अनागतं च यत् किंचिद् रामस्य वसुधातले तच्चकारोत्तरे काव्ये वाल्मीकिर्भगवानृषिः ॥१-३-
And whatever else concerning Rāma was yet to come upon the earth, that too the venerable sage Vālmīki composed in the later portion of his poem.
thumb|चतुर्थः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे चतुर्थः सर्गः ॥१-
This is the fourth sarga in the Bālakāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.
प्राप्तराज्यस्य रामस्य वाल्मीकिर्भगवानृषिः । चकार चरितं कृत्स्नं विचित्रपदमर्थवत् ॥१-४-
The venerable sage Vālmīki composed the entire story of Rāma, who had attained his kingdom, with wondrous words and meaning.
चतुर्विंशत्सहस्राणि श्लोकानामुक्तवानृषिः । तथा सर्गशतान् पञ्च षट्काण्डानि तथोत्तरम् ॥१-४-
The sage uttered twenty-four thousand verses, as well as five hundred sargas, six kāṇḍas, and the Uttara (supplementary) section.
कृत्वा तु तन्महाप्राज्ञः सभविष्यं सहोत्तरम् । चिन्तयामास को न्वेतत् प्रयुञ्जीयादिति प्रभुः ॥१-४-
Having completed that great work, including what was yet to come, the wise sage pondered, 'Who indeed shall recite this?'
कुशीलवौ तु धर्मज्ञौ राजपुत्रौ यशस्विनौ । भ्रातरौ स्वरसंपन्नौ ददर्शाश्रमवासिनौ ॥१-४-
He saw the two sons of the king, Kuśa and Lava, who were righteous, renowned, brothers endowed with melodious voices, dwelling in the hermitage.
स तु मेधाविनौ दृष्ट्वा वेदेषु परिनिष्ठितौ । वेदोपबृंह्मणार्थाय तावग्राहयत प्रभुः ॥१-४-
Seeing them intelligent and accomplished in the Vedas, the sage taught them, for the sake of enhancing the Vedas, the poem.
काव्यं रामायणं कृत्स्नं सीतायाश्चरितं महत् । पौलस्त्यवधमित्येवं चकार चरितव्रतः ॥१-४-
The vow-observing sage composed the entire Rāmāyaṇa poem, the great story of Sītā, and the destruction of the son of Pulastya.
पाठ्ये गेये च मधुरं प्रमाणैस्त्रिभिरन्वितम् । जातिभिः सप्तभिर्युक्तं तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितम् ॥१-४-
Sweet to recite and to sing, furnished with three measures, endowed with seven kinds of metres, and accompanied by string and rhythm—
रसैः शृङ्गारकरुणहास्यरौद्रभयानकैः । वीरादिभी रसैर्युक्तं काव्यमेतदगायताम् ॥१-४-
This poem, filled with the sentiments of love, compassion, humor, fury, terror, heroism, and others, they sang.
तौ तु गान्धर्वतत्त्वज्ञौ स्थानमूर्च्छनकोविदौ । भ्रातरौ स्वरसम्पन्नौ गन्धर्वाविव रूपिणौ ॥१-४-
The two brothers, skilled in the science of music and in the art of intonation and modulation, possessed of melodious voices, appeared like incarnate Gandharvas.
रूपलक्षणसम्पन्नौ मधुरस्वरभाषिणौ । बिम्बादिवोत्थितौ बिम्बौ रामदेहात् तथापरौ ॥१-४-
Endowed with beauty and auspicious marks, speaking with sweet voices, they were like two images sprung from the very body of Rāma.
तौ राजपुत्रौ कार्त्स्न्येन धर्म्यमाख्यानमुत्तमम् । वाचोविधेयं तत्सर्वं कृत्वा काव्यमनिन्दितौ ॥१-४-
Those two royal sons, having mastered the entire noble and righteous narrative, rendered the whole poem, blameless in their recitation.
ऋषीणां च द्विजातीनां साधूनां च समागमे । यथोपदेशं तत्त्वज्ञौ जगतुः सुसमाहितौ ॥१-४-
In the gatherings of sages, twice-borns, and the virtuous, those two, knowing the essence, sang as instructed, with full concentration.
महात्मानौ महाभागौ सर्वलक्षणलक्षितौ । तौ कदाचित् समेतानामृषीणां भावितात्मनाम् ॥१-४-
Great-souled and greatly fortunate, adorned with all auspicious marks, those two, at some time, among the assembled sages of purified minds—
मध्ये सभं समीपस्थाविदं काव्यमगायताम् । तच्छ्रुत्वा मुनयः सर्वे बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणाः ॥१-४-
In the midst of the assembly, standing nearby, they sang this poem; hearing it, all the sages had eyes brimming with tears.
साधु साध्विति तावूचुः परं विस्मयमागताः । ते प्रीतमनसः सर्वे मुनयो धर्मवत्सलाः ॥१-४-
They exclaimed, 'Excellent! Excellent!' overcome with great wonder; all those sages, devoted to righteousness, were filled with joy.
प्रशशंसुः प्रशस्तव्यौ गायमानौ कुशीलवौ । अहो गीतस्य माधुर्यं श्लोकानां च विशेषतः ॥१-४-
They praised the two Kuśīlava singers, who were worthy of praise, saying, 'Ah, the sweetness of this song, and especially of the verses!'
चिरनिर्वृत्तमप्येतत् प्रत्यक्षमिव दर्शितम् । प्रविश्य तावुभौ सुष्ठु तथाभावमगायताम् ॥१-४-
Though these events happened long ago, they were presented as if before one's very eyes; the two entered and sang so well, embodying the story.