अथ भ्रातरमव्यग्रं प्रियं रामः प्रियंवदम्। सौमित्रिं तमुवाचेदं ब्रह्मेव त्रिदशेश्वरम्
Then Rāma, speaking kindly, addressed his dear and composed brother Saumitri, as Brahmā would address the lord of the gods.
अगस्त्यं कौशिकं चैव तावुभौ ब्राह्मणोत्तमौ। अर्चयाहूय सौमित्रे रत्नैः सस्यमिवाम्बुभिः
Saumitri, honor Agastya and Kauśika, those two foremost Brāhmaṇas, inviting them with jewels as crops are with water.
तर्पयस्व महाबाहो गोसहस्रेण राघव। सुवर्णरजतैश्चैव मणिभिश्च महाधनैः
O mighty-armed Rāghava, satisfy them with a thousand cows, with gold and silver, with gems and great wealth.
कौसल्यां च य आशीर्भिर्भक्तः पर्युपतिष्ठति। आचार्यस्तैत्तिरीयाणामभिरूपश्च वेदवित्
And the teacher of the Taittirīyas, learned in the Vedas and devoted, who attends upon Kausalyā with blessings—
तस्य यानं च दासीश्च सौमित्रे सम्प्रदापय। कौशेयानि च वस्त्राणि यावत् तुष्यति स द्विजः
Give him a vehicle, attendants, and silk garments, Saumitri, as much as that Brāhmaṇa desires.
सूतश्चित्ररथश्चार्यः सचिवः सुचिरोषितः। तोषयैनं महार्हैश्च रत्नैर्वस्त्रैर्धनैस्तथा
And the charioteer Citraratha, the honored counselor who has long served—satisfy him as well with costly jewels, garments, and wealth.
पशुकाभिश्च सर्वाभिर्गवां दशशतेन च। ये चेमे कठकालापा बहवो दण्डमाणवाः
With all the herds and with a thousand cows, and those many Kaṭhaka reciters and staff-bearing youths here—
नित्यस्वाध्यायशीलत्वान्नान्यत् कुर्वन्ति किंचन। अलसाः स्वादुकामाश्च महतां चापि सम्मताः
Because they are always devoted to their daily recitation, they do nothing else; they are indolent, fond of comfort, yet respected by the great.
तेषामशीतियानानि रत्नपूर्णानि दापय। शालिवाहसहस्रं च द्वे शते भद्रकांस्तथा
For them, have eighty vehicles filled with jewels given, and two hundred fine oxen, and a thousand measures of rice.
व्यञ्जनार्थं च सौमित्रे गोसहस्रमुपाकुरु। मेखलीनां महासङ्घः कौसल्यां समुपस्थितः। तेषां सहस्रं सौमित्रे प्रत्येकं सम्प्रदापय
And, Saumitri, for their maintenance, provide a thousand cows; a great assembly of girdled women has come to Kausalya—give each of them a thousand, Saumitri.
अम्बा यथा नो नन्देच्च कौसल्या मम दक्षिणाम्। तथा द्विजातींस्तान् सर्वाल्ँलक्ष्मणार्चय सर्वशः
So that my mother Kausalya may rejoice in her offering, honor all those twice-born ones completely, Lakshmana.
ततः पुरुषशार्दूलस्तद् धनं लक्ष्मणः स्वयम्। यथोक्तं ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणामददाद् धनदो यथा
Then Lakshmana, best of men, himself gave that wealth to the foremost Brahmins as instructed, like the god of wealth.
अथाब्रवीद् बाष्पगलांस्तिष्ठतश्चोपजीविनः। स प्रदाय बहुद्रव्यमेकैकस्योपजीवनम्
Then he spoke to the dependents, his throat choked with tears, having given much wealth, providing each with their livelihood.
लक्ष्मणस्य च यद् वेश्म गृहं च यदिदं मम। अशून्यं कार्यमेकैकं यावदागमनं मम
Let the house of Lakshmana and this house of mine not be empty for each one until my return.
इत्युक्त्वा दुःखितं सर्वं जनं तमुपजीविनम्। उवाचेदं धनाध्यक्षं धनमानीयतां मम
Having said this to all those dependents, who were distressed, he spoke to the treasurer: 'Bring my wealth.'
ततोऽस्य धनमाजह्रुः सर्व एवोपजीविनः। स राशिः सुमहांस्तत्र दर्शनीयो ह्यदृश्यत
Then they brought his wealth, all the dependents; that great heap was seen there, truly impressive.
ततः स पुरुषव्याघ्रस्तद् धनं सहलक्ष्मणः। द्विजेभ्यो बालवृद्धेभ्यः कृपणेभ्यो ह्यदापयत्
Then that tiger among men, together with Lakshmana, gave that wealth to Brahmins, to the young and old, and to the needy.
तत्रासीत् पिङ्गलो गार्ग्यस्त्रिजटो नाम वै द्विजः। क्षतवृत्तिर्वने नित्यं फालकुद्दाललाङ्गली
There was a tawny-haired Brahmin of the Garga lineage named Trijaṭa, who lived by tilling the forest, always using plough and spade.
तं वृद्धं तरुणी भार्या बालानादाय दारकान्। अब्रवीद् ब्राह्मणं वाक्यं स्त्रीणां भर्ता हि देवता
His young wife, taking their children, spoke to the Brahmin, for a husband is a goddess to women.
अपास्य फालं कुद्दालं कुरुष्व वचनं मम। रामं दर्शय धर्मज्ञं यदि किंचिदवाप्स्यसि
Set aside the plough and spade, do as I say; show yourself to righteous Rama—perhaps you will obtain something.
भृग्वङ्गिरःसमं दीप्त्या त्रिजटं जनसंसदि। आपञ्चमायाः कक्ष्याया नैतं कश्चिदवारयत्
With a radiance equal to Bhrigu and Angiras, Trijaṭa was not stopped by anyone up to the fifth enclosure of the assembly.
स राममासाद्य तदा त्रिजटो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। निर्धनो बहुपुत्रोऽस्मि राजपुत्र महाबल
Then, approaching Rama, Trijaṭa spoke: 'Prince, mighty one, I am poor and have many children.'
क्षतवृत्तिर्वने नित्यं प्रत्यवेक्षस्व मामिति। तमुवाच ततो रामः परिहाससमन्वितम्
'I always live by tilling the forest; please consider me,' he said. Then Rama replied to him with a touch of humor:
गवां सहस्रमप्येकं न च विश्राणितं मया। परिक्षिपसि दण्डेन यावत्तावदवाप्स्यसे
‘Not even a single one of a thousand cows has been given by me; as much as you encircle with your staff, that much you shall receive.’
स शाटीं परितः कट्यां सम्भ्रान्तः परिवेष्ट्य ताम्। आविध्य दण्डं चिक्षेप सर्वप्राणेन वेगतः
Then, in haste, he wrapped his cloth around his waist, drew his staff, and hurled it with all his strength.
स तीर्त्वा सरयूपारं दण्डस्तस्य कराच्च्युतः। गोव्रजे बहुसाहस्रे पपातोक्षणसंनिधौ
That staff, released from his hand, crossed over the Sarayu river and fell amidst a great herd of cows, near the oxen.
तं परिष्वज्य धर्मात्मा आ तस्मात् सरयूतटात्। आनयामास ता गावस्त्रिजटस्याश्रमं प्रति
Embracing him on the bank of the Sarayu, the righteous one then led those cows toward Trijaṭa’s hermitage.
उवाच च तदा रामस्तं गार्ग्यमभिसान्त्वयन्। मन्युर्न खलु कर्तव्यः परिहासो ह्ययं मम
And then Rāma spoke to that descendant of Garga, gently consoling him: 'You should not be angry; this was only a jest of mine.'
इदं हि तेजस्तव यद् दुरत्ययं तदेव जिज्ञासितुमिच्छता मया। इमं भवानर्थमभिप्रचोदितो वृणीष्व किंचेदपरं व्यवस्यसि
'Indeed, this is your power, which is insurmountable. Wishing to know it, I urged you for this very reason. Now, choose any other boon you desire.'
ब्रवीमि सत्येन न ते स्म यन्त्रणां धनं हि यद्यन्मम विप्रकारणात्। भवत्सु सम्यक्प्रतिपादनेन मयार्जितं चैव यशस्करं भवेत्
'I declare truthfully, you shall not be restrained by me. Whatever wealth of mine you wish, let it be properly given to you, so that I may gain both merit and fame.'