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.
आगम्य राज्यं रघुनंदनोऽपि बहूनि वर्षाणि समातनोति । प्रशस्तकीर्तिर्निखिलेपि लोके शर्वेण देवेन चिरं न्यवात्सीत्
After returning to the kingdom, the descendant of Raghu will rule for many years. His renowned fame will spread throughout the world, and Lord Shiva will dwell with him for a long time.
सुपुत्रयुक्तो बहुयज्ञयाजी परिवृढः सर्वगुणाधिकश्च
He will be blessed with good sons, perform many great sacrifices, grow in prosperity, and surpass all in virtues.
इति वसिष्ठवचनं श्रुत्वा दशरथो रामगुणाननुस्मरन्नित्युवाच श्रेयो मे मरणं रामस्य निर्गमने इति
Hearing Vasistha's words, Dasharatha, constantly recalling Rama's virtues, said, 'For me, it is better to die than to see Rama depart.'
अथ रामो मातरं पितरं गुरुं च वसिष्ठं पितृपत्नीर्नमस्कृत्य वनाय जगाम
Then Rama, after bowing to his mother, father, teacher Vasistha, and his father's wives, departed for the forest.
अथोपवने दिनमेकं स्थित्वा जटाः कारयित्वा वल्कलं वासो धृत्वैकोपवीती कृतदंतशुद्धिरेकेनोपवीतेन जटां बद्ध्वा भस्मोद्धूलितसर्वांगो भसित निष्ठुरकायो मुक्ताफलदाममणिव्यत्यस्त रुद्राक्षमालामुरसि दधानोऽल्पभूषणाधिभूषित सीतासहायो लक्ष्मणानुचरो विवेश वनांतरम्
Then, after staying one day in a grove, he had his hair matted, donned bark garments, wore a single sacred thread, purified his teeth, tied up his hair with a single thread, covered his whole body with ashes, his body rough with ash, adorned with only a few ornaments, a string of pearls, gems, and rudraksha beads on his chest, accompanied by Sita and followed by Lakshmana, he entered deep into the forest.
अथानेक राक्षसांस्तस्मिन्निजघान भवानिव निखिलं चकार सीतापहरणादिनिखिलमपि भवता यथातथा स्याथ सुग्रीवाश्रममृष्यमूकपर्वतं रामो जगाम निबिडच्छायाचूतवृक्षमासाद्य लक्ष्मणसहायः परिश्रयमकल्पयत् । वृक्षे तु धनुषी आरोप्यासीनलक्ष्मणांके शिरः कृत्वा हरिचर्मशय्याशयनोलक्षितांगीतिं शृण्वन्वृक्षफलं निरीक्षमाणो वानरमेकं मणिकुंडलं हेमपिंगलं सदृढबद्धमौंजीकौपीनमच्छोपवीतिनमतिचंचलं फलमादायात्मनिविक्षिपंतं पुष्पमंजरीश्च किरंतं गानमनुकुर्वंतं व्यजनेन रामं वीजयंतमारुह्य शाखामपि तथा वीजयंतमाबद्धचूतफलमात्रं रामो वीक्ष्य लक्ष्मणमभाषत
There, he slew many demons, just as Shiva did, and all the events such as Sita's abduction occurred as before. Then Rama went to Sugriva's hermitage on Mount Rishyamuka, found a dense-shaded mango tree, and, with Lakshmana, arranged a resting place. Placing his bow on the tree, resting his head on Lakshmana's lap, lying on a bed of deerskin, listening to the song of birds, watching the fruits, he saw a monkey with jeweled earrings, golden-brown, firmly tied with a munja girdle, pure-threaded, very restless, taking fruit and putting it in his mouth, scattering flower clusters, imitating songs, fanning Rama with a fan, climbing the branch and fanning him, and only taking mango fruit. Seeing this, Rama spoke to Lakshmana.
लक्ष्मण कोऽयं कपिरिति
Lakshmana, who is this monkey?
लक्ष्मणोऽपि न जान इत्युवाच अथ रामः समाहूय कस्य त्वं किं नामत्येपृच्छत्
Lakshmana also did not know and said so. Then Rama called out and asked, 'Whose are you? What is your name?'
स च सुग्रीवस्य हनूमानित्युवाच
He replied, 'I am Hanuman, servant of Sugriva.'
रामं नत्वा सुग्रीवमेत्य नत्वा देवनारायणइवापरः पुरुषो युवा मेघश्यामो जटी आजानुबाहुरतियशस्वी सूर्यसंकाशेन सहापरेण नरेण इहास्ते
After bowing to Rama, Hanuman approached Sugriva and bowed to him. He said, 'Here is another person, like the god Narayana, a young man, dark as a rain cloud, with matted hair, arms reaching to his knees, exceedingly famous, accompanied by another man shining like the sun.'
अथ तरुच्छायाधः संस्थितौ सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नौ राजपुत्रौ दृष्ट्वा उक्तश्च ताभ्यां सुग्रीवाय निवेदयेति तत्त्वयि निवेदितम्
Then, seeing the two princes, perfect in all marks, standing beneath the shade of a tree, Hanuman was told by them, 'Inform Sugriva.' Thus, he reported to Sugriva.
अथ सुग्रीवः सत्वरमुत्थाय पुष्पसलिलादिद्रव्यमादाय पादप्रक्षालनादिकं कृत्वा फलानि समर्प्य व्यज्ञापयत्
Then Sugriva, rising quickly, took flowers, water, and other offerings, washed his feet, presented fruits, and made his request.
कौ युवां किमर्थमागतौ राजपुत्रौ तपस्विनाविति सुग्रीववचनमाकर्ण्य लक्ष्मणेनाभाषत रामः
Hearing Sugriva's words, 'Who are you two, for what purpose have you come, princes and ascetics?', Rama spoke through Lakshmana.
दशरथतनयावावां रामलक्ष्मणौ दुष्टनिग्रह शिष्टपरिपालनाय वनं गताविति
We are the sons of Dasharatha, Rama and Lakshmana, who have entered the forest to subdue the wicked and protect the virtuous.
अथ सुग्रीव आह युवयोरुपकारमपकारं कार्यमस्तीति लक्ष्यते
Then Sugriva said, 'It appears that there is some matter of help or harm between you two.'
अन्यथा सेनासमेतावागमिष्यतः लक्ष्मण आह अस्ति कार्यांतरम् अमुष्य भार्या केनापहृता न ज्ञायते तामन्वेष्टुमागतौ तदेवावयोः कार्य्यमन्यदानुषंगिकम् तदर्थमपि जलधिं तराव अपि पातालं प्रविशाव अपि नाकं साधयावः अपि महेंद्रं पातयावः अपि बलिनं हनावः किमपि कुर्वहे
Otherwise, you would not have come accompanied by an army. Lakshmana said, 'There is another matter: someone's wife has been abducted by an unknown person; we have come to search for her. That is our main task; other matters are incidental. For this purpose, we are ready to cross the ocean, enter the netherworld, ascend to heaven, overthrow Mahendra, or slay the mighty—whatever needs to be done.'
सुग्रीव उवाच- रावणेनापहृतया कयाचिद्ध्रियमाणागतया विभूषणानि कानिचित्परित्यक्ता निगतानि मया संगृहीतानि तानि दर्शयामीत्याभाष्य रामं मंदिरमागमय्य दर्शयामास
Sugriva said, 'Some ornaments were dropped by a woman abducted by Ravana and carried away; I have collected those ornaments. I will show them.' Saying this, he brought Rama to his dwelling and showed them.
रामोऽपि निरीक्ष्य निश्चित्य प्ररुद्य क्व गतोऽसौ रावण इति पप्रच्छ स च दक्षिणामाशां गत इति बभाषे
Rama, after examining and confirming them, wept and asked, 'Where has she gone? Where is Ravana?' Sugriva replied, 'He has gone toward the southern direction.'
अथ रामस्तेन सख्यमकरोत् अपृच्छच्च किमर्थमिह भार्य्याहीनः स्थित इति
Then Rama made friendship with him and asked, 'Why are you staying here without your wife?'
सुग्रीव उवाच-। मम भ्राता वाली महाबलो ममभार्य्यां राज्यं चापहृत्य किष्किन्धायामास्ते युद्धेन चाहं पराजितः तद्वधाय सर्वथा मम चिंता यथासौ त्वया निहन्यते तथाहमपि सागरं बद्ध्वा परतीरे लंकायां स्थितां सीतां रावणेनापहृतां तव समर्पयामीत्याभाष्य शपथं कृत्वा सुग्रीवो वालिनातिबलिना युद्धायाहूतेन युयुधे
Sugriva said, 'My brother Vali, of great strength, has taken my wife and kingdom, and resides in Kishkindha. I was defeated in battle. My constant concern is for his death, so that you may slay him. Then, having built a bridge across the ocean, I will deliver Sita, who is held by Ravana in Lanka, to you.' Having spoken thus and sworn an oath, Sugriva, challenged by the exceedingly strong Vali, engaged him in battle.