ते तार्क्ष्यबलसम्पन्नाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः । विचरन्तोऽर्दयन् सर्वान् सिंहव्याघ्रमहोरगान् ॥१-१७-
All endowed with the strength of Garuḍa, skilled in battle, they roamed about, overpowering lions, tigers, and great serpents.
महाबलो महाबाहुर्वाली विपुलविक्रमः । जुगोप भुजवीर्येण ऋक्षगोपुच्छवानरान् ॥१-१७-
The mighty and long-armed Vālin, of vast prowess, protected the monkeys with bear-like tails by the strength of his arms.
तैरियं पृथिवी शूरैः सपर्वतवनार्णवा । कीर्णा विविधसंस्थानैर्नानाव्यञ्जनलक्षणैः ॥१-१७-
By these heroes, the earth, with its mountains, forests, and oceans, was filled—diverse in form and marked by various features.
तैर्मेघवृन्दाचलकूटसंनिभै- :::र्महाबलैर्वानरयूथपाधिपैः बभूव भूर्भीमशरीररूपैः :::समावृता रामसहायहेतोः ॥१-१७-
By these monkey troop leaders, mighty as masses of clouds or mountain peaks, the earth was covered with fearsome forms, for the sake of aiding Rāma.
thumb|अष्टादशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे अष्टादशः सर्गः ॥१-
Listen now to the eighteenth sarga.
निर्वृत्ते तु क्रतौ तस्मिन् हयमेधे महात्मनः । प्रतिगृह्यमरा भागान् प्रतिजग्मुर्यथागतम् ॥१-१८-
When that great horse sacrifice was completed, the gods received their shares and departed as they had come.
समाप्तदीक्षानियमः पत्नीगणसमन्वितः । प्रविवेश पुरीं राजा सभृत्यबलवाहनः ॥१-१८-
Having completed his vows and rituals, accompanied by his wives, the king entered the city with his servants, army, and vehicles.
यथार्हं पूजितास्तेन राज्ञा वै पृथिवीश्वराः । मुदिताः प्रययुर्देशान् प्रणम्य मुनिपुंगवम् ॥१-१८-
Having been duly honored by the king, the lords of the earth, joyful, departed to their own lands after bowing to the eminent sage.
श्रीमतां गच्छतां तेषां स्वगृहाणि पुरात् ततः । बलानि राज्ञां शुभ्राणि प्रहृष्टानि चकाशिरे ॥१-१८-
As those illustrious kings returned to their cities, the splendid armies of the rulers, filled with delight, shone brightly.
गतेषु पृथिवीशेषु राजा दशरथः पुनः । प्रविवेश पुरीं श्रीमान् पुरस्कृत्य द्विजोत्तमान् ॥१-१८-
When the lords of the earth had departed, King Daśaratha, resplendent, entered his city, leading foremost among the twice-born.
शान्तया प्रययौ सार्धमृशष्यशृङ्गः सुपूजितः । अमुगम्यमानो राज्ञा च सानुयात्रेण धीमता ॥१-१८-
Ṛśyaśṛṅga, having been greatly honored, departed together with Śāntā, not detained by the wise king, along with his retinue.
एवं विसृज्य तान् सर्वान् राजा सम्पूर्णमानसः । उवास सुखितस्तत्र पुत्रोत्पत्तिं विचिन्तयन् ॥१-१८-
Thus, having dismissed them all, the king, his mind fulfilled, remained there happily, contemplating the birth of a son.
ततो यज्ञे समाप्ते तु ऋतूनां षट् समत्ययुः । ततश्च द्वादशे मासे चैत्रे नावमिके तिथौ ॥१-१८-
After the completion of the sacrifice, six seasons passed; then, in the twelfth month, on the ninth day of Caitra—
नक्षत्रेऽदितिदैवत्ये स्वोच्चसंस्थेषु पञ्चसु । ग्रहेषु कर्कटे लग्ने वाक्पताविन्दुना सह ॥१-१८-
When the star Punarvasu, presided over by Aditi, was ascendant, and five planets were in their exalted positions, with Jupiter and the Moon together in Cancer at the ascendant—
प्रोद्यमाने जगन्नाथं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम् । कौसल्याजनयद् रामं दिव्यलक्षणसंयुतम् ॥१-१८-
As the all-honored Lord of the Universe was rising, Kausalyā gave birth to Rāma, endowed with divine marks.
विष्णोरर्धं महाभागं पुत्रमैक्ष्वाकुनन्दनम् । लोहिताक्षं महाबाहुं रक्तोष्ठं दुन्दुभिस्वनम् ॥१-१८-
He was half of Viṣṇu, greatly glorious, the joy of the Ikṣvāku line, with red eyes, mighty arms, red lips, and a voice like a drum.
कौसल्या शुशुभे तेन पुत्रेणामिततेजसा । यथा वरेण देवानामदितिर्वज्रपाणिना ॥१-१८-
Kausalyā shone with that son of immeasurable splendor, just as Aditi did with Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, among the gods.
भरतो नाम कैकेय्यां जज्ञे सत्यपराक्रमः । साक्षाद् विष्णोश्चतुर्भागः सर्वैः समुदितो गुणैः ॥१-१८-
Bharata, steadfast in truth and valor, was born to Kaikeyī, being a fourth part of Viṣṇu, endowed with all virtues.
अथ लक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नौ सुमित्राजनयत् सुतौ । वीरौ सर्वास्त्रकुशलौ विष्णोरर्धसमन्वितौ ॥१-१८-
Then Sumitrā gave birth to two sons, Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna, heroes skilled in all weapons, each possessing half the power of Viṣṇu.
पुष्ये जातस्तु भरतो मीनलग्ने प्रसन्नधीः । सार्पे जातौ तु सौमित्री कुलीरेऽभ्युदिते रवौ ॥१-१८-
Bharata, of serene mind, was born under the star Puṣya, with the ascendant in Mīna; the sons of Sumitrā were born under the star Āśleṣā, with the ascendant in Karkaṭa, as the sun was rising.
राज्ञः पुत्रा महात्मानश्चत्वारो जज्ञिरे पृथक् । गुणवन्तोऽनुरूपाश्च रुच्या प्रोष्ठपदोपमाः ॥१-१८-
The king's four sons, great-souled, were born separately, each possessing virtues, fitting in form, and comparable in beauty to the twin stars Proṣṭhapada.
जगुः कलं च गन्धर्वा ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः । देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुः पुष्पवृष्टिश्च खात् पतत् ॥१-१८-
The Gandharvas sang sweetly, the groups of Apsarases danced, divine drums resounded, and a shower of flowers fell from the sky.
गायनैश्च विराविण्यो वादनैश्च तथापरैः । विरेजुर्विपुलास्तत्र सर्वरत्नसमन्विताः ॥१-१८-
With melodious singing and other harmonious instruments, those vast, jewel-adorned halls resounded splendidly.
प्रदेयांश्च ददौ राजा सूतमागधवन्दिनाम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददौ वित्तम् गोधनानि सहस्रशः ॥१-१८-
The king gave gifts to bards, genealogists, and panegyrists; to the Brāhmaṇas he gave wealth and thousands of cows.
अतीत्यैकादशाहं तु नामकर्म तथाकरोत् । ज्येष्ठं रामं महात्मानं भरतं कैकयीसुतम् ॥१-१८-
After eleven days had passed, he performed the naming ceremony for his sons: the eldest, the great-souled Rāma, and Bharata, the son of Kaikeyī.
सौमित्रिं लक्ष्मणमिति शत्रुघ्नमपरं तथा । वसिष्ठः परमप्रीतो नामानि कुरुते तदा ॥१-१८-
Vasiṣṭha, filled with supreme joy, then gave names to Saumitri as Lakṣmaṇa and to the other as Śatrughna.
ब्राह्मणान् भोजयामास पौराजानपदानपि । अददद् ब्राह्मणानां च रत्नौघमलं बहु ॥१-१८-
He had the Brāhmaṇas, as well as the citizens and people of the land, fed; and he gave the Brāhmaṇas a great abundance of precious gems.
तेषां जन्मक्रियादीनि सर्वकर्माण्यकारयत् । तेषां केतुरिव ज्येष्ठो रामो रतिकरः पितुः ॥१-१८-
He performed all the rites of birth and other ceremonies for them; among them, Rāma, the eldest, was like a banner, bringing delight to his father.
बभूव भूयो भूतानां स्वयम्भूरिव सम्मतः । सर्वे वेदविदः शूराः सर्वे लोकहिते रताः ॥१-१८-
He became, once more, esteemed among beings like Svayambhū; all were learned in the Vedas, heroic, and devoted to the welfare of the world.
सर्वे ज्ञानोपसम्पन्नाः सर्वे समुदिता गुणैः । तेषामपि महातेजा रामः सत्यपराक्रमः ॥१-१८-
All were endowed with knowledge, all were adorned with virtues; yet among them, Rāma, of great splendor, was steadfast in truth and valor.