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.
तत्र व्यतिक्रमे हेतावमायां क्रियते तु तत् । यथोत्तरदिनेष्वेव कर्तव्यं यद्यविघ्नतः
If there is a reason for delay, the rite is performed on a later day; otherwise, it should be done on the subsequent days, provided there is no hindrance.
कृष्णपक्षे त्वमायां तु कर्तव्यं राम नो कृतम् । मृताहस्य यदा मासो न ज्ञायेत कथंचन
But, O Rāma, if there is an obstacle in the dark fortnight, it should be performed; if the month of the death is not known in any way—
मार्गशीर्षेऽथवा माघे श्राद्धं तद्दिवसे स्मृतम् । यदा तु वासराज्ञानं मासस्य ज्ञानमेव च
Then, in Mārgaśīrṣa or Māgha, the śrāddha is to be observed on that day; but when the day is known, as well as the month—
अमायामेव तन्मासे श्राद्धं सांवत्सरं भवेत् । दिनमासापरिज्ञाने प्रोषितस्य मृतस्य च
Then, on the new moon day of that month, the annual śrāddha should be performed; if the day and month are not known for one who died away from home or for the deceased—
तत्तिथ्यां तद्दिनं ग्राह्यं तत्र ज्ञानं यदा भवेत् । आश्विनामा च मार्गामा माघामा च दिनत्रयम्
On that tithi, that day should be taken, whenever knowledge of it arises; the three days are: Āśvina new moon, Mārgaśīrṣa new moon, and Māgha new moon.
तत्र वान्यतमं ग्राह्यं दिनमासाप्रतीतितः । वृद्धिसप्तमसीमंत प्रेतश्राद्धानुमासिकम्
Among them, any one day may be chosen when the day and month are uncertain; the rites of increase, the seventh-day, the boundary, the funeral śrāddha, and the monthly rite—
नित्योदकुंभश्राद्धं च मासे स्युरधिकेऽपि च । ग्रहणे पुत्रजन्मादौ कर्मण्यपि च शांतिके
The perpetual water-pot śrāddha also, and even if the month is extra; at the time of an eclipse, the birth of a son, or in rites for appeasement—
संकल्पिते च सर्वस्मिन्नधिमासो न दुष्यति । रोगी यदा मनुष्यः स्याच्छ्राद्धकर्मण्युपस्थिते
In all these cases, if the extra month is determined, it is not faulty; when a person is ill at the time for the śrāddha rite—
भार्यां वा भ्रातरं वापि शिष्यं वापि नियोजयेत् । तस्याभावे न हानिः स्यात्कर्मणः श्राद्धसंज्ञिनः
He should appoint his wife, or brother, or even a disciple; if none of these are available, there is no loss of the rite called śrāddha.
नित्यश्राद्धे यथाशक्ति भोक्तारं तु नियोजयेत् । अमावास्या मासिकं च मृताह व्यतिरेकि यत्
In the daily śrāddha, one should appoint an eater according to ability; the monthly and amāvāsyā śrāddha, and the additional one for the day of death—