राघवानघ वाग्जालं मयैतद् यत् प्रसारितम् । तेन चित्तखगं बद्ध्वा क्रोडीकृत्यात्मतां नय
O sinless Raghava, this net of words has been spread by me; by it, bind the bird of your mind and bring it into the state of the Self.
कच्चिद् गृहीतो भवता मद्गिराम् अर्थ ईदृशः । त्यक्त्वा दुर्बोधम् अक्षीणो हंसेनेवाम्भसः पयः
Have you grasped the meaning of my words, just as a swan, leaving the undrinkable, takes only the water from the lake?
विचार्यैतद् अशेषेण स्वधियैव पुनः पुनः । अनेनैव पथा साधो गन्तव्यं भवताधुना
Having thoroughly reflected on this with your own intellect again and again, O noble one, you must now proceed by this very path.
अनयैव धिया राम विहरन् नैव बध्यसे । अन्यथाधः पतस्य् आशु विन्ध्यखाते यथा गजः
By this understanding, O Rama, as you move about, you will not be bound; otherwise, you will quickly fall, like an elephant into a pit on the Vindhya mountain.
सुगृहीतं धिया राम मद्वचो न करोषि चेत् । तत् पतस्य् अवटे त्यक्तदीपः पान्थो यथा निशि
If, O Rama, you do not firmly hold my words with your intellect, then you will fall into a chasm like a traveler at night who has abandoned his lamp.
असङ्गेन यथाप्राप्तो व्यवहारस् स्वसिद्धये । इत्य् एवं शास्त्रसिद्धान्तम् आदायोदयवान् भव
By non-attachment, engage in whatever comes for your own fulfillment; thus, taking up the conclusion of the scripture, become one who rises to true prosperity.
हे सभ्या हे महाराज राम लक्ष्मण भूमिपाः । सर्व एव भवन्तो ऽद्य तावद् व्यापारम् आह्निकम्
O assembly, O great king, Rama, Lakshmana, and rulers of the earth, for now, all of you may attend to your daily duties.
कुर्वन्त्व् अयं हि दिवसः प्रायः परिणताकृतिः । शेषं विचारयिष्यामो विचार्यं प्रातर् आगताः
For this day is nearly spent; we shall consider what remains to be discussed when we gather again in the morning.
इत्य् उक्ते मुनिना तेन सा सर्वैव सभा तदा । प्रोत्तस्थौ पद्मवदना सविकासेव पद्मिनी
When the sage had spoken thus, the entire assembly rose at that moment, their faces blooming like lotuses opening to the sun.
राजानस् स्तुतराजानः कृतराघववन्दनाः । परिष्टुतवसिष्ठास् ते जग्मुर् आत्मनिवेशनम्
The kings, praised among kings, having paid respects to Raghava and Vasistha, departed to their own dwellings.
विश्वामित्रेण सहितो वसिष्ठो गन्तुम् आश्रमम् । उत्तस्थाव् आसनाच् छ्रीमान् नमस्कृतनभश्चरः
Vasistha, accompanied by Vishvamitra, rose from his seat to return to his hermitage, having been saluted by the celestial beings.
दशरथप्रभृतयो राजानो मुनयस् तथा । यथानुरूपं वक्तारम् अनुगम्य चिरं मुनिम्
Kings such as Dasharatha and the sages, after following the sage who had spoken for some time as was proper,
आपृच्छ्य केचिद् गगनं ययुः केचिद् वनान्तरम् । केचिद् राजगृहं सन्तो भृङ्गाः पद्मोत्थिता इव
Some, having taken leave, went to the sky; some to the forest's edge; others, being householders, returned to their royal abodes, like bees departing from a lotus.
वसिष्ठपादयोस् त्यक्त्वा पुष्पाञ्जलिम् अनाबिलम् । पौरैर् अनुगतो राजा प्रविवेश गृहान्तरम्
Having offered pure handfuls of flowers at Vasistha's feet, the king, followed by the citizens, entered the inner chambers of his house.
रामलक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नाः प्राप्तस्य स्वाश्रमं गुरोः । अभ्यर्च्य चरणौ भक्ता आजग्मुर् नृपमन्दिरम्
Rama, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna, having reached their teacher’s hermitage, reverently worshipped his feet and then proceeded to the royal palace.
सदनानि समासाद्य श्रोतारस् सर्व एव ते । सस्नुर् आनर्चुर् अप्य् आशु देवान् विप्रान् पितॄंस् तथा
Arriving at their residences, all the listeners quickly bathed and also worshipped the gods, the Brahmins, and their ancestors.
यथाक्रमं च विप्राद्यैर् भृत्यान्तैश् च परिच्छदैः । समं बुभुजिरे भोज्यं वर्णधर्मक्रमोचितम्
According to proper order, together with Brahmins and other attendants and servants, they ate food appropriate to their caste and duties.
अस्तङ्गते दिनकरे समं दिवसकर्मभिः । अभ्यागते रात्रिकरे समं रजनिकर्मभिः
When the sun had set, they performed the activities of the day together; when the night had come, they engaged in the duties of the night together.
स्थितास् तल्पेषु कौशेयशयनेष्व् आसनेषु च । भूचरा मुनिराजानो राजपुत्रा महर्षयः
Seated on couches of silk and on seats, the sages who wander the earth, the royal princes, and the great seers remained.
संसारोत्तरणोपायं वसिष्ठवचनेरितम् । यथावद् एकाग्रधियश् चिन्तयाम् आसुर् आदृताः
With focused minds and respect, they contemplated the means of crossing samsara as taught by Vasistha’s words.
ततः प्रहरमात्रेण निद्राम् आमुद्रिताननाः । तत्स्वप्नसुन्दरीम् ईयुः पद्मा इव दिनार्थिनः
After a single watch of the night, their faces closed in sleep, they entered the beautiful realm of dreams, like lotuses seeking the sun.
रामलक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नाः प्रहरत्रयम् एव तत् । वासिष्ठम् उपदेशं ते चिन्तयाम् आसुर् अक्षतम्
Rama, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna, for three watches of the night, continued to contemplate Vasistha’s teaching without interruption.
प्रहरस्यार्धमात्रं तु तत आमुद्रितेक्षणाः । तत्स्वप्नाम् आययुर् निद्रां क्षणाद् विद्रावितश्रमाम्
Then, for half a watch, with their eyes closed, they entered into sleep, and in a moment, their weariness was dispelled.
इति शुभमनसां विवेकभाजाम् अधिगतसारतयोदिताशयानाम् । अभजत विरतिं तदा त्रियामा मलिननिशाकरवक्त्रतां जगाम
Thus, for those of pure mind, endowed with discernment and established in true understanding, detachment arose; and the threefold night took on the sullied face of the moon.
ततः खिन्नेन्दुवदना पर्याकुलतमःपटा । क्षीयमाणा बभौ श्यामा विवेकान्तेव वासना
Then the night, with a face waning like the moon and draped in dense darkness, appeared to fade away, dusky as a latent impression at the end of discernment.
पूर्वे ध्वस्ततयालोकाद् दृश्यमानो ऽपरे ऽचले । शेफालिकावतंसाभां तारकानिकरो दधौ
As the earlier darkness was dispelled, in the unmoving sky, the cluster of stars shone forth, resembling a garland of jasmine flowers.
अवश्यायकणाकर्षी परामृष्टेन्दुमण्डलः । ज्योत्स्नाकवलनालोलो ववौ प्राभातिको ऽनिलः
The early morning wind blew, drawing in particles of dew, brushing against the moon's orb, and playfully swallowing the moonlight.
रामलक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्ना उत्थायानुचरैस् सह । ययुर् वन्दितसन्ध्यास् ते पुण्यं वासिष्ठम् आश्रमम्
Rama, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna, rising with their attendants, after offering salutations to the dawn, went to the sacred hermitage of Vasistha.
तत्र वन्दितसन्ध्यस्य निर्गतस्याग्निसद्मनः । मुनेर् ववन्दिरे पादाव् आदौ दत्त्वार्घ्यसन्ततिम्
There, after saluting the dawn and coming out from the fire sanctuary, they first offered a series of libations and then bowed at the sage’s feet.
क्षणात् तत् सदनं मौनं मुनिब्राह्मणराजभिः । हस्त्यश्वरथयानैश् च क्षणान् नीरन्ध्रतां ययौ
In a moment, that dwelling became filled with silence by sages, brahmins, and kings, as well as with elephants, horses, and chariots, so that it was soon completely crowded.