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.
अथ ब्राह्मणाः समागताः
Then the brāhmaṇas assembled.
अथ विश्वामित्रो धनुरादाय एकांगुलपर्यंतं सज्यं कृत्वा विरराम निवृत्ताश्चापरे
Then Viśvāmitra, taking up the bow, strung it up to the length of one finger, and rested; the others also withdrew.
अथ दिनमात्रे धनुषि तूष्णींभूतेषु राघवः सहानुजैरागत्य धनुर्निरीक्ष्यास्पृशत्
Then, when the bow had been silent for a day, Rāghava, together with his brothers, arrived, examined the bow, and touched it.
अथ राजकुमाराः शतशः समागताः सर्वाभरणभूषिता धनुर्दृष्ट्वापस्पृशुर्न चालनक्षमाः
Then hundreds of royal princes assembled, adorned with all ornaments; seeing the bow, they touched it, but were unable to move it.
अथ दाशरथिप्रमुखाःकुमाराः समागताः
Then the princes led by the sons of Daśaratha assembled.
अथ वेत्रझर्झरपाणयः समागमन्सर्वानेवापसारयामासुः
Then those with vetra and jharjhara in their hands assembled and drove everyone away.
अथ रामो लक्ष्मरणहस्तं गृहीत्वा सर्वाभरणभूषितो धनुरासाद्य स्पृष्ट्वा नत्वा प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य धनुरादायोद्दधार
Then Rāma, adorned with all ornaments, taking Lakṣmaṇa's hand, approached the bow, touched it, bowed, circumambulated it, took up the bow, and lifted it.
तदादानसमये सर्व एवैत्य सहासमूचुः अत्र भग्ना महारथा इति
At the moment of taking it up, everyone came together and laughed, saying, 'Here the great charioteers have been defeated.'
अथ स रामो धनुर्ज्यास्थानमवनमय्य धनुषि जानुं कृत्वा सज्यमेककरेणोत्पादयन्कोट्यामनामयत्
Then Rāma, placing the bowstring's position on the bow, set his knee on the bow, strung it with one hand, and bent it with the tip.
अथसज्जीकृतं दृष्ट्वा सर्व एव नासाग्रन्यस्तांगुलयोऽभवन्
Then, seeing it strung, everyone placed their fingers on the tip of their noses.
रामोऽपि ज्यामन्वनादयत् । तेन नादेन सर्वेषां मनांसि क्षुभितान्यासन्
Rāma also made the bowstring resound; with that sound, the minds of all were disturbed.
रामेणसज्यितं धनुरिति सर्वत्र वादः संजातः
Everywhere arose the discussion, 'The bow has been strung by Rāma.'
जनकोऽपि सीतां रामाय ददौ राजभिश्च युद्धं कृत्वा तान्निर्ज्जित्य स्वपुरीमागात्
Janaka gave Sītā to Rāma, and after fighting with the kings and defeating them, returned to his own city.
अथैकदा दशरथो रामं यौवराज्येभिषिच्य सुखी बभूव सर्वप्रजारंजनाच्च रामो राजानुमत इति सर्वप्रजावादोऽभूत्
Then, once, Daśaratha anointed Rāma as crown prince, became happy, and because Rāma pleased all the people, there was the saying among all, 'Rāma is approved by the king.'
अथ कैकयदेशाधिपतितनया सुवेषा रामं राजानमसहमाना राजानमुवाच मम वरदानावसर इति राजाचिंतयत्किं देयमिति
Then, the beautifully adorned daughter of the king of Kaikaya, unable to tolerate Rama being made king, spoke to the king, saying, 'Now is the time for my boon.' The king wondered, 'What should I give?'
देव्युवाच-। चतुर्दशवर्षाणि रामो वनं विशतु पालयतु राज्यं भरतः
The queen said: 'Let Rama go to the forest for fourteen years; let Bharata rule the kingdom.'
राजानृतवचनदोषभयात्कथंकथमपि स्वीचकार
Fearing the fault of breaking his word, the king somehow accepted her demand.
अथ वसिष्ठं भावितयावोचत रामो वनाय निर्गच्छति अस्य किंवा भवेदिति विचार्य शुभाशुभं ब्रूहि
Then, with a troubled mind, he spoke to Vasistha: 'Rama is going to the forest. What will happen as a result? Consider well and tell me what is auspicious or inauspicious.'
वसिष्ठो विचार्य सहर्षं राजानमुवाच
Vasistha, having considered, joyfully spoke to the king:
गत्वा वनं निखिलदानववीरहंता शंभोरनेकविधपूजनमातनोति । सीतावियोगरुषितः कपिसेनया च तीर्त्वोदधिं दशमुखं च निहंति रामः
Going to the forest, Rama will destroy all the demons; he will perform many kinds of worship to Shiva. Anguished by separation from Sita, and accompanied by the army of monkeys, he will cross the ocean and slay the ten-headed one.