Ramayana

भरद्वाजस्ततः शिष्यो विनीतः श्रुतवान् गुरोः । कलशं पूर्णमादाय पृष्ठतोऽनुजगाम ह ॥१-२-

Then Bharadvāja, his obedient and learned disciple, took up a full water pot and followed behind his teacher.

स प्रविश्याश्रमपदं शिष्येण सह धर्मवित् । उपविष्टः कथाश्चान्याश्चकार ध्यानमास्थितः ॥१-२-

Entering the hermitage with his disciple, the sage, versed in righteousness, sat down, engaged in other conversations, and settled into meditation.

आजगाम ततो ब्रह्मा लोककर्ता स्वयं प्रभुः । चतुर्मुखो महातेजा द्रष्टुं तं मुनिपुङ्गवम् ॥१-२-

Then Brahmā, the creator of the worlds, the lord himself, four-faced and radiant, came to see that foremost of sages.

वाल्मीकिरथ तं दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय वाग्यतः । प्राञ्जलिः प्रयतो भूत्वा तस्थौ परमविस्मितः ॥१-२-

Valmiki, seeing him, immediately rose, controlled his speech, joined his palms in reverence, and stood, filled with utmost wonder.

पूजयामास तं देवं पाद्यार्घ्यासनवन्दनैः । प्रणम्य विधिवच्चैनं पृष्ट्वा चैव निरामयम् ॥१-२-

He honored that god with offerings of water for the feet, arghya, a seat, and salutations, and, having bowed properly, inquired after his well-being.

अथोपविश्य भगवानासने परमार्चिते । वाल्मीकये च ऋषये संदिदेशासनं ततः ॥१-२-

Then the blessed one, having seated himself on the highly honored seat, offered a seat in turn to the sage Valmiki.

ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञातः सोऽप्युपाविशदासने । उपविष्टे तदा तस्मिन् साक्षाल्लोकपितामहे ।॥१-२-

Having received Brahmā’s approval, he too took his seat; and when he was seated, the Lord of all beings was visibly present.

तद्गतेनैव मनसा वाल्मीकिर्ध्यानमास्थितः । पापात्मना कृतं कष्टं वैरग्रहणबुद्धिना ।॥१-२-

With his mind absorbed in that event, Vālmīki entered into meditation, pondering the cruel deed committed by the wicked-hearted, whose mind was set on enmity.

यत् तादृशं चारुरवं क्रौञ्चं हन्यादकारणात् । शोचन्नेव पुनः क्रौञ्चीमुपश्लोकमिमं जगौ ॥१-२-

As he mourned how such a lovely-voiced krauñca bird was slain without cause, he again sang this verse in lament for the female krauñca.

पुनरन्तर्गतमना भूत्वा शोकपरायणः । तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा प्रहसन् मुनिपुङ्गवम् ॥१-२-

Once more, his mind withdrawn inward and immersed in sorrow, Brahmā, smiling, addressed the foremost of sages.

श्लोक एवास्त्वयं बद्धो नात्र कार्या विचारणा । मच्छन्दादेव ते ब्रह्मन् प्रवृत्तेयं सरस्वती ॥१-२-

Let this verse remain as it is composed; there is no need for deliberation here. By my will alone, O sage, this Sarasvatī has arisen in you.

रामस्य चरितं कृत्स्नं कुरु त्वमृषिसत्तम । धर्मात्मनो भगवतो लोके रामस्य धीमतः ॥१-२-

Compose the entire story of Rāma, O best of sages, the righteous and wise Lord, for the world.

वृत्तं कथय धीरस्य यथा ते नारदाच्छ्रुतम् । रहस्यं च प्रकाशं च यद् वृत्तं तस्य धीमतः ॥१-२-

Tell the account of the steadfast one, as you heard it from Nārada, both the secret and the open events that befell that wise man.

रामस्य सहसौमित्रे राक्षसानां च सर्वशः । वैदेह्याश्चैव यद् वृत्तं प्रकाशं यदि वा रहः ॥१-२-

Whatever happened to Rāma, to Saumitri, to all the rākṣasas, and to Vaidehī—whether openly or in secret—

तच्चाप्यविदितं सर्वं विदितं ते भविष्यति । न ते वागनृता काव्ये काचिदत्र भविष्यति ॥१-२-

All that is unknown will become known to you; no falsehood will enter your speech in this poem.

कुरु रामकथां पुण्यां श्लोकबद्धां मनोरमाम् । यावत् स्थास्यन्ति गिरयः सरितश्च महीतले ॥१-२-

Compose the sacred story of Rāma, bound in verses and delightful, for as long as mountains and rivers endure upon the earth.

तावद् रामायणकथा लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति । यावद् रामस्य च कथा त्वत्कृता प्रचरिष्यति ॥१-२-

So long as the tale of Rāma, created by you, is told, the story of the Rāmāyaṇa will circulate among people.

तावदूर्ध्वमधश्च त्वं मल्लोकेषु निवत्स्यसि । इत्युक्त्वा भगवान् ब्रह्मा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । ततः सशिष्यो भगवान् र्मुनिर्विस्मयमाययौ ॥१-२-

For that duration, above and below, you will dwell among people; having spoken thus, the blessed Brahmā vanished there, and the venerable sage, with his disciples, departed in wonder.

तस्य शिष्यास्ततः सर्वे जगुः श्लोकमिमं पुनः । मुहुर्मुहुः प्रीयमाणाः प्राहुश्च भृशविस्मिताः ॥१-२-

Then all his disciples repeatedly sang that verse, delighted and greatly astonished.

समाक्षरैश्चतुर्भिर्यः पादैर्गीतो महर्षिणा । सोऽनुव्याहरणाद् भूयः शोकः श्लोकत्वमागतः ॥१-२-

That which was sung by the great sage in four-footed meter, through repeated recitation, sorrow was transformed into verse.

तस्य बुद्धिरियं जाता वाल्मीकेर्भावितात्मनः । कृत्स्नं रामायणं काव्यमीदृशैः करवाण्यहम् ॥१-२-

This resolve arose in Vālmīki, whose mind was purified: 'I will compose the entire Rāmāyaṇa in such verses.'

उदारवृत्तार्थपदैर्मनोरमै- ::स्तदास्य रामस्य चकार कीर्तिमान् । समाक्षरैः श्लोकशतैर्यशस्विनो ::यशस्करं काव्यमुदारदर्शनः ॥१-२-

With noble themes, meanings, and words, delightful to the mind, he made the fame of Rāma; with hundreds of verses of equal measure, the illustrious sage composed a poem that brings glory.

तदुपगतसमाससंधियोगं ::सममधुरोपनतार्थवाक्यबद्धम् । रघुवरकरितं मुनिप्रणीतं ::दशशिरसश्क वधं निशामयध्वम् ॥१-२-

With proper arrangement of compounds and conjunctions, and sweet, well-constructed sentences, listen to the story of Raghu’s scion, composed by the sage, concerning the slaying of the ten-headed one.

thumb|तृतीयः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे तृतीयः सर्गः ॥१-

Let the third section be heard in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Bāla Kāṇḍa, the third sarga.

श्रुत्वा वस्तु समग्रं तद्धर्मार्थसहितं हितम् । व्यक्तमन्वेषते भूयो यद् वृत्तं तस्य धीमतः ॥१-३-

Having heard all the events, together with their righteous and meaningful aspects, and beneficial, he again clearly seeks out what happened to that wise one.

उपस्पृश्योदकं सम्यङ्मुनिः स्थित्वा कृताञ्जलिः । प्राचीनाग्रेषु दर्भेषु धर्मेणान्वेषते गतिम् ॥१-३-

Having ritually purified himself with water, the sage stood with joined palms, on darbha grass with the tips to the east, and sought the course of events according to righteousness.

हसितं भाषितं चैव गतिर्यावच्च चेष्टितम् । तत् सर्वं धर्मवीर्येण यथावत् संप्रपश्यति ॥१-३-

He observes everything—smiling, speaking, movement, and all actions—thoroughly and properly, with the strength of righteousness.

स्त्रीतृतीयेन च तथा यत् प्राप्तं चरता वने । सत्यसन्धेन रामेण तत् सर्वं चान्ववैक्षत ॥१-३-

And likewise, whatever befell Rama, steadfast in truth, as he wandered in the forest with his wife and brother, all this he examined.

ततः पश्यति धर्मात्मा तत् सर्वं योगमास्थितः । पुरा यत् तत्र निर्वृत्तं पाणावामलकं यथा ॥१-३-

Then, established in yoga, that righteous-souled one perceives all that happened there in the past, as clearly as a fruit in the palm of his hand.