । तथा कुर्वंतु मुनयो यथा मे स्याद्विधिश्रुतम्
"Let the sages act so that the gods are fully satisfied and my sacrifice is made excellent, in accordance with the prescribed rules and what is heard in the scriptures."
इति वाक्यं समाश्रुत्य जगाद मुनिसत्तमः । वसिष्ठः सर्वदेवानां चित्ताभिज्ञानकोविदः
Hearing these words, the best of sages, Vasistha—who knows the minds of all the gods—spoke.
कर्पूरमाहर क्षिप्रं येन देवाः स्वयं पुरा । प्राप्य हव्यं ग्रहीष्यंति मद्वाक्यप्रेरिताधुना
"Quickly bring camphor, by which the gods themselves once received the oblation; now, at my command, they will accept it."
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य रामः क्षिप्रमुपाहरत् । कर्पूरं बहुदेवानां प्रीत्यर्थं बहुशोभनम्
Hearing these words, Rama quickly brought much beautiful camphor, for the delight of the many gods.
तदा मुनिः प्रहृष्टात्मा देवानाह्वयदद्भुतान् । ते सर्वे तत्क्षणात्प्राप्ताः स्वपरीवारसंवृताः
Then the sage, his heart delighted, summoned the wondrous gods; all of them arrived at that very moment, surrounded by their own retinues.
शेष उवाच- परिस्वादन्क्रतौ तृप्तिं न प्राप सुरसंयुतः
Shesha said: Even when tasting the oblation in the sacrifice, the gods did not attain satisfaction.
नारायणो महादेवो ब्रह्मा तत्र चतुर्मुखः । वरुणश्च कुबेरश्च तथान्ये लोकपालकाः
Narayana, Mahadeva, Brahma with four faces, Varuna, Kubera, and the other guardians of the worlds were there.
तत्रास्वाद्य हविः स्निग्धं वसिष्ठेन परिष्कृतम् । तत्र पुनर्हि विप्रेंद्राः क्षुधार्ताइव भोजनात्
There, having tasted the rich oblation prepared by Vasistha, the foremost of Brahmins, they were still as hungry as before, as if unsatisfied by the meal.
सर्वान्देवांश्च संतर्प्य हविषा करुणानिधिः । वसिष्ठप्रेरितः सर्वमिति कर्तव्यमाचरत्
That ocean of compassion, having satisfied all the gods with offerings, acted in every way as instructed by Vasiṣṭha.
ब्राह्मणादानसंतुष्टा हविस्तुष्टाः सुरावराः । तृप्ताः सर्वे स्वकं भागं गृहीत्वा स्वालयं ययुः
The best of the gods were pleased by the gifts to the Brahmins and the offerings; all, satisfied, took their own share and returned to their abodes.
ऋषिभ्यो होतृमुख्येभ्यः प्रादाद्राज्यं चतुर्दिशम् । संतुष्टास्ते द्विजाराममाशीर्भिरददुः शुभम्
He gave the four directions of the kingdom to the chief officiating priests and sages; satisfied, they blessed the king with auspicious words.
पूर्णाहुतिं ततः कृत्वा वसिष्ठः प्राह सुस्त्रियः । वर्धापयंतु भूमीशं यागपूर्तिकरं परम्
Then, after making the final oblation, Vasiṣṭha spoke to the noble women: 'Let the queens honor the lord of the earth, the supreme performer of sacrifice and charity.'
तद्वाक्यं ताः स्त्रियः श्रुत्वा लाजैरवाकिरन्मुदा । लावण्यजितकंदर्पं महामणिविभूषितम्
Hearing those words, the women joyfully showered parched grain upon him, who surpassed even Kāmadeva in beauty and was adorned with great jewels.
ततोऽवभृथस्नानार्थं प्रेरयामास भूमिपम् । ययौ रामः सहस्वीयैः सरयूतीरमुत्तमम्
Then, for the ceremonial bath at the close of the sacrifice, the king was sent forth; Rāma went with his queens to the excellent bank of the Sarayū.
अनेकराजकोटीभिः परीतः पादचारिभिः । जगाम स सरिच्छ्रेष्ठां पक्षिवृंदसमाकुलाम्
Surrounded by countless kings on foot, he proceeded to the foremost river, teeming with flocks of birds.
तारापतिरिव स्वाभिर्भार्याभिर्वृत उत्प्रभः । विरोचते तथा तद्वद्रामो राजगणैर्वृतः
Just as the lord of the stars shines, surrounded by his own wives, so too did Rāma shine, surrounded by assemblies of kings.