ते समेत्य गृहं वीरा राजपुत्राश् शशित्विषः । चक्रुस् सर्वम् अशेषेण स्वसद्मसु दिनक्रमम्
Those heroic princes, radiant as the moon, returned to their homes and fully carried out all their daily duties there.
वसिष्ठो राघवश् चैव राजानो मुनयो द्विजाः । इति चक्रुस् स्वकार्याणि तदा स्वगृहवीथिषु
Vasistha, Raghava, the kings, sages, and brahmins each attended to their own affairs then, in the streets of their own homes.
सस्नुः कमलकल्हारकुमुदोत्पलहारिषु । जलाशयेषु चक्राह्वहंससारसराविषु
They bathed in lakes adorned with lotuses, water lilies, and blue lilies, and in ponds frequented by chakravaka ducks, swans, and cranes.
गोभूतिलहिरण्यानि शयनान्य् आसनानि च । ददुर् दानानि विप्रेभ्यो भोजनान्य् अंशुकानि च
They gave cows, land, gold, beds, and seats as gifts to the brahmins, along with food and garments.
हेमरत्नविचित्रेषु स्वेषु चामरसद्मसु । आनर्चुर् अच्युतेशानहुताशार्कादिकान् सुरान्
In their own palaces, adorned with gold and jewels, they worshipped the gods—Acyuta, Isa, Agni, Surya, and others.
पुत्रपौत्रसुहृद्भृत्यबन्धुमित्रगणैस् सह । तत आस्वादयाम् आसुर् भोजनान्य् उचितानि ते
Together with their sons, grandsons, friends, servants, relatives, and companions, they then enjoyed appropriate meals.
एतस्मिन् समये चास्मिन् नगरे दिवसो ऽभवत् । तनुर् अष्टांशशेषत्वान् मृद्वातपमनोहरः
At that time, in that city, the day was pleasant, with only an eighth part of its duration left, gentle and delightful with a soft breeze.
सायन्तनविधिं ते ते तत्कालोचितयेच्छया । अनयन् बन्धुभिस् सार्धं यावद् अस्तं ययौ रविः
They spent the evening according to the custom of the time, along with their relatives, until the sun set.
सन्ध्यां ववन्दिरे सुष्ठु जेपुश् चैवाघमर्षणम् । पेठुस् स्तोत्राणि पुण्यानि जगुर् गाथा मनोरमाः
They reverently performed the evening worship, recited the Aghamarṣaṇa hymn, sang auspicious praises, and chanted charming songs.
ततश् चाभ्युदिते श्यामाकामिनीशोकहारिणि । क्षीरोदाद् इव माहेन्द्र्यां चन्द्रे ऽवश्यायदायिनि
Then, as the moon—remover of the sorrow of dark-eyed women—rose, spreading dew like the celestial moon from the ocean of milk,
शनैर् आस्तीर्णपुष्पेषु कीर्णकर्पूरमुष्टिषु । दीर्घेन्दुबिम्बरम्येषु तस्थुस् तल्पेषु राघवाः
Slowly, on beds strewn with flowers and scattered with handfuls of camphor, delightful as the broad disc of the full moon, the Raghavas took their places.
अथ रामाद् ऋते ऽन्येषां तत्र तद्व्यवहारिणी । व्यतीयाय शनैश् श्यामा मुहूर्त इव सुन्दरी
Then, except for Rama, the others there, engaged in their usual activities, gradually passed the beautiful night, as if it were but a moment.
तस्थौ रामस् तु ताम् एव वासिष्ठीं वचनावलीम् । चिन्तयन् मधुरोदारां प्राक्पीतां करभो यथा
But Rama remained, reflecting on those sweet and noble words of Vasistha, just as an elephant savors the sugarcane it has tasted before.
किम् इदं नाम संसारभ्रमणं किम् इमे जनाः । भूतानीह विचित्राणि किम् आयान्ति प्रयान्ति किम्
What is this so-called wandering in worldly existence? Who are these people? What are these various beings here—do they come and go, and why?
मनसः कीदृशं रूपं कथं चैतत् प्रसृज्यते । मायेयं सा किमुत्था स्यात् कथं चेयं निवर्तते
What is the true nature of the mind, and how does it spread forth? Is this all merely illusion, and if so, how does it arise and how does it cease?
निवृत्तया च वा कस् स्याद् गुणो दोषो ऽथ वा भवेत् । कथम् आत्मनि चैवायं तते सङ्कोच आगतः
When this has ceased, for whom would there be virtue or fault? And how has this limitation arisen in the Self itself?
किम् उक्तं स्याद् भगवता मुनिना मनसः क्षये । किम् इन्द्रियजये प्रोक्तं किम् उक्तम् अथ चात्मनि
What has the venerable sage declared about the dissolution of the mind? What has been said regarding mastery over the senses, and what has been stated concerning the Self?
जीवश् चित्तं मनो मायेत्येवमादिभिर् आततैः । रूपैर् आत्मैव संसारं तनोतीमम् असन्मयैः
By such terms as 'living being,' 'mind-stuff,' 'mind,' and 'illusion,' it is the Self alone that projects this worldly existence in these various unreal forms.
एभिर् एव मनोमात्रतन्तुबद्धैः क्षयं गतैः । दुःखोपशान्तिर् एतानि सुचिकित्स्यानि नः कथम्
When these, bound only by the threads of mind, come to an end, suffering is pacified; how can these, so difficult to treat, be cured for us?
भोगाभ्रमालावलनाद् धीबलाकाम् इमां कथम् । पृथक् करोमि पयसो धारां हंस इवाम्भसः
How can I, by the strength of discernment, separate this chain of enjoyments, which clings like a garland of clouds, as a swan separates a stream of water from milk?
भोगास् त्यक्तुं न शक्यन्ते तत्त्यागेन विना धियः । प्रभवामो न विपदाम् अहो सङ्कटम् आगतम्
Enjoyments cannot be abandoned; without giving them up, we cannot overcome misfortune—alas, what a difficult predicament has come upon us!
मनोमात्रजयप्राप्यं तन्व् एवेदं प्रयोजनम् । सम्पन्नं मे गिरिगुरु मौर्ख्याद् यक्षश् शिशोर् इव
This attainment is gained only by mastery of the mind; yet, O mountain teacher, due to ignorance, I have squandered it like a child possessed by a yaksha.
कदा स्वशान्तिम् आगत्य गतसंसारसम्भ्रमा । बालेव लब्धदयिता सुखम् आप्स्यति नो मतिः
When will my mind, having reached its own peace and freed from the turmoil of worldly existence, experience happiness like a child who has found its beloved?
कदोपशान्तसंरम्भं विगताशेषकौतुकम् । अपारपदविश्रान्तं मम स्यात् पावनं मनः
When will my mind, purified, free from all agitation and curiosity, rest in the boundless path and become sanctified?
कलाकलापसम्पूर्णाच् छशाङ्काद् अपि शीतले । पदे सुरूद्ःअं विश्रम्य हसिष्यामि कदा जगत्
When, having rested firmly in a place cooler than the moon filled with the fullness of art and melody, will I laugh at the world?
कलनापेलवं रूपम् उत्सृज्यालीनम् आत्मनि । कदैष्यति मनश् शान्तिं पयसीव तरङ्गकः
When will the mind, abandoning its fragile form and merging into the Self, attain peace like a wave dissolving in water?
तृष्णातरङ्गाकुलितं मायामकरमालितम् । कदा संसारजलधिं तीर्त्वा स्याम् अहम् अज्वरः
When, crossing the ocean of worldly existence, agitated by waves of craving and adorned with the crocodile of illusion, will I become free from fever?
कदोपशान्तशुद्धासु पदवीषु विचक्षणाः । मुमुक्षूणां निवत्स्यामो निश्शोकं समदर्शनाः
When, in peaceful and pure paths, will we, wise seekers of liberation, dwell free from sorrow and with equal vision?
सन्तापितसमस्ताङ्गस् सर्वधातुभयङ्करः । संसृतिज्वर आदीर्घः कदा नश् चित्त शाम्यति
When will the fever of transmigration, which afflicts all limbs and threatens every element, finally subside in my mind?
निवातदीपलेखेव कदोषित्वा गतभ्रमम् । शमम् एष्यसि हे बुद्धे स्वप्रकाशाद् अनन्तरम्
O intellect, just as a lamp’s flame in a windless place becomes free of distortion and steady, you will attain tranquility immediately upon realizing your own radiance.