उदारस्य नृवीरस्य धरण्यां पतितस्य च । ततः प्रीतमना राजा प्राप्य यज्ञमनुत्तमम् ॥१-१४-
For the generous, heroic king who had given up the earth, the king, with a delighted mind, attained the supreme sacrifice.
पापापहं स्वर्नयनं दुस्तरं पार्थिवर्षभैः । ततोऽब्रवीदृशष्यशृङ्गं राजा दशरथस्तदा ॥१-१४-
The sin-removing, heaven-leading, difficult-to-accomplish rite for kings—then King Daśaratha addressed Ṛṣyaśṛṅga.
कुलस्य वर्धनं तत् तु कर्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत तथेति च स राजानमुवाच द्विजसत्तमः भविष्यन्ति सुता राजंश्चत्वारस्ते कुलोद्वहाः ॥१-१४-
You, of noble vows, ought to perform that which will increase your lineage. And so, the foremost among twice-born spoke to the king: 'O King, you will have four sons who will bring glory to your family.'
स तस्य वाक्यं मधुरं निशम्य प्रणम्य तस्मै प्रयतो नृपेन्द्रः । जगाम हर्षं परमं महात्मा तमृष्यशृङ्गं पुनरप्युवाच ॥१-१४-
Hearing those sweet words, the great-souled king, reverently bowing to him, experienced supreme joy and again spoke to Sage Rishyasringa.
thumb|पञ्चदशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे पञ्चदशः सर्गः ॥१-
Listen to the fifteenth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
मेधावी तु ततो ध्यात्वा स किञ्चिदिदमुत्तरम् । लब्धसंज्ञस्ततस्तं तु वेदज्ञो नृपमब्रवीत् ॥१-१५-
Then, the wise one, after contemplating for a moment, having regained his composure, spoke to the king, knowledgeable in the Vedas.
इष्टिं तेऽहं करिष्यामि पुत्रीयां पुत्रकारणात् । अथर्वशिरसि प्रोक्तैर्मन्त्रैः सिद्धां विधानतः ॥१-१५-
I will perform for you a sacrificial rite for the sake of sons, using mantras prescribed in the Atharvaśirsa, accomplished according to proper procedure.
ततः प्राक्रमदिष्टिं तां पुत्रीयां पुत्रकारणात् । जुहावाग्नौ च तेजस्वी मन्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥१-१५-
Then, he began that sacrificial rite for the purpose of sons, and the radiant sage offered oblations into the fire, performing the ritual as prescribed by the mantras.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । भागप्रतिग्रहार्थं वै समवेता यथाविधि ॥१-१५-
Then, the gods, along with the Gandharvas, Siddhas, and eminent sages, assembled according to the proper rites to receive their shares.
ताः समेत्य यथान्यायं तस्मिन् सदसि देवताः । अब्रुवँल्लोककर्तारं ब्रह्माणं वचनं ततः ॥१-१५-
Having gathered as prescribed, the deities in that assembly spoke these words to Brahmā, the creator of the worlds.
भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन रावणो नाम राक्षसः । सर्वान् नो बाधते वीर्याच्छासितुं तं न शक्नुमः ॥१-१५-
O Lord, by your grace, a Rākṣasa named Rāvaṇa oppresses us all with his strength; we are unable to restrain him.
त्वया तस्मै वरो दत्तः प्रीतेन भगवंस्तदा । मानयन्तश्च तं नित्यं सर्वं तस्य क्षमामहे ॥१-१५-
You granted him a boon out of affection, O Lord, and we always honor him; we endure everything from him.
उद्वेजयति लोकांस्त्रीनुच्छ्रितान् द्वेष्टि दुर्मतिः । शक्रं त्रिदशराजानं प्रधर्षयितुमिच्छति ॥१-१५-
That wicked-minded one agitates the three worlds, despises them, and desires to violate Indra, king of the gods.
ऋषीन् यक्षान् सगन्धर्वान् ब्राह्मणानसुरांस्तदा । अतिक्रामति दुर्धर्षो वरदानेन मोहितः ॥१-१५-
He transgresses against sages, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Brāhmaṇas, and Asuras, emboldened by the boon and rendered arrogant.
नैनं सूर्यः प्रतपति पार्श्वे वाति न मारुतः । चलोर्मिमाली तं दृष्ट्वा समुद्रोऽपि न कम्पते ॥१-१५-
The sun does not burn him, nor does the wind blow near him; even the ocean, seeing him, does not stir its waves.
तन्महन्नो भयं तस्माद् राक्षसाद् घोरदर्शनात् । वधार्थं तस्य भगवन्नुपायं कर्तुमर्हसि ॥१-१५-
Therefore, O Lord, there is great fear from that terrifying Rākṣasa; you ought to devise a means for his destruction.
एवमुक्तः सुरैः सर्वैश्चिन्तयित्वा ततोऽब्रवीत् । हन्तायं विदितस्तस्य वधोपायो दुरात्मनः ॥१-१५-
Thus addressed by all the gods, Brahmā, after pondering, spoke: 'The means for the destruction of that evil one is now known.'
तेन गन्धर्वयक्षाणां देवदानवरक्षसाम् । अवध्योऽस्मीति वागुक्ता तथेत्युक्तं च तन्मया ॥१-१५-
By him, it was declared, 'I am invulnerable to Gandharvas, Yakṣas, gods, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas,' and I affirmed it accordingly.
नाकीर्तयदवज्ञानात् तद् रक्षो मानुषांस्तदा । तस्मात् स मानुषाद् वध्यो मृत्युर्नान्योऽस्य विद्यते ॥१-१५-
Out of disdain, that Rākṣasa did not mention humans; therefore, he is vulnerable to death from a human, and no other death is possible for him.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे विष्णुरुपयातो महाद्युतिः । शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिः पीतवासा जगत्पतिः ॥१-१५-
Meanwhile, Viṣṇu, of great splendor, arrived, holding conch, discus, and mace, clad in yellow garments, the lord of the universe.
वैनतेयं समारुह्य भास्करस्तोयदम् यथा । तप्तहाटककेयूरो वन्द्यमानः सुरोत्तमैः ॥१-१५-
Mounted upon Garuda, like the sun upon a rain cloud, adorned with blazing golden armlets, he was praised by the best of the gods.
ब्रह्मणा च समागत्य तत्र तस्थौ समाहितः । तमब्रुवन् सुराः सर्वे समभिष्टूय संनताः ॥१-१५-
There, Brahma himself arrived and stood with focused mind; all the gods, bowing and extolling him, addressed him.
त्वां नियोक्ष्यामहे विष्णो लोकानां हितकाम्यया । राज्ञो दशरथस्य त्वमयोध्याधिपतेर्विभो ॥१-१५-
O Vishnu, desiring the welfare of the worlds, we appoint you; you must become the son of King Dasharatha, the lord of Ayodhya.
धर्मज्ञस्य वदान्यस्य महर्षिसमतेजसः । तस्य भार्यासु तिसृषु ह्रीश्रीकीर्त्युपमासु च ॥१-१५-
He is righteous, generous, and equal in brilliance to great sages; among his three wives, who are comparable to Modesty, Fortune, and Fame—
विष्णो पुत्रत्वमागच्छ कृत्वाऽऽत्मानं चतुर्विधम् । तत्र त्वं मानुषो भूत्वा प्रवृद्धं लोककण्टकम् ॥१-१५-
O Vishnu, become his son, dividing yourself into four forms; there, taking human birth, you must destroy the great scourge of the worlds.
अवध्यं दैवतैर्विष्णो समरे जहि रावणम् । स हि देवान् सगन्धर्वान् सिद्धांश्च ऋषिसत्तमान् ॥१-१५-
O Vishnu, slay Ravana in battle, who cannot be killed by the gods; for he torments the gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, and the best of sages.
राक्षसो रावणो मूर्खो वीर्योद्रेकेण बाधते । ऋषयश्च ततस्तेन गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा ॥१-१५-
That foolish Rakshasa Ravana, in his excess of power, oppresses the sages, and likewise the Gandharvas and Apsaras.
क्रीडन्तो नन्दनवने रौद्रेण विनिपातिताः । वधार्थं वयमायातास्तस्य वै मुनिभिः सह ॥१-१५-
While playing in the Nandana grove, they were struck down by his cruelty; for the purpose of his destruction, we have come here together with the sages.
सिद्धगन्धर्वयक्षाश्च ततस्त्वां श्ररणं गताः । त्वं गतिः परमा देव सर्वेषाम् नः परंतपः ॥१-१५-
Therefore, the Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Yakshas have sought refuge in you; you are the supreme refuge for all of us, O subduer of foes.
वधाय देवशतॄणां नृणां लोके मनः कुरु । एवं स्तुतस्तु देवेशो विष्णुस्त्रिदशपुंगवः ॥१-१५-
Turn your mind, O god, to the destruction of the enemies of the gods and of men in this world; thus praised, Vishnu, lord of the gods, foremost among the immortals—