Ramayana

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.

चकार सख्यं रामेण प्रीतश्चैवाग्निसाक्षिकम् । ततो वानरराजेन वैरानुकथनं प्रति ॥१-१-

He formed a friendship with Rama, joyfully, with fire as witness; then, at the vanara king's request, the tale of his enmity was recounted.

रामायावेदितं सर्वं प्रणयात् दुःखितेन च । प्रतिज्ञातञ्च रामेण तदा वालिवधं प्रति ॥१-१-

All was revealed to Rama by the sorrowful and affectionate Sugriva; and Rama then promised to slay Vali.

वालिनश्च बलं तत्र कथयामास वानरः । सुग्रीवः शङ्कितश्चासीन्नित्यं वीर्येण राघवे ॥१-१-

There the vanara, Sugriva, described Vali's strength, and he was always doubtful of Raghava's prowess.

राघवप्रत्ययार्थं तु दुन्दुभेः कायमुत्तमम् । दर्शयामास सुग्रीवः महापर्वतसन्निभम् ॥१-१-

To assure Raghava, Sugriva showed him the mighty body of Dundubhi, resembling a great mountain.

उत्स्मयित्वा महाबाहुः प्रेक्ष्य चास्ति महाबलः । पादाङ्गुष्ठेन चिक्षेप संपूर्णं दशयोजनम् ॥१-१-

The mighty-armed hero, smiling, looked at it and, with his big toe, flung it a full ten yojanas.

बिभेद च पुनस्सालान् सप्तैकेन महेषुणा । गिरिं रसातलञ्चैव जनयन् प्रत्ययं तथा ॥१-१-

Again, with a single great arrow, he split seven sala trees, a mountain, and even the underworld, thus inspiring confidence.

ततः प्रीतमनास्तेन विश्वस्तस्स महाकपिः । किष्किन्धां रामसहितो जगाम च गुहां तदा ॥१-१-

Then, pleased and trusting, the great vanara went with Rama to the cave of Kishkindha.

ततोऽगर्जद्धरिवरः सुग्रीवो हेमपिङ्गलः । तेन नादेन महता निर्जगाम हरीश्वरः ॥१-१-

Then the best of monkeys, Sugriva, golden-hued, roared; and at that great sound, the lord of monkeys emerged.

अनुमान्य तदा तारां सुग्रीवेण समागतः । निजघान च तत्रैनं शरेणैकेन राघवः ॥१-१-

Having taken counsel with Tara, Vali came to meet Sugriva; and there, Rama struck him down with a single arrow.