राजर्षीणां च महतां ब्रह्मर्षीणां तथैव च । देवानां ब्राह्मणानां च पावनान् आश्रमाञ् शुभान्
He visited the pure and auspicious hermitages of great royal sages, Brahmarṣis, gods, and Brāhmaṇas.
भूयो भूयस् स बभ्राम भ्रातृभ्यां सह मानदः । चतुर्ष्व् अपि दिगन्तेषु सर्वान् एव महीतटान्
Again and again, the honored one wandered with his brothers to all the borders of the earth in all four directions.
अमरकिन्नरमानवमानितस् समवलोक्य महीम् अखिलाम् इमाम् । उपययौ स्वगृहं रघुनन्दनो विहृतदिक् शिवलोकम् इवेश्वरः
Having beheld the entire earth, honored by immortals, kinnaras, and men, the delight of the Raghu line returned to his own home, as the Lord of beings returns to the realm of Shiva after wandering the directions.
लाजपुष्पाञ्जलिव्रातैर् विकीर्णः पौरवासिभिः । स विवेश गृहं श्रीमाञ् जयन्तो विष्टपं यथा
Showered with handfuls of roasted rice and flowers by the city dwellers, the illustrious Jayanta entered his house, as if entering heaven.
प्रणनामाथ पितरं वसिष्ठं मातृबान्धवान् । ब्राह्मणान् गुरुवृद्धांश् च राघवः प्रथमागतः
Then Raghava, who had arrived first, bowed to his father, Vasistha, his mother, relatives, the Brahmins, and the elders and teachers.
सुहृद्भिर् मातृभिश् चैव पित्रा द्विजगणेन च । मुहुरालिङ्गनाचारै राघवो न ममौ तदा
Embraced again and again by his friends, mothers, father, and groups of Brahmins, Raghava did not tire at that time of their affectionate greetings.
तस्मिन् दृढैर् दाशरथौ प्रियप्रकथनैर् मिथः । जुघूर्णुर् मधुरैर् आशा मृदुवंशस्वनैर् इव
There, the two sons of Dasharatha, with firm and loving words to each other, delighted the quarters with their sweet voices, like gentle notes of a melodious flute.
बहून्य् आस दिनान्य् अत्र रामागमनम् उत्सवः । महानन्दे जनान् मुञ्चन् केलिकोलाहलाकुलः
For many days, the festival of Rama's return continued there, filling the people with great joy, overflowing with the clamor of playful celebration.
उवास स सुखं गेहे ततः प्रभृति राघवः । वर्णयन् विविधाचारान् देशाचारान् इतस् ततः
From then on, Raghava dwelled happily at home, recounting various customs and practices of different lands here and there.
प्रातर् उत्थाय रामो ऽसौ कृत्वा सन्ध्यां यथाविधि । सभासंस्थं ददर्शेन्द्रसमं स्वपितरं तदा
Rama, rising early in the morning and performing the Sandhya ritual as prescribed, then saw his father seated in the assembly, equal to Indra.
कथाभिस् सुविचित्राभिस् स वसिष्ठादिभिस् सह । स्थित्वा दिनचतुर्भागं ज्ञानगर्भाभिर् आदृतः
He spent a quarter of the day with Vasiṣṭha and others, engaged in delightful and varied conversations, honored by those filled with wisdom.
जगाम पित्रनुज्ञातो महत्या सेनयावृतः । वराहमहिषाकीर्णं वनम् आखेटकेच्छया
With his father's permission, surrounded by a great army, he went to a forest teeming with boars and buffaloes, desiring to hunt.
तत आगत्य सदने कृत्वा स्नानादिकं क्रमात् । समित्रबान्धवो भुक्त्वा निनाय ससुहृन् निशाम्
Then, returning home, after performing bathing and other rituals in order, he dined with friends and relatives, and spent the night with his companions.
एवम्प्रायदिनाचारो भ्रातृभ्यां सह राघवः । आगत्य तीर्थयात्रायास् समुवास पितुर् गृहे
In this manner, Rāghava, together with his brothers, followed this daily routine, and after returning from pilgrimage, stayed in his father's house.
नृपतिसंव्यवहारमनोज्ञया सुजनचेतसि चन्द्रिकया तथा । परिनिनाय दिनानि स चेष्टया श्रुतसुधारसपेशलयानघः
He, faultless one, spent his days with such conduct, pleasing the hearts of good people like moonlight, through his noble actions and the nectar of his learned speech.
अथोनषोडशे वर्षे वर्तमाने रघूद्वहे । रामानुयायिनि तथा शत्रुघ्ने लक्ष्मणे ऽपि च
Then, when the scion of Raghu reached his sixteenth year, with Rāma, Śatrughna, and likewise Lakṣmaṇa following him,
भरते संस्थिते नित्यं मातामहगृहे सुखम् । पालयत्य् अवनिं राज्ञि यथावद् अखिलाम् इमाम्
Bharata, always residing happily in his maternal grandfather's house, while the king properly ruled this entire earth,
जन्यत्रार्थं च पुत्राणां प्रत्यहं सह मन्त्रिभिः । कृतमन्त्रे महाप्रज्ञे तज्ज्ञे दशरथे नृपे
For the sake of his sons and the people, the wise king Daśaratha, expert in counsel, daily consulted with his ministers on all matters.
कृतायां तीर्थयात्रायां रामो निजगृहस्थितः । जगामानुदिनं कार्श्यं शरदीवामलं सरः
When the pilgrimage was completed, Rāma remained at his own home, and day by day he grew thin, like a clear lake in autumn.
क्रमाद् अस्य विशालाक्षं पाण्डुतां मुखम् आदधे । पाकफुल्लदलं शुक्लं सालिमालम् इवाम्बुजम्
Gradually, his broad-eyed face took on a pallor, like a white lotus leaf, pale and fully opened by ripening.
कपोलतलसंलीनपाणिः पद्मासनस्थितः । चिन्तापरवशस् तूष्णीम् अव्यापारो बभूव सः
With his hand resting on his cheek, seated in the lotus posture, he became absorbed in thought, silent and inactive.
कृशाङ्गश् चिन्तया युक्तः खेदी परमदुर्मनाः । नोवाच कस्यचित् किञ्चिल् लिपिकर्मार्पितोपमः
Emaciated in body, absorbed in thought, weary and deeply troubled, he spoke nothing to anyone, like a figure painted in a picture.
खेदात् परिजनेनासौ प्रार्थ्यमानः पुनः पुनः । चकाराह्निकम् आचारं परिम्लानमुखाम्बुजः
Though repeatedly urged by his attendants out of concern, he performed his daily duties with a withered, lotus-like face.
एवं मुनिविशिष्टं तं रामं गुणगणाकरम् । आलोक्य भ्रातराव् अस्य ताम् एवाययतुर् दशाम्
Seeing Rāma, distinguished among sages and a repository of virtues, in such a state, his two brothers also came to share the same condition.
तथा तेषु तनूजेषु खेदवत्सु कृशेषु च । सपत्नीको महीपालश् चिन्ताविवशतां ययौ
Thus, as his sons became distressed and emaciated, the king, along with his wives, too fell into the grip of anxiety.
का ते पुत्र घना चिन्तेत्य् एवं रामं पुनः पुनः । अपृच्छत् स्निग्धया वाचा न चाकथयद् अस्य सः
Again and again, the king gently asked Rāma, 'What is this great worry, my son?' But Rāma did not tell him.
न किञ्चित् तात मे दुःखम् इत्य् उक्त्वा पितुर् अङ्कगः । रामो राजीवपत्राक्षस् तूष्णीम् एव स्म तिष्ठति
Having said, 'Father, I have no sorrow at all,' Rama, whose eyes resembled lotus petals, sat silently on his father's lap.
ततो दशरथो राजा रामः किं खेदवान् इति । अपृच्छत् सर्वकार्यज्ञं वसिष्ठं वदतां वरम्
Then King Dasharatha, wondering why Rama was troubled, asked Vasistha, the foremost among speakers and knower of all duties.
अस्त्य् अत्र कारणं श्रीमन् मा राजन् दुःखम् अस्तु ते । इत्य् उक्तश् चिन्तया युक्तो वसिष्ठमुनिना नृपः
The sage Vasistha said, 'O illustrious king, there is a reason for this; do not grieve.' Hearing this, the king pondered deeply.
कोपं विषादकलनां विततं च हर्षं नाल्पेन कारणवशेन वहन्ति सन्तः । सर्गेण संहतिजवेन विना जगत्यां भूतानि भूप न महान्ति विकारयन्ति
O king, the wise do not easily give way to anger, sorrow, or excessive joy for trivial reasons; in this world, beings do not undergo great changes without the force of creation and the momentum of circumstances.