प्रावेशयदमेयात्मा नारायणपुरं शुभम् । गृहराजे ततः स्थित्वा नारायण उवाच ह
The immeasurable Lord led them into the auspicious city of Nārāyaṇa; then, seated in the royal house, Nārāyaṇa spoke.
कथमेते समायाताः कोऽयं राजा महायशाः । अमानुषप्रवेशोऽयं ब्रह्माद्यैरप्यगोचरः
'How have these come here? Who is this king of great fame? This is an entry beyond mortals, unseen even by Brahmā and the others.'
शंभुरुवाच- मुनिवेषा यथा प्राप्ता वयमेते नृपस्तथा । तवांशो नृपतिश्चायं रामचंद्रः प्रतापवान्
Śambhu said: 'Just as we have come in the guise of sages, so too has this king. This mighty king Rāmacandra is your own portion.'
एनां संवीक्षितुं पत्नीं तव केशव कांक्षति । नारायणस्तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रविशेत्याह राघवम्
'He wishes, Keśava, to see your wife.' Nārāyaṇa replied, 'So be it,' and said to Rāghava, 'Enter.'
अथ प्रविश्य भवनं लक्ष्मीं वीक्ष्य नमस्य च । विनयावनतो भूत्वा वाचमाह सुचारिणीम्
Then, entering the palace, seeing and bowing to Lakṣmī, he stood humbly and spoke these well-chosen words.
कृतार्थोऽस्मि न संदेहो वद त्वं किं तु मन्यसे । श्रीदेव्युवाच- त्वं युवा कामकृष्टश्च रूपवानसि राघव
'I am fulfilled, there is no doubt; but tell me, what do you think?' Śrī Devī said: 'You are young, drawn by desire, and handsome, O Rāghava.'
सीता सा चारुसर्वांगी तव पत्नी तया भवान् । वियुक्तोऽस्ति पुरा चासीदतीव विरहाकुलः
'Sītā, beautiful in every limb, is your wife; you were once separated from her and greatly distressed by that separation.'
ममापि वद सर्वं तदथवा न च लप्स्यसि । सहासान्यथ वाक्यानि यूनां चित्तहराणि च
'Tell me everything about that, or you will not obtain it; with a smile, she spoke words that captivate the minds of the young.'
श्रुत्वा तु तानि सर्वाणि रामभद्रो यतात्मवान् । निर्गंतुं कांक्षते तत्र आनम्य तन्मुखांबुजम्
Hearing all those words, Rāma, self-controlled, wished to depart, bowing to her lotus-like face.
स्मरबाणेन पद्मेन संपीड्य रघुशेखरम् । अन्वेव निर्ययौ देवी पद्मा पद्मवनप्रिया
Pierced by the lotus-arrow of love, the chief of the Raghu line, the goddess Padmā, beloved of the lotus grove, departed after him.
एकपत्नीव्रतं ज्ञात्वा रामं ते समुपागमन् । अथवेपितसर्वांगं स्खलत्पदगतिं नृपम्
Recognizing Rāma's vow of monogamy, they approached him, the king, whose whole body was trembling and whose steps faltered.
शिवनारायणौ दृष्ट्वा विस्मयं परमं गतौ । अहोऽस्य द्रढिमाचित्ते मायिनोऽप्य वशात्मनः
Seeing Śiva and Nārāyaṇa, they were filled with utmost wonder: 'Ah, such firmness in his mind, even though he is a master of illusion, he remains self-controlled.'
धैर्यं पश्येह नियतं तेन रामः सुकीर्तिमान् । सर्वतः शिवमेवास्य नाशिवं विद्यते क्वचित्
Here, observe his unwavering courage; therefore, Rāma is renowned. For him, there is only auspiciousness everywhere—never anything inauspicious.
अथ रामो वचः प्राह गच्छेहं भगवन्प्रभो । अनुज्ञातोऽथ हरिणा पुष्पकेण स राघवः
Then Rāma spoke: 'O Lord, I shall go.' Permitted by Hari, that descendant of Raghu departed in the Puṣpaka chariot.
स मुनिः सहशंभुश्च सहनारायणो ययौ । लोकालोकं गतः शीघ्रं ततः स्वादूदधिं गतः
That sage, together with Śaṃbhu and Nārāyaṇa, quickly went to Lokāloka, and from there reached the sweet ocean.
ततो द्वीपसमुद्रांश्च जंबूद्वीपं पुनर्गतः । भरद्वाजाश्रमपदे तस्थिवान्गौतमीतटे
Then, crossing the islands and oceans, he returned to Jambūdvīpa and stood at the hermitage of Bharadvāja, on the bank of the Gautamī.
अथ स्नात्वा महानद्यां भरद्वाजो मुनीश्वरः । शिष्यैः श्रीमान्परिवृतः पुष्पकं दृष्टवान्मुनिः
Then, after bathing in the great river, the illustrious sage Bharadvāja, surrounded by his disciples, saw the Puṣpaka chariot.
तत्र रामं महाबाहुं शिवनारायणावृषीन् । यथावत्पूजयित्वा तु तानुवाच महामुनिः
There, having duly honored Rāma of mighty arms, along with Śiva and Nārāyaṇa, the great sage addressed them.
ममाश्रमपदे यूयं भोक्तुमर्हथ सत्तमाः । रामस्तु मन्वाक्येन तथेत्याह कथंचन
'You, the most excellent, are worthy to partake of food at my hermitage.' Rāma, in agreement with his mind, replied, 'So be it,' in some manner.
अथ स्नात्वा महानद्यां कृत्वा देवादितर्पणम् । भोक्तुकामं तदा रामं वसिष्ठो वाक्यमुक्तवान्
Then, after bathing in the great river and offering libations to the gods and ancestors, as Rāma was about to eat, Vasiṣṭha spoke these words.
धर्मत्यागो भवेद्राम न श्राद्धं क्रियते यदि । श्रीराम उवाच- अमायां ग्रहणे तीर्थे व्यतीपातेऽथ संक्रमे
'Rāma, if the śrāddha is not performed, it would be a neglect of duty.' Śrīrāma said: 'At the time of an eclipse, at a holy place, or during a solstice—'
व्यतीतं यदि चेच्छ्राद्धं भगवन्क्रियते पुनः । नित्यश्राद्धं पुनर्नैव कुर्यादिति वचस्तव
'If the śrāddha has already been performed at such a time, O Lord, should it be done again? Your statement is that the daily śrāddha should not be repeated.'
यथा ममैव मातॄणां मरणे समुपस्थिते । अशौचे च समायाते नित्यश्राद्धं न वै कृतम्
'Just as, when the death of my mothers occurred and impurity was present, the daily śrāddha was indeed not performed.'
व्यतीपातादिकालेषु कृतं तु वचनात्तव । वसिष्ठ उवाच- एते हि मुनयः सर्वे तथा शंभुरयं द्विजः
'But at the time of an eclipse and similar occasions, it was performed, as you instructed.' Vasiṣṭha said: 'All these sages, as well as this Śaṃbhu, are present.'
एतन्मुखादशेषेण निर्णयस्तु भविष्यति । सह सर्वे विनिश्चित्य मुनयः शंभुमब्रुवन्
'From his mouth, the complete decision will be made.' Then, after deliberating together, all the sages spoke to Śaṃbhu.
वदास्माकमशेषं त्वं द्विजवर्य महानसि । शंभुरुवाच- त्यक्तव्यं यच्च वै श्राद्धं पुनः कर्तव्यमेव च
'O best of twice-born, O great one, please tell us everything in full.' Śaṃbhu said: 'That śrāddha which has been omitted should indeed be performed again.'
सूतके समनुप्राप्ते विघ्नेषु च वदाम्यहम् । मासिकान्युदकुंभानि श्राद्धानि सकलानिच
'I declare that when impurity arises from birth or death, or when obstacles occur, all monthly water-offering śrāddhas and all others—'
प्रतिसांवत्सरं श्राद्धं सूतकानंतरं विदुः । त्यक्तान्यन्यानि यावंति सूतके विघ्नसंभवे
'The annual śrāddha should be performed after the period of impurity has ended; all other śrāddhas omitted due to impurity or obstacles—'
अनंतरं हि कार्याणि सर्वाणीति न संशयः । मासिकानि समस्तानि श्राद्धं प्रात्यब्दिकं तथा
Immediately after, all the prescribed rites must indeed be performed without doubt: all the monthly rites, as well as the annual śrāddha.
सूतकानंतरं कार्यं विघ्नेऽन्यस्मिन्यतोन्यथा । एकादश्यां कृष्णपक्षे कर्तव्यं शुभमिच्छता
After the period of impurity, the rites should be performed; if there is some other obstacle, then one desiring auspiciousness should perform it on the eleventh day of the dark fortnight.