Verse 1
प्रभाते तु ततः राजा दशरथो महामतिः ।
ऋषीन् सर्वान् समाहूय मन्त्रिभिश्च समन्वितः ॥
At dawn, the wise King Dasharatha summoned all the sages and was accompanied by his ministers.
Verse 2
वसिष्ठं वामदेवं च विश्वामित्रं च राघवः ।
अर्चयित्वा यथान्यायं प्रहृष्टो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥
Dasharatha duly honoured Vasistha, Vamadeva and Vishvamitra, and then, being delighted, spoke these words.
Verse 3
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म दिष्ट्या मे सफलं तपः ।
यन्मे पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च दृष्टाः सर्वे समागताः ॥
“Today my birth has become fruitful, and by good fortune my austerities have borne fruit, because I have seen all my sons and daughters-in-law gathered together.”
Verse 4
सर्वे भवन्तः सुप्रीताः सर्वे च सुखमास्थिताः ।
इदानीं तु गमिष्यामि स्वां पुरीं रघुनन्दनाः ॥
“May all of you be pleased and remain happy. Now I shall return to my own city, O delights of the Raghu dynasty.”
Verse 5
इत्युक्त्वा मुनिशार्दूलं वसिष्ठं सत्यविक्रमम् ।
विश्वामित्रं च राजर्षिर्नत्वा प्रस्थितुमैच्छत ॥
Having spoken thus, the royal sage bowed to Vasistha, the tiger among sages and truthful in valour, and to Vishvamitra, wishing to depart.
Verse 6
ततो राजा दशरथः पुत्रैः सर्वैः समन्वितः ।
वसिष्ठं पुरतः कृत्वा प्रस्थितो रघुनन्दनः ॥
Then King Dasharatha, accompanied by all his sons and with Vasistha leading the way, set forth, O delight of the Raghu dynasty.
7
ततः प्रयाते काकुत्स्थे मुनयः सर्षिगणास्तथा ।
आशीर्भिर्हर्षयामासुः सर्वे रामपुरोगमाः ॥
When Kakutstha departed, the sages together with their groups of seers, with Rama at their head, delighted them all with their blessings.
8
ततो देवा महात्मानः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः ।
दृष्ट्वा विवाहं रामस्य तुष्टुवुः परमं मुदा ॥
Then the great-souled gods, Siddhas and supreme sages, having witnessed Rama’s marriage, praised him with great joy.
9
ततो हि दुन्दुभीश्चैव निनेदुर्मधुरस्वराः ।
पुष्पवृष्टिश्च महती बभूव रघुनन्दने ॥
Then the celestial drums resounded with sweet sounds, and a great shower of flowers fell upon Rama, the delight of the Raghu dynasty.
10
एवं विवाहसम्पन्ने रामे राजीवलोचने ।
सर्वे ते मुनयः श्रेष्ठा जग्मुः स्वानि निवेशनाः ॥
Thus, when the marriage of lotus-eyed Rama had been completed, all the excellent sages returned to their respective hermitages.
11
राजा दशरथः श्रीमान् पुत्रैः सह महायशाः ।
प्रहृष्टो मुदितः प्रायात् पुरीं दशरथस्तदा ॥
The illustrious and greatly renowned King Dasharatha, delighted and joyful, departed toward his city together with his sons.
12
ततो राजा दशरथः पुत्रान् सर्वान् समादिशन् ।
स्वां पुरीं प्रति गच्छध्वमित्युवाच नराधिपः ॥
Then King Dasharatha instructed all his sons and said, “Proceed toward our own city.”
13
ते सर्वे पितुरादेशाद् रथानारुह्य वीर्यवान् ।
प्रययुर्मुदिता रामाः पितृभिः सह राघवाः ॥
According to their father’s command, all the heroic Raghavas mounted their chariots and happily proceeded together with their father.
14
ततः प्रहृष्टवदनाः सर्वे ते रघुनन्दनाः ।
ययुः पुरं महात्मानो जनकस्य निवेशनात् ॥
Then all those great-souled descendants of Raghu, with joyful faces, departed from King Janaka’s residence toward their city.
15
ततः सीता च रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः ।
उर्मिला च तथा सीता शत्रुघ्नश्च महाबलः ॥
Then Sita and Rama, mighty Lakshmana and Urmila, and the mighty Shatrughna—
16
सर्वे ते सहिता वीराः पत्न्यः सर्वाश्च राघवाः ।
प्रहृष्टा मुदिता रामाः प्रययुर्मुदितेक्षणाः ॥
—all those heroes and their wives, the Raghavas, proceeded together with joyful hearts and delighted eyes.
17
ततः पन्थानमाश्रित्य ययुस्ते रघुनन्दनाः ।
महारथैर्महावेगैर्हययुक्तैर्मनोजवैः ॥
Then the descendants of Raghu proceeded along the road in great chariots, drawn by swift horses moving as fast as the mind.
18
ततः किञ्चिद् गते काले तान् दृष्ट्वा मुनिपुङ्गवः ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ॥
After some time had passed, the great sage Vishvamitra, the foremost of sages, spoke sweet words to them.
19
आगच्छत्स्विति तान् सर्वान् राघवान् मुनिपुङ्गवः ।
पन्थानं दर्शयामास गङ्गाया दक्षिणं तटम् ॥
The foremost sage Vishvamitra invited all the Raghavas to come and showed them the road along the southern bank of the Ganga.
20
ततः सर्वे महात्मानः श्रुत्वा तस्य वचो नृपाः ।
प्रहृष्टमनसो जग्मुर्गङ्गाया दक्षिणं तटम् ॥
Hearing his words, all the great-souled princes, with delighted minds, proceeded along the southern bank of the Ganga.
21
तेषां प्रयातांस्तु तदा रघूणां कुलनन्दनान् ।
दूरादेव महाघोरं राक्षसं पर्यदृश्यत ॥
As the descendants of Raghu, the delight of their lineage, proceeded, a very terrible Rakshasa was seen from afar.
22
स तु दृष्ट्वा महातेजा राक्षसो रघुनन्दनान् ।
उत्ससर्ज महाघोरं नादं सिंह इवाचलः ॥
Seeing the descendants of Raghu, that greatly powerful Rakshasa uttered a terrible roar like a lion upon a mountain.
23
तं दृष्ट्वा राक्षसं घोरं सर्वे ते भयविह्वलाः ।
प्रपेदिरे महात्मानो विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम् ॥
Seeing that terrible Rakshasa, all those great-souled men, overcome with fear, approached the great sage Vishvamitra.
24
विश्वामित्रस्तु तान् सर्वान् आश्वास्य मुनिपुङ्गवः ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् ॥
Vishvamitra, the foremost of sages, reassured them all and spoke sweet words to Rama, whose valour was true.
25
मा भैष्टेति च तान् सर्वान् राक्षसाद् भयविह्वलान् ।
रामं च लक्ष्मणं चैव प्रहृष्टो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥
“Do not be afraid,” he said to all those terrified by the Rakshasa. Then, delighted, he spoke to Rama and Lakshmana.
26
एष राक्षसशार्दूलो महाबाहुर्महाबलः ।
वधार्हो रघुशार्दूल तव वीर्यं प्रदर्शय ॥
“This tiger among Rakshasas is mighty-armed and possesses great strength. He deserves to be slain, O tiger among the Raghus. Display your valour.”
27
इत्युक्तो मुनिना रामो धनुरादाय वीर्यवान् ।
सज्जं कृत्वा महाबाहुः प्रत्यञ्चामुपसर्पत ॥
Thus addressed by the sage, the powerful Rama took up his bow, strung it, and approached the bowstring.
28
ततो रामो महातेजा धनुषा सज्जमाददे ।
सायकं च समाधाय तस्थौ युद्धाय वीर्यवान् ॥
Then the greatly radiant and powerful Rama took his strung bow, fitted an arrow to it and stood ready for battle.
29
ततो रामस्य तं दृष्ट्वा धनुर्बाणं च सज्जितम् ।
राक्षसो भयसंविग्नो जगाम सहसा दिशः ॥
Seeing Rama’s bow and arrow prepared, the Rakshasa became terrified and suddenly fled in all directions.
30
तं दृष्ट्वा राक्षसं भीतं रामो हृष्टमनाः प्रभुः ।
सायकं तस्य चिक्षेप वज्रवेगं महाबलः ॥
Seeing the frightened Rakshasa, the powerful Lord Rama, delighted, released an arrow against him with the speed of a thunderbolt.
31
स तु बाणेन संत्रस्तो राक्षसो घोरदर्शनः ।
पपात भुवि दुर्धर्षो वज्राहत इवाचलः ॥
Struck by the arrow, the terrible-looking and formidable Rakshasa fell to the ground like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt.
32
ततः सर्वे महात्मानः प्रहृष्टा रघुनन्दनाः ।
रामं प्रशशंसुर्वीरं लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम् ॥
Then all the great-souled descendants of Raghu, delighted, praised the heroic Rama and mighty Lakshmana.
33
ततः प्रहृष्टवदना रामलक्ष्मणयोस्तदा ।
सर्वे ते मुनयः श्रेष्ठा जग्मुः स्वानि निवेशनाः ॥
Then all the excellent sages, with delighted faces, departed to their respective hermitages.
34
एवं रामस्य वीरस्य महात्मनो महाबलः ।
कृतार्थोऽभून्महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ॥
Thus the great sage Vishvamitra, greatly radiant and powerful, became fulfilled by the deeds of the heroic and great-souled Rama.
35
ततो राजा दशरथः पुत्रैः सर्वैः समन्वितः ।
अयोध्यां प्रति संप्राप्तः प्रहृष्टः सह मन्त्रिभिः ॥
Then King Dasharatha, accompanied by all his sons and ministers, happily reached Ayodhya.
36
ततः पुरं प्रविश्याशु राजा दशरथोऽभवत् ।
पुत्रैः सह महातेजाः सर्वैः परमपूजितः ॥
Then the greatly radiant King Dasharatha entered the city with his sons and was highly honoured by everyone.
37
सर्वे ते हृष्टमनसः पुत्राः पितरमर्चयन् ।
जनकं च महात्मानं स्मृत्वा ते मुदिता बभुः ॥
All the sons, with delighted minds, honoured their father, and remembering the great-souled Janaka, they remained joyful.
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे त्रिसप्ततितमः सर्गः ।
Thus ends the seventy-third Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.