उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं रामं राजीवलोचनम् । शिव उवाच- वरं वृणु प्रसन्नोऽस्मि ब्रह्मादेरपि दुर्लभम्
He spoke sweet words to Rāma, lotus-eyed: Śiva said— 'Choose a boon; I am pleased. Even Brahmā and the others rarely obtain this.'
तवादेयं न मे किंचिद्वृणु त्वं न चिराय वै । श्रीराम उवाच- न याच्यं मे जगन्नाथ भूराज्यं मम सांप्रतम्
'There is nothing of mine that is not yours. Choose, do not delay.' Śrīrāma said— 'O Lord of the universe, I do not wish for the kingdom of the earth at this time.'
स्वर्गश्च कर्म्मभिः प्राप्तो भक्तिस्त्वत्पाददर्शनात् । आरोग्यं पश्य भुंजेऽहं सा सीता योषितां वरा
'Heaven is attained by actions; devotion is gained by the sight of your feet. I enjoy health, and Sītā, best among women, is with me.'
वशीकृताः सर्वनृपाः प्रजाधर्मसमन्विताः । हर्ष एव ममापन्नस्त्वदागमनतोऽच्युत
'All kings are brought under control, the people are endowed with righteousness. Joy has come to me, O Acyuta, because of your arrival.'
तथापि वरये किंचिद्भक्तिरस्तु स्थिरा त्वयि । तथा मम गृहे देव त्रिवर्षं तिष्ठ हे प्रभो
'Still, I ask for one thing: may devotion to you be steadfast. And, O Lord, please stay in my house for three years.'
ब्रुवन्समस्तधर्मांश्च रूपेणानेन शंकर । शिव उवाच- एवमस्तु तथा राम सर्वं ते संभविष्यति
Having spoken all the principles of dharma in this form, O Śaṃkara— Śiva said: 'So be it, Rāma. All will happen as you wish.'
अथाह चक्री राजानं रामं राजीवलोचनम् । वरं वृणु महाभाग प्रसन्नोऽहं यमिच्छसि
Then the discus-bearer spoke to the king, Rāma, lotus-eyed: 'Choose a boon, O greatly fortunate one. I am pleased; ask what you desire.'
श्रीराम आह वचनं मम प्रार्थ्यं न चास्ति हि । यत्प्राप्यं शंभुतः प्राप्तमन्यत्सर्वमुदीरितम्
Śrīrāma said: 'Truly, I have no request to make. Whatever was to be obtained from Śaṃbhu has been received; all else has been spoken.'
किं चैकं वरये विष्णो प्रसन्नः सर्वदा भव । अथसी तां हरिः प्राह प्रसन्नोऽहं तवाधुना
'Yet I ask one thing, O Viṣṇu: always be gracious. Then Hari said to Sītā, 'I am now pleased with you.'
वरं वृणु प्रयच्छामि ततः सीताब्रवीदिदम् । वरो वृतः पुरा भर्त्रा न चान्यो मे वरोवरः
'Choose a boon; I will grant it.' Then Sītā spoke these words: 'A boon was already chosen by my husband; I have no other greater wish.'
यदि कामं प्रयच्छेथा मनश्च परपूरुषात् । संनिवृत्तं च भवतान्नमस्तेऽस्तु द्विज प्रभो
'If you would grant my desire, and my mind is turned from any other man, then let your food be withdrawn, O Lord, O twice-born.'
अथ ते मुनयः सर्वे प्रणेमुर्देवतोत्तमौ । अथासौ राघवं प्राह भुंक्ष्व त्वं बंधुभिः सह
Then all those sages bowed to the supreme deities. Then he said to Rāghava, 'Enjoy with your kinsmen.'
एकांतमंदिरे रम्ये देव्यासहवसामिते । विष्णुः समस्तकरणः समुद्र तनयान्वितः
'In a beautiful, secluded mansion, together with the goddess.' Viṣṇu, with all his faculties, was accompanied by the daughter of the ocean.
एकस्मिन्मंदिरे राम तिष्ठतां लोलुपो हि सः । अथ शुद्धमहागारे पीठाढ्ये बहुभाजने
'Let Rāma stay in one mansion; he is indeed eager.' Then, in a pure great hall, furnished with seats and many vessels—
अग्रे वसिष्ठो भगवानुपविष्टस्तयोर्मुनिः । अपरे ऋषयः सर्वे यथावृद्धं नृपास्तथा
In front, the venerable Vasiṣṭha sat, and between them the sage; all the other ṛṣis and kings were seated according to their seniority.
तेषामभिमुखो रामो भ्रातृभिः सहितो नृपः । तरुणे समभागे च आसने तानवेशयत्
Rāma, the king, together with his brothers, faced them; he arranged seats for them in a youthful and equal manner.
हनूमत्प्रमुखान्भृत्यानाहरामोऽनुसांत्वयन् । भवंतः परितिष्ठंतु पश्चाद्भुंजे न चान्यथा
Rāma, comforting his servants led by Hanumān, said: 'You all stand behind; you do not eat otherwise.'
ततस्ते प्रददुः सर्वे पादार्घाननुपूर्वशः । बुभुजुश्चापि ते सर्वे ये रामस्योपसेविनः
Then all of them offered water for washing the feet in order, and all those who served Rāma partook of food.
तेषां दत्वाथ तांबूलं कपींद्रादीनभोजयत् । भुक्तवत्सु समस्तेषु रामो राजीवलोचनः 5.117.
After giving them betel, he fed the monkey chiefs and others; when all had eaten, Rāma, lotus-eyed, remained.
दीनांधकृपणादीनां पशुपक्षिमृगस्य च । दत्वाहि भोजनं संध्यां वंदितुं हि समारभत्
He gave food to the poor, blind, distressed, and also to cattle, birds, and animals; then he began to worship at dusk.
संध्याजपादिकं कृत्वा नत्वा तेषां नृपस्ततः । सिंहासनगतो रामः पौरजानपदादिभिः
Having performed the evening recitation and bowed, the king then sat on the throne, attended by citizens and country folk.
सेव्यमानः सभास्थानगतो रेजे स राघवः । सर्वदेवपरीवारो यथा देवः शचीपतिः
Served in the assembly hall, Rāghava shone, surrounded by all the gods, like Indra, lord of Śacī.
राजकार्यमशेषं च कृतवान्भ्रातृभिः सह । नाम्ना चैकैकशः सर्वान्विससर्ज स राघवः
He completed all royal duties together with his brothers; then, naming each one, Rāghava dismissed them all.
भ्रातॄन्विसर्जयामास वानरादींस्तथापरान् । अथ रामं महातेजा वसिष्ठो वाक्यमुक्तवान्
He dismissed his brothers and also the monkeys and others; then the mighty Vasiṣṭha spoke to Rāma.
तव प्रातर्हि यत्कार्यं न च विस्मर राघव । आस्ते शंभुर्जगन्नाथो भगवानंबिकापतिः
Do not forget, Rāghava, what you must do in the morning; Śaṃbhu, lord of the world, the blessed husband of Ambikā, remains.
स्मर्तव्यो वन्दनीयश्च भगवानथ यत्नतः । तथेत्युक्त्वा गुरुं राजा नत्वा तं च व्यसर्जयत्
The blessed one must be remembered and worshipped with effort; having said 'so be it,' the king bowed to the guru and dismissed him.
स्वयं च भार्यामभजद्देवदेवं विचिंतयन् । ऋषय ऊचुः - प्रातः समुत्थाय गुरो रामो मतिमतां वरः । किं चकार तदाख्याहि श्रोतुं कौतूहलं हि नः
And he himself joined his wife, contemplating the god of gods. The ṛṣis said: 'Having risen early, what did Rāma, best among the wise, do? Tell us, for we are eager to hear.'
सूत उवाच- शंभुं विलोक्याथ ततो बभाषे रामः कथां कीर्त्तय शंकरस्य । तृप्तिर्न जाता मुनिवर्य शृण्वतो महेशमाहात्म्यमघौघनाशनम्
The charioteer said: 'Then, seeing Śaṃbhu, Rāma spoke: 'Tell the story of Śaṃkara; satisfaction does not arise for the great sage listening to the glory of Maheśa, destroyer of sin.'
शंभुरुवाच- अथप्रश्नशेषस्योत्तरमीशभाषितं ते कीर्तयिष्यामि । अन्यायोपार्जितद्रव्यैरीश्वरं य उपासते ते व्यंगा जायंते
Śaṃbhu said: 'Now I will recount to you the answer spoken by the Lord to the remaining question: Those who worship the Lord with wealth gained unjustly become deformed.'
तद्यथाकश्चिद्रूपको नाम राक्षसोऽन्यायार्जितेनद्रव्येण शंकरमाराध्य तेनैव द्रव्येण घंटामीश्वरप्रीतये कृतवान्
For example, a demon named Rūpaka, having acquired wealth unjustly, worshipped Śaṃkara and made a bell for the Lord's pleasure with that very wealth.