Verse 1
ततः प्रागुत्तरां गत्वा रामः सौमित्रिणा सह ।
विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य यज्ञवाटमुपागमत् ॥
Then Rama, together with Lakshmana and led by Vishvamitra, proceeded toward the northeast and approached the sacrificial enclosure of King Janaka.
Verse 2
रामस्तु मुनिशार्दूलमुवाच सहलक्ष्मणः ।
साध्वी यज्ञसमृद्धिर्हि जनकस्य महात्मनः ॥
Rama, together with Lakshmana, said to Vishvamitra, the tiger among sages, “The sacrificial arrangements of the great-souled Janaka are indeed excellent and abundant.”
Verse 3
बहूनीह सहस्राणि नानादेश्निवासिनाम् ।
ब्राह्मणानां महाभाग वेदाध्ययनशालिनाम् ॥
“O greatly fortunate one, thousands of Brahmins from many different lands, learned in the study of the Vedas, are present here.”
Verse 4
ऋषिवाटाश्च दृश्यन्ते शकटीशतसंकुलाः ।
देशो विधीयतां ब्रह्मन् यत्र वत्स्यामहे वयम् ॥
“O Brahman, hermitages of sages and hundreds of carts are seen here. Please determine a place where we may stay.”
Verse 5
ततः स राजा जनकः श्रुत्वा मुनिवरागतम् ।
सहितो मन्त्रिभिः सर्वैर्यज्ञवाटमुपागमत् ॥
Then King Janaka, hearing that the excellent sage had arrived, came to the sacrificial enclosure together with all his ministers.
Verse 6
दृष्ट्वा तु मुनिशार्दूलं विश्वामित्रं महाबलम् ।
प्रत्युद्गम्याभिवाद्याथ पादौ जग्राह पार्थिवः ॥
Seeing the mighty Vishvamitra, the tiger among sages, the king went forward to receive him, bowed respectfully and clasped his feet.
Verse 7
तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिशार्दूलं विश्वामित्रं महातपाः ।
जनकः परमप्रीतो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ॥
Seeing the tiger among sages, the great ascetic Janaka became exceedingly pleased and spoke these words.
Verse 8
स्वागतं ते महामुने कौशिकस्य महात्मनः ।
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म तपश्च सुमहत्तपः ॥
“O great sage, welcome to you, O great-souled Kaushika. Today my birth and my great austerities have borne fruit.”
Verse 9
पूर्वं द्रष्टुमहं ब्रह्मन् यज्ञं कर्तुं समागतः ।
अद्य त्वं मुनिशार्दूल मम यज्ञमुपागतः ॥
“O Brahman, I had earlier come here to perform this sacrifice. Today you, O tiger among sages, have come to my sacrifice.”
Verse 10
अद्य मे सफलं सर्वं यज्ञकर्म च मे शुभम् ।
यदिदं भवता दृष्टं मुनिना मम सत्तम ॥
“Today everything has become fruitful for me, and my sacred sacrificial undertaking has become successful because you, O excellent sage, have come here.”
Verse 11
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म तपश्च सुमहत्तपः ।
अद्य मे सफलं राज्यं पुत्राश्चापि गुणान्विताः ॥
“Today my birth and my great austerities have borne fruit. Today my kingdom is fruitful, and my sons too are endowed with virtues.”
Verse 12
यद्भवान् दर्शनं प्राप्तो महर्षिः सत्यविक्रमः ।
अद्य मे सफलं सर्वं यज्ञकर्म च शोभनम् ॥
“Since you, the great sage of true valour, have granted me your presence, today all my sacrificial undertaking has become successful and auspicious.”
Verse 13
इत्युक्त्वा परमप्रीतो विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम् ।
अर्घ्यं च पाद्यं चादाय पूजयामास पार्थिवः ॥
Having spoken thus, the king, greatly pleased, offered arghya and water for washing the feet and worshipped the great sage Vishvamitra.
Verse 14
ततः स राजा जनकः कुशलं पर्यपृच्छत ।
विश्वामित्रस्य राजर्षेः पुत्रयोश्च विशेषतः ॥
Then King Janaka enquired about the welfare of Vishvamitra and especially about the two princes.
Verse 15
कच्चित्कुशलिनौ वीरौ रामलक्ष्मणनामकौ ।
कच्चिन्न कुशलं राज्ञो दशरथस्य महात्मनः ॥
“Are the heroic Rama and Lakshmana well? Is the great-souled King Dasharatha well?”
Verse 16
कच्चिद्भगवता राज्ञा दशरथेन चात्मजौ ।
प्रेषितौ कुशलं प्राप्तौ मम यज्ञमुपस्थितौ ॥
“Have these two sons been sent by the revered King Dasharatha? Have they arrived safely and come to attend my sacrifice?”
Verse 17
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं जनकं जनकात्मजम् ॥
Hearing those words, the great sage Vishvamitra spoke sweetly to Janaka, the father of Janaki.
Verse 18
पुत्रौ दशरथस्येमौ क्षत्रियौ लोकविश्रुतौ ।
रामोऽयं लक्ष्मणश्चैव मम शिष्यौ नरर्षभौ ॥
“These two are the sons of Dasharatha, famous throughout the world as Kshatriyas. This is Rama and this is Lakshmana, the foremost among men and my disciples.”
Verse 19
एतौ मुनिवरश्रेष्ठं मां शुश्रूषापरायणौ ।
आगतौ सहिता वीरौ यज्ञस्य परिरक्षणे ॥
“These two heroic princes have come with me, devoted to serving me and protecting the sacrifice.”
Verse 20
एतयोः शौर्यमतुलं तेजश्चापि सुदुर्धरम् ।
अहं वेद्मि महाबाहो न त्वं वेत्सि महीपते ॥
“O mighty-armed king, I know their incomparable valour and their exceedingly difficult-to-bear radiance, but you do not yet know them.”
Verse 21
एतयोः कथितं सर्वं मया राजन् यथातथम् ।
सिद्धाश्रमनिवासं च राक्षसानां वधं तथा ॥
“O king, I have told you everything about these two exactly as it happened—their stay at Siddhashrama and the destruction of the Rakshasas.”
Verse 22
तस्य तत् वचनं श्रुत्वा जनकस्य महात्मनः ।
न्यवेदयदमेयात्मा पुत्रौ दशरथस्य तौ ॥
Hearing the words of the great-souled Janaka, the immeasurable-souled Vishvamitra declared that those two were the sons of Dasharatha.
Verse 23
सिद्धाश्रमनिवासं च राक्षसानां वधं तथा ।
तत्रागमनमव्यग्रं विशालायाश्च दर्शनम् ॥
अहल्यादर्शनं चैव गौतमेन समागमम् ।
महाधनुषि जिज्ञासां कर्तुमागमनं तथा ॥
The great sage Vishvamitra narrated their stay at Siddhashrama, the destruction of the Rakshasas, their journey there without weariness, their sight of Vishala, the meeting with Ahalya and her reunion with Gautama, and their coming to Mithila to learn about the great bow.
Verse 24
एतत्सर्वं महातेजा जनकाय महात्मने ।
निवेद्य विररामाथ विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ॥
Having narrated all this to the great-souled Janaka, the greatly radiant and great sage Vishvamitra then fell silent.
Verse 25
ततो राजा महातेजाः शतानन्दं महामुनिम् ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं यज्ञदीक्षामुपागतम् ॥
Then the greatly radiant King Janaka spoke sweet words to the great sage Shatananda, who had undertaken the vow of the sacrifice.
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे पञ्चाशः सर्गः ।
Thus ends the fiftieth Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.