तच् छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य स्नेहपर्याकुलाक्षरम् । समन्युः कौशिको वाक्यं प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्
Hearing his words, filled with affection and emotion, the sage Kauśika, with anger, replied to the king.
करिष्यामीति संश्रुत्य प्रतिज्ञां हातुम् इच्छसि । सत्त्ववान् केसरी भूत्वा मृगताम् अभिवाञ्छसि
Having pledged, 'I will do it,' you now wish to abandon your vow; being a lion in courage, you desire the state of a deer.
राघवानाम् अयुक्तो ऽयं कुलस्यास्य विपर्ययः । न कदाचन जायन्ते शीतांशौ कृष्णरश्मयः
This reversal is not fitting for the house of the Raghavas; black rays never arise from the cool-rayed moon.
यदि त्वं न क्षमो राजन् गमिष्यामि यथागतः । हीनप्रतिज्ञः काकुत्स्थ सुखी भव सबान्धवः
If you are not able, O king, I will depart as I came; O descendant of Kakutstha, be happy with your relatives, though your vow is unfulfilled.
तस्मिन् कोपपरीते ऽथ विश्वामित्रे महात्मनि । चचाल वसुधा कृत्स्ना सुराश् च भयम् आविशन्
Then, when that great-souled Viśvāmitra was overcome by anger, the entire earth trembled, and the gods were seized by fear.
क्रोधाभिभूतं विज्ञाय जगन्मित्रं महामुनिम् । धृतिमान् सुव्रतो धीमान् वसिष्ठो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
Perceiving that the great sage, the friend of the world, was overtaken by wrath, the steadfast, virtuous, and wise Vasiṣṭha spoke these words.
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातस् साक्षाद् धर्म इवापरः । भवान् दशरथश् श्रीमांस् त्रैलोक्ये गुणभूषितः
You, born in the lineage of the Ikṣvākus, are like another embodiment of Dharma; you, Daśaratha, illustrious and adorned with virtues throughout the three worlds.
नीतिमान् सुव्रतो भूत्वा न धर्मं हातुम् अर्हसि । मुनेस् त्रिभुवनेशस्य वचनं कर्तुम् अर्हसि
Being prudent and steadfast in your vows, you ought not to abandon righteousness; you should act according to the words of the sage, lord of the three worlds.
त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्यातो धर्मेण यशसा युतः । स्वधर्मं प्रतिपद्यस्व न धर्मं हातुम् अर्हसि
Renowned in all three worlds, endowed with fame through righteousness, you should adhere to your own duty; you ought not to forsake dharma.
करिष्यामीति संश्रुत्य तत् ते राजन्न् अकुर्वतः । इष्टापूर्तः पतेद् धर्मस् तस्माद् रामं विसर्जय
Having promised, 'I will do it,' O King, if you do not fulfill it, the merit of your sacrifices and good deeds will fall away; therefore, send Rāma.
गुप्तं पुरुषसिंहेन ज्वलनेनामृतं यथा । कृतास्त्रम् अकृतास्त्रं वा नैनं द्रक्ष्यन्ति राक्षसाः
Protected by the lion among men, just as nectar is guarded by fire, whether he has weapons or not, the Rākṣasas will not see him.
इक्ष्वाकुवंशजातो ऽपि स्वयं दशरथो ऽपि सन् । न पालयसि चेद् वाक्यं को ऽपरः पालयिष्यति
Even though you are born in the Ikṣvāku lineage and are Daśaratha himself, if you do not uphold your word, who else will uphold it?
युष्मदादिप्रणीतेन व्यवहारेण जन्तवः । मर्यादां न विमुञ्चन्ति तां न हातुम् इहार्हसि
Living beings do not abandon the boundaries established by your conduct; you should not forsake that here.
एष विग्रहवान् धर्म एष वीर्यवतां वरः । एष बुद्ध्याधिको लोके तपसां च परायणः
This is dharma embodied, the foremost among the powerful; this is supreme in intellect in the world, and the ultimate among those devoted to austerity.
एषो ऽस्त्रं विविधं वेत्ति त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । नैतद् अन्यः पुमान् वेत्ति न च वेत्स्यति कश्चन
He knows many weapons in the three worlds, among both moving and unmoving beings; no other man knows this, nor will anyone ever know.
न च देवर्षयः केचिन् नामरा न च राक्षसाः । न नागयक्षगन्धर्वा अनेन सदृशा नृप
Neither any divine sages, nor the immortals, nor the demons, nor the nāgas, yakṣas, or gandharvas, O king, are equal to him.
अस्त्रम् अस्मै भृशाश्वेन परैः परमदुर्जयम् । कौशिकाय पुरा दत्तं यदा राज्यं समन्वशात्
A weapon, exceedingly difficult to overcome even by others, was formerly given to him by Bhṛśāśva when he obtained the kingdom.
ते हि पुत्राः भृशाश्वस्य प्रजापतिसुतोपमाः । एनम् अन्वचरन् वीरा दीप्तिमन्तो महौजसः
The sons of Bhṛśāśva, comparable to the offspring of Prajāpati, followed him—heroes, radiant, and possessing great might.
जया च सुप्रभा चैव दाक्षायण्यौ सुमध्यमे । तयोस् तु यान्य् अपत्यानि शतं परमदुर्जयम्
Jayā and Suprabhā, both daughters of Dakṣa, of slender waist—of these two, the offspring, a hundred, were exceedingly difficult to conquer.
पञ्चाशतस् सुताञ् जज्ञे जया लब्धवरा पुरा । वधायासुरसैन्यानां ते ऽक्षयाः कामरूपिणः
Jayā, having obtained a boon long ago, gave birth to fifty sons; they were imperishable, able to assume any form at will, for the destruction of the armies of the asuras.
सुप्रभा जनयाम् आस पुत्रान् पञ्चाशतः परान् । सङ्घर्षान् नाम दुर्धर्षान् दुराक्रोशान् बलीयसः
Suprabha gave birth to fifty exceptional sons, mighty and unconquerable, known as the Sangharshas, who were difficult to overcome and exceedingly strong.
एवंवीर्यो महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । न रामगमने बुद्धिं विक्लवां कर्तुम् अर्हसि
Such is the power and great brilliance of the illustrious sage Vishvamitra; you should not allow your mind to waver regarding Rama's departure.
अस्मिन् महासत्त्वमये मुनीन्द्रे स्थिते समीपे पुरुषस् तु साधुः । प्राप्ते ऽपि मृत्याव् अमरत्वम् एति मा दीनतां गच्छ यथा विमूढः
When this foremost sage of immense strength stands nearby, even a virtuous person attains immortality at the approach of death; do not fall into despair like one who is deluded.
तथा वसिष्ठे ब्रुवति राजा दशरथस् सुतम् । समुत्स्रष्टुमना रामम् आजुहाव सलक्ष्मणम्
When Vasistha had spoken thus, King Dasharatha, intent on sending his son, summoned Rama together with Lakshmana.
प्रतीहार महाबाहुं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् । सलक्ष्मणम् अविघ्नेन मुन्यर्थं शीघ्रम् आनय
O doorkeeper, swiftly bring Rama, the mighty-armed and truly valiant, along with Lakshmana, without hindrance, for the sake of the sage.
इति राज्ञा विसृष्टो ऽसौ गत्वान्तःपुरमन्दिरम् । मुहूर्तमात्रेणागत्य समुवाच महीपतिम्
Thus commanded by the king, he went to the inner palace; returning in a moment, he addressed the sovereign.
देव दोर्दलिताशेषरिपो रामस् स्वमन्दिरे । विमनास् संस्थितो रात्रौ षट्पदः कमले यथा
O lord, Rama, who has crushed all his enemies, is in his own chamber, dispirited, like a bee resting on a lotus at night.
आगच्छामि क्षणेनेति वक्ति ध्यायति चैककः । न कस्यचित् स निकटे स्थातुम् इच्छति खिन्नधीः
He says, 'I will come in a moment,' and sits absorbed in thought, alone; his mind weary, he does not wish to be near anyone.
इत्य् उक्ते तेन भूपालस् तं रामानुचरं जनम् । सर्वम् आश्वासयाम् आस पप्रच्छ च यथाक्रमम्
When he had spoken thus, the king comforted all those followers of Rama and questioned them in proper order.
कथं कीदृक् स्थितो राम इति पृष्टो महीभृता । रामभृत्यजनः खिन्नो वाक्यम् आह महीपतिम्
Asked by the king, 'How and in what state is Rama?', the servant of Rama, distressed, spoke these words to the ruler.