ये त्वां सुरोत्तमगुरुं पुरुषा विमूढा जानंति नास्य जगतः सचराचरस्य। ऐश्वर्यमाननिगमानुशयेन पश्चात्ते यातनामनुभवंत्यविशुद्धचित्ताः
Those foolish men who do not recognize you as the supreme teacher of the gods, the lord of all that moves and does not move in this world, later experience suffering due to their impure hearts, bound by pride and the influence of false doctrines.
तस्यैवं स्तुवतोऽवोचच्छूलपाणिर्वृषध्वजः। उवाच वचनं हृष्टो राघवं तुष्टमानसः
As he was thus praising, the trident-bearing, bull-bannered Lord spoke joyfully, addressing Rāghava with a pleased heart.
रुद्र उवाच। राम हृष्टोस्मि भद्रं ते जातस्त्वं निर्मले कुले। त्वं चापि जगतां वंद्यो देवो मानुषरूपधृत्
Rudra said: 'Rāma, I am pleased with you; may good befall you. You are born in a pure lineage. You, too, are worthy of the world’s worship, a god assuming human form.'
त्वया नाथेन वै देवाः सुखिनः शाश्वतीः समा। सेविष्यंते चिरं कालं गते वर्षे चतुर्दशे
Because you are their protector, the gods will enjoy happiness for many ages; they will be served for a long time, after fourteen years have passed.
अयोध्यामागतं त्वां ये द्रक्ष्यंति भुवि मानवाः। सुखं तेऽत्र भजिष्यंति स्वर्गे वासन्तथाक्षयम्
Those people on earth who see you when you return to Ayodhyā will enjoy happiness here and will dwell in heaven eternally.
देवकार्यं महत्कृत्वा आगच्छेथाः पुनः पुरीम्। राघवस्तु तथा देवं नत्वा शीघ्रं विनिर्गतः
After accomplishing the great task of the gods, you will return again to your city; and Rāghava, having bowed to the god, quickly departed.
इंद्रमार्गां नदीं प्राप्य जटाजूटं नियम्य च। अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणं राम इदमर्पय मे धनुः
Reaching the river on Indra’s path and binding up his matted hair, Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa: 'Give me my bow.'
रामवाक्यं तु तच्छ्रुत्वा सीतां वै लक्ष्मणोऽब्रवीत्। किमर्थं देवि रामेण त्यक्तोहं कारणं विना
Hearing Rāma’s words, Lakṣmaṇa said to Sītā: 'Why, O lady, has Rāma abandoned me without any reason?'
अपराधं न जानामि कुपितो यन्महाभुजः। रामेणाहं परित्यक्तः प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्याम्यसंशयम्
'I do not know what offense I have committed that the great-armed Rāma, in anger, has abandoned me. Surely, I will give up my life.'
नैव मे जीवितेनार्थो धिग्धिङ्मां कुलपांसनम्। आर्यस्य येन वै मन्युर्जनितः पापकारिणा
'I have no purpose in living; shame on me, a disgrace to my lineage, by whom the noble one’s anger has been aroused through some evil deed.'
कांस्तु लोकान्गमिष्यामि अपध्यातो महात्मना। उभौ हस्तौ मुखे कृत्वा साश्रुकंठोऽब्रवीदिदम्
To which worlds shall I go, condemned by the great-souled? Placing both hands upon his face, with a throat choked by tears, he spoke these words.
नापराध्यामि रामस्य कर्मणा मनसा गिरा। स्पृष्टौ ते चरणौ देवि मम नान्या गतिर्भवेत्
I have not wronged Rama by deed, thought, or word; O Devi, I touch your feet—there is no other refuge for me.
ततः सीताऽब्रवीद्रामं त्यक्तः किमनुजस्त्वया। वैषम्यं त्यज्यतां बाले लक्ष्मणे लक्ष्मिवर्धने
Then Sita spoke to Rama: Why have you abandoned your younger brother? Let this unfairness be set aside, O child, for Lakshmana, the increaser of fortune.
राघवस्त्वब्रवीत्सीतां नाहं त्यक्ष्यामि लक्ष्मणम्। न कदाचिदपि स्वप्ने लक्ष्मणस्य मतं प्रिये
Raghava replied to Sita: I will not abandon Lakshmana; not even in a dream would I disregard Lakshmana's counsel, dearest.
श्रुतपूर्वं च सुश्रोणि क्षेत्रस्यास्य विचेष्टितम्। अत्र क्षेत्रे जनास्सत्यं सर्वे हि स्वार्थतत्पराः
And, O lovely-hipped one, I have heard before of the conduct in this land; in this field, all people are truly intent only upon their own interests.
परस्परं न पश्यंति स्वात्मनश्च हितं वचः। न शृण्वंति पितुः पुत्राः पुत्राणां पितरस्तथा
They do not see one another, nor heed words for their own benefit; sons do not listen to their fathers, nor fathers to their sons.
न शिष्या हि गुरोर्वाक्यं शिष्यस्यापि तथा गुरुः। अर्थानुबंधिनीप्रीतिर्न कश्चित्कस्यचित्प्रियः
Disciples do not heed the teacher's words, nor teachers those of the disciple; affection is bound to gain, and no one is dear to anyone.
इत्येवं कथयन्नेव प्राप्तो रेवां महानदीम्। चक्रेभिषेकं काकुत्स्थः सानुजः सह सीतया
Thus speaking, he reached the great river Reva; Kakutstha, with his brother and Sita, performed the ablution.
तर्पयित्वा च सलिलैः स्वान्पितॄन्दैवतान्यपि। उदीक्ष्य च मुहुः सूर्यं देवताश्च समाहितः
Having offered water to his ancestors and also to the deities, and repeatedly gazing at the sun, he stood with mind concentrated upon the gods.
कृताभिषेकस्तु रराज रामः सीता द्वितीयः सह लक्ष्मणेन। कृताभिषेकः सह शैलपुत्र्या गुहेन सार्धं भगवानिवेशः
Having performed the ablution, Rama shone forth, Sita beside him, together with Lakshmana; having performed the ablution with the daughter of the mountain and with Guha, the blessed one entered his dwelling.
भीष्म उवाच॥ कस्मिन्काले भगवता ब्रह्मणा लोककारिणा। यज्ञियैर्यष्टुमारब्धं तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
Bhishma said: At what time did the blessed Brahma, creator of worlds, begin to perform sacrifices? You are fit to tell me this.
किं नामान ऋत्विजस्ते ब्रह्मणा ये प्रकल्पिताः। का च वै दक्षिणा तेषां दत्ता तेन महात्मना
What were the names of the priests appointed by Brahma? And what gifts were given to them by that great-souled one?
यथाभूतं यथावृत्तं तथा त्वं मे प्रकीर्तय। सुमहत्कौतुकं जातं यज्ञं पैतामहं प्रति
Tell me exactly as it happened, as it truly was; great curiosity has arisen in me regarding the ancestral sacrifice.
पुलस्त्य उवाच॥ पूर्वमेव मया ख्यातं यदा स्वायंभुवो मनुः। सृष्ट्वा प्रजापतीन्सर्वानुक्तः सृष्टिं कुरुष्व वै
Pulastya said: I have already related how, when Svayambhuva Manu had created all the progenitors, he was told: 'Create the world.'
स्वयं तु पुष्करं गत्वा यज्ञस्याहृत्य विस्तरम्। ससंभारान्समानाय्य वह्न्यगारे स्थितोभवत्
He himself went to Pushkara, gathered the materials for the sacrifice, and, assembling all the requisites, stood in the fire chamber.
गायंति नित्यं गंधर्वा नृत्यंत्यप्सरसां गणाः। ब्रह्मोद्गाता होताध्वर्युश्चत्वारो यज्ञवाहकाः
The Gandharvas always sing, and the groups of Apsaras dance; the Brahma-udgātā, hotṛ, and adhvaryu—these four carry out the sacrifice.
एकैकस्य त्रयश्चान्ये परिवाराः स्वयंकृताः। ब्रह्मा च ब्रह्मणाच्छंसी पोता चाग्नीध्र एव च
For each of them, three attendants were self-appointed; Brahma, the Brahmanācchaṃsī, the potā, and the agnīdhra as well.
आन्वीक्षिकी सर्वविद्या ब्राह्मी ह्येषा चतुष्टयी। उद्गाता च प्रत्युद्गाता प्रतिहर्ता सुब्रह्मण्यः
Ānvīkṣikī, all knowledge, and Brāhmī—these fourfold; the udgātā, pratyudgātā, pratihartā, and subrahmaṇya.
चतुष्टयी द्वितीयैषा तूद्गातुश्च प्रकीर्तिता। होता च मैत्रावरुणस्तथाऽच्छावाक एव च
This second group of four is declared for the udgātṛ; the hotṛ, maitrāvaruṇa, and acchāvāka as well.
ग्रावस्तुच्च चतुर्थोत्र तृतीया च चतुष्टयी। अध्वर्युश्च प्रतिष्ठाता नेष्टोन्नेता तथैव च
The grāvastut is the fourth here, and the third group of four; the adhvaryu, pratiṣṭhātṛ, neṣṭṛ, and unnetṛ likewise.