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.
इत्य् उक्ते मुनिनाथेन सन्देहवति पार्थिवे । खेदवत्य् आस्थिते मौनं कञ्चित् कालं प्रतीक्षिणि
After the chief sage spoke thus, while the king remained in doubt and distress, maintaining silence for a while, he waited.
परिखिन्नासु सर्वासु राज्ञीषु नृपसद्मसु । स्थितासु सावधानासु रामचेष्टासु सर्वतः
As all the queens in the royal palace became anxious, and everyone attentively observed Rama's behavior everywhere,
एतस्मिन्न् एव काले तु विश्वामित्र इति श्रुतः । महर्षिर् आगमद् द्रष्टुं तम् अयोध्यां नराधिपम्
At that very moment, the renowned sage Vishvamitra arrived to see the king of Ayodhya.
तस्य यज्ञो ऽथ रक्षोभिस् तदा विलुलुपे किल । मायावीर्यबलोन्मत्तैर् धर्मकामस्य धीमतः
At that time, the sage's sacrifice was indeed being disrupted by demons, intoxicated by the power of their magical strength, though he was wise and devoted to righteousness.
रक्षार्थं तस्य यज्ञस्य द्रष्टुम् ऐच्छत् स पार्थिवम् । न हि शक्तो ह्य् अविघ्नेन तम् आप्तुं स मुनिः क्रतुम्
For the protection of that sacrifice, he wished to see the king; for the sage was not able to accomplish that ritual without hindrance.
ततस् तेषां विनाशार्थम् उद्यतस् तपसां निधिः । विश्वामित्रो महातेजा अयोध्याम् अभ्ययात् पुरीम्
Then, intending the destruction of those ascetics, the great and radiant Viśvāmitra, a treasury of austerity, approached the city of Ayodhyā.
स राज्ञो दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी द्वाराध्यक्षान् उवाच ह । शीघ्रम् आख्यात मां प्राप्तं कौशिकं गाधिनस् सुतम्
Desiring an audience with the king, he spoke to the gatekeepers: 'Quickly announce that I, Kauśika, son of Gādhi, have arrived.'
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा द्वास्स्था राजगृहं ययुः । सम्भ्रान्तमनसस् सर्वे तेन वाक्येन चोदिताः
Hearing his words, all the doorkeepers, their minds agitated by that command, went to the royal residence.
ते गत्वा राजभवनं विश्वामित्रम् ऋषिं ततः । प्राप्तम् आवेदयाम् आसुः प्रतीहारपतिं तदा
Having gone to the royal palace, they then reported to the chief chamberlain that the sage Viśvāmitra had arrived.
अथास्थानगतं भूपं राजमण्डलमालितम् । समुपेत्य त्वरायुक्तो याष्टीको ऽसौ व्यजिज्ञपत्
Then, approaching the king, who was seated in the assembly and surrounded by the royal court, the chamberlain quickly informed him.