अथ राजा दशरथानुमतेन सर्वानेव नृपानागमय्याचिंतयत् कथं सर्वानेव तिरस्कृत्य वैदेही रामाय देयेति
Then King Daśaratha, with their consent, summoned all the kings and considered how Sītā might be given to Rāma, setting aside all others.
अथ रात्रौ मुहुर्मुहुर्निःश्वस्य निद्रालुरपि न निद्रामाप
That night, though he sighed repeatedly and was overcome by sleep, he did not obtain rest.
अथ मध्ये निशं राजा शुचिर्भूत्वा त्र्यंबकं सांबिकं मंगलदुकूलधारिणं कमलभवपुरुषोत्तमशक्र-प्रमुखनिखिलदेवैर्भृगुप्रमुखमुनिवरैर्हाहाप्रमुखगंधर्वैस्तुंबुरुप्रमुखैश्च श्रुतिस्मृतीतिहासपुराणैर्मूर्तिमद्भिश्च सिद्धविद्याधरादिमातृकागणैश्च नंदीप्रमुखगणैश्च सेव्यमान पादकमलं सर्वामंगलपरिमोचकमतिपुण्यसलिलया गंगया निष्कलं केन चंद्रमसा सेव्यमान शिरोभागं वामांकारूढया गिरिजया प्रदीयमानवीटिं सहासं सकामं सहावेक्षणमाददानं गोक्षीरसदृशं प्रतिकूलकस्तूरिकासदृशकंठं मृदुसूक्ष्मस्निग्धजटाभिर्विरचितकपर्दं विशुद्धकार्तस्वरकुंडलोपशोभितगंडभागं द्विरष्टवर्षवयसं गोक्षीरसदृश स्थूलमुक्ताफलकौसुंभवर्णांचलेनावेष्टितशिरोभागं विविधरत्नविरचितकार्तस्वरभूषितवक्षःस्थलमतिधवलोपवीतेनोपशोभितशरीरमंबिकानुलग्नकुंकुमारुणसुगंधिशरीरमीक्षमाणं तर्जमानकाममार्गणं कोटिकंदर्पसदृशं मनसाचिंतयत्
In the middle of the night, the king, having purified himself, meditated on Tryambaka, accompanied by Ambikā, adorned with auspicious garments, served by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Indra, all the gods led by them, the sages headed by Bhṛgu, the Gandharvas led by Hāhā and Tumburu, the personified Vedas, Smṛtis, Itihāsas, and Purāṇas, the Siddhas, Vidyādharas, Mothers, and the hosts led by Nandī; whose lotus feet are served by the supremely holy Gaṅgā, whose head is adorned by the moon, who is embraced on the left by Girijā, who is radiant, smiling, and gracious, whose glance is full of desire, whose throat is dark as musk, whose matted hair is soft, fine, and fragrant, adorned with a crest, whose cheeks are beautified by pure golden earrings, who appears as a youth of sixteen, whose head is wrapped in a cloth the color of saffron and pearls, whose chest is adorned with various jewels and golden ornaments, whose body shines with a pure sacred thread, whose body is fragrant with saffron from Ambikā, who looks upon the threatening arrows of Kāma, whose mind is as proud as a crore of Cupids—thus he contemplated.
जजाप शतरुद्रियं जुहाव च तेनैव कामाहुतीः प्रास्तुवच्च पुरुषसूक्तेन
He recited the Śatarudriya hymn, offered oblations of desire with it, and also praised with the Puruṣasūkta.
अथ तादृश एव महेश्वरस्तत्र प्रादुरभूत्
Then, just so, Maheśvara appeared there.
अथ राजा नमस्कृत्यास्तुवीत
Then the king, having bowed, began to praise him.
राजोवाच- क्षितिसलिलगगनपवनदहनरविशशियजमानमूर्तिभिरष्टमूर्ते विश्वमूर्ते लोकमूर्त्ते त्रिभुवनमूर्ते वेदपुराणमूर्त्ते यज्ञमूर्ते स्तोत्रमूर्त्ते शास्त्रमूर्त्तेस्वधामूर्त्ते नारायणमूर्त्ते सर्वदेवतामूर्त्ते त्रयीमयत्रयीप्रमाणत्रयीनेत्रसा-मप्रियवसुधाराप्रियभक्तिप्रियभक्तसुलभाभक्तविदूरस्तुतिप्रिय धूपप्रिय दीपप्रिय घृतक्षीरप्रिय द्रो णकरवीरप्रिय श्रीपत्रप्रिय कमलकह्लारप्रिय नंद्यावर्तप्रिय बकुलप्रिय यूथिकाप्रिय कोकनदप्रिय ग्रीष्मजलावासप्रिय यमनियमप्रिय नियतेंद्रियप्रिय जपप्रिय श्राद्धप्रिय गायनप्रिय गायत्रीप्रिय पंचब्रह्मप्रिय सदाचारप्रिय गोत्रोत्सादिकमलभवहरिहरनयनसमर्चित पादकमलजयप्रद हरिप्रार्थितजलोत्पादितचक्रप्रदर्शकृत्स्मृतियुक्तिप्रद स्मृतमंगलप्रद मृत्युञ्जय नमस्ते नमस्ते
The king said: O Lord of eight forms—earth, water, sky, wind, fire, sun, moon, and the sacrificer; O form of the universe, form of the worlds, form of the three worlds, form of the Vedas and Purāṇas, form of sacrifice, form of hymns, form of scriptures, form of oblations, form of Nārāyaṇa, form of all the gods, essence of the three Vedas, measure of the three Vedas, three-eyed one, lover of the earth, lover of devotion, easily attained by the devoted, far from the undevoted, lover of praise, incense, lamps, ghee, milk, the hero Droṇa, the goddess Śrī, lotuses, the conch, the turning of the Nandī wheel, the bakula flower, the yūthikā flower, the kokanada, fond of dwelling in water in summer, fond of restraint and discipline, fond of controlled senses, fond of recitation, fond of ancestral rites, fond of singing, fond of Gāyatrī, fond of the five Brahmas, fond of good conduct, whose lotus feet are worshipped by Brahmā, Hari, and Hara, giver of victory, who showed the discus produced from water at Hari's request, giver of memory and auspiciousness, conqueror of death—salutations, salutations to you!
इति स्तोत्रमाकर्ण्य भगवान्भवो राजानमुवाच वरदोऽहं वरं वृणु
Hearing this hymn, the blessed Bhava said to the king: 'I am the giver of boons; choose your boon.'
राजोवाच श्रीमन्मम कन्या वैदेही रामाय दित्सिता स्वयंवरे कुलरूपबलोत्साह संपन्नानेकभूपराक्षसविप्रादिसर्वप्राणिसमागमे रामाधिकबलो यदि तामग्रहीष्यत् तदा वचनमनृतं मम पापं च भविष्यति
The king said: O illustrious one, my daughter Vaidehī is to be given to Rāma in the svayaṃvara. She is endowed with noble lineage, beauty, strength, and spirit, and in the assembly of many kings, demons, brāhmaṇas, and all beings, if someone stronger than Rāma should seize her, then my word will be false and I will incur sin.
प्रत्युत दशरथोऽपि सर्वानेवागतान्विजेतुमलं क्षत्रकदनश्च रामो यद्यायास्यति तर्हि मम सुतां किं करिष्यति वा किंकिं वा प्रेषयिष्यति कीदृशं कारयिष्यति मम किंवा करिष्यति सर्वथा हि प्रभूतबलवाहनो नरपतिरशेषमपि त्रिभुवनं हन्यात् किमुत मामल्पसत्वं किमुत बहुना भवानेव शरणं ममोपायं वद यथा विवाहे श्रेयो भविष्यति रामश्च जामाता भविष्यति
Moreover, even Daśaratha himself, if he comes with all those who have arrived, is fully capable of conquering them all; and if Rāma, the destroyer of kṣatriyas, comes, then what will he do to my daughter, or what will he send, or what kind of thing will he cause to be done, or what will he do to me? Indeed, a king with great armies could destroy the entire three worlds, let alone us who are weak. In short, you alone are my refuge; tell me a means by which the marriage will be auspicious and Rāma will become my son-in-law.
शंभुरपि तथा करोमीत्युवाच
Śaṃbhu replied: So be it, I will do thus.
राम एव नाथः सीताया भविष्यति रामं च कृत्वा स्वस्त्यद्यैव करिष्यामि गृहाणाजगवं धनुरिदम्
Rāma alone will be the lord of Sītā, and today itself, having made Rāma auspicious, I will act. Take this great bow of mine.
राजोवाच- किमेतेनाजगवेन धनुषा स्वयंवरे सीतां रामं प्रापय
The king said: With this bow of yours, how will Sītā be given to Rāma in the svayaṃvara?
शंकर उवाच- इदं धनुरसज्यं मे यस्तु सज्यं करिष्यति तस्मै देया मया सीता प्रतिज्ञामेवमाचर
Śaṃkara said: This bow of mine is unstrung; whoever is able to string it, to him Sītā shall be given by me. Thus is my vow; act accordingly.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा भगवान्गणैरंतर्दधे हरः । अथादातुं धनू राजा न शशाकातियत्नतः
Having spoken thus, the blessed Hara vanished from the assembly. Then, though the king tried with great effort, he was unable to lift the bow.
अथोज्ज्वलं शतसहस्रगजबलं समाहूय गृहाणेत्युवाच
Then, summoning a force as strong as a hundred thousand elephants, he said, 'Take it.'
स चापि मातुलं नत्वाट्टहासं कृत्वोत्प्लुत्य धनुर्द्वाभ्यां कराभ्यामुद्दधार जानुपर्यंतं मातुलो मारीचः श्रुत्वा एकाकी विप्रवेषं कृत्वा विदेहमयाचत वैश्वदेवांते प्राप्तमतिथिं मामवैहि
And he, after bowing to his maternal uncle, laughed loudly, leapt up, and with both hands lifted the bow up to his knees. His uncle Mārīca, having heard this, disguised himself as a brāhmaṇa, approached Videha at the end of the Vaiśvadeva rite, and said, 'Recognize me as a guest who has arrived.'
राजोवाच- स्वागतं भो इदं ब्रह्मन्नासनं तत्र निषीदेति
The king said: Welcome, O brāhmaṇa, here is a seat; please be seated there.
स चातिथिस्तथेत्युक्त्वा निषसाद
And that guest, saying 'So be it,' sat down.
अथ राजा जलमादाय पादौ प्रक्षाल्य गंधपुष्पाक्षतैरभ्यर्च्य महाजं तस्मै निवेद्य भोजनाय प्रार्थयामास
Then the king, taking water, washed his feet, honored him with sandalwood, flowers, and rice grains, offered him great food, and invited him to dine.
स चापि तदन्नं षड्रसोपेतं सौवर्णभाजनगतमीक्षमाणइवेतस्ततो विलोकयामास
And that guest, seeing the food, which was endowed with all six tastes and placed in golden vessels, gazed at it and then looked around.
तस्मिन्नेवावसरे सीता पद्मकिंजल्कप्रभेषदरुणवसनं बिभ्रती नीलकुटिलकुंतलैश्चलद्भिर्यूनां मनांस्याकर्षयद्भिः प्रेक्षमाणदृष्टिभग्नकलैरिव स्त्रीणां चित्तमीदृशमिति दर्शयद्भिरिवोपशोभित-ललाटानंगचापसुभ्रूपद्मपत्रारुणविलोचना तिलप्रसूननासामृदुस्निग्धरो मशकपोलानंतरा रक्तोष्ठराक्तासनमाणिक्यनिभदाडिमीदशना जपाकुसुमारुणाधरातिशोभितचिबुकाशुक्ति-कर्णासमदीर्घकंठातिमांसलवक्षाः पीनोद्भिन्नकुचकुड्मलानेकहारोपशोभिता सुभगाका-। रानतिमांसलबाहुलता मुग्धायतसमानांगुलिशिखापद्मारुणपल्लवाविविधबहुरत्नांगुलिभूषणामुष्टिग्राह्यमध्यासु रोमराजिगंभीरनाभिः पृथुजघनाकरिकरोरुस्तूणीरजंघासुपादकमला-नूपुरादि पादविभूषणा पादांगुलीभूषिता विकसितसौगंधिकं विदधती भुंजानमारीचस्य पुरतश्चागता
At that very moment, Sītā appeared, wearing garments as red as the filaments of a lotus, her dark, curling locks captivating the minds of young men, her glances breaking the hearts of women as if to show what such beauty is like; her forehead adorned, her brows like Cupid’s bow, her eyes red as lotus petals, her nose delicate as a sesame flower, her cheeks soft and smooth, her lips red as bimba fruit, her teeth like pomegranate seeds, her chin radiant as a hibiscus blossom, her ears like oyster shells, her neck long, her chest full and adorned with many ornaments, her arms plump, her fingers and toes like lotus buds, adorned with various jewels, her waist slender, her navel deep, her hips broad, her thighs like elephant trunks, her legs straight, her feet like lotus flowers adorned with anklets and toe rings, exuding the fragrance of blooming blue lotuses, she came before Mārīca as he was eating.
वीक्ष्यासावचिंतयदेनां कथमपहरामि कथमालिंगामि कथमन्यत्किंचित्करोमीत्येवमवसरमलभमानस्तूष्णीमेव विनिर्गतः
Seeing her, he thought: 'How can I abduct her? How can I embrace her? How can I do something else?' But finding no opportunity, he silently departed.
अथ देवा धनुःसज्जीकरणाय यतमाना अहंपूर्विकया विद्यमाना अन्योन्यतिरस्कारेण महेंद्रः प्राप धनुरुत्तमं प्रांतद्वयात्परं नावनमयितुं शशाक
Then the gods, striving to string the bow, each tried to surpass the others. Mahendra reached the bow, but could not bend it even at the ends.
अथ सूर्यो धनुरादाय नमयन्नेव निपपात
Then Sūrya, taking the bow and attempting to bend it, fell down.
वायुर्बलवतां श्रेष्ठो जग्राहाजगवमथ स्वेनैव करेणोत्कर्षयन्नधः पपात धनुश्च वायोरुपरि पपात अहसंस्तदा सर्वे
Vāyu, the foremost of the strong, took the great bow and, pulling it with his own hand, fell down, and the bow fell upon Vāyu. At that, all were astonished.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे तुरगवरमारुह्य बाणासुरः सहस्रबाहुरनेकानेकशिरोभिर्दैत्यैः परिवृतः प्रह्लादसमेतो विदेहपुरीमाजगाम
Meanwhile, mounting the excellent horse, Bāṇāsura, the thousand-armed one, surrounded by numerous demons with many heads, together with Prahlāda, arrived at the city of Videha.
अथ स्वविभूषणोद्भासितां दिशं कुर्वन्स्वतेजसापयशसो देवताः कुर्वन्नानाविधगीतं शृण्वन्द्व्यंगुलमात्रेण शक्तो विरराम
Then, making the directions shine with his own ornaments and glory, causing the gods to sing various songs, he rested, able to do so for only the length of two fingers.
प्रह्लादोबलिश्चैवधावातेऽथविरेमतुः
Prahlāda and Bali also rushed forward, but then withdrew.
अथ राक्षसेषु तूष्णींभूतेषु राजानोऽतिबलिनः समागता ज्याबंधाशक्ता अपसृत्य तस्थुः
When the rākṣasas became silent, the mighty kings gathered, strung their bows, but withdrew and stood aside.