Verse 1
प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । अभ्यभाषत काकुत्स्थौ शयानौ पर्णसंस्तरे ॥
When the night had passed and dawn appeared, the great sage Vishvamitra spoke to the two descendants of Kakutstha, Rama and Lakshmana, who were sleeping on a bed of leaves.
Verse 2
कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वा सन्ध्या प्रवर्तते । उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम् ॥
“O Rama, Kausalya is blessed to have you as her son. The eastern dawn is appearing. Arise, O tiger among men; the morning duties to the gods are to be performed.”
Verse 3
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋषेर्वचनमुत्तमम् । स्नात्वा तौ विधिवद् वीरौ जपेतां परमं जपम् ॥
Hearing the excellent words of the sage, the two heroic princes bathed according to the prescribed rule and recited the sacred prayer.
Verse 4
कृतोदकौ तु तौ वीरौ कृतसन्ध्यौ महात्मनौ । उपेत्य मुनिशार्दूलं तस्थतुश्चारुदर्शनौ ॥
Having offered water and completed their morning twilight prayers, the two great-souled and handsome heroes approached the tiger among sages and stood before him.
Verse 5
तौ दृष्ट्वा तु महात्मानौ कुशिकस्यात्मजस्तदा । उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं गङ्गासरयुसङ्गमे ॥
Seeing the two great-souled princes, the son of Kushika spoke sweet words to them at the confluence of the Ganga and Sarayu.
Verse 6
इयं सरयू नदी पुण्या गङ्गायाः सङ्गता शुभा । तस्यास्तीरे महाभागाः पुण्यं देशमुपाश्रिताः ॥
“This holy and auspicious river Sarayu has joined the Ganga. O greatly blessed ones, we have reached a sacred place on its bank.”
Verse 7
अत्र पूर्वं महादेवः कृत्वा क्रोधं महाबलः । दग्धवान् कामदेवं तु त्रैलोक्ये चरितं यशः ॥
“Here, in ancient times, the mighty Mahadeva, becoming enraged, burned Kama, the god of desire. His fame from that deed is renowned throughout the three worlds.”
Verse 8
तस्य देशस्य महिमा ब्रह्मर्षिभिरुदाहृतः । तं देशमाश्रिताः सर्वे पुण्यकर्माणि कुर्वते ॥
“The greatness of this place has been described by the Brahmarshis. Those who reside in this sacred region perform meritorious deeds.”
Verse 9
अत्रैव रात्रिं वत्स्यामः प्रभाते यास्यते पुनः । इत्युक्त्वा मुनिशार्दूलस्तत्रैवोपविवेश ह ॥
“We shall spend this night here, my children, and depart again in the morning.” Having spoken thus, the tiger among sages sat down there.
Verse 10
ततो रामो महातेजा लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः । विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य तस्थतुः सहिता उभौ ॥
Then the greatly radiant Rama and the mighty Lakshmana stood together, with Vishvamitra leading them.
Verse 11
तौ दृष्ट्वा मुनयः सर्वे हृष्टाः परममानसाः । अर्घ्यपाद्यादिभिस्तत्र पूजयामासुरादरात् ॥
Seeing them, all the sages became exceedingly pleased and respectfully honored them with offerings of water for the feet and other customary hospitality.
Verse 12
विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य रामलक्ष्मणयोस्तदा । सर्वे ते मुनयः पुण्याः समागम्याभ्यपूजयन् ॥
The holy sages gathered together and, with Vishvamitra foremost, respectfully honored Rama and Lakshmana.
Verse 13
ततो रामः स लक्ष्मणः कौशिकेन महात्मना । सह तत्र निवासं तु सुखमासादयत् प्रभुः ॥
Then Rama, together with Lakshmana, comfortably stayed there with the great-souled Kaushika.
Verse 14
तत्राश्रमपदे पुण्ये बहवो मुनिसत्तमाः । न्यवसन् नियताहारा जपहोमपरायणाः ॥
Many excellent sages lived in that sacred hermitage, controlled in their food and devoted to recitation and sacrificial offerings.
Verse 15
तेषां मध्ये महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । रराज राजसिंहस्य पुत्राभ्यामिव पर्वतः ॥
Among them, the greatly radiant sage Vishvamitra shone together with the two sons of the lion among kings, like a mountain surrounded by peaks.
Verse 16
ततो मुनिगणाः सर्वे समागम्य रघूत्तमम् । रामं च लक्ष्मणं चैव पूजयामासुरादरात् ॥
Then all the groups of sages gathered and respectfully honored Rama, the foremost of the Raghus, and Lakshmana.
Verse 17
तत्र रामस्य महतः पुण्यस्य च महात्मनः । कथां चक्रुर्मुनिगणाः पुराणां धर्मसंहिताम् ॥
There the groups of sages spoke to Rama about ancient accounts connected with righteousness and about the great sacred traditions of former times.
Verse 18
तत्र रामो महातेजा लक्ष्मणेन समन्वितः । शुश्राव मुनिभिः प्रोक्ताः कथाः परममङ्गलाः ॥
There, the greatly radiant Rama, accompanied by Lakshmana, listened to the highly auspicious stories narrated by the sages.
Verse 19
ततः सन्ध्यामुपासित्वा मुनयः संशितव्रताः । समागम्य च ते सर्वे रामलक्ष्मणमन्तिके ॥
Then the sages, firm in their vows, performed the evening twilight prayers and gathered together near Rama and Lakshmana.
Verse 20
रामलक्ष्मणयोः पश्चादकुर्वन्नतिथिक्रियाम् । सत्कारं समनुप्राप्य कथाभिरभिरञ्जयन् ॥
Afterwards they performed the rites of hospitality for Rama and Lakshmana and, having honored them, delighted them with various stories.
Verse 21
यथार्हमजपन् सन्ध्यामृषयस्ते समाहिताः । तत्र वासिभिरानीता मुनिभिः सुव्रतैः सह ॥
Those sages, with concentrated minds, performed their evening prayers according to the prescribed manner. Then, together with the sages of excellent vows who lived there, they remained in that hermitage.
Verse 22
न्यवसन् सुसुखं तत्र कामाश्रमपदे तथा । कथाभिरभिरामाभिरभिरामौ नृपात्मजौ । रमयामास धर्मात्मा कौशिको मुनिपुङ्गवः ॥
They stayed there very comfortably in the sacred precincts of the Kama hermitage. The righteous-souled Kaushika, the foremost of sages, delighted the two charming princes, the sons of the king, with delightful stories.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे त्रयोविंशः सर्गः ॥
Thus ends the twenty-third Sarga of Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the first epic composed by Sage Valmiki.