त्वाम् इहाभ्यागतं दृष्ट्वा प्रतिपूज्य प्रणम्य च । आत्मन्य् एव नमाम्य् अन्तर् दृष्टेन्दुर् जलधिर् यथा
Having seen you arrive here, I honor and bow to you, and then bow within myself, as the ocean bows to the moon reflected within it.
यत् कार्यं येन चार्थेन प्राप्तो ऽसि मुनिपुङ्गव । कृतम् इत्य् एव तद् विद्धि मान्यो ऽसि हि भृशं मम
Whatever purpose or matter has brought you here, O foremost of sages, consider it already accomplished; for you are greatly honored by me.
स्वकार्येण विमर्शं त्वं कर्तुम् अर्हसि कौशिक । भगवन् नास्त्य् अदेयं हि त्वयि यत् प्रतिपद्यते
You ought to reflect upon your own duty, O Kaushika; for, O venerable one, there is nothing unattainable for you in whatever you undertake.
कार्यस्य च विचारं त्वं कर्तुम् अर्हसि धर्मतः । कर्ता चाहम् अशेषं ते दैवतं परमं भवान्
And you should consider the matter at hand in accordance with righteousness; I am entirely your agent, and you are the supreme divinity.
इदम् अतिमधुरं निशम्य वाक्यं श्रुतिसुखम् अर्थविदा विनीतम् उक्तम् । प्रथितगुणवशाद् गुणैर् विशिष्टं मुनिवृषभः परमं जगाम हर्षम्
Hearing these exceedingly sweet words, pleasing to the ear, spoken with understanding and humility, and distinguished by virtues due to his renowned qualities, the foremost among sages was filled with supreme joy.
तच् छ्रुत्वा राजसिंहस्य वाक्यम् अद्भुतविस्तरम् । हृष्टरोमा महातेजा विश्वामित्रो ऽभ्यभाषत
Hearing the king's words, wondrous and expansive, the great and radiant Vishvamitra, his hair standing on end, spoke.
सदृशं राजशार्दूल तवैवैतन् महीतले । महावंशप्रसूतस्य वसिष्ठवशवर्तिनः
This indeed is fitting for you alone, O tiger among kings, born of a great lineage and following the guidance of Vasistha.
यत् तु मे हृद्गतं वाक्यं तस्य कार्यविनिर्णयम् । कुरु त्वं राजशार्दूल धर्मं समनुपालय
But as for the matter that lies in my heart, you, O tiger among kings, should decide upon its proper course; uphold righteousness.
अहं नियमम् आतिष्ठे सिद्ध्यर्थं पुरुषर्षभ । तस्य विघ्नकरा घोरा राक्षसा मम संस्थिताः
I have undertaken a vow for the sake of accomplishment, O best of men; yet terrible demons, obstructors, have arisen against it.
यदा यदा तु यज्ञेन यजे ऽहं विबुधव्रजम् । तदा तदा मे यज्ञं तं विनिघ्नन्ति निशाचराः
Whenever I perform a sacrifice for the assembly of gods, at those very times, those night-wandering demons destroy my sacrifice.
बहुशो विहिते तस्मिन् मम राक्षसनायकाः । अकिरंस् ते महीं यागे मांसेन रुधिरेण च
Many times, my chiefs among the rākṣasas performed sacrifices there, offering flesh and blood upon the earth.
अवधूते तथाभूते तस्मिन् यागकदम्बके । कृतश्रमो निरुत्साहस् तस्माद् देशाद् अपागमम्
When that sacrificial assembly had become so defiled, I, weary and disheartened, departed from that place.
न च मे क्रोधम् उत्स्रष्टुं बुद्धिर् भवति पार्थिव । तथाभूतं हि तत् कर्म न शापस् तस्य विद्यते
Nor, O King, does my mind incline to anger; for such an act, no curse is appropriate for him.
ईदृशी च क्षमा राजन् मम तस्मिन् महाक्रतौ । त्वत्प्रसादाद् अविघ्नेन प्रापयेयं महाफलम्
Such is my forbearance, O King, regarding that great sacrifice; by your grace, without hindrance, may I attain the great fruit.
त्रातुम् अर्हसि माम् आर्तं शरणार्थिनम् आगतम् । अर्थिनां यन् निराशत्वं सताम् अभिभवो हि सः
You ought to protect me, who am afflicted and have come seeking refuge; for to abandon those who seek help is a reproach among the virtuous.
तवास्ति तनयश् श्रीमान् दृप्तशार्दूलविक्रमः । महेन्द्रसदृशो वीरो रामो रक्षोविदारणः
You have a son, illustrious, with the prowess of a proud lion, a hero like Indra, Rāma, destroyer of rākṣasas.
तं पुत्रं राजशार्दूल रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् । काकपक्षधरं शूरं ज्येष्ठं मे दातुम् अर्हसि
That son, O tiger among kings, Rāma, steadfast in truth and valor, bearing dark locks, heroic and eldest—him you ought to give to me.
शक्तो ह्य् एष मया गुप्तो दिव्येन स्वेन तेजसा । राक्षसा ये ऽपकर्तारस् तेषां मूर्धविनिग्रहे
He, protected by me and endowed with his own divine brilliance, is able to subdue those rākṣasas who are the perpetrators of evil.
श्रेयश् चास्मै करिष्यामि बहुरूपम् अनन्तकम् । त्रयाणाम् अपि लोकानां येन पूज्यो भविष्यति
I will grant him a blessing, manifold and endless, by which he will be honored in all three worlds.
न च तेन समासाद्य स्थातुं शक्ता निशाचराः । क्रुद्धं केसरिणं दृष्ट्वा रणे वन इवैणकाः
And when he is encountered, the night-dwellers will not be able to stand against him, just as deer cannot face an enraged lion in the forest during battle.
तेषां नान्यश् च काकुत्स्थाद् योद्धुम् उत्सहते पुमान् । ऋते केसरिणः क्रुद्धान् मत्तानां करिणाम् इव
No one besides Kakutstha is capable of fighting them, except for the lion among men, just as only a lion can confront enraged, intoxicated elephants.
वीर्योत्सिक्ता हि ते पापाः कालकूटोपमा रणे । खरदूषणयोर् भृत्याः कृतान्ताः कुपिता इव
For those wicked ones, emboldened by their strength, are like deadly poison in battle—the servants of Khara and Dushana, furious as death itself.
रामस्य राजशार्दूल सहिष्यन्ते न सायकान् । अनारतागता धारा जलदस्येव पांसवः
O tiger among kings, the arrows of Rama will not be endured by them, just as dust cannot withstand the constant streams of rain from a cloud.
न च पुत्रगतं स्नेहं कर्तुम् अर्हसि पार्थिव । न तद् अस्ति जगत्य् अस्मिन् यन् न देयं महात्मनः
O king, you should not let affection for your son sway you; for there is nothing in this world that should not be given to a great soul.
हन्त नूनं विजानामि हतांस् तान् विद्धि राक्षसान् । न ह्य् अस्मदादयः प्राज्ञास् सन्दिग्धे सम्प्रवृत्तयः
Indeed, I know for certain—consider those rakshasas as slain; for wise men like us do not act with hesitation when action is required.
अहं वेद्मि महात्मानं रामं राजीवलोचनम् । वसिष्ठश् च महातेजा ये चान्ये दीर्घदर्शिनः
I know Rama, the great soul with lotus-like eyes, and so does the mighty Vasistha, as well as others who possess far-reaching vision.
यदि धर्मो महत्त्वं च यशस् ते मनसि स्थितम् । तन् मह्यं स्वम् अभिप्रेतम् आत्मजं दातुम् अर्हसि
If righteousness, greatness, and fame are established in your mind, then you ought to give me your own son, as I desire.
दशरात्रश् च मे यज्ञो यस्मिन् रामेण राक्षसाः । हन्तव्या विघ्नकर्तारो मम यज्ञस्य वैरिणः
I have a sacrifice lasting ten nights, during which Rāma must slay the Rākṣasas who are my enemies and obstructors of my sacrifice.
अत्राभ्यनुज्ञां काकुत्स्थ ददतां तव मन्त्रिणः । वसिष्ठप्रमुखास् सर्वे तेन रामं विसर्जय
Here, let your ministers, headed by Vasiṣṭha, grant their approval; then, release Rāma accordingly.
नात्येति कालः कालज्ञ यथायं मम राघव । तथा कुरुष्व भद्रं ते मा च शोके मनः कृथाः
O knower of time, time does not overstep its bounds, just as this is so for me, O Rāghava; therefore, act accordingly for your welfare, and do not let your mind be troubled by sorrow.