Verse 1
नारदस्य तु तद्वाक्यम् श्रुत्वा वाक्य विशारदः | पूजयामास धर्मात्मा सह शिष्यो महामुनिः ||
On hearing the words of Narada, the great sage Valmiki, righteous in conduct and skilled in speech, honoured him together with his disciples.
Verse 2
यथावत् पूजितः तेन देवर्षिः नारदः तथा | आपृच्छैव अभ्यनुज्ञातः स जगाम विहायसम् ||
Thus properly honoured by Valmiki, the divine sage Narada, having taken leave and received permission, departed through the sky.
Verse 3
स मुहूर्तं गते तस्मिन् देवलोकम् मुनिः तदा | जगाम तमसा तीरम् जाह्नव्यात् अविदूरतः ||
After Narada had departed toward the divine world, the sage Valmiki went to the bank of the Tamasa River, not far from the Jahnavi, the Ganga.
Verse 4
स तु तीरम् समासाद्य तमसाया मुनिः तदा | शिष्यम् आह स्थितम् पार्श्वे दृष्ट्वा तीर्थम् अकर्दमम् ||
Having reached the bank of the Tamasa, the sage saw a clear and clean ford and spoke to the disciple who was standing beside him.
Verse 5
अकर्दमम् इदम् तीर्थम् भरद्वाज निशामय | रमणीयम् प्रसन्न अम्बु सन् मनुष्य मनो यथा ||
“O Bharadwaja, behold this ford, free from mud and filled with clear water, beautiful like the mind of a good person.”
Verse 6
न्यस्यताम् कलशः तात दीयताम् वल्कलम् मम | इदम् एव अवगाहिष्ये तमसा तीर्थम् उत्तमम् ||
“My dear one, put down the water vessel and give me my bark garment. I shall bathe in this excellent ford of the Tamasa.”
Verse 7
एवम् उक्तो भरद्वाजो वाल्मीकेन महात्मना | प्रयच्छत मुनेः तस्य वल्कलम् नियतः गुरोः ||
Thus addressed by the great-souled Valmiki, Bharadwaja, obedient to his teacher, gave the bark garment to the sage.
Verse 8
स शिष्य हस्तात् आदाय वल्कलम् नियतेन्द्रियः | विचचार ह पश्यन् तत् सर्वतो विपुलम् वनम् ||
Taking the bark garment from his disciple’s hands, the self-controlled Valmiki moved about, observing the vast forest all around him.
Verse 9
तस्य अभ्याशे तु मिथुनम् चरन्तम् अनपायिनम् | ददर्श भगवान् तत्र क्रौङ्चयोः चारु निस्वनम् ||
There, near the riverbank, the blessed sage saw a pair of Krauncha birds moving together, making beautiful sounds and remaining close to each other.
Verse 10
तस्मात् तु मिथुनात् एकम् पुमांसम् पाप निश्चयः | जघान वैरनिलयो निषादः तस्य पश्यतः ||
While Valmiki was watching, a hunter of evil intent, hostile toward living creatures, killed one male bird from that pair.
Verses 11–12
तम् शोणित परीताङ्गम् चेष्टमानम् महीतले | भार्या तु निहतम् दृष्ट्वा रुराव करुणाम् गिरम् ||
वियुक्ता पतिना तेन द्विजेन सहचारिणा | ताम्र शीर्षेण मत्तेन पत्रिणा सहितेन वै ||
Seeing her husband lying on the ground, his body covered with blood and struggling in pain, the female bird lamented with a piteous cry.
She had been separated from her husband, the male bird who had always remained with her, who had a red crest, was passionate, and possessed beautiful wings.
Verse 13
तथा विधिम् द्विजम् दृष्ट्वा निषादेन निपातितम् | ऋशेः धर्मात्मानः तस्य कारुण्यम् समपद्यत ||
Seeing the bird struck down in this manner by the hunter, compassion arose in the righteous sage.
Verse 14
ततः करुण वेदित्वात् अधर्मो अयम् इति द्विजः | निशांय रुदतीम् क्रौन्चीम् इदम् वचनम् अब्रैइत् ||
Hearing the lament of the female Krauncha and feeling compassion, the sage understood the act to be unrighteous and spoke these words.
Verse 15
मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठाम्त्व | मगमः शाश्वतीः समाः | यत् क्रौङ्च मिथुनात् एक | मवधीः काम मोहितम् ||
“O hunter, may you never attain lasting renown for endless years, because you killed one of this pair of Krauncha birds while it was absorbed in passion.”
Verse 16
तस्य एवम् ब्रुवतः चिन्ता बभूव हृदि वीक्षतः | शोकार्तेन अस्य शकुनेः किम् इदम् व्याहृतम् मया ||
After saying this, he reflected within his heart: “What have I uttered, being overcome by grief for this bird?”
Verse 17
चिन्तयन् स महाप्राज्ञः चकार मतिमान् मतिम् | शिश्यम् च एव अब्रवीत् वाक्यम् इदम् स मुनिपुङ्गवः ||
While reflecting, that highly intelligent and wise sage made up his mind and spoke these words to his disciple.
Verse 18
पाद बद्धः अक्षर समः तन्त्री लय समन्वितः | शोकार्तस्य प्रवृत्तो मे श्लोको भवतु न अन्यथा ||
“This utterance of mine has emerged from grief. It is arranged in four measured parts, with equal syllables, accompanied by melody and rhythm. Let it be called a shloka and nothing else.”
Verse 19
शिष्यः तु तस्य ब्रुवतो मुनेर् वाक्यम् अनुत्तमम् | प्रति जग्राह संतुष्टः तस्य तुष्टोअः अभवत् मुनिः ||
The disciple received the sage’s extraordinary utterance with delight, and the sage himself was pleased.
Verse 20
सोऽभिषेकम् ततः कृत्वा तीर्थे तस्मिन् यथाविधि | तम् एव चिन्तयन् अर्थम् उपावर्तत वै मुनिः ||
Having bathed according to the prescribed custom at that ford, the sage returned to his hermitage, continuing to reflect upon the meaning of his utterance.
Verse 21
भरद्वाजः ततः शिष्यो विनीतः श्रुतवान् गुरोः | कलशम् पूर्णमादाय पृष्ठतः अनुजगाम ह ||
Then the obedient and learned disciple Bharadwaja, carrying the filled water vessel, followed behind his teacher.
Verse 22
स प्रविश्य आश्रम पदम् शिष्येण सह धर्मवित् | उपविष्टः कथाः च अन्याः चकार ध्यानमास्थितः ||
The knower of Dharma, having entered the hermitage with his disciple, sat down and spoke about other matters while remaining absorbed in thought.
Verse 23
आजगाम ततः ब्रह्मो लोककर्ता स्वयम् प्रभुः | चतुर् मुखो महातेजा द्रष्टुम् तम् मुनिपुङ्गवम् ||
Then Brahma, the creator of the worlds, the almighty, four-faced and greatly radiant, came there himself to see the foremost of sages, Valmiki.
Verse 24
वाल्मीकिः अथ तम् दृष्ट्वा सहसा उत्थाय वाग्यतः | प्रान्जलिः प्रयतो भूत्वा तस्थौ परम विस्मितः ||
Seeing him, Valmiki immediately rose. With joined palms and composed in conduct, he stood there in great astonishment.
Verse 25
पूजयामास तम् देवम् पाद्य अर्घ्य आसन वन्दनैः | प्रणंय विधिवत् च एनम् पृष्ट्वा च एव निरामयम् ||
He honoured that divine being with water for washing the feet, water for offering, a seat, and reverence. Having bowed according to custom, he also asked about his well-being.
Verse 26
अथ उपविश्य भगवान् आसने परम अर्चिते | वाल्मीकये च ऋषये सन्दिदेश आसनम् ततः ||
Then the blessed Brahma, seated upon the highly honoured seat, instructed the sage Valmiki also to take his seat.
Verses 27–28a
ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञातः सोऽपि उपाविशत् आसने | उपविष्टे तदा तस्मिन् साक्षात् लोक पितामहे | तत् गतेन एव मनसा वाल्मीकिः ध्यानम् आस्थितः ||
Having been permitted by Brahma, Valmiki also sat upon his seat.
When the Grandfather of the worlds was seated before him, Valmiki’s mind again became absorbed in the events of that day.
Verses 28b–29a
पापात्मना कृतम् कष्टम् वैर ग्रहण बुद्धिना | यत् तादृशम् चारुरवम् क्रौन्चम् हन्यात् अकारणात् ||
“The evil-minded hunter, intending to kill out of hostility, committed this cruel act by killing without reason that beautiful-sounding Krauncha bird.”
Verses 29b–30a
शोचन् एव पुनः क्रौन्चीम् उप श्लोकम् इमम् जगौ | पुनर् अन्तर्गत मना भूत्वा शोक परायणः ||
Remaining absorbed in grief and thinking again of the female Krauncha, Valmiki again uttered the same shloka.
Verses 30b–31a
तम् उवाच ततो ब्रह्मा प्रहसन् मुनिपुंगवम् | श्लोक एवास्त्वयाम् बद्धो न अत्र कार्या विचारणा ||
Then Brahma, smiling, said to the foremost of sages:
“The verse that has been composed by you is indeed a shloka. There is no need for doubt about it.”
Verses 31b–32a
मत् च्छन्दात् एव ते ब्रह्मन् प्रवृत्ते अयम् सरस्वती | रामस्य चरितम् कृत्स्नम् कुरु त्वम् ऋषिसत्तम ||
“O Brahmana, this speech has arisen from my will. O excellent sage, compose the entire story of Rama.”
Verses 32b–33a
धर्मात्मनो भगवतो लोके रामस्य धीमतः | वृत्तम् कथय धीरस्य यथा ते नारदात् श्रुतम् ||
“Tell the story of Rama, the righteous, divine, wise and courageous one, exactly as you have heard it from Narada.”
Verses 33b–35a
रहस्यम् च प्रकाशम् च यद् वृत्तम् तस्य धीमतः | रामस्य सह सौमित्रे राक्षसानाम् च सर्वशः | वैदेह्याः च एव यद् वृत्तम् प्रकाशम् यदि वा रहः | तत् च अपि अविदितम् सर्वम् विदितम् ते भविष्यति ||
“The events concerning the wise Rama and Lakshmana, whether secret or openly known, and everything concerning the Rakshasas, and everything concerning Vaidehi, whether known or hidden, shall all become known to you, even that which is presently unknown.”
Verses 35b–36a
न ते वाक् अनृता काव्ये काचित् अत्र भविष्यति | कुरु राम कथाम् पुण्याम् श्लोक बद्धाम् मनोरमाम् ||
“Not a single word spoken by you in this epic will be false. Compose the sacred and beautiful story of Rama in verses.”
Verses 36b–37a
यावत् स्थास्यन्ति गिरयः सरितः च महीतले | तावत् रामायण कथा लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति ||
“As long as mountains and rivers remain upon the surface of the earth, so long will the story of the Ramayana continue to circulate in the world.”
Verses 37b–38a
यावत् रामस्य च कथा त्वत् कृता प्रचरिष्यति | तावत् ऊर्ध्वम् अधः च त्वम् मत् लोकेषु निवत्स्यसि ||
“As long as the story of Rama composed by you continues to circulate, so long will you dwell in the worlds above and below and in my world.”
Verse 38b–39
इति उक्त्वा भगवान् ब्रह्मा तत्र एव अन्तरधीयत | ततः स शिष्यो भगवान् मुनिः विस्मयम् आययौ ||
तस्य शिष्याः ततः सर्वे जगुः श्लोकम् इमम् पुनः | मुहुर् मुहुः प्रीयमाणाः प्राहुः च भृश विस्मिताः ||
Having spoken thus, the blessed Brahma disappeared from that very place.
Then the sage Valmiki, together with his disciples, was filled with wonder.
All his disciples repeatedly sang that shloka, delighted and greatly astonished.
Verse 40
समाक्षरैः चतुर्भिः यः पादैः गीतो महर्षिणा | सः अनुव्याहरणात् भूयः शोकः श्लोकत्वम् आगतः ||
That utterance composed by the great sage in four equally measured parts, through repeated recitation, became established as a shloka.
Verse 41
तस्य बुद्धिः इयम् जाता महर्षेः भावितात्मनः | कृत्स्नम् रामायणम् काव्यम् ईदृशैः करवाण्यहम् ||
Then the great sage, whose mind was deeply composed, formed this thought:
“I shall compose the entire Ramayana, the epic, in verses of this kind.”
Verse 42
उदार वृत्त अर्थ पदैः मनोरमैः | तदा अस्य रामस्य चकार कीर्तिमान् | सम अक्षरैः श्लोक शतैः यशस्विनो | यशस्करम् काव्यम् उदार दर्शनः ||
Then the renowned and noble seer composed the glorious epic of Rama, using beautiful words, meaningful expressions, and equally measured verses.
Verse 43
तद् उपगत समास सन्धि योगम् | सम मधुरोपनत अर्थ वाक्य बद्धम् | रघुवर चरितम् मुनिप्रणीतम् | दश शिरसः च वधम् निशामय अध्वम् ||
Listen to the story of the foremost of the Raghus, composed by the sage, with its compounds and grammatical connections, its meaningful and beautifully formed sentences, and including the destruction of the ten-headed Ravana.