Ramayana

देवगन्धर्वसंकाशाः तत्र ते न्यवसन् सुखम् । चित्रकूटङ्गते रामे पुत्रशोकातुरस्तथा ॥१-१-

There, they lived happily, resembling gods and gandharvas; while Rama dwelled at Chitrakuta, his father was afflicted with grief for his son.

राजा दशरथस्स्वर्गं जगाम विलपन् सुतम् । गते तु तस्मिन् भरतो वसिष्ठप्रमुखैर्द्विजैः ॥१-१-

King Dasharatha went to heaven, lamenting for his son; after his departure, Bharata, urged by Vasishta and the foremost brahmins—

नियुज्यमानो राज्याय नैच्छत् राज्यं महाबलः । स जगाम वनं वीरो रामपादप्रसादकः ॥१-१-

Though appointed to the kingdom, the mighty Bharata did not desire to rule; that hero went to the forest, seeking the favor of Rama's feet.

गत्वा तु स महात्मानं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् । अयाचद्भ्रातरं रामम् आर्यभावपुरस्कृतः ॥१-१-

Having gone to the great-souled Rama, steadfast in truth and valor, he requested his brother Rama, with reverence and noble conduct.

त्वमेव राजा धर्मज्ञ इति रामं वचोऽब्रवीत् । रामोऽपि परमोदारः सुमुखस्सुमहायशाः ॥१-१-

He spoke to Rama, saying, 'You alone are the king, knower of righteousness'; and Rama, supremely generous, gracious-faced, and of great fame—

न चैच्छत् पितुरादेशात् राज्यं रामो महाबलः । पादुके चास्य राज्याय न्यासं दत्त्वा पुनः पुनः ॥१-१-

But mighty Rāma, in obedience to his father's command, did not accept the kingdom; instead, he entrusted his sandals again and again for the rule.

निवर्तयामास ततो भरतं भरताग्रजः । स काममनवाप्यैव रामपादावुपस्पृशन् ॥१-१-

Then, the elder brother of Bharata persuaded Bharata to return; though his desire was unfulfilled, Bharata touched Rāma's feet.

नन्दिग्रामेऽकरोद् राज्यं रामागमनकाङ्क्षया । गते तु भरते श्रीमान् सत्यसन्धो जितेन्द्रियः ॥१-१-

In Nandigrāma, the illustrious, truthful, and self-controlled Bharata ruled, awaiting Rāma's return.

रामस्तु पुनरालक्ष्य नागरस्य जनस्य च । तत्रागमनमेकाग्रो दण्डकान् प्रविवेश ह ॥१-१-

But Rāma, perceiving the coming of the townspeople, with focused mind, entered the Daṇḍaka forest.

प्रविश्य तु महारण्यं रामो राजीवलोचनः । विराधं राक्षसं हत्वा शरभङ्गं ददर्श ह ॥१-१-

Entering the great forest, lotus-eyed Rāma slew the demon Virādha and saw Śarabhaṅga.

सुतीक्ष्णं चाप्यगस्त्यं च अगस्त्यभ्रातरं तथा । अगस्त्यवचनाच्चैव जग्राहैन्द्रं शरासनम् ॥१-१-

He also met Sutikṣṇa, Agastya, and Agastya's brother; and by Agastya's word, he received Indra's bow.

खड्गञ्च परम प्रीतस्तूणी चाक्षयसायकौ । वसतस्तस्य रामस्य वने वनचरैः सह ॥१-१-

With great delight, he received a sword and inexhaustible quivers; while Rāma dwelled in the forest with the forest-dwellers.

ऋषयोऽभ्यागमन् सर्वे वधायासुररक्षसाम् । स तेषां प्रतिशुश्राव राक्षसानां तदा वने ॥१-१-

All the sages came to him, seeking the destruction of the demons and asuras; he promised them to destroy the demons in the forest.

प्रतिज्ञातश्च रामेण वधः संयति रक्षसाम् । ऋषीणामग्निकल्पानां दण्डकारण्यवासीनाम् ॥१-१-

Rāma vowed to slay the demons in battle, for the sake of the sages, who were like fire and dwelt in Daṇḍaka forest.

तेन तत्रैव वसता जनस्थाननिवासिनी । विरूपिता शूर्पणखा राक्षसी कामरूपिणी ॥१-१-

While he dwelled there, the demoness Śūrpaṇakhā, who could assume any form, was disfigured; she lived in Janasthāna.

ततः शूर्पणखावाक्यादुद्युक्तान् सर्वराक्षसान् । खरं त्रिशिरसं चैव दूषणं चैव राक्षसम् ॥१-१-

Then, at the words of Śūrpaṇakhā, all the demons, including Khara, Triśiras, and Dūṣaṇa, were roused to action.

निजघान रणे रामस्तेषां चैव पदानुगान् । वने तस्मिन् निवसता जनस्थाननिवासिनाम् ॥१-१-

Rāma slew them in battle, along with their followers, while dwelling in that forest among the inhabitants of Janasthāna.

रक्षसां निहतान्यासन् सहस्राणि चतुर्दश । ततो ज्ञातिवधं श्रुत्वा रावणः क्रोधमूर्छितः ॥१-१-

Fourteen thousand demons were slain; then, hearing of the slaughter of his kin, Rāvaṇa was seized by wrath.

सहायं वरयामास मारीचं नाम राक्षसम् । वार्यमाणः सुबहुशो मारीचेन स रावणः ॥१-१-

He sought as an ally the demon named Mārīca; though Mārīca tried to dissuade him repeatedly, Rāvaṇa did not heed.

न विरोधो बलवता क्षमो रावण तेन ते । अनादृत्य तु तद्वाक्यं रावणः कालचोदितः ॥१-१-

Mārīca said to Rāvaṇa, 'It is not possible for you to oppose one so powerful'; but disregarding these words, Rāvaṇa, impelled by fate—

जगाम सहमारीचस्तस्याश्रमपदं तदा । तेन मायाविना दूरमपवाह्य नृपात्मजौ ॥१-१-

—went with Mārīca to that hermitage; by the trickster, the two princes were lured far away.

जहार भार्यां रामस्य गृध्रं हत्वा जटायुषम् । गृध्रञ्च निहतं दृष्ट्वा हृतां श्रुत्वा च मैथिलीम् ॥१-१-

He abducted Rāma's wife, having slain the vulture Jaṭāyu; seeing the vulture killed and hearing of Sītā's abduction—

राघवः शोकसंतप्तो विललापाकुलेन्द्रियः । ततस्तेनैव शोकेन गृध्रं दग्ध्वा जटायुषम् ॥१-१-

Rāghava, tormented by grief, lamented, his senses disturbed; then, overwhelmed by that sorrow, he cremated Jaṭāyu, the vulture.

मार्गमाणो वने सीतां राक्षसं सन्ददर्श ह । कबन्धं नाम रूपेण विकृतं घोरदर्शनम् ॥१-१-

While searching for Sita in the forest, he encountered a fearsome and hideous demon named Kabandha.

तन्निहत्य महाबाहुर्ददाह स्वर्गतश्च सः । स चास्य कथयामास शबरीं धर्मचारिणीम् ॥१-१-

After slaying him, the mighty-armed one burned his body, and when Kabandha ascended to heaven, he told him about Shabari, the righteous ascetic.

श्रमणां धर्मनिपुणामभिगच्छेति राघव । सोऽभ्य गच्छन्महातेजाः शबरीं शत्रुसूदनः ॥१-१-

"Go to Shabari, who is devoted to righteousness and skilled in dharma," he said to Raghava; so the radiant destroyer of enemies went to Shabari.

शबर्या पूजितः सम्यग् रामो दशरथात्मजः । पम्पातीरे हनुमता सङ्गतो वानरेण ह ॥१-१-

Honored properly by Shabari, Rama, the son of Dasharatha, met Hanuman, the vanara, on the bank of the Pampa lake.

हनुमद्वचनाच्चैव सुग्रीवेण समागतः । सुग्रीवाय च तत्सर्वं शंसद्रामो महाबलः ॥१-१-

And through Hanuman's words, he met Sugriva; and Rama, the mighty one, told Sugriva everything.

आदितस्तद् यथावृत्तं सीतायाश्च विशेषतः । सुग्रीवश्चापि तत्सर्वं श्रुत्वा रामस्य वानरः ॥१-१-

From the beginning, he recounted all that had happened, especially regarding Sita; and Sugriva, the vanara, listened to all of Rama's story.